SDS200 Hum repaired, but returned

[iMONITOR]

I think I asked this question before and never saw a response. How did something like this get past Uniden's design engineers and quality control department prior to going into full production and being released to the retail market?

 

[Anderegg]

Better question, how did it get past the beta testers...unless the 200 was sent untested because they beta tested the 100 already?

Paul

I think I asked this question before and never saw a response. How did something like this get past Uniden's design engineers and quality control department prior to going into full production and being released to the retail market?

 

[iMONITOR]

Better question, how did it get past the beta testers...unless the 200 was sent untested because they beta tested the 100 already?

Paul

Maybe like many of us they also had several other scanners running in the same room and didn't notice it among the ambient noise.

 

[buddrousa]

Remember there were 2 versions that we know of for the SDS100 the first had a battery with a wire and it plugged into a port who knows the SDS200 may have been a little different from testing to production.

 

[trentbob]

I clearly remember that the sds200 was beta tested and I remember comments that it was a pre mass production unit that was slightly different.

There was some YouTube videos released from beta testing of the SDS 200 and you could clearly not hear the familiar hum that is very obvious on videos today and the four 200s I maintain and run at work.

I can't imagine a well-intentioned beta tester being okay with what some people have experienced so I bet you these pre mass production models didn't have the problem. Who knows.

 

[Firekite]

I'm not sure why your so angry at Uniden for a product you don't own.

That seems like a strange bit of pedantry on your part. He’s responsible for managing how many of them, again? More than a couple. It’s like someone who runs of a fleet of a certain model pickup truck and saying they aren’t allowed to be frustrated about known issues with that truck that the manufacturer isn’t addressing properly because it’s not technically his own personal name on the titles.

Even if I’m mixing up who is who, I don’t think it’s unfair to hold Uniden’s feet to the fire on this kind of thing. This isn’t a feature request that everyone expected to be there and didn’t show or something like that, but a real problem that some notice and some don’t (or may not even have the problem at all). If there’s an issue as simple as this one seems to be, and a fix as simple as this one seems to need, silence or only halfhearted mitigation measures on the part of the manufacturer isn’t a good look. It reminds me of the 436HP C1 debacle that they quietly addressed eventually in newly manufactured units but never acknowledged more broadly. I understand why they didn’t announce a major recall, but it left a lot of people with units not performing their best, and they didn’t appear to be willing to offer to swap out the board for a revised one even for a price.

 

[TailGator911]

If you buy a scanner and it is DEFECTIVE out of the box you send it back for a replacement. Plain and simple. You pay for a defective product you return it to the seller. If you bought a defective LG TV would you find an electronics forum and continuously post and flame the manufacturer and hem and haw and try to fix it yourself? No. Or would you be getting that TV replaced? Scanners work the same way, folks. If I paid $700 for something and it made a bad noise - whoosh - back it would go.

I guess I don't get it. Is Uniden telling people sorry, you're on your own? Are the sellers saying they won't accept a defective product return? What is going on here exactly? I managed Radio Shacks for years. If a customer came in with a defective scanner I would certainly replace it. That's just common customer service.

JD
kf4anc

 

[werinshades]

If you buy a scanner and it is DEFECTIVE out of the box you send it back for a replacement. Plain and simple. You pay for a defective product you return it to the seller. If you bought a defective LG TV would you find an electronics forum and continuously post and flame the manufacturer and hem and haw and try to fix it yourself? No. Or would you be getting that TV replaced? Scanners work the same way, folks. If I paid $700 for something and it made a bad noise - whoosh - back it would go.

I guess I don't get it. Is Uniden telling people sorry, you're on your own? Are the sellers saying they won't accept a defective product return? What is going on here exactly? I managed Radio Shacks for years. If a customer came in with a defective scanner I would certainly replace it. That's just common customer service.

JD
kf4anc

Exactly what I'm getting at.

That seems like a strange bit of pedantry on your part. He’s responsible for managing how many of them, again? More than a couple. It’s like someone who runs of a fleet of a certain model pickup truck and saying they aren’t allowed to be frustrated about known issues with that truck that the manufacturer isn’t addressing properly because it’s not technically his own personal name on the titles.

Even if I’m mixing up who is who, I don’t think it’s unfair to hold Uniden’s feet to the fire on this kind of thing. This isn’t a feature request that everyone expected to be there and didn’t show or something like that, but a real problem that some notice and some don’t (or may not even have the problem at all). If there’s an issue as simple as this one seems to be, and a fix as simple as this one seems to need, silence or only halfhearted mitigation measures on the part of the manufacturer isn’t a good look. It reminds me of the 436HP C1 debacle that they quietly addressed eventually in newly manufactured units but never acknowledged more broadly. I understand why they didn’t announce a major recall, but it left a lot of people with units not performing their best, and they didn’t appear to be willing to offer to swap out the board for a revised one even for a price.

If someone didn't purchase something and then he/she is giving you advice which has "potential" to void a warranty, is what I'm getting at. I don't own a Chevy but I drive one for work, and I respond on a forum on how to fix an annoying clicking sound that has "potential" to void a warranty, would you like to know that I didn't purchase a Chevy but sure fill the forum with ideas and knowledge?

We are not a patient group here and should await an answer from a Uniden representative. If then you're told to "go ahead and solder or send it back and we'll do it" then that is an "authorized modification". Until then...we should just wait to see if Uniden has decided this processor noise/hum will be addressed further then the solutions offered. Meanwhile...enjoy the scanner and all the features we have in front of us.

 

[allend]

Guaranteed hum fix using Uniden's NMP200 Part For Noise Mitigation, however, it will VOID the manufacturer's warranty.

NOTE: This can only be performed by technically qualified personal with the correct tools as disassembling of the unit, including the front panel and precise soldering is involved. ( I am technically qualified being a communications technician for 32 years.)
When I received my SDS200, the hum made it unusable in a quiet bedroom. I received and installed Uniden's NMP200 Part For Noise Mitigation as per video instructions. I removed the felt from the frame rail and cleaned the metal top of the display and frame rail with alcohol. The results reduced the hum by 80%, and still perceivable with my ear up to the internal speaker but now it is usable in the bedroom. I updated the firmware and set the Audio Amp Off Time to 500 mSec. However after a week, I noticed the hum increasing to a level of where it was before I installed the NMP200 part. This indicated that the effective conductivity was greatly reduced between the MNP200 and metal top of the display and frame rail.

Guaranteed hum fix, but, will VOID the manufacturer's warranty:
Disassemble the unit to include the removal of the front panel exposing the metal top of the display. Clean the metal top of the display and frame rail with alcohol. Uniden's NMP200 part is again installed at the specified location as per the video, however, the part is to be soldered in. To ensure proper soldering, it will be necessary to tin the metal top of the display and frame rail at this location as well as the copper side of the NMP200. Place the NMP200 and solder using proper heat.

Very important: To allow the front panel re-installation to fit properly, use only a sparingly amount of solder.
The results: The hum level is barely perceivable with my ear right up to the internal speaker. This is at a greatly reduced level compared to just using the original friction fit instructions for the NMO200.

I would really be interested in a YouTube video on the process of taking the radio apart and show how to solder the radio to get rid of the HUM.

 

[Joe_Blough]

If you buy a scanner and it is DEFECTIVE out of the box you send it back for a replacement. Plain and simple.

Is it defective or a design flaw? Either way it is not acceptable but if it is a design flaw a replacement will probably have the same problem.

 

[Joe_Blough]

I think I asked this question before and never saw a response. How did something like this get past Uniden's design engineers and quality control department prior to going into full production and being released to the retail market?

They may have known about it but didn't think it was a "show stopper". The fact is you make more money sending out defective products while working on a fix than you do not selling anything until it is fixed.

 

[Joe_Blough]

I would really be interested in a YouTube video on the process of taking the radio apart and show how to solder the radio to get rid of the HUM.

Not what you are looking for but this is a video of the inside of the SDS200.

 

[Anderegg]

Going through the process of openning 12 SDS200 boxes...brand new shipment, serials are 6 with 03xx and 6 with 12xx. All of them have the fix instaled, and ALL of them still hum/buzz. Currently in the process of bending every little fix piece to provide enough tension for posative contact. Not sure how a 300 s/n has the fix already, when my 800 s/n shipped without one.

Paul

 

[werinshades]

Going through the process of openning 12 SDS200 boxes...brand new shipment, serials are 6 with 03xx and 6 with 12xx. All of them have the fix instaled, and ALL of them still hum/buzz. Currently in the process of bending every little fix piece to provide enough tension for posative contact. Not sure how a 300 s/n has the fix already, when my 800 s/n shipped without one.

Paul

You do know that "mitigation part" will not "eliminate" the noise? "Set Audio Off Time" used in conjunction with the "mitigation part" usually resolves the issue. If the part is installed already, no need to do this just use the additional feature provided.

Page 13/Post 255: SDS200 - SDS200 Hum Reports

 

[Anderegg]

Sorry, let me clarify further. Every one of the 12 units needed to be opened, and the mitigation part bent to provide tension, as they all were able to be "mitigated" further in as shipped state, by pressing/pinching the top of the case down. The piece, as provided, doesn't seem to make as solid a connection in it's natural perfectly flate state. This is pretty simple to do, bend slightly, reinsert, and works to provide 100% of the available mitigation effect.

Paul

You do know that "mitigation part" will not "eliminate" the noise? "Set Audio Off Time" used in conjunction with the "mitigation part" usually resolves the issue. If the part is installed already, no need to do this just use the additional feature provided.

Page 13/Post 255: SDS200 - SDS200 Hum Reports

 

[allend]

Thank You for the update. User buys 12 SDS200 radios and all have this HUM noise problem. So for anyone that says different.

Where is Uniden when we need them to get this problem resolved once and for good. Hello Uniden are you out there to "OWN THIS PROBLEM"

 

[werinshades]

Thank You for the update. User buys 12 SDS200 radios and all have this HUM noise problem. So for anyone that says different.

Where is Uniden when we need them to get this problem resolved once and for good. Hello Uniden are you out there to "OWN THIS PROBLEM"

Probably worried about his health at the moment. He reads posts but i'm sure his priorities are elsewhere. The scanner is working flawlessly for most of us with a few complaining so I wouldn't think a massive recall is in order.

 

[UnidenSupport]

I would like to apologize about all the troubles that you guys are having with the fix for the SDS200 Hum. I can assure you that I have sent this over to my corporate team where the Factory and Engineering team will be receiving and reviewing.

 

[iMONITOR]

How a defective SDS200 is handled appears to be up to the individual dealer. That is why I bought mine from Scannermaster. When I discovered it already had the mitigation part installed yet still had the background noise present I contacted them immediately. I was given a couple suggestions to try first (my option). If that didn't help I had 30-days from date of purchase to return it to them for either a new replacement scanner or a full refund. I recived a refund in about a week! Thank you Scannermaster for the awesome service!

 

[radio3353]

Probably worried about his health at the moment. He reads posts but i'm sure his priorities are elsewhere. The scanner is working flawlessly for most of us with a few complaining so I wouldn't think a massive recall is in order.

He said "Uniden", not "Upman".