BCD396T and BCD996T Updates are Here

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UPMan

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<UPDATED 4/11/08>
Here is a condensed version of the overall update process. This will be included in the UPDate going out today.

The general steps to apply the update are:

  1. Register your scanner (you don't need to enter the ESN/Checksum, yet).
  2. For the BCD396T, download and install ESN_Loader. For the BCD996T, download and install BC_VUP 2.0.0.3 and download and uncompress the V1.04.12 update.
  3. For the BCD396T, run the ESN_Loader application and follow the on-screen instructions. For the BCD996T, run the BC_VUP application, select the V1.04.12 update when prompted, then follow the on-screen instructions
  4. For either scanner, navigate in its menu to MENU --> Settings --> See Scanner Info --> Firmware Version and make a note of your scanner's ESN and 3-digit/letter checksum.
  5. Update the registration information for your scanner with the ESN and checksum.
  6. On your "All My Scanners" page, click the link for "Get Registration Key" then select the "Get Key" button on the window that opens.
  7. Download the V2 update by selecting the link on your "All My Scanners" page then unzip it to a folder on your PC.
  8. Apply the update to your scanner using BC_VUP, entering that scanner's registration key when prompted.

April 10, 2008
Updates are Here!
In This Issue​
  • Keeping it Real​
  • It All Starts on the Web​
  • What's Updated?​
  • The Final Word​
Keeping it Real

In my first update I announced that updates were coming, and coming they were. Just not as quickly as I had hoped or expected. One of the challenges of developing a complex product like a digital scanner is that you don't always know what bumps might lie along the development road. After finishing the majority of development and testing for this update, we hit one of those unexpected bumps...One tester in one city on one repeater site of one system (but not other repeaters of that same system) got a very obnoxious pop after many transmissions. The same transmission on other sites came through flawlessly. This is the kind of problem that makes the engineers pull their hair out.​

Fortunately, the engineers were able to quickly identify the source of the problem and provide new firmware for testing...which restarted the release countdown. In addition to making sure that the problem had gone away, we always have to test against the law of unintended consequences and make sure that everything that was working fine before still works fine after.​

So, I'm very happy to release this update and am confident that you will find that it is well worth the wait. Read on for general information about each update, and then be sure to read the complete release notes that detail the steps you take to install each one.​

It All Starts on the Web

No matter which scanner you have, your first stop for getting the latest updates into your scanner is My Uniden. Start by registering your scanner, then follow the links to get the updates you need.​

As you can see from the screen shot (well, in the email there is a screenshot...just imagine a screenshot is here, too), you'll have a little different path to take depending on whether you have a BCD396T or a BCD996T. Take it step by step and you'll be updated before you know it.​

What&#8217;s Updated?

The biggest enhancements were to the scanner's performance on all types of P25 systems, but especially "multipacket" systems like the Virginia STARS system, all manner of mixed digital/analog systems, and EDACS systems and their pesky beeps. The release notes for each update provide more complete details of what was fixed, but I hope you'll agree that just those three make it worth the time.

Of course, the first part of the update is just for "housekeeping" and lets us issue secured updates. Security is not really important on this particular revision, but testing it now allows us to look at making additional features available in the future that we wouldn't be able to do otherwise.​

The Final Word


DON'T PANIC!
I can't sign off without recognizing that a few of you will have some problems applying the updates. In the words of Douglas Adams, "Don't Panic!" No, really, don't panic. We have received several scanners in because they "failed during and update" and we've never had to do anything other than apply the update. We didn't use any special tools or computers...we just ran the same program that we issued to you and it worked. So, if you have problems take a deep breath, read all of the troubleshooting tips provided with the update, and give it another shot.​


Still have problems? Try asking on the appropriate Yahoo! Group or in the forums at RadioReference.com...I hang out there way too much and that is one of the best ways to get your problems solved (plus, when it is solved in a public forum many others can take advantage of the same solution).​

Thank you again for being so patient and for being our customer.​

Paul Opitz
Product Manager
Uniden America Corp.​
 
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K8TEK

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I am not seeing any updates!
 

UPMan

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your first stop for getting the latest updates into your scanner is My Uniden. Start by registering your scanner, then follow the links to get the updates you need.

There will be more explanatory text showing up on the web site, soon, but if you have registered one of your scanners (or if you now register your scanner) you should see the links on the "All My Scanners" page. Thought I'd get this out to you early adopters...
 

epersson

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I put all the registation info in when I registered (Including ESN), now it is asking me for it again? I am not near my scanner for the day...
 

epersson

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I appreciate the update has now come down, but the instructions are enter the info (again), get a reg key, wait for the key? then get use the key to get a link after you enter the key? Why have you made this so convuluted?
 

UPMan

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You will need both your scanner's ESN and its ESN Checksum. Until you apply the final V1 update (or ESN Loader update if you have a BCD396T) you will not have an ESN Checksum (or an ESN if you have a BCD396T).

You will be able to edit your registered scanner's record to include this information.
 

K8TEK

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UPMan said:
There will be more explanatory text showing up on the web site, soon, but if you have registered one of your scanners (or if you now register your scanner) you should see the links on the "All My Scanners" page. Thought I'd get this out to you early adopters...
Thanks, Paul. Get registration key doesn't work
 
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K8TEK

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Whenever I click on Get Registration Key, I get this!
ss.png
 

UPMan

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Well, between the time I left IS to type in that it was fixed and my getting back to my desk...moot.

He is in the process of migrating code from our test server to the "live" server, so things are "creeping" onto the live site. Now, for example, if you go to the "regular" downloads area for one of these scanners, you see a nice big message that wasn't there before.
 

UFEMTFF

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Just wanted to get a NICE post in early, in case this thread gets messed up too.

Thanks UPman for taking the time to communicate with your customers as much as you do. I hope Uniden knows how much value you've added by doing what you do, and I wish more companies treated their customers like Uniden does.

In other news, can't wait to get home tonight and do some loading!
 

UPMan

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From the message at the bottom of the "All My Scanners" page as well as on the BCD396T and BCD996T My Downloads pages:

If you have not yet entered an ESN and ESN checksum for your scanner, the latest firmware link will be to the firmware version that enables these functions on your scanner. You must apply this update before applying a Version 2 or later update.
 
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