Updates are Coming

[wm8s]

I've owned ... well ... a lot of gizmos. 35+ years as an active amateur and longer that that as a scanner owner. Always the latest computers, phones, etc. And I've never experienced a company as open with and responsive to its customer base as Uniden's been here -- I suspect in part the result of a corporate philosphy and in part the result of Paul's hard work. I've already gotten my money's worth from my 996, so whatever improvements the updates offer, I'm willing to wait for them. Thanks, guys.

 

[XTS3000]

Updates to be released Monday.
You didn't hear it from me.

Really?

 

[LordJ]

I heard from someone that updates will be released Monday - But I can't tell you who told me that...

 

[kb9hgi]

Ah, well, you didn't hear it from me, either.

Due to some additional changes needed during testing as well as input from the user community, the target release date for the updates has been pushed out until around the beginning of April (no fooling).

Where do you people get Monday? UPMan says not til April now. This place is just about has bad as where I work with all the rumors.

 

[organized_mayhem]

He said they were going to be released Monday.......He didn't say which Monday

 

[UFEMTFF]

I have an inside source who says the updates will be release by April.

Well, if not April, then definatly May.

Or by the end of the year.

Or 2009.

 

[Sjinndoawi]

Uniden

I too have Uniden scanners and I do agree that they are the best out there by far. Uniden and the tech guys have always went out of there way to help me and get me the parts I needed. While yes, the 996t does have a few problems it is the best scanner out on the market today in looks,power, and versitlity. That GRE600(What an ugly child) is not that good . I am willing to wait till April for this update and Upman did address the concerns we know that need to be addressed to make the 996t the ultimate scanner in the letter(if you have resgistered at my Uniden).Again Uniden guys keep up the great work. I just wish you guys could get some of these prioritory systems online,maybe on day...

 

[al95]

Upman
what new features will be add in this release?

 

[k9xyz]

In your opinion and mine

The 996 and 396 are outdated now that the GRE 500 and 600 are out. I have them ALL and know. I have not just looked at pictures of them. I have had uniden scanners since they became uniden and even before. I have always been satisfied with them except with the performance of the 996 and 396 on digital systems. Since these scanners are designed and sold as "digital" scanners they should have worked without that damn bbrraaappp noise and other issues. Other scanners don't do it, my RS pro 96 and 2096 don't and my new GRE 500 and 600 neither have made that sound one time and both have the best sounding audio I have heard on a scanner. Add that to all the features GRE has and you can see why uniden has finally decided to address issues that have been known since the 996 and 396 came out............IT'S ABOUT TIME!!

But we'll have to wait and see what the updates actually fix, if anything.

73

 

[Deeke]

Upman
what new features will be add in this release?

http://www.radioreference.com/forums/showthread.php?t=98491

 

[W4ELL]

The 996 and 396 are outdated now that the GRE 500 and 600 are out...

Outdated? I disagree. The 396 holds its own pretty well for a scanner that has been on the market for almost 3 years.

I'm not trying to be a smart ass here but, why do you keep your Unidens if you are so unhappy with them? You could sell them both very easily and buy yourself another GRE or something.

I know the 396 isn't perfect, hence the reason for the coming updates but I personally haven't experienced many issues at all with mine.

My point is this...

If I had several digital scanners and one or more of them didn't work to my satisfaction... with the company who made them unable to fix them as promptly as I would like, I would just sell them, cut my losses, and be happy.

Again, I'm not being a wise ass here... I just don't understand all the negativity associated with Uniden and these updates.

 

[k9xyz]

not unhappy

Personally I am not unhappy with the 396, it has been and remains on of my favorite handheld scanners. I personally own one of the earliest 396's and also a brand new one. It has however had and continues to have issues with the digital aspect of its operation since coming out some 3 years ago. If you bought it for digital operation and are continually annoyed by braaaaappppp or other issues then it doesn't meet standards does it. I simply use my 396's for non digital scanning most of the time. I suppose my point was more along the lines of why would you post that updates were coming out in a week only to then put if off for another month when you've had 3 years to work on the same issues? I simply would not have said anything until I was ready to deliver!
We don't get to buy a scanner and then say wait< I think I'll hold off for a month or two before I pay for it.....

GRE just came out with the 500 and 600 and they supplied a firmware update for both models with fixes and requests in record time!
If they can do it, then the digital issues with the 396 and 996 should have been fixed LONG ago or a new model introduced.

73
have a nice day!

 

[W9NES]

Seems very funny but I own (5) Uniden BC996T's along with (1) BC 396T and I have had ZERO problems with the above radios.I do have a large collection of scanners incuding Regency and others that I use on a dialy basis*.Also point of intrest whenever I have had a problem with a Uniden scanner my scanner has always been fixed in a timely manner and when I call the Parts Deparment at Uniden for parts that I need they treat me with respect the way you would want to be treated.Maybe K9XYZ you need to say "Please" and "Thank You" and maybe your scanners would be fixed in a timely manner!!!!!

 

[k9xyz]

We All Know

We all know you have 5 F I V E(5) 996's or at least say you do every day. If you scan the safe-t system in central Indiana using the 396 or 996 you can tweak them until you turn purple(I know) and you will still hear bbbrrraaappppp at least (at the very least) occassionaly and it is more than annoying. Also the volume on the 996 is low. Anyone that moniotrs this system with these scanners and says they don't have that issue is plain lying, extremely lucky or doesn't know the first thing about scanning, or not monitoring that system........PERIOD!

Conventional trunked systems, no problem, conventional frequencies no problem, however digital systems=issues, and they are supposedly digital scanners. Do they work, yes of course they do, has uniden been extremely slow to fix issues with these models....YES to that as well.

I fixed it, I don't use the 396 for digital much anymore don't need to as the GRE models don't do that. SOLD and GAVE away the 996s I had.
BTW the only time I ever called uniden for support the person that attempted to help me did not know the first thing about a scanner. The one time I needed a part when a knob broke they were most pleasant and sent me 4 of them free, I always appreciated that.
If I was displeased with uniden I would not have purchased as many scanners as I have from this company and I am looking very forward to NEW MODELS!!!
73

 

[k9xyz]

Note

Just wanted to note that my posts regarding the current uniden models 396T and the 996T were never meant as a verbal bashing of uniden. I have and continue to be a uniden customer since and before they bought bearcat. I was simply stating some issues with digital scanning with these models that are well documented and remain unfixed to this day.
Competition is great it forces companies to look closer at their products and if they wish to "stay in the game" they must improve and strive to stay in that competition.

As I have said the 396T is one of my favorite handheld scanners even with the digital issues I really like the scanner for many reasons.
I just went through my scanner "collection" and even minus the three 996s I no longer have I still have sixteen scanners that bear the uniden name. I have never had to send one in for repair. But then again I have never had to send any of my over forty five scanners in either.
I own a uniden telephone, weather radio and other uniden products as well and will always continue to do so.
I just wanted to clarify my position and offer an apology to anyone that may have taken offense to my posts, I did not intend for any of them to come across in that manner.

Thanks for reading this

very 73

 

[palo1]

I own (6) Uniden BC996Ts along with (2) BC 396Ts and a partridge in a pear tree.

This is the first time I've mentioned this...

p

 

[Gearjam]

I own (6) Uniden BC996Ts along with (2) BC 396Ts and a partridge in a pear tree.

This is the first time I've mentioned this...

p

Are you guys crazy?...please explain to me why you have so many snanners

 

[mikeh]

the psr500 is too big to carry around

the psr500 is too big to carry around
i do not people asking me if i am cop
i can put the bct396 in my coat
it is great

 

[ICP963]

Are you guys crazy?...please explain to me why you have so many snanners

Most users, my self included, that have multiple scanners will set different departments on different radios. It is common to have that one agency that yaks and yacks and yacks, and if your only scanned is listening to that channel it is VERY easy to miss other good traffic from some other agency. I also have dedicated antennas for VHF/UHF and 800MHz and it is not efficent to have VHF stuff being picked up on an 800MHz antenna and 800MHz stuff on a VHF/UHF antenna. That is not counting the directional antennas.

 

[VE3RADIO]

i love my 396.. wouldnt trade it for anything.