Uniden's New Product Called Home Patrol

[Viper43]

Just what this hobby needs. Another dumbed down product for the masses. :roll:

Is it dumbed down or is it just a smarter unit that takes away the tough parts of programming so the average person can use it as some have said "right out of the box". Look at all the issues recent scanners have had and figure that just here at RR there are 1,000's of threads asking how to do this or that, and RR isn't the only site, then add in the manufactueres sites and their call centers, all taking time and money that the manufactueres could use to develope new equipment with. If this unit is as simple as they say then the manufacter can get on with bigger and better products for the adanced scanner users, mabe using this new unit as a starting point. Personally I'd rather see Uniden spending less time and money troubleshooting or helping the average guy's scanner because he can't program it and use that time and money to develope bigger and better things for our hobby/jobs whichever it may be. For me scanning is both a hobby and job related.

V

 

[ampulman]

Ho Hum

Have to say, that I'm somewhat disappointed. I would have looked with great interest, at a full-featured software defined (not sure if that's the right term) scanner for home use.

Was thinking about getting a RS PRO-107 during the sale, but decided to hold off for the announcement. I have a 396T which I like and tote (almost) everywhere I go, but since I do most of my listening from home, I wanted to give the RS/GRE unit a shot (better audio/digital decoding).

Might this new unit appeal to the whacker-wannabees?
Amp

 

[DaveIN]

It's not just zip code based; you can also put in city name or GPS coordinates. You can also increase or decrease the range to include more or less stuff to scan, you're not just limited to what it gives you.

Very good! Multiple methods to select the trunked and frequency data. Did they have one connected to a GPS at the show? I take it you think it will appeal to us scanner heads as well as the rest of the entry level folks? I like the size and display so far. Someone mentioned that it will record the audio also. How did it sound?

Sorry for all the questions, but the recording feature may be a big seller for me. I would love to be able to hear what I missed when I walk away from the radio and an event happens out of earshot.

 

[wa8pyr]

I'll have a few hours to kill at the airport waiting for my flight to CMH so I'll crank out some more then. Also look for my video, coming soon to YouTube near you.

Tom

YouTube - Uniden HomePatrol

Here it is. 2:21 from power up to scanning.

 

[wa8pyr]

Is it dumbed down or is it just a smarter unit that takes away the tough parts of programming so the average person can use it as some have said "right out of the box". Look at all the issues recent scanners have had and figure that just here at RR there are 1,000's of threads asking how to do this or that, and RR isn't the only site, then add in the manufactueres sites and their call centers, all taking time and money that the manufactueres could use to develope new equipment with. If this unit is as simple as they say then the manufacter can get on with bigger and better products for the adanced scanner users, mabe using this new unit as a starting point. Personally I'd rather see Uniden spending less time and money troubleshooting or helping the average guy's scanner because he can't program it and use that time and money to develope bigger and better things for our hobby/jobs whichever it may be. For me scanning is both a hobby and job related.

It's a smarter, digital-capable radio that takes away the tough parts of programming so the average person can use it as some have said "right out of the box".

But it's so much more than that, too. This is an excellent receiver, quite sensitive, well shielded and with a fantastic display. And us "Joes" will be able to change stuff around to suit ourselves. I manage a Motorola system for work, and I already want one of these for my office.

But again, this will bring that other 70% of users who have been left out because of the complexity of modern radios back into the fold.

 

[wa8pyr]

Very good! Multiple methods to select the trunked and frequency data. Did they have one connected to a GPS at the show? I take it you think it will appeal to us scanner heads as well as the rest of the entry level folks? I like the size and display so far. Someone mentioned that it will record the audio also. How did it sound?

Sorry for all the questions, but the recording feature may be a big seller for me. I would love to be able to hear what I missed when I walk away from the radio and an event happens out of earshot.

The recording is fantastic. No GPS here, but as soon as I get this one home for review it will get hooked up to my Garmin GPS.

This radio will appeal to everyone except the real die-hards (one half % of everybody) who have to have total control over every single aspect of their radio. For just about everybody else, the ability to fire this thing up and get rolling, as well as the ability to customize through use of the Favorites file, will be great.

 

[VernM]

"Joe Scanner," Scannerheads, what ever you think you are, the ability to tinker with the technology isn't the big picture here. It is the need by enterprising people like Uniden to keep the most people they can capable of keeping an ear on the most services they can as easy as it can be made possible.

Nations, services, organizations that claim they need to keep the public from hearing what they do in the constitutional pursuit of their constitutional directives have the danger inherint in that in hiding what they do from the public. There is the thing you need to be actively fighting. I've listened to public service radio as a working journalist and hobbiest since the 1940s and I see this insidious creep of rationalizing hiding anything from "the bad guys" as badder than any bad guy can ever be.

i

 

[puzzleriddle]

It is a digital ????? Will buy one the day it comes out IF it is indeed a Digital (P25 capable scanner) please confirm this!!
Also what is price range on this radio

 

[JPSan]

It is a MUCH needed device. As has been pointed out a LOT of folks buying the "new" generation digital scanners flood the forums with questions that can be answered if they JUST HAVE SIMPLE PATIENCE and LEARN TO READ what has already been posted on RR and elsewhere. Thanks to a LACK of smarts a by person I was lucky to score a NEW 396XT for $200.00 by someone who was clueless and had no patience to LEARN and read. I BET YA when this NEW scanner hits the streets, no matter how SIMPLE it will be to use you will still see a whole lot of posts by people who won't read anything and will probably be totally lost on HOW to even TURN ON the device! It is just the way it is...look over Rat Shack, GRE and Uniden forums and be amazed at some of the past posts. Give it another year or so and I bet ya your going to see more and more ENCRYPTED comm's anyway, I really feel that will be the trend..more secretive police operations across the board..Enjoy what we get while we can. I applaud Uniden for this new good looking device. Wish em great success ON THIS GREAT CONCEPT.Lets see how long it takes GRE to copycat it. But, mark my words this NEW device will still confuse a whole lot, just human nature..Ball is now in UNIDEN'S court.....Rock On...

 

[DaveIN]

YouTube - Uniden HomePatrol

Here it is. 2:21 from power up to scanning.

That's impressive! If any of that was P25 I couldn't hear or tell the difference. If you heard any, what was you impression of the audio decode? Did you happen to capture any of the recording operation?
Was there any software on display?

 

[KE4ZNR]

It is a digital ????? Will buy one the day it comes out IF it is indeed a Digital (P25 capable scanner) please confirm this!!
Also what is price range on this radio

It will handle P25 Digital (and of course analog) like the XT models of today.
Marshall KE4ZNR

 

[Viper43]

It is a digital ????? Will buy one the day it comes out IF it is indeed a Digital (P25 capable scanner) please confirm this!!
Also what is price range on this radio

Thats what they said.... digital....

 

[Essexscan]

I've been a "joe scanner" for over 30yrs but I like this radio so far and wonder if Uniden's software will allow it to work as a software-defined radio like the Icom's with an interface on our computer. even if its an add-on software pkg so you could the audio card to listen to the scanner. Either way it still looks cool. I do think a custom GPS pkg should be avail as a card or sleeve to slide the scanner in if its going to be portable or maybe bluetooth it to your phone's gps or a bluetooth gps receiver. just a cpl ideas I had

 

[KE4ZNR]

That's impressive! If any of that was P25 I couldn't hear or tell the difference. If you heard any, what was you impression of the audio decode? Did you happen to capture any of the recording operation?
Was there any software on display?

Rumor has it that the digital audio decode will be just as
good (if not better) as the current XT line.
Marshall KE4ZNR

 

[KE5BCP]

A few more photos...

A few shots showing the radio and the ports on each side.

 

[freqhopping]

Does it decode TDMA or Motorola's pre-TDMA format? I won't be buying anymore scanners until I can get one that's capable of that.

Why wasn't a GPS made integral? It doesn't need the mapping capability, just the ability to read the GPS signals to determine location. I can count on one hand the number of times I've used a GPS with my 996T/396XT. It's just not convenient, especially since most of the time I'm mobile I'm on a motorcycle. Last thing I need is cables running all over the place.

 

[mancow]

That's bad ass!

My only concern is the shape. How are you supposed to mount that thing in a console? I sure hope they make a hand held (normal handheld shape) version and a regular retangular DIN style unit.

 

[KE4ZNR]

That's bad ass!

My only concern is the shape. How are you supposed to mount that thing in a console? I sure hope they make a hand held (normal handheld shape) version and a regular retangular DIN style unit.

Rumor has it that mobile mounts will be available similar
to current GPS mobile mounts.
It looks to be sized just right for the mobile environment.
Marshall KE4ZNR

 

[DaveIN]

It is a MUCH needed device. As has been pointed out a LOT of folks buying the "new" generation digital scanners flood the forums with questions that can be answered if they JUST HAVE SIMPLE PATIENCE and LEARN TO READ what has already been posted on RR and elsewhere. Thanks to a LACK of smarts a by person I was lucky to score a NEW 396XT for $200.00 by someone who was clueless and had no patience to LEARN and read. I BET YA when this NEW scanner hits the streets, no matter how SIMPLE it will be to use you will still see a whole lot of posts by people who won't read anything and will probably be totally lost on HOW to even TURN ON the device! It is just the way it is...look over Rat Shack, GRE and Uniden forums and be amazed at some of the past posts. Give it another year or so and I bet ya your going to see more and more ENCRYPTED comm's anyway, I really feel that will be the trend..more secretive police operations across the board..Enjoy what we get while we can. I applaud Uniden for this new good looking device. Wish em great success ON THIS GREAT CONCEPT.Lets see how long it takes GRE to copycat it. But, mark my words this NEW device will still confuse a whole lot, just human nature..Ball is now in UNIDEN'S court.....Rock On...

There are always folks who have trouble with any technology, no matter how easy it is to use. People over-think, and as you said, do not read the instructions. You're always going to have that problem. From what I just saw in the YouTube video Tom so gracefully put up for us, it looks like most folks could handle the operation easily. Now how could you go wrong with putting your zip code in and letting the radio do the rest!

My only concern is that the Radioreference database is going to need a lot of attention and the administrators are going to be busy! Just the amount of GPS coordinates for each system is mind boggling. Let's hope the database servers can handle that amount of information. Once the "Homepatrol" hits the street there are going to be lots of updates.

This is an exiting new product Uniden. I can't wait to see how it works on my systems.

 

[b52hbuff]

21st Century Beartracker...

...ok, it's a bit more than that... My concern is the ability to program this yourself. Folks will remember that the 396T is also based upon RR.com information for the control channel trunking feature. Works great! ...until someone rebanded or change their type. I had a local IG/TRS (Lock-Mart) that went from Type IIi to Type II. The Uniden doesn't recognize it anymore.

...so what is the ability to refresh the devices understanding of programming data?

...also, what is the ability to import UASD files from the 396T and 396XT radios? (Yeah, I know, there isn't a 396XT programming software. ).

Looks like an awesome radio. I'll probably buy at least two, one as a gift for someone who isn't as capable of programming the radios.

Is the programming connector the same as the recent Uniden line?

Does the radio track 380MHz TRS? Does it get MilAir 225-380MHz?

...and any word on MOTOTRBO?

Now that this is out, when are we going to see 396XT programming software (from Uniden? )