My Take on SSDR v3

Burt Fisher

Scott Russell - N1SER

Duane, why did I buy it? I don't think I wrote off the reason, more so it isn't relative. But since you ask. Because I can. While at this time I don't have a good use case for multi client I still like to see what it's about, how it works and what all the hype was about. I'm different than others in that I like to upgrade to the latest whatever. I guess it's curiosity. Also what was my option, really. Don't upgrade and have an outdated version for the rest of the time I own this radio? Never move ahead because I don't like something? I purchased the Flex because of the software updates and all that it can be. I'm just disappointed. I'm fully aware of the Ten Tec story but I doubt it was all because of free software. I agree, there should be more customer input on new features. Or at least a good way of passing on the ideas.

Bill -VA3WTB

Flex did not stop support for PSDR because it was poor, they wanted an intire new direction. PSDR was not and still not able to do what Flex wanted to do going foreward. PSDR is Geralds creation.

Duane_AC5AA

Just a quick comment - if you don't upgrade to Ver 3, you're not stuck forever.  I believe Flex is going to offer an update for 2.x to cover some bugs (don't know about any new features), and when Ver 4 comes up, if it has content you want, just upgrade to that for $199, assuming that's still the upgrade price.  You'll get Ver 3 and Ver 4 contents then.  Simple.

Burt Fisher

Bottom line, did a single person say 2.x wasn't worth it? Hams will vote with their feet, they will walk away.

Kevin

Scott Russell - N1SER

Yeah that’s true Duane. I’m just a sucker for new software and updates. I like the experience and knowing what it’s about. That way I can be a better mentor to someone interested and be able to discuss it knowing first hand. While expensive I guess in that regard it was worth it.

Kevin

James Eastham Jr

I’m hoping Flex will add more enticing features to V3 ....the multi op feature is not of interest to me. If they add something else I might be tempted. What would really be disappointing is having V3 stay the same (except bug fixes of course) and then along comes V4 with something I really like and I have to have V3 already installed. I ran a training software company before I retired. Product development is a wonderful thing for customers but customer satisfaction and loyalty is Equally important. From what I’m reading V3 May be a real tax on the considerable loyalty satisfaction level Flex has earned. The bad press had clearly started and coupled with the PGXL debacle FLEX needs to tread carefully. I hope the revenue from V3 is worth the cost.

Pat N6PAT

Scott Russell - N1SER

Seems plausible to me Kevin. Haha

Bill -VA3WTB

Don

With all due respect, the $7000-$8000 Kenwood TS-990S performed dismally in the Sherwood Engineering Labs receiver performance measurements, coming in at 33rd place.  The $7000 Flex 6700 took first place.  Even the $1,000 IC-7300 came in at a respectable 19th place.  The TS-990s performs at the level of a 30 year old radio.  My Nikons don't charge for updates either but then they hardly ever update and they are nothing like a radio.

Scott Russell - N1SER

Don, I think the TS-990 is an awesome looking radio. If I had that kind of money I'd probably have had one a couple years ago. Too bad for the Sherwood test. Regarding Nikon, Sony has an awesome feature called Eye-AF which focuses on the subjects eye. The new update enhances that feature to be full time and also... Animal Eye-AF! How cool! True the old DSLR technology is nothing like ham radio but the new cameras now are a whole new world.

James Del Principe

and my Brownie Hawkeye never needed a SW upgrade. HI HI.    But the audio on the TS-990 S really does sound nice.  It truly is a superhet with DSP, (RF, IF & AF) so, yes, you could say it is a 30 year old design.

Pat N6PAT

@Howard,

I certainly don't recall asking for MultiFlex. Exactly how many customers did ask for that particular feature?

Dave - W6OVP

Kuby, N6JSX

Before V4 & $199, can FLEX fix/patch (make work) V2... 'SSB DSP' to be as good if not better then all their competition? All I've wanted since starting this FLEX adventure with a 3K/PwrSDR is a good SSB DSP; unfortunately SmtSDR is STILL the same/bad as PwrSDR.

Rhetorical questions: will FLEX (parrot MS-Windows not being backwards compatible) so you must have V3 installed (purchased) to get V4 (installed/working) - forcing all to buy both?  Will V4 be a glorified V3 Service Pack/bug-fix like Win98SE was? Will V4 work on WinXP or Win7?

KY6LA_Howard

Russ Ravella

Bill -VA3WTB

Flex has stated, that we should only buy a version that we want, and not untile. and any new version purchase also cover past versions as well.

All new versions have a main feature involved, V2 was about wan, and V3 is about multi Client, who know what feature V4 will be about.

Support for Win 7 is starting to slide because Microsft is dropping Win 7 as well.
Win 10 is the Windows being supported for some time.

Lawrence Gray

Scott, You are expressing the frustrations with Flexradio that many Flex owners have expressed over the five years I have owned a Flex. It interesting that so many Flex owners seem to verbally attack anyone who dares to point out an area of relatively poor performance, software bugs, or any issue viewed as negative commentary. I operated an electronics company that built sophisticated, firmware driven products. I am an EE and have a PhD. I have a fair understanding of the development and updating cycle. I also have a fair understanding of providing customer support to worldwide customer base. When our customers pointed out areas that needed improvement, bugs, or asked for changes, we listened—we did not adopt a defensive posture. We learned a lot from our customers that resulted in better products and increased sales. In my opinion, Flexradio has not learned this lesson. I have an ACOM amplifier. It failed in a manner that indicated a design issue. I contacted the factory in Bulgaria, exchanged a few technical emails, and they paid to have the amp returned to Bulgaria, completely updated it, and returned to me. No defensive behavior, just great customer service. I have commented on the poor DSP functionality at some length over a few years, as have many others. I have willingly paid for the V2 and V3 major updates, assuming that some of these long standing issues would eventually be fixed. Apparently, customer inputs do not carry much weight in the Flexradio development process. I own a Flex-1500 and a Flex-6500. The 1500 has better NR. I have owned an ANAN 100D and an ANAN 7000DLE Mkll. Both have far better recovered audio and cleaner transmit audio than my Flex-6500. This is interesting to me, as the ANAN uses open source firmware and software, written on a part-time basis by volunteers. I like my 6500. I use it everyday and I use the remote and iPad features. It is a good radio, but it would be so much better if Flexradio adopted a more customer focused update process and addressed the long standing issues customers have repeatedly requested to be fixed. Larry, W1IZZ

Dave - W6OVP

KY6LA_Howard

Pat Hamp

KF4HR

KY6LA_Howard

FYI- there are Flex Radios on the International Space Station.. and Flex admits to making radios with Multiple Receivers...


FOLKS--> Get your conspiracy tin foil pyramid hats on

Don

FWIW  I think the 990s is a really beautiful box.
I just added a D850 to my Nikon lineup.  I thought long and hard about the new mirrorless Nikon but the D850 won out.  I'm going to wait for the next gen of mirrorless before I take that plunge...probably about 4 years. 

Homer1952

To add to your comments Larry, I already paid for the less than world class DSP in my 6400.  So any improvements to the DSP should be as free UPDATES, not via paid UPGRADES.

Bob  W8RMV

Al_NN4ZZ