Uniden R1/R3 Change Log and Firmware Versions

[skd]

Awesome I will. I consider updating then (I'm from Europe too).

All right. Give it a try for a month or two and see for yourself. Then you can decide if you will keep it or not. And you can share your impressions too. You can always go back and forth with every firmware which is the best part with Uniden. It's not once and for all, 10 minutes engagement at the most. I have tried three firmware versions for three days in a row and it was like a child's play to downgrade and upgrade. Firms 1.50 and 1.53 require v.1.28 of the loading program. Preferably choose the recovery mode and don't forget to factory reset at the end before reconfiguring.

 

[CarefulDriver]

All right. Give it a try for a month or two and see for yourself. Then you can decide if you will keep it or not. And you can share your impressions too. You can always go back and forth with every firmware which is the best part with Uniden. It's not once and for all, 10 minutes engagement at the most. I have tried three firmware versions for three days in a row and it was like a child's play to downgrade and upgrade. Firms 1.50 and 1.53 require v.1.28 of the loading program. Preferably choose the recovery mode and don't forget to factory reset at the end before reconfiguring.

Thanks. Here in Finland we see Multaradar C used as mobile units, 1.46 performs well against them but in your video 1.53 seems to do even better.

Why the recovery mode (in updating)?

 

[skd]

Thanks. Here in Finland we see Multaradar C used as mobile units, 1.46 performs well against them but in your video 1.53 seems to do even better.

Why the recovery mode (in updating)?

Well, I am not some expert on that matter but as far as I have read many advices, this mode erases every previously installed residue data and installs new data on clean. It is fact that many experienced users load a new firm under this mode. I for one did it three times now and things have worked totally fine.

Sent from my POT-LX1 using Tapatalk

 

[Deacon]

this mode erases every previously installed residue data and installs new data on clean. It is fact that many experienced users load a new firm under this mode. I for one did it three times now and things have worked totally fine.

That doesn’t seem quite accurate, and it’s not necessary. It shouldn’t hurt, but let’s not create best practices off hunches.

 

[Mithheru]

Well, I am not some expert on that matter but as far as I have read many advices, this mode erases every previously installed residue data and installs new data on clean. It is fact that many experienced users load a new firm under this mode. I for one did it three times now and things have worked totally fine.

Recovery mode reinstalls the complete firmware regardless of whether all or part of it are already installed (e.g. sound data). You would only in fact need to use recovery mode if an installation fails halfway as it will overwrite was was previously there.

Recovery mode does nothing more than that. It will not overwrite any old data, gps lock outs, user marks etc. You will still need to do a factory reset if upgrading from a different version.

Recovery mode is actually more likely to fail on an update since it applies the entire firmware regardless. Therefore because the sound data is the biggest part that takes the longest, it is statistically more likely the update process will fail with recovery mode selected. Therefore I recommend people don't use recovery mode, and just let the upload tool examine what is in the new file, what is already installed and to just update the bits that need updating. Hope that makes sense.

 

[skd]

Recovery mode reinstalls the complete firmware regardless of whether all or part of it are already installed (e.g. sound data). You would only in fact need to use recovery mode if an installation fails halfway as it will overwrite was was previously there.

Recovery mode does nothing more than that. It will not overwrite any old data, gps lock outs, user marks etc. You will still need to do a factory reset if upgrading from a different version.

Recovery mode is actually more likely to fail on an update since it applies the entire firmware regardless. Therefore because the sound data is the biggest part that takes the longest, it is statistically more likely the update process will fail with recovery mode selected. Therefore I recommend people don't use recovery mode, and just let the upload tool examine what is in the new file, what is already installed and to just update the bits that need updating. Hope that makes sense.

Very well explained in a logical manner, and indeed makes perfect sense. Thank you. Sometimes a random discussion makes things more clear than it was earlier. I just heard a couple of times before from different members that at least it wouldn't hurt if something doesn't work as expected. I have made update both ways and never have had any issue. Noticed that recovery mode, because of the reasons given by you, takes a little bit longer.

 

[Z51VetteFan]

I was just happy enough to see the Laser falsing improvement in 1.53. I’m content for now. I just finally updated the other day. Uniden doesn’t make it easy for MacBook owners. I had to use the 1.2 installer, and charge my 2013 MBA just to install 1.53 on my R3 and 1.33 on my R7.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[roverT]

Just to let MacOS Big Sur users know, the driver that communicates with our R-series is Silicon Labs. They have released a working version for Big Sur on December 22nd.

You can download the driver here:

VCP Driver for macOS Big Sur 11.0.x

Dear all, With new version of macOS released which is macOS Big Sur 11.0.x, the latest version of our VCP driver for Macintosh OSX (v5.3.5) now becomes

www.silabs.com

Then you can use Uniden's R Series Tool V1.2 to do your firmware and database updating. I cannot confirm if this same driver works through an M1 equipped Mac through Rosetta.

 

[mattguy10]

Just to let MacOS Big Sur users know, the driver that communicates with our R-series is Silicon Labs. They have released a working version for Big Sur on December 22nd.

You can download the driver here:

VCP Driver for macOS Big Sur 11.0.x

Dear all, With new version of macOS released which is macOS Big Sur 11.0.x, the latest version of our VCP driver for Macintosh OSX (v5.3.5) now becomes

www.silabs.com

Then you can use Uniden's R Series Tool V1.2 to do your firmware and database updating. I cannot confirm if this same driver works through an M1 equipped Mac through Rosetta.

Worked perfectly. Thank you.

 

[RickyBob]

Downloaded the Uniden R Series SW Download Tool and latest Firmware V1.54 (10-28-20) for my R3 from here: https://support.uniden.com/radar-detectors/ It included a database update DB_20201006.bin. There is a newer database update DB_20210105.bin (01/05/2021). Can you skip loading the older database update and just load the newer version?

There was a discussion a few pages back about is it necessary to reset the device to the factory default settings after a firmware update. This time I did not do a reset and all my settings are the same and have not changed after I updated to V1.54.

 

[mattguy10]

Downloaded the Uniden R Series SW Download Tool and latest Firmware V1.54 (10-28-20) for my R3 from here: https://support.uniden.com/radar-detectors/ It included a database update DB_20201006.bin. There is a newer database update DB_20210105.bin (01/05/2021). Can you skip loading the older database update and just load the newer version?

There was a discussion a few pages back about is it necessary to reset the device to the factory default settings after a firmware update. This time I did not do a reset and all my settings are the same and have not changed after I updated to V1.54.

Yes you can update to the latest database version without loading previous ones first.

A factory reset is always recommended by Uniden after updating the firmware but not necessary if you’re only updating the database from what I understand.

 

[RickyBob]

Yes, I know that Uniden recommends a factory reset after a firmware update, but is it absolutely necessary? I asked the same question back on page 3. I received these replies. https://www.rdforum.org/threads/76429/post-1315544 and https://www.rdforum.org/threads/76429/post-1316157 I agree with the second reply. I have upgraded the firmware on my Asus router several times, my cell phones, TVs, blu ray DVD player, and several other electronic devices, and have never had to do a factory reset.

 

[oktavf]

Yes, I know that Uniden recommends a factory reset after a firmware update, but is it absolutely necessary? I asked the same question back on page 3. I received these replies. https://www.rdforum.org/threads/76429/post-1315544 and https://www.rdforum.org/threads/76429/post-1316157 I agree with the second reply. I have upgraded the firmware on my Asus router several times, my cell phones, TVs, blu ray DVD player, and several other electronic devices, and have never had to do a factory reset.

Recommended just in case. You may be fine without it or you could get a ticket when it didn't go off due to a change that didn't carry over correctly after a update without a reset. Like anything its dealers choice!

 

[aradarnut]

Reset it already.

 

[mattguy10]

I do a factory reset because Uniden recommends it (which is enough in itself to push me to do it) as I’m not going to pretend to know more than they do. If I felt that I did, and knew for a fact that a factory reset makes absolutely no difference, then I probably wouldn’t do it. I also don’t mind the five minutes or less it takes to perform the reset and adjust the settings back to my liking. I actually enjoy doing that, crazy as it sounds... guess I’m just crazy lol. I also know that, THAT ONE TIME I don’t do a factory reset and something weird happens that results in me getting pulled over that a factory reset may or may not have prevented, either way, I’d wish I had just done the darn factory reset.

Now if Uniden recommended I jump off a bridge.... yeah, no! But you get the idea

 

[Kennyc56]

On one of the past updates I did to my R1's, the color of the screen was supposed to change to red to help with the screen issues. I noticed that when I was through with the update my screen was still set to blue, which is where I was running it before the update. Once I did the reset however, it went to red! I always do a factory reset on any detector after an update, just in case! Plus, it reminds me of how I had it set up. Sometimes when running different detectors it's easy to forget!

 

[RickyBob]

Uniden is not telling you that you MUST do a factory reset after a firmware update. They recommend it, as per its definition "to suggest an act or course of action".
I posted that what I found after I updated MY R3 to firmware V1.54 without doing a factory reset is that NONE of my previous settings had changed.
If you want to do a factory reset it's your call.

 

[mattguy10]

If you want to do a factory reset it's your call.

Exactly

 

[schwinn]

Generally speaking, many firmware-updatable devices say the same thing. The key is, if it works without resetting, then great... don't do it. However, if you have a problem or weird behavior, the first thing anyone will ask you to do is reset it. So, it's your choice if you want to reset proactively or not... but if you ask for support/help, this will be the first step.

Some people like to be proactive, others don't... IMO it's not a big deal either way, but if you run into trouble then don't complain if you haven't done a reset.

 

[grbracer08]

When the next firmware comes out and we have all the auto updates we will lose all our auto mutes. I wish there was a way to save the auto mutes. I had that with my 9500ci.