Will the Pro-96 Firmware update delete all my frequencies?

[Cobra_Commander]

if i download it will it delete all my current frequencies programmed in? and settings? or am i in the clear and wont loose any of my settings or the extended range i unlocked with win96 will it affect any of this? and reset it back to the factory defaults? :?:

 

[Voyager]

Re: Will the Pro-96 Firmware update delete all my frequencie

if i download it will it delete all my current frequencies programmed in? and settings? or am i in the clear and wont loose any of my settings or the extended range i unlocked with win96 will it affect any of this? and reset it back to the factory defaults? :?:

Yes. And no.

Confused? You should be.

The CPU upgrade requires replacement of the CPU that has all of your frequencies/settings stored in it. You will definitely lose all your memory. It will (literally) be in the trash in Fort Worth - where you have to send the scanner for the CPU upgrade.

The DSP upgrade shouldn't affect your memory at all. That's the upgrade that is user-performed.

In any case, you should back-up your files (main memory AND V-folders) with Win96 just in case. That way, worst case, you just reload them.

Joe M.

 

[pro92b]

The CPU upgrade requires replacement of the CPU that has all of your frequencies/settings stored in it.

Actually the user programming data is stored in IC201 HN58X24256FPI 256K Memory (EEPROM), MOS, not the CPU. Regardless, always back up your data before sending the radio off for any type of repair or upgrade.

 

[Voyager]

The CPU upgrade requires replacement of the CPU that has all of your frequencies/settings stored in it.

Actually the user programming data is stored in IC201 HN58X24256FPI 256K Memory (EEPROM), MOS, not the CPU. Regardless, always back up your data before sending the radio off for any type of repair or upgrade.

Well, it suffices to say that wherever the data is stored, it will be physically moved to the trash can in fort worth when the upgrade is done.

Joe M.

 

[pro92b]

Not necessarily. When I had my PRO-93 upgraded they actually unsoldered the CPU and replaced it. The original logic board was put back in the radio and returned to me with programming intact. Viewing the firmware version and all the solder flux on the board confirmed what they had done.

 

[mikey60]

When my Pro96 was upgraded, it came back with the Factory configuration in it. None of my configuration was in the radio. Fortunately I had all of it in Win96, and only took a few minutes to get it back to normal.

Mike

 

[Voyager]

Not necessarily. When I had my PRO-93 upgraded they actually unsoldered the CPU and replaced it. The original logic board was put back in the radio and returned to me with programming intact. Viewing the firmware version and all the solder flux on the board confirmed what they had done.

What they do with a PRO-93 really has nothing to do with what they do with a PRO-96.

If the frequencies are not stored in the CPU, and they replaced only the CPU, the scanner should retain all the frequency info. Yet, nobody who has had the upgrade has reported that their frequency info was present when they got the unit back. That means they are either stored in the CPU or they replace the entire board. Since I have no reason to doubt the info that they are not stored in the CPU, and they are not present upon return, it's entirely likely that they just replace the entire board. This is not uncommon in the electronics industry.

Back in the early 90s, if Motorola could not fix a Cellular unit in 20 minutes, they just scrapped it and replaced the unit (or the board). It was cheaper than putting the time in to fix it. It may be the same with the PRO-96 - especially when it comes to fixing problems involving epoxied areas of the board.

To head off another issue, no the CPU cannot be simply reprogrammed - it a ROM or OTP (One Time Programmable) and cannot be reprogrammed.

Joe M.

 

[pro92b]

I was surprised they took the time to replace the cpu in the PRO-93 and salvage the logic board. That might make more sense with the PRO-96 since it has expensive CODEC and DSP chips on the logic board along with the CPU. It would be an interesting experiment for someone planning to send in a PRO-96 for upgrade to mark the logic board to see if the same board comes back.

 

[eorange]

To head off another issue, no the CPU cannot be simply reprogrammed - it a ROM or OTP (One Time Programmable) and cannot be reprogrammed.

I am sure this is true for CPUs in scanners, i.e. low-end consumer electronics.

<short digression>
In general, a CPU can be reprogrammed. Very low-level instructions called microcode give a CPU its personality, and form the building blocks of machine language. On higher-end systems (think IBM and HP midrange), the microcode can be upgraded, thus facilitating a CPU upgrade.
</short digression>

Erik

 

[Voyager]

To head off another issue, no the CPU cannot be simply reprogrammed - it a ROM or OTP (One Time Programmable) and cannot be reprogrammed.

I am sure this is true for CPUs in scanners, i.e. low-end consumer electronics.

<short digression>
In general, a CPU can be reprogrammed. Very low-level instructions called microcode give a CPU its personality, and form the building blocks of machine language. On higher-end systems (think IBM and HP midrange), the microcode can be upgraded, thus facilitating a CPU upgrade.
</short digression>

Erik

But since the topic IS scanners... :wink: , my statement still stands.

GRE took that step to lock out the Cell band. By FCC rules, it can't be restorable - even by reprogramming. That's why they are using the memory type that can't be reprogrammed.

I still have to wonder how Uniden is getting around that rule. :shock:
They must have found a loophole somewhere.

Joe M.