SDS200 possible keypad backlight issue?

[wise871]

Personally, The dim backlight for the keyboard is fine for me, doesn't distract from the very active screen ...

Some of us would like them to be viewable. Here is mine, bottom and my friends top. Mine is worse than his but in a dark room at least his keys are more viewable yet there both well below that of the 536HP. The camera picks up the light better than the human eye. In person you have to really stare to see the keys.

 

[Peerlessk]

Some of us would like them to be viewable. Here is mine, bottom and my friends top. Mine is worse than his but in a dark room at least his keys are more viewable yet there both well below that of the 536HP. The camera picks up the light better than the human eye. In person you have to really stare to see the keys.

Yikes . Mine is better than that . At least it covers all the Keys . Yours need to be addressed , sorry

 

[mharris]

Some of us would like them to be viewable. Here is mine, bottom and my friends top. Mine is worse than his but in a dark room at least his keys are more viewable yet there both well below that of the 536HP. The camera picks up the light better than the human eye. In person you have to really stare to see the keys.

This is EXACTLY what I viewed between two units, one serial number apart. One too dim but passable, the other - no way.

 

[BigC801]

Anyone else think the dim keys are by design ? What I mean is . By design to keep distraction from keys and focus on the screen . Even so the keys should be a bit brighter . For what I was going to do with a second one is on hold . Keys need be brighter for vehicle use . Uniden what are your plans for the dim key ball drop ?

Edit I quoted the wrong person a minute ago...Fixed

No, honestly I think it's just poor quality control in Vietnam!

I am just waiting to see if they are going to send out shipping labels for my 4-day old scanner or if I get to pay even more to get what I originally bought to work correctly.

I wish you guys could see mine in person, with the naked eye there is basically no backlight even in a totally dark room with no other light...

but with my phone trying to take a picture they glow brightly even with brightness turned down. Its like they are putting out mostly IR light.

 

[wise871]

For me I would just like Uniden to repair my unit and call it a day. I know there is always a chance with first production runs but in the end a speedy repair would solve the problem.

 

[fdnyfish]

The Backlit Keypad is a $60 upgrade

 

[BigC801]

Here is how mine looks, I know the picture is dark, but it's the only way to show how it looks in person.

 

[maus92]

Don't you have to give the company a fair chance to repair the unit? In my country you have to let a company do two repair attempts of the same kind of fault during the warranty period and if the fault appears a third time they have to replace the unit with a similar one, not brand new, or give some sort of compensation if you accept that.

/Ubbe

Purchase Protection is an insurance feature with some credit card issuers - it's not really a consumer protection / "lemon law" scheme. The card issuer typically has the final say whether to repair, replace or refund the item. Seems to me to be the option of last resort.

 

[edweirdFL]

I moved my SDS200 to beside my bed last night, as I often fall asleep with a scanner on as I listen. The backlight of the keypad was visible, in fact it was dim enough that it wasn't too bright. So for a totally darkened room it's of benefit but it's nothing like most other back lit keypads which are brighter.

 

[bravo14]

Just got radio about 45 mints ago.

 

[wise871]

Just got radio about 45 mints ago. View attachment 68347

Uniden, this is what I would like my keypad to look like. Sure would nice to get mine fixed knowing the KeyPads do illuminate correctly.

 

[Peerlessk]

Actually send a new radio then send in the bad one . Don’t inconvenience the consumer .

 

[bravo14]

Should someone make a spreadsheet with serial numbers see how has great to no light?

 

[Peerlessk]

The bulb sits behind the 5,8 I’m wondering if it shifted . My function light looks the same as bravo14 as well as soft keys on front under screen .

 

[BigC801]

Odd, my soft keys don't light up at all. Either way my sn# is 0860

 

[UPMan]

The normal keypad backlight will not be noticable when the ambient light is enough to illuminate the keypad. When ambient drops, the backlight is evident. This is by design. There are a couple of reports that maybe 2 units are dimmer than spec (although it is possible that one of them is actually a unit brighter than spec making the one that is in spec look dimmer). Judging by photos (without controlling tightly for exposure) is impossible.

The normal keypad backlight is dimmer than the 996 and the SDS100. If you can see the keypad with the room lights off or on, then the backlight is likely within spec. Do not expect to be able to see the backlight when the room is already lighted.

 

[Peerlessk]

The normal keypad backlight will not be noticable when the ambient light is enough to illuminate the keypad. When ambient drops, the backlight is evident. This is by design. There are a couple of reports that maybe 2 units are dimmer than spec (although it is possible that one of them is actually a unit brighter than spec making the one that is in spec look dimmer). Judging by photos (without controlling tightly for exposure) is impossible.

The normal keypad backlight is dimmer than the 996 and the SDS100. If you can see the keypad with the room lights off or on, then the backlight is likely within spec. Do not expect to be able to see the backlight when the room is already lighted.

Such is the case with my sds200 . I myself can accept this explanation . It’s the initial shock that hey my keys aren’t working because they are dimmer Coming from the 36 series where they are bright , to me at least . So according to your reasoning my sds200 is perfectly normal by design . As are many others . Sds200 loud and clear here .....

 

[TailGator911]

My SDS200 looks just like bravo's does. Okay illumination, not as bright as a WS-1065 face, but very readable in low light conditions. Certainly not a hardware design flaw throughout the production. Again, not a deal-breaker for me. I like them the way they are.

JD
kf4anc

 

[wise871]

0

 

[mkt853]

Such is the case with my sds200 . I myself can accept this explanation . It’s the initial shock that hey my keys aren’t working because they are dimmer Coming from the 36 series where they are bright , to me at least . So according to your reasoning my sds200 is perfectly normal by design . As are many others . Sds200 loud and clear here .....

Same here. I definitely have a back light. It's dimmer than the 100, but Paul's explanation does help to know whether my back light is or isn't working as intended. Basically I'd define the back light as more of a glow than an actual light as if the keys were printed with ink that glows in the dark.