SDS200 SD card

[richardrosa]

Greetings All,

A friend of mine gave me an Uniden SDS200 (An early birthday gift) and I have a few technical questions that I am hoping someone can answer.

1) What is the maximum size of the SD card that can be used in this radio?
The time to startup is rather long, and I am thinking a faster card would help speed things up a bit.
8gb SD cards (of any speed) seem to have gone the way of the dinosaurs, so a much larger card will have to be ordered.

2) Is there a spec sheet somewhere on the format of the files on the SD card?
The manual hinted that the files came from the RadioReference database, so I would think there is some tech reference available somewhere.
I'm writing software (for Linux) to convert my data files for other radios into the 'favorites' file format.
I've managed to figure out about 90% of the file structures, but there are still a few mysteries to solve.

3) Along with the SD program, I am updating Serial/USB software as well.
The protocol spec sheet that I have is version .01 dated April of 2018.
This looks like a preliminary draft. Is there a more recent version available?


Thanx.

Richard Rosa

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Wow, what a great friend! I'm lucky if mine even remember or acknowledge my birthday, LOL

1) Maximum supported according to the manual is 32GB
2) Pretty sure the answer you're looking for is .hpe, see here
3) No idea

73!

 

[n1chu]

Doubtful the SD card will help speed up boot-up since it’s the scanner’s software that determines how the data is written to the card, not the other way around...

 

[jtwalker]

1) Look for a 32 gb, class 10, high endurance SD card. You have to format as fat32, prepare SD card in Sentinel using "clear user data", then write to card from Sentinel (either in the scanner or with card in pc).

2) Sounds like a nightmare. I would cut-n-paste into Sentinel or ProScan.

3) If I understand your question here, using Sentinel you can update scanner firmware and HP database on the SDS200.

 

[kruser]

Some people are using 128 and 256 GByte cards. They must be formatted with the SD Card format utility as FAT32 for the SDS models to see the card when in the radio.
There is not much of an advantage in such a large card though. If you store all your audio recordings on the card, a large card my be a benefit.
Some users have had random reboots of the x36HP series and likely the SDS series. It seemed to be more frequent for users with thousands of files on the card. They offload the files from the card and the random reboots stopped for most that reported the reboot problem. I've not seen anyone post about this problem in a long time though so maybe it was fixed via firmware.
In Sentinel there is a "Clear User Data" item that will clear the card plus write the needed folder structure to a card that's formatted as FAT32.

As @n1chu mentioned, the card size or card speed does not alter the boot time. I think the slowest cards available these days are faster than the SDS can read from them.
The amount of favorite lists you have stored on the card will alter the boot time as the SDS reads those each time you power it up or exit Mass Storage Mode. The more favorites and favorite size, the longer the boot time. A super fast card will not boot faster as the read speed is determined by the radio. A class 4 or faster card should be fine if they even still sell them.
One other thing with cards, get a name brand and High Endurance. Some people have written their regular cards so much that they have started seeing memory locations on the card that will no longer take a write. I think the cards called "Industrial" by SanDisk are also good, maybe a little better than High Endurance.

 

[KK4JUG]

A very large SD card might benefit someone who records a lot. (I mean a LOT because the files don't take up much room.) Also large capacity cards might give you the benefit having "replacement" space if any of the sectors went bad. That doesn't happen much with quality cards. I don't record much at all and I don't recall ever using a card larger than 8GB in any Uniden I've ever used and right now I have an HP 1 and 2, 396, 436, SDS100 & 200.

 

[richardrosa]

Wow, what a great friend! I'm lucky if mine even remember or acknowledge my birthday, LOL

1) Maximum supported according to the manual is 32GB
2) Pretty sure the answer you're looking for is .hpe, see here
3) No idea

73!

Yup, a VERY good friend. I've done a lot of favors for him, and this is something of a repayment.
He'll also get some updated software (he is also a Linux only radio guy) in exchange.

Thanx for the link. Unfortunately, this are only the files themselves (and instructions on how to use Sentinel to create them).
I am looking for the SPECIFICATION of those files. I CANNOT run Sentinel (nor any other Windows based software).
I run Linux, and do not own any Windows machine.

As I indicated, I've managed to document about 90% of the file formats, but there are still some fields
in the files that I've not yet been able to figure out.

Richard Rosa

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Doubtful the SD card will help speed up boot-up since it’s the scanner’s software that determines how the data is written to the card, not the other way around...

In fact it does quite the opposite. The more you have loaded onto the card, the slower the boot process

 

[kruser]

In fact it does quite the opposite. The more you have loaded onto the card, the slower the boot process

Yep, that's because each favorite must be read from the card at each boot unless you have them set to Off in Sentinel.

 

[richardrosa]

Some people are using 128 and 256 GByte cards. They must be formatted with the SD Card format utility as FAT32 for the SDS models to see the card when in the radio.
There is not much of an advantage in such a large card though. If you store all your audio recordings on the card, a large card my be a benefit.
Some users have had random reboots of the x36HP series and likely the SDS series. It seemed to be more frequent for users with thousands of files on the card. They offload the files from the card and the random reboots stopped for most that reported the reboot problem. I've not seen anyone post about this problem in a long time though so maybe it was fixed via firmware.
In Sentinel there is a "Clear User Data" item that will clear the card plus write the needed folder structure to a card that's formatted as FAT32.

As @n1chu mentioned, the card size or card speed does not alter the boot time. I think the slowest cards available these days are faster than the SDS can read from them.
The amount of favorite lists you have stored on the card will alter the boot time as the SDS reads those each time you power it up or exit Mass Storage Mode. The more favorites and favorite size, the longer the boot time. A super fast card will not boot faster as the read speed is determined by the radio. A class 4 or faster card should be fine if they even still sell them.
One other thing with cards, get a name brand and High Endurance. Some people have written their regular cards so much that they have started seeing memory locations on the card that will no longer take a write. I think the cards called "Industrial" by SanDisk are also good, maybe a little better than High Endurance.

Thanks for the info.
The size of the card is not really the issue (8gb for a few text files is overkill).
The size question was more of what is available in a higher access speed device.

I had a hope that a faster card would speed up the boot time, but if you are correct, that is not gonna work.
I DO have the Favorite file culled to a bare minimum, and it STILL takes an awful long time to start.
I wish this radio had some REAL memory :-(



Richard Rosa

 

[kruser]

Thanx for the link. Unfortunately, this are only the files themselves (and instructions on how to use Sentinel to create them).
I am looking for the SPECIFICATION of those files. I CANNOT run Sentinel (nor any other Windows based software).
I run Linux, and do not own any Windows machine.

I can't recall ever seeing any file format specifications.
I do know when you use Sentinel to export a favorite, it uses the HPE extension and that file type is not human readable but the HPD and most (but not all) other files on the card are human readable.
The database here at RR is proprietary which is the reason exports are not human readable.
GRE (Whistler) encrypted every one of their database files unlike Uniden who has most in a readable format.

 

[jtwalker]

You'll need Sentinel and a Windows environment to run it. This is the only way you will be able to update HP database and firmware.

 

[fxdscon]

As I indicated, I've managed to document about 90% of the file formats, but there are still some fields
in the files that I've not yet been able to figure out.
Richard Rosa

Check here:

http://info.uniden.com/twiki/pub/UnidenMan4/SDS200FirmwareUpdate/SDSx00_File_Specification_V1_03.pdf

.

 

[kruser]

Thanks for the info.
The size of the card is not really the issue (8gb for a few text files is overkill).
The size question was more of what is available in a higher access speed device.

I had a hope that a faster card would speed up the boot time, but if you are correct, that is not gonna work.
I DO have the Favorite file culled to a bare minimum, and it STILL takes an awful long time to start.
I wish this radio had some REAL memory :-(



Richard Rosa

I did some card speed tests a long time back. The cards speed appeared to be limited by whatever USB chipset is used in the radio.
GRE/Whistler models are really slow.

I have about 90 favorites and the boot time is about 16 seconds or so from power on to scanning for me. It used to bug me but I've grown used to it now.
I've also noticed the SDS100 has a faster boot time than the 200 using identical cards. I'm not sure what the hardware difference is with no service info.

 

[kruser]

Check here:

http://info.uniden.com/twiki/pub/UnidenMan4/SDS200FirmwareUpdate/SDSx00_File_Specification_V1_03.pdf

.

Wow! I've never seen that file before. I think this is what the OP is after.

 

[richardrosa]

I can't recall ever seeing any file format specifications.
I do know when you use Sentinel to export a favorite, it uses the HPE extension and that file type is not human readable but the HPD and most (but not all) other files on the card are human readable.
The database here at RR is proprietary which is the reason exports are not human readable.
GRE (Whistler) encrypted every one of their database files unlike Uniden who has most in a readable format.

One of the many reasons I don't own any GRE/Whistler radios.

Sounds like the .hpd files are NOT a RadioReference type, but Uniden designed.
These are what I need the spec for...

 

[richardrosa]

Check here:

http://info.uniden.com/twiki/pub/UnidenMan4/SDS200FirmwareUpdate/SDSx00_File_Specification_V1_03.pdf

.

THANK YOU!!! That is PRECISELY what I was looking for!!!

Richard Rosa

 

[RandyKuff]

Wow! I've never seen that file before. I think this is what the OP is after.

I believe thats the file Bob from ProScan gets his info from...

 

[crippledchicken]

Wow, what a great friend! I'm lucky if mine even remember or acknowledge my birthday, LOL

1) Maximum supported according to the manual is 32GB
2) Pretty sure the answer you're looking for is .hpe, see here
3) No idea

73!

Yeah, I could use a friend like that LOL!