Why is Uniden charging for DMR/Provoice

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RRR

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The same can be said of Uniden and the x36 line of scanners...

That's misleading, because Uniden charges for future mode updates, Whistler has stated (and so far has abided by that with NXDN) that they will not charge extra.
 

jonwienke

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That's misleading, because Uniden charges for future mode updates, Whistler has stated (and so far has abided by that with NXDN) that they will not charge extra.

I was referring to the future upgradability of the x36 line, not Uniden's pricing strategy.
 

Ensnared

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Agreed!

One note....Whistler doesn't currently offer ProVoice, only Uniden does.

You got that right! The proprietary rights monster has to be fed. I know that I have a simpleton's understanding of my radio, but I know one thing for sure. I am a Uniden Man. It has taken two years to finally understand the memory structure. For some reason, I found it very difficult to differentiate between V-Folders and Uniden's system. I believe I like the latter better.

I was unaware that the Whistler TRX-1 does not follow DMR conversations like Uniden. I suspect Uniden will come up with an upgrade for NEXEDGE.

So, I will gladly fork over the money.
 

jonwienke

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Whistler pays less than Uniden because Uniden follows the trunking for DMR, rather than just scanning the voice channels. It means you can still follow the conversation if the voice channel changes in mid-conversation.
 

iMONITOR

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I don't understand why so many people feel the scanner manufactures owe them anything. When you buy your scanner you know what the pro's and con's are, what features and capabilities it has and which ones it doesn't. Same with the Unication receivers.

If you're lucky enough to have purchased a scanner that the manufacture continues to develop and come out with new and additional capabilities, you should be happy you can buy the upgrades at a reasonable price, and not have to buy a whole new radio.

No one works for free. If it's an 'update' to firmware to fix or improve an original feature that's different. But if it's an 'upgrade', you should expect to pay something.

What other industry does things differently? When the auto manufacture some out with new models, bigger engines, all wheel drive, do they upgrade yours for free? How about your cable modem, TV, coffee brewer, computer?
 

tumegpc

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No one works for free. If it's an 'update' to firmware to fix or improve an original feature that's different. But if it's an 'upgrade', you should expect to pay something.

Very much agree, my comment was more about NXDN . I would gladly pay Uniden for a NXDN upgrade if were available.

I've been enjoying the ability to listen to NXDN with my TRX-1 for over a year. It may not follow or track some conversations, but it's a heck of lot better than nothing at all.
 

hiegtx

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"Uniden pays royalties to Motorola for use of their DMR patents."

And Whistler does not?
Correct. Whistler does not.

For both DMR as well as NXDN, the Whistler scanners key on the emission codes for the two formats. The emission codes are are not proprietary, so no royalty is involved. They receive the DMR or NXDN frequencies, & look for the talkgroup data that is present. If the talkgroup is programmed into a 'system', or a wildcard is in play, then the scanner receives the transmission. However, it does not follow the conversation (does not track the system). The Uniden scanners do follow transmissions and track the system. Not perfectly at times, but they do trunk track the DMR systems. Uniden, of course, at this time does not have a NXDN capability.

While the Whistler scanners are not actually following a trunking system for DMR or NXDN, if the system is lightly loaded, as the two NXDN systems in use in my area (for public safety) are, then they do a decent job of monitoring, even without tracking.
 

UPMan

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For clarification, even conventional reception of DMR requires licensing. That requirement is not avoided by not trunktracking.
 
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