X36 "huge, tremendous, fantastic feature addition"?

[Voyager]

Yea.. But One thing... DMR,,,,,NXDN,,,,D-STAR,,,,,,, ProVoice,,,,I don't remember seeing that on the box when I paid 500$ plus... I having a feeling I'm going to get thrown under the bus......Be gentile Voyager,, I'm a virgin..

I doubt that, but I see nothing to criticize. You got a bonus (if you want it). I understand you want other things as well, and I've agreed those should be done, but I don't agree that just because one division is not doing something, that doesn't mean another cannot do something. Divisions could literally mean person in this case. Maybe their decoding guru had nothing better to do, and doesn't know how to work on other things that are wanted.

For all we know, all this "heavy lifting" was provided by Harris for them to add. I know DVSI provides code (and/or chips) for their formats.

 

[Voyager]

Not true, they licensed Uniden. Whether or not that license was on a lump sum or per radio basis, there was actuarial work performed by both companies.

Harris:

How many radios will potentially receive the upgrade?
How much per radio are we willing to settle for?
How much will this cost us in reputation with the customers we told their system would be unmonitorable by commercial scanners?

Uniden
How many customers will this upgrade appeal to?
How many of those will actually purchase the upgrade?
How many of those customers will upgrade multiple radios?

All these questions are formulaic to determine a dollar amount.

If Harris charged a lump sum, they are effectively out of the argument, but if it's a per radio fee, they are still very invested.

Glad to see someone else here understands licensing. I am about 99% certain it is a per-unit license. If it were a lump sum, it would not matter how many radios they add it to. I'm also 99% certain they are using the structure they are to account and track exactly how many units are using the licensed content.

I know for a fact Uniden pays for a license fee each HP-x Extreme Upgrade. I don't know who all they pay that to, but I know they pay one or more parties for the licensed features.

 

[Citywide173]

I'm also 99% certain they are using the structure they are to account and track exactly how many units are using the licensed content.

I know for a fact Uniden pays for a license fee each HP-x Extreme Upgrade. I don't know who all they pay that to, but I know they pay one or more parties for the licensed features.

Given the HP-x licesing model, I would not doubt that would also be the case here. A per unit accountability would also give a pretty good gauge of how in demand other formats might be. As this is a potential revenue stream for the radio manufacturers, I am sure they are looking at this very critically. If I was an unscrupulous manufacturer, I would have no problem hitting up Uniden/Whistler for licensing fees and then going back to my customers and pushing E if they don't want to be heard.

 

[Voyager]

I posted previously that if I were exploring a venture like this, I would start with something small as opposed to starting with something you could get over your head easily if you don't have the right backing. I'm hoping this is a prelude to DMR/NXDN. I would pay extra for that. Maybe Open Sky will be next since that's Harris, too, although I think that's dead enough to not warrant the effort (and I'm in the middle of Open Sky country).

"Unscrupulous manufacturers" would have pushed the E already. I'm sure they know about PC digital format decoders. They will even lie to make a few bucks. One such lie I was involved with (trying to disprove) was that the FCC was invalidating all Low Band licenses due to rebanding. We provided a written reply from the FCC that was not true, but the county involved believed a competitor. Makes one believe there was more going on behind the scenes involving no-so-legal funding. Then to top it off, someone forgot to tell the licensing agent who renewed the Low Band license until the early 20's. So, they could have operated another 10 years, but that wouldn't generate as much income for the manufacturer.

BTW, nice to have an intelligent conversation here. Wish it was always like this. (talking more about the licensing discussion - less about the lying manufacturers)

 

[Jay911]

I'm almost certain that OpenSky requires a subscriber ID in order to receive - more like a 'closed' computer network than an 'open' radio network. I'd doubt that they would license that to any scanner/receiver manufacturer.

Besides, you've heard how much hassle they have getting a simple voice call to function on that system - natively - imagine how hard it'd be to get a scanner to work with it!

 

[R8000]

I'm almost certain that OpenSky requires a subscriber ID in order to receive - more like a 'closed' computer network than an 'open' radio network. I'd doubt that they would license that to any scanner/receiver manufacturer.

Besides, you've heard how much hassle they have getting a simple voice call to function on that system - natively - imagine how hard it'd be to get a scanner to work with it!

Open Sky is so secure, even their own radios wont work on it

 

[rcool101]

Last Call

imagine if drinks were being served......

LMFAO......They would ask me to leave.........Nice Car....You Drive.....

 

[coolderb]

Answer to question up the thread:

We've supported ESK for years, so yes, this upgrade also supports it. Adds support for Extended Addressing systems, too (in the part of the update not restricted by the paywall).

While EDACS PV is waning, there are still 20,000,000 people living in areas using said system. That's about 6% of the US/Canada population who have not been able to listen to Police or Fire on any scanner. I'd expect some systems to still be around in 4 or 5 years (but fewer each year).

I will not address "why didn't you do something else, instead" questions.

UPMan,

Any chance that HP-2 owners will have the option to purchase a Provoice firmware update?

 

[rcool101]

Tic tok tic tok...

TIC TOK TIC TOK...........I'm still waitin..........Move Along...... Nothing To See Here

 

[bigcam406]

LMFAO......They would ask me to leave.........Nice Car....You Drive.....

lol,thanks

 

[rcool101]

In 1971 my friend had a 68 SS Camaro with a L88....I had a 69 Orange Road Runner. I was a Junior in High School......They said Size Doesn't Matter.............They Would Be Wrong........I know ....Off Topic....His Camaro is nice though...........

 

[bigcam406]

totally agree

 

[AA6IO]

My real complaint here is the way this was announced. You don't go into a room of 1000 people and announce a fantastic new feature, keep everyone in the dark, and then offer something to only 60 (6%) of people. Nothing wrong at all with giving 6% something, but give something to a sizeable percentage of others, or you will likely hear complaints.
Had Paul said this was a fantastic new feature for a few people or specific areas of the country, I would be fine with that. But the way it was presented, come on guys, everyone expected that the percentage of owners getting something would be much larger.
That said, I am glad that the ProVoice feature is available for some, and perhaps this will open up the way for other modes down the line. This shows that it (adding digital modes can be done) and it really seems to be a matter of patents/licenses, whatever.
I still believe the x36HPs are the best scanners available now. I own four 536HPs (one in car, two in house, one in Phoenix at daughter's, and two 436HPs. So I guess I save $300 on this round of upgrades. But I certainly do hope that Uniden continues to thrive and make scanners. They are the only real game out there. Call around all the scanner/ham stores and see how many new Whistlers are really being ordered. A few, not many. As far as I'm concerned, Uniden is the only game in town that is continuing to develop new features. If they go by the wayside, no one is going to take their place.
So yes, I was disappointed by today's news for me and most others, but I am truly glad at least for those who can benefit from ProVoice. At least Uniden is doing something new. Let's hope there will be more to come.
If anyone asks me right now what scanners to buy, I still rank the 536HP and 436HP number one in their respective categories.

 

[SOFA_KING]

UPMan,

Any chance that HP-2 owners will have the option to purchase a Provoice firmware update?

You know...that very thought crossed my mind after seeing the HP-2 and 996P2 released. I wondered if that was a strategic move to introduce new modes besides Phase II. True, DMR would have been the logical guess for a new digital mode, but I think there might have been another reason these were released besides P2. Time will tell.

Phil

 

[exkalibur]

I will not address "why didn't you do something else, instead" questions.

Of course you won't. Why listen to your customers? That's crazy talk!

 

[KA2ZEY]

My real complaint here is the way this was announced. You don't go into a room of 1000 people and announce a fantastic new feature, keep everyone in the dark, and then offer something to only 60 (6%) of people. Nothing wrong at all with giving 6% something, but give something to a sizeable percentage of others, or you will likely hear complaints.
Had Paul said this was a fantastic new feature for a few people or specific areas of the country, I would be fine with that. But the way it was presented, come on guys, everyone expected that the percentage of owners getting something would be much larger.
That said, I am glad that the ProVoice feature is available for some, and perhaps this will open up the way for other modes down the line. This shows that it (adding digital modes can be done) and it really seems to be a matter of patents/licenses, whatever.
I still believe the x36HPs are the best scanners available now. I own four 536HPs (one in car, two in house, one in Phoenix at daughter's, and two 436HPs. So I guess I save $300 on this round of upgrades. But I certainly do hope that Uniden continues to thrive and make scanners. They are the only real game out there. Call around all the scanner/ham stores and see how many new Whistlers are really being ordered. A few, not many. As far as I'm concerned, Uniden is the only game in town that is continuing to develop new features. If they go by the wayside, no one is going to take their place.
So yes, I was disappointed by today's news for me and most others, but I am truly glad at least for those who can benefit from ProVoice. At least Uniden is doing something new. Let's hope there will be more to come.
If anyone asks me right now what scanners to buy, I still rank the 536HP and 436HP number one in their respective categories.

I agree with this. I'm a happy 436 owner and exited about this new development but why make it so 'I can't tell you, it's a secret'. I'm all for surprises but most companies don't do this. Why not just say 'we're working on this feature, expect it's release sometime in .....'

 

[Citywide173]

I agree with this. I'm a happy 436 owner and exited about this new development but why make it so 'I can't tell you, it's a secret'. I'm all for surprises but most companies don't do this. Why not just say 'we're working on this feature, expect it's release sometime in .....'

My guess would be that the licensing agreement wasn't completely finalized, but it was obvious that there wouldn't be any hitches. The ability to provide positive news to the beleaguered x36 owners was exploited-it drew attention away from shortcomings for a month while everyone speculated what this great new feature would be. Uniden's equivalent of the supposed "false flag" activities of the government. I applaud them in this move forward, and hope it continues to include other modes, but for the majority of x36 owners it is not as exciting as the original announcement would have you believe.

 

[Voyager]

Yep. You don't want to derail any negotiations.

Besides, wouldn't doing that be virtually the same potential as the dongle issue? They thought the subcontractor would come through on the dongle on schedule. They didn't. What if they announced this feature and something delayed it? Besides, you don't give your competition time to catch up if at all avoidable.

So, once again, Uniden announces features early, and they are criticized. They don't, and they are criticized.

Oh, and most companies DO employ the exact same policy. The iPhone 6s series was not announced until a few weeks prior to release, for example.

 

[marcotor]

Uniden: We are currently in negotiations with Morotola and others for licensing

RR Board: Wheeeee! (followed by rampant speculation)

Uniden: Motorola asking $XX per unit, upgrade will be $75

RR Board: FU Uniden. (and from all the marketing geniuses here who apparently know how to run a business into bankruptcy) YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO YOUR CUSTOMERS AND GIVE IT FOR FREE. UNIDEN SUXORZ!

Then the.. endless ellipses writers... who apparently cannot... form a coherent... sentence or... thought...... will chime.. in.. to add... their... wisdoms.

And you wonder why UPMan won't answer "why not" questions with the same, tired, core of posters acting like a girl who got felt up in the limo on the way to the prom.

 

[harryshute]

Uniden: We are currently in negotiations with Morotola and others for licensing

RR Board: Wheeeee! (followed by rampant speculation)

Uniden: Motorola asking $XX per unit, upgrade will be $75

RR Board: FU Uniden. (and from all the marketing geniuses here who apparently know how to run a business into bankruptcy) YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO YOUR CUSTOMERS AND GIVE IT FOR FREE. UNIDEN SUXORZ!

Then the.. endless ellipses writers... who apparently cannot... form a coherent... sentence or... thought...... will chime.. in.. to add... their... wisdoms.

And you wonder why UPMan won't answer "why not" questions with the same, tired, core of posters acting like a girl who got felt up in the limo on the way to the prom.

Yup even if Uniden gave every one a million bucks that bought a 436 or 536 many would complain that they were paid in small bills.