Updates are Coming

[dougjgray]

Im curious It seems like there are 2 chooses for scanners Uniden or GRE. Are the Pro96 and 2096 perfect and will gre give new features for free, It really doesnt make good business sense to do that. Example I have a Pro97 that come out about the same time as they started talking seriously about re-banding. But the 97 has no firmware update option and I believe when the 97 was being produced they knew about re-banding but did halt production. So in my opinion Uniden has done more to support there sanners then gre. the pro-96 had updates but people in colorado from what I read felt it worked better with the old firmware

 

[Highpockets]

Agreed. I was kinda bummed when I bought the 250 and then the 296 came out. I didn't have the cash flow but would have loved one at that point. I would have held off buying the 250. So, any 'new' technology or engineering that makes me rock & roll is cool by me. I'd pay too. The 396 and 330 are perfectly sized and the system, group, and channel format is great. Dymanic memory was one of the greatest things besides trunking in my book....in many years. If I want to pay for something fresh off the drawing board that improves my hobby then I will. If not, I won't. It depends what is being used in my area. I think we all need to make a commitment to get back on track and focus on the scanner. I agree with that. Not sure the thread has run its' course but the garbage has. I agree with that.

That's the way I felt when I got the bc785d, should have waited for the 796, the 785 has had no upgrades what so ever, not rebanding capable, and to top it off it's discontinued. But, that's the past, I'm close to having the money to get a new model, still not sure what I'm going to buy yet. One day I want a 996 the next the 600, now that a new model doesn't look near, it will be one of them 2, leaning towards the 600, I like the NAC decode.

 

[scanbc780]

I personally am ecstatic about the whole thing. Fixes will be free and upgrades will have a fee, if thats what happens. I am also looking forward to the bug fixes that are coming even though I have no idea what all of them will be. I just hope that they apply to the problems that I have been having since the last update. For the "paid" upgrades, if they are purchase worthy I will not have a problem paying. EXAMPLE: If I can purchase a screen mask feature for a nominal fee, I would have no problem doing so. I really miss not having that feature on my 996, I always use that on 785 and 796.

I can see where others are coming from when they complain about the ESN and pay features, I just don't agree and believe some are reading between lines that are not there or pure speculation. If UPMan could say more I am sure he would, maybe he is not clear himself on the whole thing. All we can do is sit back and wait, enjoy when it does happen.

 

[al95]

Updates are coming

I would pay for upgrades not for updates. Updates would fix bugs that came with the scanner and upgrades would add features that you are asking for. If you what something add to your scanner it will cost money.

 

[N4DXX]

Just so everyone knows this Uniden bashing is not (by me anyway)Directed at paul he is a very nice guy alway's willing to help..Thank's paul for all your hard work..And i think i speak for everyone on the board when i say this..

 

[rdale]

Its your comments like that that make you look like an ass.

Sorry you feel that way. I make comments like that because people like you are criticizing me for posting in this thread, with real, accurate answers, but they don't have ANY idea about what's right and what's wrong...

They have two choices:

1) Accept the facts
2) Call me an ass

Funny how often it's #2 with people like you, then when all the information is publicly available -- it's obvious they should have picked #1.

Then who looks bad?

Where did I ever say anything about free upcoming features? I'm talking about firmware updates.

Firmware updates are free, adding upcoming features (upgrades) may not be. What's the question?

 

[f494d957]

Just so everyone knows this Uniden bashing is not (by me anyway)Directed at paul he is a very nice guy alway's willing to help..Thank's paul for all your hard work..And i think i speak for everyone on the board when i say this..

Paul is the Project Manager. What does that mean? He may have nice qualities which I am not disputing, but what does being the project manager mean?

And for the record, I never meant this to get out of hand. I simply wanted to submit my opinions about this, just like all the people did who want it. Certain people cannot respect that.

 

[jambo]

What features are they adding later on that they originally said would be free?



Consider this? What if the upgrade is $7.95? So the 396 cost you $514.90 instead of $500? Is that a problem?



Here's a thought - don't put the firmware in if you don't want the updates listed?



I don't understand.



Then you enter the correct key, and reupload the firmware. No big deal.



No, sounds like you're just guessing. And you guess wrong.



No.



It's not nearly as bad as you think. Don't worry.



Uhhh, no. "These" are not being released now, there is a list of features with the coming firmware update and it doesn't "add" anything that the PSR500 has.



I'd like to thank jambo for one of the dumbest posts I've seen on here in a while...

Well all I have to say to your uneducated, "now it all" reply is: Its spineless people like you who keep letting companies do what ever they want and then try to justify it for them. Your attitude to all this is exactly why companies charge for every little thing.

 

[Jay911]

Paul is the Project Manager. What does that mean? He may have nice qualities which I am not disputing, but what does being the project manager mean?

Paul Opitz is the Uniden Product Manager. In my experience, that means he is in charge of the equipment and devices - products - that Uniden sells. Everything from scanners to radar detectors to cordless phones.

Not sure why this has relevance on whether or not people should be flying off the handle on the topic of prices, though..

 

[ampulman]

Paul Opitz is the Uniden Product Manager. In my experience, that means he is in charge of the equipment and devices - products - that Uniden sells. Everything from scanners to radar detectors to cordless phones.

Not sure why this has relevance on whether or not people should be flying off the handle on the topic of prices, though..

Speaking from my own industrial experience, and that of my daughter (a product manager), a PM is a marketing executive. In simple terms, it is the PM's job to evaluate (by competition, and by consumer demands and preferences), what the market is and what the product should 'look like'.

Marketing has always been the driving force; to improve, or not to improve; to make new, or not to. And yes, how to price (or not to).

AM

 

[welshtorg]

AGC Tweak or Threshold Adjustment & New Firmware

Eventhough this topic has sunk into a quagmire, maybe somebody in the "know" will respond

I noticed in the announcement, there was the AUTO/MANUAL feature of the P25 decoding that was "essentially" being done away with. ( I understand that it will still physically be there, but inoperative). Does this also mean the AGC tweak will not need to be performed after I reprogram my scanner (396 & 996)?

 

[Concrete1]

Perhaps I misunderstood, but when I read UP's original post it seemed to be saying (to me):
" Uniden will be offering an exciting new product that no scanner mfgr has ever offered before. In addition to the existing free downloadable updates & patches that become available, we are also working on a way to actually download New additional upgraded features into your existing scanner! New features that were not listed in your owners manual, & before this would have required the purchase of an entire new scanner! Updates will continue to be free, prices for these optional upgrades have not been determined."

I thought , "wow, you might be able to actually make your 246T into a 330T, or add NAC codes to a 396T without having to BUY an entire PSR-500 to accomplish the same thing.."
I really don't understand all the negativety directed at Uniden for being first out of the box with this idea ...

Why do I get the impression that if RadioShack had put out a flyer saying "bring in your Pro-96 & $9.99, (or log into rs.com w/ your PC cable & credit card), & we will upgrade it for Nac code capability" .. Many of these same complaining people here would be praising RS & probably slamming Uniden for not offering a similar service for the 396T, ironically for doing the same thing Uniden is proposing here first ....

 

[rdale]

Does this also mean the AGC tweak will not need to be performed after I reprogram my scanner (396 & 996)?

Explain the "tweak"? You can still use AGC on or off on analog or digital.

 

[f494d957]

Paul Opitz is the Uniden Product Manager. In my experience, that means he is in charge of the equipment and devices - products - that Uniden sells. Everything from scanners to radar detectors to cordless phones.

Ooops. A play on words.
A Product Manager is in charge of planning and marketing a product.

Not sure why this has relevance on whether or not people should be flying off the handle on the topic of prices, though..

It was never applied in that respect.

 

[unitcharlie]

I love the idea that Uniden is pushing the limits with downloadable updates and fixes.... But when Rat Shack did it the put the downloads on their website and allowed me to decide which I wanted or needed. No threat that my scanner would not work if the ESN was mis-entered, etc.... what has me concerned is their need to keep track of MY scanner and the need to have on MY scanner's hard drive something also resides in their server....

Since the registration key will be generated from your scanner’s ESN, and will be unique for every scanner, getting your ESN right is critical for making your update work (if you use a key for another scanner or don’t enter a key, your scanner will not work until you successfully apply the update with the key).

​

Just because someone from Uniden tells me there is no spyware going into my radio doesn't mean I am going to believe it.... WHAT IS INSIDE MY SCANNER IS OF NO REGARD TO UNIDEN nor do they have the right to insert anything into my scanner unless I agree. If the folks at Uniden can't take my word that the Serial Number I entered on my registration is, in fact, that on my scanner; and compare that information to their information, then sorry.... I have removed the free Uniden program from my hard drives and will not use them again.... I will pay, gladly, for features that I don't have but need, but will not have the prospect of Big Brother Uniden foisting things into my scanner because they think they make the rules. I haven't bought a Sony (or related label) CD since their intrusion into my son's music listening; I haven't shopped at Target since they disallowed the Salvation Army Bell Ringers.... I have only been using a Uniden scanner for nine months, so that will be an easy fix.

 

[rdale]

No threat that my scanner would not work if the ESN was mis-entered, etc...

There is no "threat" -- you enter the right key and reupload. And your radio works.

CLEARLY my favorite line of this thread:

"Just because someone from Uniden tells me there is no spyware going into my radio doesn't mean I am going to believe it.... "

Shoot - somebody finally caught on... I heard they want to see if you're listening to the local police at the same time they check the United Nations Small Robberies Database and if events match - report you to the DHS.

 

[UPMan]

To speak to the "spyware" and "rootkey" concerns, all that is being added is an ESN (electronic serial number). This has been in at the factory from unit 1 for all BCD996T's and BCT15's, and will be put in at the factory for all future models. All it is is a unique product identifier, just like the ESN for your cell phone and many other electronic devices (or the printed SN on the scanner's label). There is no tracking of what you monitor, spying on what you do, or any ability for us to see what you have programmed.

Since we did not originally include the display of the ESN checksum, that addition was made to ensure that typos were caught during the registration process. None of this adds significantly to the amount of code used in the scanner.

The ESN / Registration key pair is only used to validate that you have an authorized copy of the firmware (which is Uniden's and other parties' intellectual property), and also lets Uniden know how many scanners have that particular firmware load installed. On this first update, that count doesn't really matter, but implementing the methodology now lets us test and develop our internal accounting systems so that future updates, where such accounting does matter, will go smoothly.

I take the issues you raise seriously, and we have been modifying some details of the process based on your concerns. However, if I have any chance to bring new features and services to these platforms, this process is necessary. The alternative, as others have mentioned, is to abandon this platform and all those owners as we move on to other products.

 

[kenisned]

OH, you mean the QUAGMIRE YOU STARTED?

Your original post did speak of future upgrades for dollars, after this update.

The fact that Uniden has spent all this time to just make ESN work for Uniden is an embarrasment.

You're a pawn obviously and you don't see what's wrong with their posture. You were just assuaging the owners of the 396t.

Stuck your neck out and now look!

OOPS!

You're trying to save face for your company's tactics! A con job, imho.

I'm not buying. Never, ever again.

You better hope no one with a $100,000s in accounts to spend doesn't agree.

You couldn't come up with a firmware update to match the Pro-96 upgrade way back when and here we are listening to you sell a promise that has been a year and more in coming???

Uniden shouldn't have let you make your first post of this thread.

Now it's public record and you won't be forgotten for it.

Andy
Scannist

Wow...settle down Francis!

You are really making very little sense. How on earth can someone get so worked up over this!?!? You are not forced to use Uniden products.

Good grief.

 

[f494d957]

You're an angry person, aren't you? Didn't you say you were "done" trying to "educate" people here? Why do the moderators continue to allow you to ruin this thread for everyone?

There is no "threat" -- you enter the right key and reupload. And your radio works.

CLEARLY my favorite line of this thread:

"Just because someone from Uniden tells me there is no spyware going into my radio doesn't mean I am going to believe it.... "

Shoot - somebody finally caught on... I heard they want to see if you're listening to the local police at the same time they check the United Nations Small Robberies Database and if events match - report you to the DHS.

 

[kenisned]

I personally am ecstatic about the whole thing. Fixes will be free and upgrades will have a fee, if thats what happens. I am also looking forward to the bug fixes that are coming even though I have no idea what all of them will be. I just hope that they apply to the problems that I have been having since the last update. For the "paid" upgrades, if they are purchase worthy I will not have a problem paying. EXAMPLE: If I can purchase a screen mask feature for a nominal fee, I would have no problem doing so. I really miss not having that feature on my 996, I always use that on 785 and 796.

I can see where others are coming from when they complain about the ESN and pay features, I just don't agree and believe some are reading between lines that are not there or pure speculation. If UPMan could say more I am sure he would, maybe he is not clear himself on the whole thing. All we can do is sit back and wait, enjoy when it does happen.

I am also really looking forward to the updates. I'd love to add NAC decoding or MDC decoding.

The benefits of future UPDATES (not fixes) being a la carte is that you can add some cool new feature that you've been geeking for without having to buy a new scanner or switch manufacturer. OR you can ignore it... there are some on here that take scanning to the extreme (they open the thing up and start soldering stuff!!! Wow!! God bless em!).

All these conspiracy theories about how Uniden will do this and that... pop up on your computer and give you warnings about illegal scanners... cmon. Are you for real?

You are basing all this paranoia on a wonderful sneak preview that Uniden made on a public message board where one of their folks comes and interacts!!! What other company does that for gods sake!?! Do you see motorola reps at batboards????

Wow, i'm a scanner geek, but some of you take the cake!

LOL