Pro-668: Upgrade options explained.

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Hello,

No BS. Whistler's code disabled the firmware update in the bootloader enough that the only way to fix it is a board swap or board rework.

$30 additional seems more than reasonable for a board swap. The CPU and DSP alone add up to about that in single quantities. It may reflect the standard cost of the new board minus the core value of the old board.

Whistler could have refused to service locked scanners, or considered it a $120 level repair.

73 Eric

Eric I agree. Originally Whistler was going to upsell people with locked scanners to a TRX1. I think that a board swap is a better option. Considering that the boards are cheap to make and are probably come from the factory in the Philippines. Whistler have could refused to work in any Radio Shack brand name scanners. Having the upgrade done just makes things easier for the owner and the company. I sent my hacked unit in because I want the EZscan software to able to update the radio and not worry about the firmware in hacked situation being a problem. I enjoyed DMR before the upgrade offer thanks to Eric. I think he was the one who helped by proving that the hardware in the PSR800, PRO668, and the WS1080 is the same. Once this blows over and the upgrades are complete no one will even talk or think about this much.
 
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Ty you eric that is true. But if you know your way around things. THERE IS OTHER WAYS.


I think the best way is to go with Whistler's offer. True there are others ways that can fix the scanner without changing the board but it would be more expensive than changing it.
 
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GrandpaFrank

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Ok, 2 questions because either I am reading it wrong or im just confused.

1- When the scanner locks is it "bricked" as in non functional and may require jtag or logic replacement.
2- Is it only "locked" from future upgrades as in - blown resistor in the comm path and is still fully functional (minus dmr)

I see people referring to some as paper weights, and others are saying who cares about dmr, it still works.

The reason Im asking is because I sold my Cottrell enhanced 668 and warned the buyer not to upgrade to which I received no reply. I just want to be prepared to explain his options to him.
 

milcom_chaser

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Ok, 2 questions because either I am reading it wrong or im just confused.

1- When the scanner locks is it "bricked" as in non functional and may require jtag or logic replacement.
2- Is it only "locked" from future upgrades as in - blown resistor in the comm path and is still fully functional (minus dmr)

I see people referring to some as paper weights, and others are saying who cares about dmr, it still works.

The reason Im asking is because I sold my Cottrell enhanced 668 and warned the buyer not to upgrade to which I received no reply. I just want to be prepared to explain his options to him.


There are no "blown resistors in the com path"
The radio does not become a paperweight.
DMR capability is disabled, but P-25 and analog modes still work.
If the radio you sold him no longer decodes DMR, then the radio needs to be sent in, and the logic board replaced...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Wackyracer

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There are no "blown resistors in the com path"
The radio does not become a paperweight.
DMR capability is disabled, but P-25 and analog modes still work.
If the radio you sold him no longer decodes DMR, then the radio needs to be sent in, and the logic board replaced...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

EXACTLY...it is not BRICKED it is still a better version pro-668 then what RS left it with. It never had DMR.

So, If they loose DMR and want it back they have to pay whistler. to "fix" it.
 

GrandpaFrank

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Thanks for the clarification fellas. It was getting pretty confusing in the initial thread with emotions running high.
 

woodpecker

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Whistler has made themselves look like a very bitter and twisted company with this fiasco. I was never going to be shipping my psr-800 back to the US from Europe and thanks to Eric it sits happy running dsp 3.0 and cpu 4.5. Had they offered a software solution like Eric's or like Unidens key they would have had my money for a download type upgrade. I also own a TRX-1 and was considering purchasing a TRX-2 but after this nonsense of locking scanners I'll steer well clear.

As for the legal Implications, I don't believe a word of it, the DMR codec is the same as P25P2 and I doubt a single penny has been paid to Motorola as the Whistler units make no attempt to properly trunk track anything with DMR / trbo.

Whister is a bad loser, not a winner!
 
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MichaelBhere

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Whistler has made themselves look like a very bitter and twisted company with this fiasco. I was never going to be shipping my psr-800 back to the US from Europe and thanks to Eric it sits happy running dsp 3.0 and cpu 4.5. Had they offered a software solution like Eric's or like Unidens key they would have had my money for a download type upgrade. I also own a TRX-1 and was considering purchasing a TRX-2 but after this nonsense of locking scanners I'll steer well clear.

As for the legal Implications, I don't believe a word of it, the DMR codec is the same as P25P2 and I doubt a single penny has been paid to Motorola as the Whistler units make no attempt to properly trunk track anything with DMR / trbo.

Whister is a bad loser, not a winner!

Many seem to forget Whistler license IP and patent rights from Digital Voice Systems Inc. see the below statement taken from a PSR-800 manual. Whistler chose to put this info on their website instead of their manuals but it is clear that this is what is being enforced for the DMR upgrade. Eric choosing to do what he did seems to have put Whistler in an awkward position with those that they pay fees for license and royalties. Once you know the facts, it does not seem right to to blame Whistler for this,


"The IMBE™ voice coding Technology embodied in this product is protected by intellectual property rights including patent rights, copyrights and trade secrets of Digital Voice Systems, Inc"
 

woodpecker

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Many seem to forget Whistler license IP and patent rights from Digital Voice Systems Inc. see the below statement taken from a PSR-800 manual. Whistler chose to put this info on their website instead of their manuals but it is clear that this is what is being enforced for the DMR upgrade. Eric choosing to do what he did seems to have put Whistler in an awkward position with those that they pay fees for license and royalties. Once you know the facts, it does not seem right to to blame Whistler for this,


"The IMBE™ voice coding Technology embodied in this product is protected by intellectual property rights including patent rights, copyrights and trade secrets of Digital Voice Systems, Inc"

The PSR-800 already uses AMBE2+ for P25P2, they already licensed the code block that DMR uses in all these radios, I doubt any licensing was breached at all, it's just a lame excuse for a poor decision.
 

MichaelBhere

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Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but until you have actual facts, you may want to give them the benefit of doubt. Whistler Wendy said "Within the scanner application there are multiple licensors and royalties paid and unauthorized use can create breaches of contract and many other difficult issues to resolve:

I am not even sure if Whistler can comment on this further but should they, and should it be a tiered licence and royalty agreement as I would expect from someone like DVSi, then it would seem a certain woodpecker may be eating some crow.
 

MichaelBhere

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As the Whistler DMR is not trunk tracking DMR, it would seem they are not making use of the Motorola patent as woodpecker already alluded to "the Whistler units make no attempt to properly trunk track anything with DMR / trbo."

That does not mean that they are not paying licensing and royalties to someone to use the Vocoder for DMR.
 

fredva

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As for the legal Implications, I don't believe a word of it, the DMR codec is the same as P25P2 and I doubt a single penny has been paid to Motorola as the Whistler units make no attempt to properly trunk track anything with DMR / trbo.

I don't recall Whistler or anybody connected to Whistler specifically claiming that licensing with Motorola was an issue. Do you have a link that shows otherwise?
 

woodpecker

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I don't recall Whistler or anybody connected to Whistler specifically claiming that licensing with Motorola was an issue. Do you have a link that shows otherwise?

This is my point, the licensing issue has not been explained although $60 supposedly covers everything.

Anyway, deliberately partially locking scanners whatever the situation and with no warning doesn't sit well with me and leaves me with no trust in a business that behaves in that way.
 

ChibiPaw

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I've been meaning to write an update Friday about this, but things just got busy.
Spoke to a Whistler tech, regarding to the circuit board swap upgrade for locked units.
The guy said they've ran out of boards, and is expected to resupply. May take another two to three weeks.

Joy.
 

mancow

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LOL. This should be a case study in MBA programs as an example how not to handle a marketing crisis.
 
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I've been meaning to write an update Friday about this, but things just got busy.
Spoke to a Whistler tech, regarding to the circuit board swap upgrade for locked units.
The guy said they've ran out of boards, and is expected to resupply. May take another two to three weeks.

Joy.


It sounds like the boards are coming from the factory.
 

ChibiPaw

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Just got back today the one scanner had that needed the circuit board replaced.

Attached images of what you'd might expect.

I haven't picked up any DMR signal yet, since I've only got Southwest Air by the airport programmed in, and will need to drive there to verify that functionality.
 

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