SDS200 Just keeps disconnecting from ProScan streaming to RR

[Indianabrad]

Recently I took my SDS200 that I've had for about 3yrs & deployed it on my RR stream with ProScan (a stream that I've had a Pro197 flawlessly working on for 13 yrs) and the SDS200 disgracefully randomly disconnected from ProScan so often that I had to stop trying to use the SDS200's ethernet jack and I had to just hard wire it to the streaming PC with a 1/8 stereo cable. So now that I have retrogradely solved that issue, now lets talk about the abhorrent lack of sound quality that the SDS200 has, so bad in fact for the 3 yrs that I've had the SDS200 that I refused to use it & just listened to my other scanners. It sounds like they are talking into a hole in the ground on my RR feed.

For God sake is there anything that can be done on this scanner to make it usable to listen to or do I just need to sell it on eBay & buy a TRX2 (I have a 1098 & 1095 and they don't sound disgraceful like the 200 does). About 2 yrs ago I tried diff filter setting to no avail, but wouldn't be apposed to trying other filter settings if someone has found better ones over the interim to this later date. Also don't even get me started on the inexcusable lack of AGC that the SDS200 has and don't even mention the miserable excuse for AGC called Volume Offset that the SDS200 has.

I have been into scanners & programing them since the late 1980's and compared to my scanner list below, the SDS200 is by far the worst scanner I've ever owned and with it's list of Major issues was a total ripoff. And if you don't believe how terrible my feed sounds now, just take a listen to it. I'd truly would throw it away if it hadn't cost $700.00. And I'm kicking myself now for not just going ahead 3 yrs ago & sending it back.

 

[buddrousa]

Are you running the SDS200 as DHCP or STATIC Address.
I have had a SDS200 connected to PROSCAN for years and have not had any problems with it disconnecting.
Your pro197 was connected to a PC by a serial cable your SDS200 uses a NETWORK cable if I am betting.
The problem is your SDS200 does not renew its address on a DHCP renewal as your PC did so a STATIC Address should fix the problem.

 

[belvdr]

I think what @buddrousa is saying is your SDS may be getting a different IP when it renews. Either set it to a static or set a DHCP reservation for it.

 

[Indianabrad]

Have you guys faced any "disappointing" sound quality issues or issues from lack of AGC? Also DHCP should work on a $700 radio and you shouldn't have to got looking for workarounds.

 

[jtwalker]

DHCP does work. But your router will give out varied IP addresses, not the same one consistently. Hence the issue requiring the action above.

Million dollar plus networks aren’t just plug in the cable and it will work exactly how you want it without any configuration changes.

 

[belvdr]

Have you guys faced any "disappointing" sound quality issues or issues from lack of AGC? Also DHCP should work on a $700 radio and you shouldn't have to got looking for workarounds.

DHCP works, and I haven't faced any sound issues that I can tell. I use the internal speaker though.

 

[ProScan]

the SDS200 disgracefully randomly disconnected from ProScan so often that I had to stop trying to use the SDS200's ethernet jack and I had to just hard wire it to the streaming PC with a 1/8 stereo cable.

Does the data (display) disconnects too? If so then Perhaps try another Ethernet cable. I've hear a couple of times that using a Cat. 6a or higher cable solved the problem.
If audio only disconnects then something could be interrupting the TCP packets. Don't use AVG antivirus as that is known to interrupt the TCP packets.

 

[Indianabrad]

Does the data (display) disconnects too?

No, Bob just the audio disconnects but the meta tags also continue to stream when the audio is lost. Also pushing the reconnect button doesn't work, even though you can bring up the IP address in the URL setup box. Also an MSM scanner restart won't let it reconnect, nor un/replugging the network cable, the only thing that allows to ethernet reconnect is a hard power cycle of the scanner. And then it may only last minutes & you're back to suqare one.

 

[belvdr]

No, Bob just the audio disconnects but the meta tags also continue to stream when the audio is lost. Also pushing the reconnect button doesn't work, even though you can bring up the IP address in the URL setup box. Also an MSM scanner restart won't let it reconnect, nor un/replugging the network cable, the only thing that allows to ethernet reconnect is a hard power cycle of the scanner. And then it may only last minutes & you're back to suqare one.

Doesn't sound like an IP problem then. I've read others with the same issue and I haven't seen a solution for this yet.

 

[Indianabrad]

Doesn't sound like an IP problem then. I've read others with the same issue and I haven't seen a solution for this yet.

Thanks for sayin', at least the stereo cable I have it connected to the PC with now, can't drop out.

 

[belvdr]

Thanks for sayin', at least the stereo cable I have it connected to the PC with now, can't drop out.

It's unfortunate and very random. In my case, I've never had the 200 disconnect. My configuration is simple: I have a single, gigabit network switch (Netgear GS308 - $19 at Amazon) on my desk that both the scanner and PC connect to. The switch then connects to the rest of my network.

 

[Indianabrad]

The switch then connects to the rest of my network.

I had them both on my 2nd 2.5G 8 port switch. I am streaming with a Lenovo Tiny PC, that I run headless & RDP into to admin. The scanner is setting on the Lenovo.

 

[ProScan]

Also an MSM scanner restart won't let it reconnect,

The MSM command should work unless the condition exist while attempting the MSM command.

Ensure you're not using more then one app trying to connect to the same scanner ethernet audio. Also don't use the AVG antivirus program. All other antivirus programs should be okay.
For a test, try using VLC to connect to the scanner ethernet audio.

 

[Indianabrad]

I have no anti virus installed and I am running 10 LTSC. Also I have not tried it since I went through device manager and turned off (unchecked) allow the computer to put the ethernet port to sleep to save power (although it's not a portable PC) and I'm running it on a stereo cable now & not ethernet as before. If that doesn't help I may give the scanner a static IP (but would have to look up how to do it). Most likely I will take the SDS200 off my feed & put my 1098 on it. This will solve the prob of the SDS200 having disgraceful sounding audio. Which sounds so bad that there should have been a class action lawsuit against Uniden for selling something that you can't make out what's being said on it in the muffled mess of sound it puts out. And it sounds like that even on external speakers and believe me, I have freaked & tweaked all the mic settings on the PC and also the sliders in ProScan and it has done nothing. And it sounded just as terrible over the ethernet port when I was trying to run it that way.

 

[buddrousa]

My SDS200 has much better sounding Digital Audio than my DEEP BASS SOUND of my 536's and 996P2's.

 

[JasperRidley]

I'm having the same issue on my setup as well. Now more than ever after the Firmware update that added the waterfall, away from radio at the moment so not sure of exact version. I'm pretty sure another was released after but haven't had a chance to mess with it yet. Has anybody else noticed this issue more frequently then before? I'll glance over at the PC running proscan and see a black screen on the GUI. A restart of the radio fixes it... For awhile at least.

Maybe I should try a different option to get my feed to RR and see if it's more stable.

 

[ProScan]

I'm having the same issue on my setup as well. Now more than ever after the Firmware update that added the waterfall, away from radio at the moment so not sure of exact version. I'm pretty sure another was released after but haven't had a chance to mess with it yet. Has anybody else noticed this issue more frequently then before? I'll glance over at the PC running proscan and see a black screen on the GUI. A restart of the radio fixes it... For awhile at least.

Maybe I should try a different option to get my feed to RR and see if it's more stable.

If using the LAN connection, I would swap out Ethernet cables to start with. If still unstable then try the serial port on the USB port.

 

[JasperRidley]

If using the LAN connection, I would swap out Ethernet cables to start with. If still unstable then try the serial port on the USB port.

Thanks for the tips! I have tried a new Ethernet cable and a different port on my switch. Didn't even think to use USB. I'll give that shot. If not I may switch my license back to my main PC instead of this older laptop I'm using.

Is switching the license over as easy as sending an email to the Pro Scan team if it comes to that?

 

[ProScan]

Is switching the license over as easy as sending an email to the Pro Scan team if it comes to that?

It's easier then that. Go to the Tools menu then click on Remove Activation.

 

[JasperRidley]

It's easier then that. Go to the Tools menu then click on Remove Activation.

Thanks so much!