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Mac is an unwanted Step-Child for FlexRadio

Fred Lloyd
Fred Lloyd Member ✭
in Community Topics
The latest SmartSDR is up to version 3.9.19 whereas the Mac version is 2.9.78. This seems like a HUGE disparity. Why doesn't FlexRadio embrace Mac?

It's clear that they offloaded Mac development to a German ham, who earns $100 per copy in the App Store, despite the fact that the PC version is FREE.

Therefore, Mac Users are chopped liver that must pay another $100 above the price of a radio that, by all indications, has a top-notch development team (that hates Macs).

This doesn't make any sense. There should NOT be two different Release Levels of software for the same product, depending on your computer. There really should be NO DIFFERENCE between the Mac and the PC versions. If they are in fact the same, then why on earth does FlexRadio assign a different version number? I suspect that they aren't the same.

There are some really great software engineers at Flex. I refuse to believe that they are incapable of bringing SmartSDR for Mac in-house. Flex needs to **** up the cost of Mac development as the price of doing business.

I would even be willing to pay $200 for the Mac version, IF it was a FlexRadio product. Having a separate third-party build is unacceptable.

Comments

  • Russ Ravella
    Russ Ravella Member ✭✭✭

    Hi Fred,

    For what it's worth and respectfully, I think you might be looking at this wrong. Flex doesn't support Mac at all. And they don't claim to. They've been providing SSDR for Windows as the primary (and originally only) way to interface with their 6000 series radios since around 2010 (?). In around 2015 they added the Maestro. They don't offer or formally support any other client functions at this time.

    Somewhere along the line, Marcus Roskosch - the German ham you mentioned - developed his own Mac based client independently utilizing the API provided open source by Flex. Flex encourages folks to develop such products and probably even helped Marcus along the way though they didn't have to. Marcus extended support to iPad and iPhone and the suite is so well designed it became extremely popular, not surprisingly. So much so, Flex often mentions them in discussions with hams (**** and written) and even describes it on their website. But I don't believe they receive any money whatsoever for any of that. It all goes to the developer, Marcus, as it should. They're just providing helpful information to their customers. And the existence of such things is obviously good for their products as well.

    The version numbers are different because they're not different components of the same product, they're totally different products from totally different companies though their relationship is cooperative. So comparing them from a development point of view is inappropriate.

    Not trying to be argumentative here, just wanted to provide information. Hope it's helpful.

    GL Russ KR6W

  • ka9ees
    ka9ees Member ✭✭✭
    edited August 6

    I'm not a Mac guy, but I really enjoy the iOS version of SSDR. Flex encourages software engineers to use their API's and develope software for it. Markus does a great job. I just wish there was a universal way to develop it for Android.

  • John KB4DU
    John KB4DU Member ✭✭✭✭

    There have also been user groups discussions about a Linux version or an android version. Flex has indicated that they would provide limited developmental support for either of these, similar to the assistance provided for the Mac developer.

    The flex exposes the internal operation of the radio through the API. The same access is available for any other applications, such as FRStacks among others. This was an intentional choice to provide the richest possible environment for the ham community.

  • Mango
    Mango Member ✭
    As a side note, besides the fact that the Mac OS version is NOT written by Flex but by a fellow ham named Marcus, we are left to the whims of a temperamental programmer who although writes brilliant software has a short temper.

    I own/purchased his software for Icom, Yaesu and Flex. I once made a comment to him that Yaesu's version didn't work as well for me as the Icom version. I even mentioned that it wasn't any fault of his, it just had to do with Yaesu.

    Marcus banned me from all future technical support for his products.

    It's scary to think that all Mac users are reliant upon this one person for Flex software for the Apple environment. It's great software but it is now behind the times compared to the new version 4.

    I am considering a new purchase of an 8,000 series Flex or maybe even the Aurora because of the new noise reduction features but I would have to use Parallels/Windows as Marcus's software is behind the times. Maybe Marcus will update his software at some point but I appear to be banned from future purchases.

    This is nuts. One person should not own the rights to the Apple software environment. Flex needs to wake up to the fact there are a lot of Flex / Apple users. Flex should own this product, not one person no matter how brilliant his software skills.
  • Dan Trainor
    Dan Trainor Member ✭✭✭

    SmartSDR for Mac is the Gold standard for operating Flex Radios. It has more many more client features (too many to list here) and of much higher quality than the Windows version. It is literally recognized as a masterpiece of software design and implementation by many. And, as of this week, it supports Flex v4 firmware. I can't say enough about it. It is fantastic! 73, Dan WA1QZX

  • W7NGA
    W7NGA Member ✭✭✭

    I couldn't agree more. Marcus is incredibly responsive to my ideas and bug findings. The software is a joy to use on Mac and iOS devices. Well worth the money .. and to be clear, it is something that you could attempt to write yourself and market to the world. Best of luck …

    W7NGA

  • Neil D Friedman N3DF
    Neil D Friedman N3DF Member ✭✭✭✭

    Another vote for the great software and service that Marcus provides.

  • Gord-VA7GP
    Gord-VA7GP Member ✭✭✭

    Hello, @Mango

    Similarly, I've used Linux since early-1990's, as was passionate to continue that.

    But in my case, the Flex world seemed more-aligned purely with Windows. I had several choices to consider, and ultimately I decided to get my first Windows machine in 25yrs, and change my logging software from purely-Linux-only to something also Windows-based.

    So for me, one lone computer running Windows 11 Pro, simply to address your maintenance and curation concerns. Because this one lone computer is dedicated to Flexradio and ham-operating, it stays "clean" from other stuff, and I don't worry about rebooting before AND after performing each update. Were I faced with needing to completely wipe-and-reinstall, that also is do-able.

    So, I'd like to gently suggest that if you have baggage w.r.t. Marcus, but you wish to enjoy Flexradio's curation and evolution, you may consider a dedicated ham-shack computer … running Windows. In my case, I browsed Craigslist and picked up a still-in-warranty, used but current/leading-edge Dell small-form-factor. Doesn't take a lot of room, is quiet, and features a built-onto-motherboard Windows license (make re-install super-easy).

  • K9YK
    K9YK Member ✭✭

    It's a mistake to think that the Flex Radio/SmartSDR version number and the Mac SSDR version number should be the same. Two completely different developers/teams making up their own version numbers. The are not intended to correlate.

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