Uniden sds 100 disappointing

[osiris]

Well I've had this scanner for about 3 weeks now, and I'm more impressed with it the more I use it.
I live in Bucks County Pa. and my 436 had real trouble with their simulcast system.
Driving to and from work there were places where the voice was really garbled. The SDS100 has no problem following the transmissions and only once in a while is it unintelligible .
I am very happy so far, maybe the latest f/w update will help, but I'm going to hold off installing it because I can't figure out how to install the beta version.
Bob

 

[coolderb]

Well I've had this scanner for about 3 weeks now, and I'm more impressed with it the more I use it.
I live in Bucks County Pa. and my 436 had real trouble with their simulcast system.
Driving to and from work there were places where the voice was really garbled. The SDS100 has no problem following the transmissions and only once in a while is it unintelligible .
I am very happy so far, maybe the latest f/w update will help, but I'm going to hold off installing it because I can't figure out how to install the beta version.
Bob

Installing the beta firmware is actually pretty easy:

1. Download the firmware file
2. Unzip it (right-click, select extract files). Note the location of the extracted files.
3. Connect the scanner to the PC via USB cable (use jack marked "Charge" on the scanner. Turn the scanner on.
4. Press "E" on the scanner to select Mass Storage mode.
5. Copy the 2 extracted firmware files (.bin and .firm)
6. Navigate to the mounted removable drive on the scanner
7. Open the top folder (BCDx36HP
8. Open the firmware folder
9. Paste the 2 files into the firmware folder
10.Click the "Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media" icon (typically activated by an up arrow near the bottom right corner of the screen)
11. Select "Eject SDS100"
12. After the "Safe to Remove Hardware" message appears press the power button on the scanner. The firmware installation will begin.

 

[osiris]

coolderb thanks for the detailed explanation of how to update beta f/w. I'm sort of computer literate but i'm not up on all of the ins and outs of this radio yet.
The radio seems to be picking up short transmissions better, but I'll have to listen more to make sure.
Thanks again for the help.
Bob

 

[wbswetnam]

Installing the beta firmware is actually pretty easy:

1. Download the firmware file
2. Unzip it (right-click, select extract files). Note the location of the extracted files.
3. Connect the scanner to the PC via USB cable (use jack marked "Charge" on the scanner. Turn the scanner on.
4. Press "E" on the scanner to select Mass Storage mode.
5. Copy the 2 extracted firmware files (.bin and .firm)
6. Navigate to the mounted removable drive on the scanner
7. Open the top folder (BCDx36HP
8. Open the firmware folder
9. Paste the 2 files into the firmware folder
10.Click the "Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media" icon (typically activated by an up arrow near the bottom right corner of the screen)
11. Select "Eject SDS100"
12. After the "Safe to Remove Hardware" message appears press the power button on the scanner. The firmware installation will begin.

We followed a very similar procedure two years ago in the early days of the DMR upgrade.

 

[werinshades]

We followed a very similar procedure two years ago in the early days of the DMR upgrade.

Ahhh...those were the days!

 

[WX4JCW]

Firmware Friday is Back


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Jason WX4JCW
Unication G4, BCD536HP

 

[racin06]

Windows 3.1

The whole point is this scanner was rushed into production with a limited pool of beta testers such as yourself who refuse speak critically about anything relating to a possible fault. You have posted on almost every SDS100 thread on this forum in the last month and blamed the end-user or told them to wait for a fix. I'm still waiting for a fix for my BCD-396T not properly decoding digital voice on a Smartzone Omnilink system. A fix that was promised over 10 years ago.

Bottom line is, this isn't a beta product. It is a $700 top-of-the-line embarrassment for Uniden that still can't do what the previous model could do. Your end users aren't beta testers; these issues should have been addressed before the product shipped. The battery issue is a perfect example. Perhaps if the beta testers were someone with a clue and not some Uniden fanboy who refuse to be critical of a Uniden product, they wouldn't have shipped a scanner with an abysmal 6 hour battery life.

My SDS100 noticeably outperforms my 436 on my local simulcast system. Most are very satisfied with the SDS100. Of course, there will always be the know-it-all whiney *****ers.

 

[Hit_Factor]

My SDS100 noticeably outperforms my 436 on my local simulcast system. Most are very satisfied with the SDS100. Of course, there will always be the know-it-all whiney *****ers.

Agreed, I guess that's why we get an ignore button. First threat of selling or returning their SDS100 and off they go. I have no patience with chest thumpers.

The more I learn about this scanner the better it gets. It's certainly not a scanner for someone who isn't capable of the thought processes that go into planning FLs and then programming same.

I have almost everything on location based scanning. I have one FL that uses just the closest tower on the statewide P25 system. So I don't miss any calls while the scanner is checking other towers for traffic. The only drawback is keeping two sets of radio LEO radio IDs up to date. Everything else turns on and off as I drive around the area.

Really pleased to have the DMR, NXDN because there are some interesting systems using these.

I have one more HP2 to sell and I'll be rid of the older tech, already sold a 436 and a HP2.

 

[WX4JCW]

Agreed, I guess that's why we get an ignore button. First threat of selling or returning their SDS100 and off they go. I have no patience with chest thumpers.

The more I learn about this scanner the better it gets. It's certainly not a scanner for someone who isn't capable of the thought processes that go into planning FLs and then programming same.

I have almost everything on location based scanning. I have one FL that uses just the closest tower on the statewide P25 system. So I don't miss any calls while the scanner is checking other towers for traffic. The only drawback is keeping two sets of radio LEO radio IDs up to date. Everything else turns on and off as I drive around the area.

Really pleased to have the DMR, NXDN because there are some interesting systems using these.

I have one more HP2 to sell and I'll be rid of the older tech, already sold a 436 and a HP2.

What he said


Sent from my iPhone 8 using Tapatalk Pro
Jason WX4JCW
Unication G4, BCD536HP

 

[Eric5964]

Same experience here in terms of overall performance in Phoenix. And I was told "but you haven't tried firmware X!".

The problems I had were significant, despite the fact that I LOVE so much of what the SDS100 is. Reception matters. Unications receive more simulcasts in Phoenix, and I'm not surprised to hear that they do this in other locations as well, like yours. Then of course, Unication users deal with the fact that they are not scanners and have annoyances of their own for scanner users, believe me I know, and I have expressed those issues (but hey, it's a pager).

I had high hopes that the SDS100 would be "the one", but no, not for me either. Sorry.

**The next things you may be told:

"You are near some type of interference"
"You got a defective unit"
"You need to be patient, firmware may fix this"[/QUO


Did you not only update the firmware, but load the most current database? Made all the difference in the world to me.

 

[WX4JCW]

Same experience here in terms of overall performance in Phoenix. And I was told "but you haven't tried firmware X!".



The problems I had were significant, despite the fact that I LOVE so much of what the SDS100 is. Reception matters. Unications receive more simulcasts in Phoenix, and I'm not surprised to hear that they do this in other locations as well, like yours. Then of course, Unication users deal with the fact that they are not scanners and have annoyances of their own for scanner users, believe me I know, and I have expressed those issues (but hey, it's a pager).



I had high hopes that the SDS100 would be "the one", but no, not for me either. Sorry.



**The next things you may be told:



"You are near some type of interference"

"You got a defective unit"

"You need to be patient, firmware may fix this"[/QUO





Did you not only update the firmware, but load the most current database? Made all the difference in the world to me.

Do you copy and paste this?


Sent from my iPhone 8 using Tapatalk Pro
Jason WX4JCW
Unication G4, BCD536HP

 

[Eric5964]

Do you copy and paste this?


Sent from my iPhone 8 using Tapatalk Pro
Jason WX4JCW
Unication G4, BCD536HP

No, update the Sentinel software database, then load it to the radio, and you are done...just takes a minute or so

 

[mikewazowski]

The OP is no longer participating in the thread so there's no need for this thread to continue just so the peanut gallery can comment.