SDS200: Help...strange new issue - analog signals only

[iMONITOR]

I recall Paul Opitz mentioning that the SDS series scanners had to pause for occasional internal "house keeping" as he put it. That might be related.

 

[MStep]

My SDS200 monitors an analog EDACS system as well as some digital systems. Lately after being on for some time, all analog transmissions will be distorted and sound "robotic" with scratchy distortion. My SDS100 has never had this issue and can receive the same signals in the same location without issue. Once this distortion starts only a power cycle will resolve. I have changed filter settings, moved the unit and swapped antenna. While this is happening all digital signals will sound fine. It is not the speaker either as audio sound distorted when passed through Proscan (ethernet) as well. This never happened until recently but now happens often with no changes to the EDACS programming or firmware. I do tend to leave the unit on quite a bit since it feeds Proscan. Should this unit go back to Uniden for repair?

On my SDS200, it just seems that some analog signals sound a little "tinnier" than they did when I first got this particular unit about 10 months ago.

 

[JoeBearcat]

Oem powerbrick not good enough?
i have run my rig on a 12volt automotive test bench with enough "clean power' and have had the same issue.

When trying to identify an issue, you have to try changing things (even "good enough" components). Otherwise you are using the same items and expecting a different result with the test. Since there have been issues some have had with the wall wart, it is logical to try changing that. Besides, it's the easiest component to test for many who will have a 12V power supply available.

But thanks for verifying that test did not solve the issue. That nearly eliminates the PS as an issue.

 

[xicarusx]

I have encountered this issue as well with my SDS200. However it has only been when using ProScan via Ethernet. I can leave it on 24/7 ethernet plugged in, but not connected to ProScan and it won't happen.


So it seems to only be when there is an active connection via Ethernet and IP. Which makes me believe this is buffer related. Restarting it fixes it immediately so i do not believe it is hardware related at all.

Originally I though it may have just been related to the scanner being overloaded by signal. I live only 1/2 a mile from a FM radio station, and the FM station was bleeding through on all received transmissions no matter the frequency. So I installed an FM notch filter which completely stopped the FM station bleeding, but it did not stop the mysterious garbled audio issue.

 

[JoeBearcat]

Without reviewing the whole thread, have you tried a new/better SD card?

I have noticed that scanners do odd things when the card is corrupted or nearly full.

 

[xicarusx]

Without reviewing the whole thread, have you tried a new/better SD card?

I have noticed that scanners do odd things when the card is corrupted or nearly full.

I got my SDS200 less than 90 days ago. I have not changed the card and it is no where near full. I could try that though, I will have to buy a new card. I will give it a shot.

 

[Storm5m]

I got my SDS200 less than 90 days ago. I have not changed the card and it is no where near full. I could try that though, I will have to buy a new card. I will give it a shot.

I have now had the issue with two different SDS200's. I don't have much of anything on the SD card outside of the usual. If I choose to record, it would be through Proscan and stored on the host computer. This is interesting to me and you might be on to something that the common denominator is an almost exclusively active ethernet connection.

 

[JoeBearcat]

I got my SDS200 less than 90 days ago. I have not changed the card and it is no where near full. I could try that though, I will have to buy a new card. I will give it a shot.

While the SD card works, it's "Chevy performance" and not "Ferrari performance".

You can buy cards that are faster and have better endurance.

Those are not supplied since they cost more. (same reason digital modes are not included)

 

[Ubbe]

You can buy cards that are faster and have better endurance.

You probably don't need higher performance from those two parameters. The scanners SD card interface are so slow that you without any problem can use the slowest speed SD card available with the shortest life of total amounts of writes that would last for the whole life of the scanner. What matters are the quality of the hardware, the memory cells and the controller in the SD card. But usually you automatically get better hardware quality with higher priced SD cards. But no need to go to the highest 4k speed available. Buy two standard $10 32GB SD cards and always program both of them exactly the same and carry the spare one with you.

/Ubbe

 

[xicarusx]

I already spent $700+ dollars on my scanner. I might as well spend the extra $50 for two good SD cards.

I ordered two of these Amazon.com

 

[werinshades]

I already spent $700+ dollars on my scanner. I might as well spend the extra $50 for two good SD cards.

I ordered two of these Amazon.com

32mb is the max in the scanners. I know some have seen errors with using larger cards.

 

[Ubbe]

32GB are the max size in "native mode" for SD cards. Going bigger in size include some special page flipping technology that are not really a standard among different companies and might not work in some devices. The instructions or manual for devices usually say that 32GB are the max supported size as bigger might not work, depending how in which way the SD card manufacturer have sold the page flipping issue and if the device manufacturer have used a compatible mode.

/Ubbe

 

[JoeBearcat]

32mb is the max in the scanners. I know some have seen errors with using larger cards.

They were probably not formatted properly. I know for a fact larger cards can work, but they are not officially supported.

My SDS100 has been using a 128GB card for a year.

Granted, the tools for proper formatting are not very common.

 

[werinshades]

They were probably not formatted properly. I know for a fact larger cards can work, but they are not officially supported.

My SDS100 has been using a 128GB card for a year.

Granted, the tools for proper formatting are not very common.

I didn't know that was possible. Did you use the SD card formatter?

 

[JoeBearcat]

I used *a* SD card formatter. Not the one Uniden recommends. And I don't recall the name of it offhand. This might have been it: SmartDisk_FAT32_tool.exe