Suggested Software For SDS200?
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doctordialtone
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ProScan
Computer Aided Scanning Software for the Uniden BC125AT BC250D BC296D BC346XT BC346XTC BC780XLT BC785D BC796D BCD160DN BCD260DN BCD325P2 BCD396T BCD396XT BCD436HP BCD536HP BCD996P2 BCD996T BCD996XT BCT15 BCT15X BR330T SDS100 SDS100E SDS200 SDS200E UBC125XLT UBC126 UBCD3600XLT UBCD436PT UBCD536PT...
ka3jjz
Wiki Admin Emeritus
Just to be fair, ARC536 also supports the SDS scanners. And there's a freeware wave files player/organizer floating around - and that's about it.
wiki.radioreference.com
P.S. I think you can download Sentinel without actually owning the scanner(s).
Mike
SDS100 and SDS200 FAQ Page - The RadioReference Wiki
P.S. I think you can download Sentinel without actually owning the scanner(s).
Mike
tvengr
Well Known Member
Here is the link for downloading Sentinel. It is a free program provided by Uniden. BCDx36HPSentinel < UnidenMan4 < TWiki
Sentinel of course is needed to update the firmware and database and does a fairly decent job at basic Favorites Lists programming. While there are ways to update the firmware without Sentinel (copying and pasting the actual file onto the SD Card) the database updates pretty much need to be done with Sentinel.
As others have mentioned you can download Sentinel and use it without having the radio. You can also download demo versions of ARC536 and ProScan and use them with some limitations for evaluation purposes to see which works best for you.
- Sentinel does not support Virtual Control.
- I like the Display Customizer, it makes it easy to pick colors and feature placement.
- The x36 version of Sentinel works for the BCD436/536 as well as bot SDS radios.
- (Sentinel is free)
- ProScan works great with SDS's and I think their implementation of virtual control is superb.
- ProScan also has the distinction of working for many other Uniden scanners built in the last 20 years.
- (ProScan is $50)
- ARC536 also works well for the SDS's, and the Pro version adds Virtual Control, logging and recording.
- If you already use other ARC products and like their interface then consider this.
- ARC536 works for the BCD436/536 as well as the SDS100/200.
- ($40 for Basic, $70 for Pro)
As others have mentioned you can download Sentinel and use it without having the radio. You can also download demo versions of ARC536 and ProScan and use them with some limitations for evaluation purposes to see which works best for you.
There are no limitations when evaluating ProScan. Fully functional version for 30 days.
cpetraglia
Member
I used Sentinel for the first few months with my SDS200. I bought ProScan and have never looked back since. A far superior utility for your scanner.
Hence the limitation.
Eh, your post implied that there was some functionality limitation during the evaluation period. There is not. ProScan does not have a "demo" version per se, simply a time limit of 30 days of fully functional usage for free. No restrictions otherwise.Hence the limitation.
I plan to be getting an sds200 soon and have downloaded Sentinel to practice with and getting used to. But I cant figure out once I have a system built how to assign that system to a quick key. Actually the system I made is really the 4 P25 trunked multicast systems in Rhode Island. I like to keep each "zone" on its own "bank". Using Sentinel I don't know how to separate each system and assign each one to a different quick key. Maybe you need an actual radio connected before it lets you pick quick key. I have been using Freescan for my other Unidens and its pretty easy. But I am intimidated at this point by the sds200 and programming it. The instructions are not to easy to follow. I also have Proscan, a registered version and having similar difficulties. Need step by step hand holding on this!
I find some of the numerous how-to-videos on YouTube are a lot of help learning how to use some of the scanner software. You've heard the saying "A picture says a thousand words", a video say even more!
Yes I guess I will have to find helpful videos and experiment a lot.
doctordialtone
Member
| Organizing your Quick Keys will be part of the planning. You will have to figure out which QK's to assign to your Favorites Lists, Systems, Departments, and Sites so you can scan them without a table of contents and with some sort of logic you can remember. Enabling/disabling QK's is not the same thing as Avoiding or Unavoiding Favorites Lists, Systems, Department and Sites. Favorites List Quick Keys (FLQK)Favorites Lists Quick Keys are used to enable or disable Favorites Lists for scanning. They are just the number keys on the scanner but once assigned to a Favorites List they become the QK's. Your Favorites Lists hold your Systems that also may have System QK's assigned to those Systems. Selecting a Favorites List will enable all (Unavoided) Systems in that list for scanning. Favorites List QK's can only be assigned once to any one Favorites List. If you don’t assign a QK to a list, it will always be enabled. There are 100 Favorites List QK's (0-99) to use for your Favorites Lists. System Quick Keys (SQK)System Quick Keys are used to enable or disable conventional and trunking systems for scanning. You can assign any QK to one or more Systems, or program one or more systems with no QK assigned that will always be scanned unless you Avoid it. There are also 100 System QK's (0-99) to use for your Systems. Department/Site Quick Keys (DQK)You now also have 100 Department or Site QK's to assign to your Sites and/or Departments within your Systems. You can assign any QK to one or more Departments or Sites, or program one or more Department or Site with no QK assigned that will always be scanned unless you Avoid it. Advice: Assigning a QK to a FL is a good idea but don't go overboard and assign QK's to all your 40 Systems, 125 Departments, and 300 Sites if you don't need to. Only assign QK's to what you may want to turn on of off. If you are always going to scan a Department or Site, leave it at the default (no QK) which will always enable it for scan. Using locations along with Location Control can also turn Departments or Sites on and off. If you are still bent on shutting stuff on and off, try creating a FL for some stuff on, and another for some stuff off. There's plenty of room on the SD card. To sum it up, don't make QK's any more complicated than they have to be. Search Quick KeysYou can assign any Search QK's (SRCH1, SRCH2, or SRCH3) to any (1) Custom Search, Tone-Out Search, or Close Call Only Search for quick access to your favorite searches.
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You do not need a scanner connected to program in Sentinel.
Very basic steps in Sentinel are:
1. Click the menu Edit then click on Edit Favorites List.
2. Select the Favorites List and click the OK button.
3. The 4 systems should show up in the tree on the left side. Click one of the systems to program.
4. The grid on the right side should show the system with sites and department. Click the Options tab at the top.
5. One of the options is the Quick Key. Assign a value.
6. Exit the Favorites List and save.
When you get the scanner connected then you want to write the Favorites List to the scanner
OK I listen to just a small uncomplicated setup. It's just 3 P25 zones all within great signal coverage. And 1 P25 380mhz Navy Base in Newport RI. Then the Town police where I live use a stand alone P25 system on 800mhz. They are not part of the statewide RISCON system. Lastly I listen to an LTR system on 800mhz, the State Prison. Thats it. I'd like to assign each system to it's own quick key. That way they are all separated from each other. I don't bother with things like tone-out, close call, so it shouldnt be too hard. All my conventional scanning is done on a BCT15X so thats all set. In Rhode Island everything is small, even the P25 systems. There are 4 total in the state. The "east" zone is inaudible from here so I dont monitor that one. So what you are saying is the "Quick key/Favorites list" is sort of like a "bank". It's kind of hard to over complicate around here cause it' is limited as to what you can listen to or hear. At least from my location. Also the sds200 saves all data to the sd card? Not internally?
OK I will save this message for future use. It is a learning curve. It did manage to create the systems I want to listen to. It's just a matter of separating them and putting on their own quick keys. I hope to be ordering the scanner soon.
I must be doing something wrong. I can create a "favorites list" like above but it has no data. How do I import the data from RR into the favorites list? I did find how to assign quick key. Do I have to create one system at a time, like one p25 zone at a time?
It sounds like you clicked on "New Favorites List" You could do that but then you need to add the systems manually. Back out of that (or exit and don't save).
In the Sentinel main screen to append a system to a Favorites List:
1. Click the plus(+) sign next to USA (to expand) then find Rhode Island and click the plus(+) sign again and keep doing it until you find the system to import.
2. Right click with the mouse then choose Append To Favorites List.
3. Choose an existing Favorites List or click on New Favorites List.
In the Sentinel main screen to append a system to a Favorites List:
1. Click the plus(+) sign next to USA (to expand) then find Rhode Island and click the plus(+) sign again and keep doing it until you find the system to import.
2. Right click with the mouse then choose Append To Favorites List.
3. Choose an existing Favorites List or click on New Favorites List.
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