Updates are Coming

[DickH]

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.

Let's see if I understand this correctly.
I have a dial-up connection to the Internet, my friend has a high speed connection. He downloads the update and copies it so I can do the same without waiting for a long download. But without the proper ESN it won't work. Is that right? Is that the purpose of all this?
Thanks.

 

[Highpockets]

I wonder, could you give up one feature, like GPS to get another like NAC Decode in the future by connecting to Uniden Site?

 

[tophat]

I was concerned when Uniden MADE me register in order to get firmware updates. I just could not come up with a reason why Uniden Needed to know who I was and I still can't justify that. If I own the scanner why can't I just download and install the firmware updates that are offered? My 396 is the first scanner I have owned in 30 years, I really like the scanner so far. It does not scan some of the systems I would like to hear as well as I would like but that was the way it was when I bought it. My first instinct after reading all of this is to dump my 396 and purchase some thing else or just leave the hobby altogether. I am not sure if I will add the updates this time. I am concerned that Uniden has something more in mind that I will not like. The idea of paying for added features doesn't bother me as long as I can pick and choose which features I want and that I do not have to buy a package of features in order to get what I want. I guess I will wait and see how all this plays out. I want Uniden to know This is not making me happy. Had I known all this was going to happen before I bought my scanner then I would have bought something else or spent my $500 on something else. From the sound of it Uniden you are treading on thin ice with your customers! you had better pay attention and address some of these questions in a clear fashion.

 

[rdale]

Didn't you say you were "done" trying to "educate" people here?

I was done debating your arguments about "root kit" and "encryption."

Why do the moderators continue to allow you to ruin this thread for everyone?

Run? I'm speaking the truth, you are either making up stuff for a fight or outright lying. Let's stand back and see whose contributions are valuable.

If you have a problem with a post, hit the alert button and tell a mod why it should be deleted.

 

[f494d957]

I was done debating your arguments about "root kit" and "encryption."

Which you didn't even do. You never "educated" me or anyone else here why this in no way resembles rootkits. Instead, you criticized. That's where you have problems.

Run? I'm speaking the truth, you are either making up stuff for a fight or outright lying. Let's stand back and see whose contributions are valuable.

OK. Lay it out on the table. PROVE you have the inside scoop on everything scanner related with Uniden. Or easier yet, prove you have the inside scoop with this. Validate your arrogant ways, or sit down. Step up or shut up.

If you have a problem with a post, hit the alert button and tell a mod why it should be deleted.

You're angry and scornfully arrogant -- a true unsocial person. Why can't you respect everyone's opinion? Why can't you respect that everyone has the opportunity to express those opinions to Uniden for things that will affect them? Do you honestly feel that only your opinion matter in the development of these scanners? Are you really that insecure about yourself that you have to attack everyone that doesn't conform to you?

 

[800crazy1]

i hope you guys after all of this someday sit down and have laugh and a beer together , cant we all just get along ... "rodney king "

 

[rdale]

Or easier yet, prove you have the inside scoop with this.

Sorry. I don't even own a Uniden (is that how you spell it?) Sorry for pulling the wool over your eyes, I'm just a newbie here.

Why can't you respect everyone's opinion?

I can respect your opinion. However your facts are wrong. That's where I pointed out the differences, and at that point you began a personal attack on me.

Do you honestly feel that only your opinion matter in the development of these scanners?

I'm not giving my opinion on the matters, I'm telling you what facts are known.

Are you really that insecure about yourself that you have to attack everyone that doesn't conform to you?

I'd like you to show me where I attacked ANYONE. I simply stated what facts there are in this instance.

 

[unitcharlie]

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.

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)

Keep it up rdale.... my concerns are valid and appear valid to a few other folks in here as well....

I was concerned when Uniden MADE me register in order to get firmware updates. I just could not come up with a reason why Uniden Needed to know who I was and I still can't justify that. If I own the scanner why can't I just download and install the firmware updates that are offered?

My first instinct after reading all of this is to dump my 396 and purchase some thing else or just leave the hobby altogether. I am not sure if I will add the updates this time. I am concerned that Uniden has something more in mind that I will not like.

You are, once again, missing the points of your ridicule. Uniden's property rights notwithstanding, this is my scanner, not Uniden's and not yours. Uniden has a product that needs tweaking to match given qualities of the others on the market and that tweaking is coming long after a competing new scanner is on the market. But now, the fix to this problem comes with the threat that my scanner won't upgrade if I don't allow Uniden to insert another file into my radio, a file they failed to insert when it was assembled! The point is, when my PRO 96 needed tweaking the file was on the Rat Shack site and I had the option of finding the one that worked best for my situation.... and I wasn't threatened with a non-working radio or update if I didn't allow GRE to insert a new file onto my scanner's card... I have no problem paying for something new provided it adds value and increases function; I have a problem with Uniden taking my Edsel 396 and telling me I can't fix an identified problem that Rat Shack addressed (and fixed fairly quickly) unless I allow them to fiddle inside my radio...

As Paul points out:

The alternative, as others have mentioned, is to abandon this platform and all those owners as we move on to other products.

The other alternative might be to consult with some of the thousands of people whose information you have in your registry before acting like big brother.... If Uniden doesn't plan to market a new scanner to compete with the PSRs then is your plan, as yet unstated, to make the 396/996 compete thru upgrades? Sounds like it, but say that up front don't talk down to me like a child and say one thing and then another and then another.... I am really good at playing "Mommy-Daddy". If Uniden abandons their faithful scannists, then you lose. So what is the real plan, plug in the ESN so you can find out how many people are uploading for-pay feature sets so you don't have to research a new scanner.... Your statement concerning authorized firmware makes me cringe in a windoze sorta way...

rdale, FYI, I don't find conspiracies in every computer file I open, nor do I appreciate you imbuing me with your maladies. Perhaps you shall reside in my ignore file for the rest of the time you haunt this web site....
collier

 

[danimac67]

Argumentative Kids!

Would it be possible for the "kids" to get a time-out.
Maybe take their scanners away for a day.
Or maybe the moderators can send them to the penalty box.
It doesn't really matter whose right or wrong, their personal attacks at each other are boring.
Grow up!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Boomeranger]

You are not forced to use Uniden products.

It's a little late to get my money back, francis.

I don't need no stinkin' ESN!!! I own the hardware. That's proof enough. I don't know if the ESN is also tied to my computer's IP address. Can I upgrade from a friend's 'puter and visa versa? Will I have to fetch mail to get an install key after downloading a bug fix? The whole ESN issue is such a mistake. What kind of hoops will someone have to jump through if I sell my 396T to them? It's a bad precedent, imho.

At the rate they're crankin' out bug fixes over at Uniden, any "new" features (I don't see anything earth-shattering on the horizon), are years away. And depending on the room available on the firmware chip, well, you can't fit a size 12 foot in a size 8 shoe!

Then there will be the forum threads here about "that's not a 'new' feature, it should've been there all along! We asked for that a year ago and they want $$$ for that?!?" Wait and see. Time will tell.

Still, there'll continue to be new scanners and continually less and less of interesting things to scan with it.

Andy
Scannist

 

[rdale]

Would it be possible for the "kids" to get a time-out.

They'll start talking about 'sensorship' if that happens

 

[f494d957]

I'd like you to show me where I attacked ANYONE. I simply stated what facts there are in this instance.

unitcharlie recalled a very good one.

Here's another:

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

And another...

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

And another...

I'm trying to get you to slow down and think before getting your pants all in a tizzy.

And yet another...

I realize you prefer just posting to see your name in print.

Still another...

You have a few choices...3) Well, you know.

Oh wait, there's another...

Maybe they'll tire before then... Maybe they'll find some unique feature they don't like in Win500 and attack DonS instead?

And yet another...

they don't have ANY idea about what's right and what's wrong...

And this...

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.

Don't forget this one...

you are either making up stuff for a fight or outright lying.

Oh wait...

Sorry. I don't even own a Uniden (is that how you spell it?) Sorry for pulling the wool over your eyes, I'm just a newbie here.

And just when you thought there couldn't possibly be more, you threw this out after challenging us to find where you attacked ANYONE...

They'll start talking about 'sensorship' if that happens

And maybe even figure out how to spell it...

But you actually said "attacked ANYONE". That would include every post you have ever made in this forum. Do I really have to do that.

Your personal attacks (and there are LOTS of them) are completely disrespectful. And now you have discredited yourself with the challenge that started this post. I feel sorry for you.

Learn some respect.

 

[cpuerror]

I hope someone high in uniden gets a print out of this thread. What I gather is that people are welcoming the new features and upgrades, and some might even be ok with paying for it, but encryption to keep you out of your own hardware and serial number tracking business is not being taken well. DRM is very unpopular, most of the big online stores are phasing it out of their products because its turning off consumers. Now uniden wants to get on the bandwagon and add it. Customers will not react well to it despite an attempt to sell it as the next best thing.

 

[scan-pa]

Lets all get back on topic.

any more nasty posts about another member of this site and you will be banned.

if you have a problem about a post in the thread, you must inform a moderator. Do Not post about it in the thread. Do not reply to it in the thread.

If the thread goes off topic again, it will be closed.

As for what Uniden is doing, if you do not like it, your only legal recourse is to stop using there products. This is not the place to slam the bussiness practice of a company or any of it's Employee's. Uniden has a complaint department. Use It.

 

[rescue161]

It reminds me of M/A-Com radios. You want P25 on your M7100? Give them the ESN, current feature string and pay for the upgrade. They'll send you a small file that you load in the radio and - BAM, you have P25. Thing is, it depends on your ESN. If you try to use the same feature string in another radio, it will not work. They don't want a $300.00 feature being hacked and put into every radio on the market.

I would love to have NAC decoding in my 396 and my 996. I guess they don't want one person to buy it and give it anyone who wants it. The ESN would stop that. If you want it - pay for it. If you don't want it, don't complain.

 

[kenisned]

I am looking forward to the changes. I think it's perfectly legitimate for Uniden to want something back in exchange for upgrading the equipment you already own.

Post edited to comply with posted standards of decorum!

Thanks

 

[UPMan]

Let's see if I understand this correctly.
I have a dial-up connection to the Internet, my friend has a high speed connection. He downloads the update and copies it so I can do the same without waiting for a long download. But without the proper ESN it won't work. Is that right? Is that the purpose of all this?
Thanks.

Yes, you can both use exactly the same download (they are all identical and not encrypted). You'll just need to use your scanner's own registration key when prompted during the upgrade process.

Can I upgrade from a friend's 'puter and visa versa?

Yes. There is no tie-in to any IP address, MAC address...or whatever. We have no visibility into that (nor can I think of any reason we would need something like that). All that matters is that you use your scanner's key when prompted.

Will I have to fetch mail to get an install key after downloading a bug fix?

No. Keys are only required for "major" upgrades. Updates (i.e. "bug fixes") to those upgrades will not require the key to be entered again.

What kind of hoops will someone have to jump through if I sell my 396T to them?

They'll just need to register the scanner on our site to receive a key for any major upgrades.

Your statement concerning authorized firmware makes me cringe in a windoze sorta way...

Well, I could have worded that better.

I just meant that if we have for-pay upgrades, we want to be sure that people who pay for the upgrades are not at an unfair disadvantage to others who might use it but not pay for it. Our ability to enforce a "one pay, one scanner" rule will directly affect the price of any upgrades. That is, if only 25% of the user base pays for the upgrade, while the other 75% "borrows" the upgrade, we'd need to charge 4x for all upgrades in order to meet our financial responsibilities to our stakeholders. I've seen no other suggestions in this list for other ways to effectively do this, but am very open to suggestions.

 

[thewenk]

AGC Tweak still there?

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)?

The way I read it is the "AGC Tweak" for manually adjusting the values of these parameters will still be there.

P25 RES TIME
P25 REF GAIN
ANA REF GAIN
ANA REF GAIN
ANA GN RANGE

 

[UPMan]

The way I read it is the "AGC Tweak" for manually adjusting the values of these parameters will still be there.

Sorry, that question had gotten buried in the midden.

AGC tweaks (which don't have anything to do with the digital decode performance) will still be accessible through the hidden menu with no changes.

 

[jerk]

Sorry, that question had gotten buried in the midden.

AGC tweaks (which don't have anything to do with the digital performance) will still be accessible through the hidden menu with no changes.

I am guessing that this is more for sound performance, rather than scanner (decoding) performance? I do hope the braaap is solved on Safe-T with the BCD396 and the auto no longer needs tweaking for gain control.

Also, any chance of manual updates in PDf form. I noticed the competition is providing bug fixes and manual updates, plus a neat in one place FAQ for doing things. Though you DO provide a personal touch here for some of those FAQ's thanks.

AL