So What Does GRE Have Coming Out ?

[pratzert]

With the new offereing from Radio Shack ( although Granted it is a rebranded 500), and the new Uniden "XT" scanners.... what is in the pipeline for GRE ?

Anything new to counteract the new scanners from the competition ?

I have a Pro96 and have been thinking about updating, but I may want to wait to see what GRE throws into the mix.

Tim

 

[mikey60]

With the new offereing from Radio Shack ( although Granted it is a rebranded 500), and the new Uniden "XT" scanners.... what is in the pipeline for GRE ?

Anything new to counteract the new scanners from the competition ?

I have a Pro96 and have been thinking about updating, but I may want to wait to see what GRE throws into the mix.

Tim

In all likelyhood, I would expect at least another 2-3 years before anything new would arrive on the scene. There were about 4 years between the Pro-96 and the PSR-500. Using that as a guide is where I came up with the 2-3 year timeframe.

Mike

 

[K2QI]

While I'm all for progress, I hope the PSR-500 isn't going to be replaced anytime soon seeing as I just bought one.

However, if GRE were to come out with a replacement, I wouldn't mind a handheld with the same form-factor of the 396 and a 5 line LCD screen.

 

[troymail]

Dditto - the GRE 500 is only 1 year old and the 600 is even newer. The 396/996 are almost 3 1/2 years old and the reaplcement XTs are probably several months away anyway (making it 4+ years between them.

If you're waiting for anything, it would only be the XTs....

I agree -- I'd love to have a PSR500 in the 396 form factor/size.... other than that, I've very happy with my PSR500

 

[torontokris]

2nd for probably going to be a while before we see something else (2 years?)

im sure GRE will keep updating the firmware as they do now and will make it a better scanner along the way

 

[Eng74]

The updates that GRE has come out with almost make it a new radio than what came out last year around this time. I think we will see two maybe three other big add on's, like they did with the radio id's, before we see a new radio.

 

[torontokris]

Well said.
Just wonder what those other options/add ons will be =)

The updates that GRE has come out with almost make it a new radio than what came out last year around this time. I think we will see two maybe three other big add on's, like they did with the radio id's, before we see a new radio.

 

[Highpockets]

Well said.
Just wonder what those other options/add ons will be =)

That's why I like GRE, you send them in ideas, they say thank you, we'll see what we can do, and you wait, no promises, or release dates, and the updates so far have been really good. I'm satisfied so far!

 

[n4jri]

Well said.
Just wonder what those other options/add ons will be =)

To my thinking, the only major thing that the new Uniden seems to offer over the 500/600 would be P25 simplex talkgroups. I don't know how much of that is currently in use, but I guess we won't really know until folks start listening to it.

Personally, I'm satisfied at this time with the ability to use the NAC to block out QRM.

73/Allen (N4JRI)

 

[SquierStrat]

technically they will be coming out with a new digital scanner, the radio shack pro-197 i believe....

 

[torontokris]

True but the Pro-197 is just a re-branded GRE PSR-600, exactly the same, even the case is the same.
Looks like the GRE was just rubbed off and RadioShack name added haha

technically they will be coming out with a new digital scanner, the radio shack pro-197 i believe....

 

[torontokris]

The Unidens will have a couple other features not on the GRE (correct me if im wrong - as I often am).

IF Exchange – lets the scanner use an alternate IF (intermediate frequency) to help avoid interference sources.
**Encryption SKIP** - Unidens will skip by Encrypted transmissions / resume scanning (I believe Motorola P25 only).
Priority ID Scan -- lets the scanner apply priority to channels as they become active on the system
Preemptive Priority (Motorola only) – monitors for priority traffic, even when the scanner is receiving a transmission on the system
Location-Based Scanning – when a compatible GPS unit is connected, turns on and off systems, sites, and channel groups as the location changes
Band Scope – gives a rapid graphical display of the strength of signals within a specified range of frequencies
Key Safe Mode -- prevents naïve users from accidentally changing programming … a feature that has been a big request from public safety and media radio system managers
Fire Tone-Out Tone Search – identifies tones used by agencies using two-tone paging for alert signaling
Volume Offset – lets individual channels be programmed with a volume offset to help balance between channels that are louder or softer than other programmed channels
Multicolor Display Backlight – allows the selection of backlight color to meet the user’s own aesthetic taste
Visual Alert Notification – lets alerts be assigned to specific display colors (backlight not just an LED at the top), flash patterns, audible tones, and volume levels.
Form Factor - the 396XT will still be about half the size of the GRE, while retaining a comparable screen size.


Not everyone will use those features but just saying... GRE can think about implementing those in their next radio.

To my thinking, the only major thing that the new Uniden seems to offer over the 500/600 would be P25 simplex talkgroups.
73/Allen (N4JRI)

 

[DonS]

**Encryption SKIP** - Unidens will skip by Encrypted transmissions / resume scanning (I believe Motorola P25 only).

The GREs do it for Mot (analog VCs) and EDACS (e.g. skip ProVoice VCs if there's a mix), but not for P25.

Priority ID Scan -- lets the scanner apply priority to channels as they become active on the system
Preemptive Priority (Motorola only) – monitors for priority traffic, even when the scanner is receiving a transmission on the system

I'm pretty sure the GREs already do that, but handle LTR, as well (subject to certain restrictions)

Visual Alert Notification – lets alerts be assigned to specific display colors (backlight not just an LED at the top), flash patterns, audible tones, and volume levels.

The only big difference from the GREs is the usage of the backlight vs. a separate LED. Maybe "flash patterns", too (the GRE does "flash" vs. "no flash" on the LED, but doesn't have multiple "patterns"). I'm wondering how using multiple colors, along with flashing, on the backlight will work in the real world: it seems to me that it might be kind of difficult to read the LCD if you use a "flashing red backlight" in the dark - low contrast (red backlight) combined with non-continuous illumination (flashing).

EDIT: yes, the alerts are supposed to (at least to GRE) tell you who's talking without having to read the LCD. However, the number of possible combinations (on the GRE, at least) is still far less than the number of things that can be "scanned" at once. If you're scanning several systems/agencies, it's very easy to run out of combinations - requiring info from the LCD to tell you exactly who's talking.

EDIT2: this "number of combinations" problem really makes itself known if you're using GRE's "RadioID alert" feature, where the scanner detects the RadioID on a normal talkgroup call, then applies the alert info specific to that RadioID instead of the alert for the talkgroup.

 

[hoser147]

Rest assured they are both working to come up with future products. Who knows when it will be, only time will tell..............Hoser

 

[KB8UYC]

With the new offereing from Radio Shack ( although Granted it is a rebranded 500), and the new Uniden "XT" scanners.... what is in the pipeline for GRE ?

Anything new to counteract the new scanners from the competition ?

I have a Pro96 and have been thinking about updating, but I may want to wait to see what GRE throws into the mix.

Tim

GRE has competition? In my opinion GRE has made the greatest scanner in the world. The Uniden and Radio shack products hold NOTHING on the GRE line of fine scanners.

 

[n8dhw]

GRE has competition? In my opinion GRE has made the greatest scanner in the world. The Uniden and Radio shack products hold NOTHING on the GRE line of fine scanners.

But lets remember who makes the scanners for Radio Shack both GRE and Uniden. And in the case of the new 106 its hard to compare it to the 500 when the 106 is a rebranded 500 with a cosmetic change to the front. And so far has the same features as the 500.

 

[letarotor]

Yes, but will Radio Shack corporate allow their managers to stock the units in the stores so a prospective customer can check it out first before purchase?

So I don't get complained on for getting too far off topic here, I doubt GRE will be coming out with anything new for several more years. If they did come out with a new digital scanner, I personally would like to see more than 20 scan groups and a larger memory for more systems, talkgroups and radio ID entries. I would also like to see the unit in a smaller more rugged case (about the size of a VX7 or Uniden 396) with a large, bright iPod type display and Bluetooth capability built in. I would also like it to cook my breakfast and respond to voice commands, but I know that is pushing it!!!

 

[SquierStrat]

True but the Pro-197 is just a re-branded GRE PSR-600, exactly the same,

yeah, i already new that. It is still a new scanner that GRE will be coming out with though.

 

[Stick0413]

Yes, but will Radio Shack corporate allow their managers to stock the units in the stores so a prospective customer can check it out first before purchase?

So I don't get complained on for getting too far off topic here, I doubt GRE will be coming out with anything new for several more years. If they did come out with a new digital scanner, I personally would like to see more than 20 scan groups and a larger memory for more systems, talkgroups and radio ID entries. I would also like to see the unit in a smaller more rugged case (about the size of a VX7 or Uniden 396) with a large, bright iPod type display and Bluetooth capability built in. I would also like it to cook my breakfast and respond to voice commands, but I know that is pushing it!!!

lol... I know they won't be coming out with a new digital scanner for several years (I would say 3-4) because they first must recoup the costs of developing the 500/600... V-Folders and everything are great but what I would like to see would be removable flash storage (i.e. SD card). With as little as these things cost now (can get 2 gigs for about $20) you can have a lot of info saved. Here is a suggestion for GREs 3rd generation digital scanner (96 was the 1st gen 500 is the 2nd gen).. Put all the on board memory towards scannable objects and instead of the V-Folder concept use flash memory for additional storage.

 

[torontokris]

Id also like to see more storage.. (dont even have to add more memory)

just let it do only 10 v-folders instead of 21 (that would double the capacity of the v-folders)