DSTAR with Maestro Only

Lawrence Kellar KB5ZZB

Will we be able to work DSTAR with just the Maestro and Thumb DV only, no computer?

rfoust

I think from a technical perspective, there should be no problem using only the Maestro for dstar, but I wonder how the add-on app would work since you have to configure the my/ur callsign info, etc.  I guess this would have to also be implemented on Maestro?

Lawrence Kellar KB5ZZB

That's my understanding as well. Modulation is just one aspect. You need the Header Data

Steve-N5AC

This question really goes beyond DSTAR to any mode that has "non-standard" (meaning not in common) settings.  For example, FreeDV could have a setting to switch the bitrate.  The infrastructure is there to pass the data between the client easily, but today we do not have a method for displaying entry forms/data to capture the mode-specific data.  So we're still thinking about this.  I think it is likely that this (DSTAR) may not work on day #1 in the Maestro, but DSTAR has been very popular and we're thinking about the best way to do this.

Kent Hufford

The Maestro documentation says no USB devices support. So, I guess you cannot plug in a DV3000 DSTAR USB device. So no support for Free DV or DSTAR, because you need to load software somewhere?  A dead end for Maestro?

KY6LA_Howard

The USB Dongles continue to plug into the RADIO like they always have done

Steve-N5AC

Howard is correct -- the ThumbDV plugs into the radio, not the Maestro.  We are planning to have support for DSTAR and FreeDV in Maestro at first release, BUT each of these prefers to have a GUI for adjusting settings and this is what we've not worked out yet.  Today, you'd have to run this GUI on a computer rather than the Maestro.  No telling what we will do in the future.

EA4GLI

I would love to hear about "what we will do in the future" ... just a taste of some of the ideas... no commitments.... just give us a little glimpse into the Flex future.... pretty please, sugar on top!

Steve-N5AC

I think there is a "day of reckoning" coming on waveforms that allows them to be used on multiple platforms with their GUI intact.  This is not a priority for us this year, but this is something that will grow in interest in the future.  What this would be, I'm not sure yet, but I think that a way for a waveform to place it's own GUI controls in SmartSDR/Maestro/et.al. is a logical thing to do.  This is an involved project, though, and we have a lot of other things on our plate so just not sure when/if we will get to this.