DSDPlus User-friendly UI for DSDplus/FMP24 scanner - please answer if it already exists

[scriptguru]

I just tested FMP24 and DSDplus, tried to control them from the keyboard, and it looks like they actually have everything to work as a fully functional high-end radio scanner. They just require a much better user interface.

Before I start working on this project I wanted to make sure such thing doesn't exist yet. Have you guys ever seen a good UI for DSDplus which makes it as simple to use as a regular radio scanner?

 

[scriptguru]

The plan is:

- Use a 7" Windows tablet + USB hub + 2x RTL-SDR dongles with telescopic antennas. I've tried using SDRPlay but it didn't work, so we're pretty much limited with RTL-SDR (which is not that bad as they are cheap and pretty good).

- Use startup code graciously shared by one of the forum users (Annunaki):

START FMP24 -rc -i1 -o20001 -P0.0 -f440.200
timeout /t 1
START FMP24 -rv -i2 -o20002 -P0.0
timeout /t 1
START DSDPlus -rc -fa -E -i20001 -v4 -O NUL
timeout /t 1
START DSDPlus -rv -fa -E -i20002 -v4 -O NUL

- FPM24 can be controlled from the keyboard. Pretty much anything can be done (frequency change, scan mode on/off, volume control, etc) by pressing a right key. Therefore, a graphical user interface can be create so that pressing a button in that interface sends a keystroke to FMP24


Any suggestions are welcome.

 

[maus92]

I haven't seen anything other that .bat files.

 

[scriptguru]

I've tested my experimental setup today (just a few instances of FMP24 and DSD, no UI yet) and everything worked fine on a small tablet, and there is plenty CPU power remaining for UI support.

This setup is pretty good as is without UI if you just want to monitor some digital communications, but with UI it's going to be easier to use.

The list of hardware used:

• 7" Windows tablet with Quad-core Intel Atom CPU (up to 1.83 GHz, but probably any CPU frequency >1 GHz would work fine), 2 GB RAM, running Windows 10 (Windows update service has been disabled since it's been consuming CPU and other resources like crazy). It has only one USB port used for both charging and devices, so I couldn't charge it while using it with DSD+. Make sure your tablet has at least one USB port, ideally two or more! This kind of tablets can be found at very low prices used. I've bought mine for $35.
• Powered USB hub. It's important to use a powered hub because in this case you can connect it to a power bank and your RTL-SDR dongles won't drain the tablet's battery quickly.
• 2x RTL-SDR dongles (I've used Nooelec Smart aluminum-cased dongles because they fit nicely in a USB hub side-by-side, they are good quality and reasonably priced) with short telescopic antennas.
• power bank (the bigger it is the longer battery life generally is, but it makes the setup heavier). A small or medium-sized power bank should be enough
• portable USB speaker. Connects to the same USB hub as RTL-SDR dongles, no drivers needed. I've added it because the tablet's audio was very quiet even at 100%, and with this thing even at 10% the audio is pretty loud (100% would be VERY loud and easy to hear even in very noisy environments). Highly recommended, makes the setup much more usable.

CPU usage has been less than 50% (usually even less than 30%) once I've minimized the CMD.EXE (command console) windows.

Right now it's just a bunch of devices connected with a bunch of wires, but I'm going to put them into a some kind of box (probably some sort of waterproof box like Pelican brand. All the devices are going to be affixed inside the box so that when I open the box the system is going to be ready to use and nothing is going to rattle inside during the transportation.

At the moment I'm planning to use AutoIt scripting language for UI, it allows to quickly create graphical user interfaces and do a lot of other things like sending keystrokes to windows, open/close applications, etc.

 

[maus92]

Commercial products are a lot more elegant / refined / practical - even durable - for a mobile or portable environment. I'm more interested in a better human interface in general, whether it be touchscreen / pen enabled or a standard GUI.

 

[scriptguru]

Of course they are. At that price level they can easily afford that and still have very good margin. But DSD+ with a decent GUI will do well, even if not as good as commercial solution which cost 4-5x more.

 

[maus92]

Of course they are. At that price level they can easily afford that and still have very good margin. But DSD+ with a decent GUI will do well, even if not as good as commercial solution which cost 4-5x more.

Concentrate on the GUI - that's what people interact with.

 

[mancow]

I'm surprised nobody has created a nice gui yet.

 

[scriptguru]

@maus92 - I work in software development professionally for quite awhile and one thing I know for sure that before starting actual development you have to know your budget, and I'm not talking not about money but about hardware resources. It wouldn't make sense to even start working on UI if realistic DSD+ configuration was already using 100% of resources on a realistic hardware example. Also there always should be a reference hardware setup used for benchmarking. That's why I started from hardware, and now I can continue with software.

@mancow - I agree, I'm rather disappointed that I can't just download it and put on my tablet. On the other hand, it's an opportunity for me to contribute to the area of my interest. I'm going to use AutoIt scripting which is very easy to use for anyone and I'm going to host the sources on the GitHub so I hope I can start a project which others contribute to as well if they feel it can be improved.

 

[Forts]

I was using DSD+ on an Acer (or was it Asus?) windows tablet a couple years back and as you mentioned, it ran quite well. Minimizing any un-needed windows definitely helps with CPU load. I've since switched to a Surface tablet, but it was obviously much more $$ than the little Acer/Asus.

 

[TheButcher]

"I'm surprised nobody has created a nice gui yet. "

DSD team never get back, so, that is what happens. But that is their choice. I am sure they listen. But with lots of silly questions from begginers (I bet), they wouldn't have the time to answer back.



It would be cool to have a GUI that talks via TCP to FMP24 and DSD+ though.

Tip: There is a plugin for SDR# that works with DSD (via virtual cable)... Look into it... Плагин DSD Interface.

Use google translate...

 

[slicerwizard]

Yeah... the plugin that won't run DSD+ in the DSD+ folder. How special.

 

[DRL-XM43]

"I'm surprised nobody has created a nice gui yet. "

DSD team never get back, so, that is what happens. But that is their choice. I am sure they listen. But with lots of silly questions from begginers (I bet), they wouldn't have the time to answer back.



It would be cool to have a GUI that talks via TCP to FMP24 and DSD+ though.

Tip: There is a plugin for SDR# that works with DSD (via virtual cable)... Look into it... Плагин DSD Interface.

Use google translate...

Why don't folks just set the SDR# audio output to vbcable and run it through DSD+ with the -m1 switch so it does Clear FM/AM and decodes digital? Why the need for a plugin?

The plugin does not work with latest DSD+, when it did sort of work it was at best flaky to my recollection.

 

[air-scan]

User interface is fine as it is. It is friendly enough a dummy like me can get it going

 

[thewraith2008]

Yeah... the plugin that won't run DSD+ in the DSD+ folder. How special.

I created an update to this plug-in that updated options to DSD+ v2.212 and fixed the working folder issue among other things.
I never bothered releasing it because no-one seemed interested in it. Probably still not.
It can't implement all the new things because of the newer TCP requirement for these features.
But it made it better than it was.

 

[hamradionl]

DSD+ is small light interface.
For user who monitor P25 the DSD+ is need setup one time.
But the world is much bigger than only the P25 and users in EU or rest world we dont have P25 trunk so we use DSD+ for DMR, NXDN, Motrbo who often used on temp or rentall frequency for that particular event on that day, not being trunk system.
The advantage from the SDR# plugin, using SDR# to find or scan the rentall frequency and the easy setup or config without need to pook around using .bat files. Not all dummys are familiar using the good old DOS .bat startup files
DSD+ team possible to develop a easy setup interface, as extra or separate to input frequency and settings.
Or when thewraith2008 his newer SDR# plugin will work for DMR, NXDN etc, he like to publish his SDR# plugin for users in rest of world who not using P25 system.

 

[slicerwizard]

Hm...

RRDB | Ontario Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference for Ontario (ON)

www.radioreference.com

P25: less than a screenful in my browser.

NXDN and DMR: nearly four screens worth.

I always use the same one or two batch files no matter what I monitor, and I monitor far more than P25. Why would I need to edit batch files? I can tune to systems with DSD+ (Site Loader) or with FMP24. I can find new systems with FMP24. I can scan conventional channels with FMP24, although I don't do a lot of it. It's usually when I'm looking for something specific, like a missing channel on a trunking system - I'll scan some potential candidates while watching the control channel with a second dongle.

I really must be missing something, because I just don't get how SDR# or a plugin will improve anything.

 

[thewraith2008]

I really must be missing something, because I just don't get how SDR# or a plugin will improve anything.

For me personally, I find SDR# easy to explore the spectrum to find frequencies that may have digital content.
FMP24 is fine for set and forget tuning, but for exploring it's not that good I find.
FMP24 shows lots of images of signals that are just not there, SDR# does not. (with same gain)
The plug-in is handy just to get an idea of what's there (P25,DMR,NXDN etc).
For full time use as a trunking solution, the plug-in is not that suitable anymore.
It's OK if you have SDR# scanning frequencies for infrequent DMR activity. But you can get DSD+ doing the same thing (a lot slower scanning though).

 

[DRL-XM43]

SDRConsole V3 now has native trunk following (2 dongles) or single capability and uses DSD+. I played with it out of curiosity and was surprised at how effective and simple it was to configure. It follows/tracks trunks nicely and the only rub is Phase II decode which DSD+ won't do without FMP24, but for everything else it works well.

Do I use it for my "production scanning", No! but for gunk holing around to find stuff and play it is a decent alternative with rich features and a pleasing interface.

Again, if I do use SDR# it is used for TETRA or the fast scanner combined with DSD+... again... I have the audio output set to VBCable full time running the audio through DSD+ with the -m1 switch so that Clear FM/AM passes right through to speakers and digital gets decoded along the way - far better idea than a DSD+ plugin which just adds unnecessary complexity for the same effect... in my opinion..

 

[TheButcher]

MMDVM works great via it's own hardware web server and can be logged into, monitored via web browser. Settings can be changed etc. I reckon this would be the way to go... Just need to obtain the TCP list of commands from the DSD+ team (or hack it) (...or whatever / however it works). Then java or whatever and bam. a GUI...