SDS200 Hum Reports

[palmerjrusa]

Just received my SDS200. Out of the box I noticed a slight hum/hash, but to be honest if others hadn't brought this up I woudn't have considered this an issue, (though it is absent in all my other Uniden scanners 536/436/SDS100). Then again the scanner arrived with the NMP200 part already installed and I loaded the latest firmware (it arrived with a previous version) so this hum/hash may have been appreciably louder in earlier SDS200 units without the part running older firmware.

I also checked the SDS200 key backlight function in low ambient light. While the keypad backlight is brighter on my SDS100 (unlike the SDS200, you can tell it's lit under normal ambient light levels) the SDS200 keys are illuminated in low ambient light levels.

One thing that has struck me is the brightness of the SDS200 display. The display brightness setting of 50% for my SDS100 seems about the equivalent of a setting of 100% with my SDS200.

I wonder if the SDS200 display illumination was designed to be lower since it will be used indoors usually under lower ambient light levels as opposed to the SDS100 which, being portable, will be operated outdoors?

 

[mikewazowski]

Thank you so much. I thought the Auto Locate was needed to get the GPS to work.

What I have done is add a GPS indicator to the Detailed Displays to let me know the scanner is seeing the GPS and then in the Weather Mode display, I added the latitude and longitude fields to see if the GPS has a position. Helps with troubleshooting.

 

[bravo14]

I noticed today and now the hum/pulse is back. Radio is on the new fw and I installed the part I got weeks ago. Is there another way to get rid of it?

 

[allend]

The only way to get rid of the noise is to turn off the radio and ship it back. I have noticed the same thing. It continues to hum even with all of the filters and the firmware upgrades and the shutoff feature. Its annoying hearing the hum when the conversation opens up.

 

[m42duster]

The only way to get rid of the noise is to turn off the radio and ship it back. I have noticed the same thing. It continues to hum even with all of the filters and the firmware upgrades and the shutoff feature. Its annoying hearing the hum when the conversation opens up.

Or, use it as a dedicated feed with audio from the headphone jack.

 

[bravo14]

The only way to get rid of the noise is to turn off the radio and ship it back. I have noticed the same thing. It continues to hum even with all of the filters and the firmware upgrades and the shutoff feature. Its annoying hearing the hum when the conversation opens up.

To Uniden or where I got it from? It's been more than 30 days I have the radio.

 

[allend]

It's Sad that people are still experiencing this issue even after all of the fixes and firmware upgrades. I can actually say that this is the most annoying downfall of this radio so far. I spent 700 bucks plus and NXDN upgrade and now I end up going back to using my older radios because of the humming noise that is not getting better. I get better quality out of a 350.00 dollar BCD996P2 radio than the SDS-200. Hopefully Uniden will do a re-call on all of our radios and get this resolved.

 

[03msc]

It's Sad that people are still experiencing this issue even after all of the fixes and firmware upgrades. I can actually say that this is the most annoying downfall of this radio so far. I spent 700 bucks plus and NXDN upgrade and now I end up going back to using my older radios because of the humming noise that is not getting better. I get better quality out of a 350.00 dollar BCD996P2 radio than the SDS-200. Hopefully Uniden will do a re-call on all of our radios and get this resolved.

They've done the fix, no charge for the part. Sounds like that their solution.

Yeah, it stinks that this issue was an issue at all BUT it is and whining and complaining about it continually in here isn't going to magically fix it or eliminate the issue. Uniden knows the issue exists and they've released a fix.

 

[m42duster]

They won't make a current production fix until all current units are out of warranty, or they come out with upgraded SDS200.

If they stopped the presses and applied a proper (non ghetto) fix, then everyone would want to send in their units for warranty fix. Doubt that happens...$$$

It is what it is. Either slap the ghetto part in and move on, or return/sell the one you got. When posting on eBay, ya' gonna have to take a price hit, cause it is a defect.

 

[KR7CQ]

Are people actually hearing hum as in the noise associated with a grounding issue (think improperly grounded microphone used at a public event), or are they hearing the computer hash / pulse sound? The computer sound is never going away, grounding-related hum is another matter. I just wonder if the two things aren't getting blurred here? Just curious. I clearly hear the computer sound, but it doesn't bother me. I could see how some might not be as tolerant of it though.

 

[m42duster]

Are people actually hearing hum as in the noise associated with a grounding issue (think improperly grounded microphone used at a public event), or are they hearing the computer hash / pulse sound? The computer sound is never going away, grounding-related hum is another matter. I just wonder if the two things aren't getting blurred here? Just curious. I clearly hear the computer sound, but it doesn't bother me. I could see how some might not be as tolerant of it though.

You can ground until the comes come home. It's going to hum. The ghetto part reduces the hum, but it's still there. Mine is dedicated to a feed. Audio is fed from headphone jack. My feed is quiet. I would, however, like for it to sit on my desk and utilize the built in speaker, but hum is annoying. I could get an amplified speaker, but why?

 

[KR7CQ]

You can ground until the comes come home. It's going to hum. The ghetto part reduces the hum, but it's still there. Mine is dedicated to a feed. Audio is fed from headphone jack. My feed is quiet. I would, however, like for it to sit on my desk and utilize the built in speaker, but hum is annoying. I could get an amplified speaker, but why?

So for you, you can clearly tell the computer hash from hum, and hum is specifically the problem (not computer hash)?

 

[allend]

The computer hash/pulsing noise is on the BCD536HP radios. I do not hear the pulsing/hash on the SDS-200. Ony the humming noise on the SDS-200

 

[jjbond]

They've done the fix, no charge for the part. Sounds like that their solution.

Yeah, it stinks that this issue was an issue at all BUT it is and whining and complaining about it continually in here isn't going to magically fix it or eliminate the issue. Uniden knows the issue exists and they've released a fix.

They did NOT release a fix, they released an attempted fix that obviously is not working for some and as a result, is not a fix.

 

[mule1075]

They did NOT release a fix, they released an attempted fix that obviously is not working for some and as a result, is not a fix.

And if you do not own one you have no dog in the fight.

 

[KR7CQ]

I can only conclude that different folks are having different experiences and issues. Some hear the hash, some don't, some have the hum, some don't, some have both things going on...or so it seems to me.

 

[m42duster]

I can only conclude that different folks are having different experiences and issues. Some hear the hash, some don't, some have the hum, some don't, some have both things going on...or so it seems to me.

Yes, it's quite subjective, but with current anecdotal evidence, it appears widespread.

 

[torishu]

They've ALL got the hum, they've ALL got the hash. Yes, even if you can't hear it. Even if you can, it largely depends on whether you're of the personality type to fixate on it or not (I happen to be). I know some would argue with me about that and I'm not trying to be "subversive" in making a claim like that. More below...

It's almost positively not going to get better (barring a complete production change) so I would probably sell the unit if it bothers you. If you want to try to fix it better than the official fix, try some of the methods suggested earlier in the thread. Layering up a little bit with copper foil tape to improve conductivity and connection between the rail, part, and metal lid/case worked wonders for my two SDS200s. The fix alone didn't cut it.

Also, try not to listen in a completely quiet living room if you find yourself fixating on it. Think of it like the whine on an old CRT or the searching and chugging noise from a HDD -- you know it's powered on. You can hear these things in a room of "pin drop" silence too and could easily fixate on them as well.

If the hum was "gone" and you can hear it again, I'm guessing heat expansion "popped" the metal lid/case so contact was diminished or the firmware amp off setting got reset to "Infinite." That, or the ambient noise level in the room was reduced, such as shutting the furnace off as the weather got nicer.

Believe me, I have all of these issues and I've heard so many of these units. If you read between the lines, it's all been stated, too, that your susceptibility to hearing the hum depends on various factors such as these, and how good your hearing is. I'm a musician of sorts with a great ear and can definitely hear what is bothering some of us. On every SDS200 I've heard.

I've managed to get over it despite the OCD nature of my personality by tweaking the fix, running in a room with a little more ambient noise, and just letting myself accept it and get used to it. If I couldn't, I would have to sell it, of course. Since tweaking the fix on my second unit I've been happily scanning and tweaking my Favorites List. I really hope those of us still vexed by the noise can get there too. Truly.

 

[mrhermit]

They've done the fix, no charge for the part. Sounds like that their solution.

Yeah, it stinks that this issue was an issue at all BUT it is and whining and complaining about it continually in here isn't going to magically fix it or eliminate the issue. Uniden knows the issue exists and they've released a fix.

From what I am reading here on this forum it sounds like Uniden might need to release another fix to completely fix the first fix which did not fix the original hum problem .

 

[allend]

I agree. This starting happening the BCD536HP radios with the pulsing and computer hashing noise. To this day that issue was never fixed. Then the release of the SDS-200 now with the humming noise. Very strange that this is considered acceptable in the eyes and ears of Uniden.

These issues never existed before the BCD536HP radios and SDS-200 radios. The BCD996P2 radios keep flying off the assembly lines with none of these external speaker ports issues. Nor the earbud jacks problems or the internal speakers with another noises. Complete quietness. Interesting