Sentinel software?

Status
Not open for further replies.

sallen07

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 22, 2013
Messages
1,164
Location
Rochester, NY
Is Sentinel Software a database program or is it a program to control the scanner?

Sentinal is used to update the firmware in the scanner and to program it (based on an extract from the RadioReference database) and adjust various settings including the display on the SDS100/SDS200. It does not do remote control.

There are other programs available (ARC536 and Proscan) that IMHO are better at programming and also include remote control, but you still need Sentinal to change scanner settings and do firmware updates.
 

Zeus661

Almost Retired
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 6, 2003
Messages
109
Location
Toledo, Ohio USA
So when I Update Master Database it pulls the USA database from Radio Reference? If so, updating it weekly will keep Sentinel up to date with frequencies?

I am just trying to figure out if when I updated the database in Sentinel and I select down to the county I am in, are all the frequencies that are list in the RR database there?
 
Last edited:

tvengr

Well Known Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2019
Messages
9,182
Location
Baltimore County, MD
Favorites lists are not updated when you update the database. The database is updated in your computer only.. The database in the scanner is not updated until you write to the scanner.
 

Zeus661

Almost Retired
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 6, 2003
Messages
109
Location
Toledo, Ohio USA
Favorites lists are not updated when you update the database. The database is updated in your computer only.. The database in the scanner is not updated until you write to the scanner.

So I would have to recreate a Favorite if there were changes, or enter them manually?
 

R0am3r

Salt Water Conch
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Apr 13, 2014
Messages
724
Location
Oneida County, NY
So when I Update Master Database it pulls the USA database from Radio Reference? If so, updating it weekly will keep Sentinel up to date with frequencies?

When you Update Master Database, it pulls it from the Uniden site FTP site. Uniden pulls the data from RadioReference once a week. Updating once a week will update the database, but not your favorites. You have to copy the data from the database to make updates to favorites. Or you could manually update the favorites. For small changes (e.g. adding talk groups to a trunked system) is usually the best approach. Once you are finished updating your favorites, you will need to write it to the scanner.
 
Last edited:

fxdscon

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
7,162
So when I Update Master Database it pulls the USA database from Radio Reference? If so, updating it weekly will keep Sentinel up to date with frequencies?

I am just trying to figure out if when I updated the database in Sentinel and I select down to the county I am in, are all the frequencies that are list in the RR database there?

You can download and use the Sentinel software before you purchase a scanner and try it out. You don't need to actually have a scanner to experiment with the software.

Just download the version of Sentinel for which ever scanner you are interested in and try it out.

.
 

Zeus661

Almost Retired
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 6, 2003
Messages
109
Location
Toledo, Ohio USA
When you Update Master Database, it pulls it from the Uniden site FTP site. Uniden pulls the data from RadioReference once a week. Updating once a week will update the database, but not your favorites. You have to copy the data from the database to make updates to favorites. Or you could manually update the favorites. For small changes (e.g. adding talk groups to a trunked system) is usually the best approach. Once you are finished updating your favorites, you will need to write it to the scanner.

thank you, this is what I thought and you confirmed.
 

Zeus661

Almost Retired
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 6, 2003
Messages
109
Location
Toledo, Ohio USA
You can download and use the Sentinel software before you purchase a scanner and try it out. You don't need to actually have a scanner to experiment with the software.

Just download the version of Sentinel for which ever scanner you are interested in and try it out.

.

I have the SDS100 on order and I have been setting up favorites in Sentinel for when the scanner arrives.
 

R0am3r

Salt Water Conch
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Apr 13, 2014
Messages
724
Location
Oneida County, NY
You will love the SDS100. I have mine sitting next to me at my home office listening to several local P25 systems. It works great.

When I was commuting to the office (before the pandemic), I would use Close Call during my travels and discovered numerous systems that weren't in the Radio Reference database. Have fun with it!
 

hiegtx

Mentor
Premium Subscriber
Joined
May 8, 2004
Messages
11,172
Location
Dallas, TX
thank you, this is what I thought and you confirmed.
Every few days (at least once a week), look at your state on the initial database page.

Select the state, and see if any counties in your area have had an update. Green on the state and/or county means an update was done in the past 24 hours. A yellowish color indicates an update within the past 7 days.

Click on your county to view it's database page, and then on the 'Last Updated' link in the upper right corner of the page.
84460
Usually, whatever agency or trunked system that was updated will be colorized with green or yellow, to indicate a recent update. However, what you find often that the update was a minor housekeeping detail, maybe a slight change in the notes or other details (especially on trunked systems) that have no effect on how that system or agency is programmed for your scanner.

One of the benefits of being a Premium Subscriber is that you can set up your My RR page (the page you first see if a premium member) and add the counties or trunked systems of interest to you. That gives you a quick way to get to them, but you would also see hat individual item tagged with green or yellow if a recent update was made.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 522

ofd8001

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Feb 6, 2004
Messages
7,891
Location
Louisville, KY
In the scheme of things, the Uniden database updates each weekend from the RR site. There have been hiccups in the past where the updates were not done.

This day and time, I'd say all bets are off because of the COVID-19 and Uniden not having a product manager to ride herd on this.

Favorites Lists are not updated because folks tend to "pretty up" their Favorites Lists and get them laid out for their best purposes. They don't want something to come in and automatically undo everything they did with automatic updates.

Major changes happen very rarely. It is a lot easier making those few and far between changes manually.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top