Uniden SDS200 Memory Loss

[NYR1122]

Hello All,

Needless to say I was very excited about getting this new scanner, however it didn't take long to find major problems with it.

I first noticed after setting the time/date that after powering it off/on it would reset to Jan. 1 0:00 every time.

Then I found that when pressing the replay function it would ask me to set the buffer time, that I already just set a minute earlier (yeah that's bad too) to 60 seconds!

I'm not going to bother looking for any more problems at this point since I have it back in the box already.

Thanks Uniden for another winner!

 

[N5XTC]

is there an internal battery? surely there must be.

 

[eaf1956]

Hello All,

Needless to say I was very excited about getting this new scanner, however it didn't take long to find major problems with it.

I first noticed after setting the time/date that after powering it off/on it would reset to Jan. 1 0:00 every time.

Then I found that when pressing the replay function it would ask me to set the buffer time, that I already just set a minute earlier (yeah that's bad too) to 60 seconds!

I'm not going to bother looking for any more problems at this point since I have it back in the box already.

Thanks Uniden for another winner!

Like There are never any problems with any other products from any other company. Geesh, Send it in to get it fixed or request an exchange.

 

[dfw1193]

is there an internal battery? surely there must be.

Im sure with the latest winter storm and many night lows of -20 inmany areas a lot of electronics deliveries sitting most of the night on a delivery truck waiting on the morning driver created many unit defects in all types of electronics ordered.

 

[NYR1122]

Im sure with the latest winter storm and many night lows of -20 inmany areas a lot of electronics deliveries sitting most of the night on a delivery truck waiting on the morning driver created many unit defects in all types of electronics ordered.

Thank you, you have a good point, but regardless of whether or not it's related to the cold it's really not acceptable for this to have happened. The cold weather hasn't curtailed my purchasing of electronics online from various sources and I haven't had any issues.

For any electronics manufacturer to not have excellent quality control, especially of a high end product such as this is just plain bad business and wrong. Myself or any consumer should not have to deal with this kind of an issue with a brand new item and truthfully, at these prices not at all.

 

[K7MFC]

Like There are never any problems with any other products from any other company. Geesh, Send it in to get it fixed or request an exchange.

Other products from other companies have nothing to do with the Uniden SDS200.

 

[eaf1956]

Other products from other companies have nothing to do with the Uniden SDS200.

What I was saying was anything being mass produced will have some that are faulty. I work production in a factory and believe me some runs are better than others.

 

[SChuck]

I would leave it plugged in for several hours. Update firmware and keep working with it.

 

[NYR1122]

Like There are never any problems with any other products from any other company. Geesh, Send it in to get it fixed or request an exchange.

Well Golly Gee Wiz, I'm relieved to hear that your not upset about this, then again it's not your scanner or problem to deal with is it?

You see, I still remember having to send back both my 536 and 436 for relatively the exact same issue. Let me refresh, you turn it off, the date/time resets to default, oh and it wouldn't scan unless you manually intervened with those units.

I don't know if you owned those scanners but if you did I'm sure you remember the recall on them don't you? It's still going on actually. And this has shades of those problems written all over it.

However, to be fair until I hear about this happening to other people I'm going to hold my judgement. This could be a singular issue and I acknowledge this fact. But do understand, having gone through this before and now purchasing a brand new scanner, next generation to boot and then right out of the box have the exact issue happen again, well you'll have to forgive me if I got a little upset about it. I think most folks would be to regardless of what ever the reason turns out to be, don't you?

 

[NYR1122]

is there an internal battery? surely there must be.

Hello Scott, thanks for your reply and to everyone else as well, all help and suggestions are most appreciated.

To answer your question with what information I have on hand is, I don't know.

I think the 4/536's had a capacitor and worked in conjunction with the regular batteries to maintain the internal settings.

I looked through the manual for the SDS200 here:

SDS200 Owners Manual

And found no reference to an internal battery or anything for the end user to have to maintain. I wish it did actually, that would have been an easy fix if all it needed was a lithium battery replaced. I'd take that any day over what I'm probably going to have to deal with to get this fixed/replaced.

 

[NYR1122]

What I was saying was anything being mass produced will have some that are faulty. I work production in a factory and believe me some runs are better than others.

I hear you and unfortunately I see this all too often and it affects all of us.

Quality control has really gone out the window and it's a real shame. We spend our hard earned money on all kinds of stuff and these things are just not acceptable no matter what it is or costs. Thanks.

 

[NYR1122]

I made a short video showing the time/date reset after turning the unit off/on. I've also noticed that it doesn't keep the replay/recording settings either. If they replay button is pressed after cycling the unit on/off it asks you to set it again.

Uniden SDS200 internal memory loss (Video Example)

 

[nessnet]

Im sure with the latest winter storm and many night lows of -20 inmany areas a lot of electronics deliveries sitting most of the night on a delivery truck waiting on the morning driver created many unit defects in all types of electronics ordered.

I don't know if I agree with this.
One would think that any (properly) designed electronics would be tolerant of temperature extremes.
Especially a device that is designed for mobile install.

I'd bet the OP's problem is that the back-up battery/supercap (whatever Uniden is using) simply wasn't charged yet.

 

[maus92]

Hello All,

Needless to say I was very excited about getting this new scanner, however it didn't take long to find major problems with it.

I first noticed after setting the time/date that after powering it off/on it would reset to Jan. 1 0:00 every time.

Then I found that when pressing the replay function it would ask me to set the buffer time, that I already just set a minute earlier (yeah that's bad too) to 60 seconds!

I'm not going to bother looking for any more problems at this point since I have it back in the box already.

Thanks Uniden for another winner!

Tough customer (and new poster.)

 

[garys]

The x36Hp scanners had an internal batter for the Real Time Clock. Both required charging for 48 hours with the power on before those batteries were charged. As many of us here know, the RTC was problematic and the subject of an ongoing recall/repair campaign.

Uniden seems to have redesigned that with the SDS scanners as that is no longer required.

It's possible that the OP got a defective out of the box unit. It happens. Were I him, I'd make sure that I had the latest firmware, reload my data onto a different SD card, and see what happens. If nothing changes, I'd then contact the original seller or Uniden support/repair.

Oddly, the one thing I wouldn't do is register on a scanner forum and post a complaint first thing.

 

[K5MPH]

Other products from other companies have nothing to do with the Uniden SDS200.

I agree.....

 

[mancow]

There is a supercap inside. Maybe that's bad.

 

[KR7CQ]

Not sure what the issue is with the OP posting criticism of the product, new member or not. They are frustrated after getting a bad $700 scanner, and maybe this is their re-entry back into our hobby? I personally prefer to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly (as long as we aren't talking about personal attacks). I have zero issues with handing out or accepting glowing praise or well-earned criticism for any product, regardless of manufacturer. I'd prefer to hear it all, and then decide what to make of it all. I think that any pressure on members to avoid posting criticism of new or existing products simply deprives the community of potentially valuable information.

 

[wx5uif]

The x36 models had to be plugged in and on for several hours to charge that supercap. Did the OP leave it on overnight to charge it?

 

[mancow]

They used a battery. I think a cap is pretty much instant.