Opto 456/535 Information

Models

• Optocom by Optoelectronics and GRE
  
  A full feature Computer Control black box that does Motorola Trunking. It consists of the Pro-2042 and Opto535 boards in a box with volume and squelch. Will scan conventional and trunking at the same time. Will decode CTCSS,DCS,LTR and DTMF. It will also track 400, 800 and 900mhz systems.
  
  
• Optotrakker by Optoelectronics
  A add-on black box that will allow the Opto456 and 535 to do Motorola Trunking and decode and display CTCSS,DCS,LTR and DTMF. It will also track 400, 800 and 900mhz systems.
  
  
• OptoScan 456 by Optoelectronics (No longer available)
  
  A full feature Computer Control interface that allows control of the Pro-2005/6 with CI-V and tape recorder interface and will allow CTCSS/DCS/DTMF decoding.
  Check out the specifications or my comments.
  
  When this unit first came out in April 1994 it was introduced with a video tape and a OEM copy of scanstar. The unit has proven to be very popular in the scanning community.
  
  
• OptoScan 456 Lite by Optoelectronics
  
  
  This model came out in 1996 as a low end model for the Pro-2005/6. It does not have the signal strenght decoding and the CTCSS/DCS/DTMF. There is no soldering required for installment in the unit.
  
  
• OptoScan 535 by Optoelectronics
  
  A full feature Computer Control interface that allows control of the Pro-2035/42 with CI-V and tape recorder interface and will allow CTCSS/DCS/DTMF decoding. This is the latest unit of the Opto series. The Opto535 came out in May 1996 and the Opto535 has a few extras the Opto 456 don't have.
  
  The review in Monitoring Times July 1996 issue mentions the Opto 535 having a NMEA interface the type used by Global Positioning Systems to interface with the scanner. I'm not sure if the earlier Opto535 had a different rear panel or not. My manual mentions nothing of this interface. My Opto535 has 2 CIV and 1 Scout jack on the rear panel.
  
  There are three verisons of the firmware in the Opto535 I know of. The current models are blocked out in the cellular range as of January this year to comply with the new FCC regulations. The previous model they sold to the public required a password which they would give you if you were qualified to have that range. Also there was a third verison which required no password for the cellular range which was so to law enforcements and telecommunictions companies.
  
  
  

Hardware

• Scout by Optoelectronics
  
  A frequency counter that will hook up to the CI-V port of the OptoScan 456
  and tune your scanner to the captured frequency.
  
  The Opto535 also has a couple jacks on the board for future upgrades. One is a cellular key socket and the other is a Data Demodulator Daughter Board. Its possible that these sockets can be used for trunking capability or other digital decoding. There has been rumors and ads floating around on companies that have been designing these upgrades but nothing has showed up so far. If you like to see support of these upgrades please let Optolectronics know that you want them. They have said there are no plans but maybe if enought ask they might change their mind.
  

Software for the OptoScan

• PROBE by Datafile
  
  A full featured DOS based program that will even run on a XT or HP Palmtop
  
  
• Listening Post by LP Communications
  
  Windows 95 program for the OptoScan
  
  
• ScanStar by Signal Intelligence
  
  ScanStar Professional for DOS
  ScanStar Commercial for DOS and OS/2
  ScanStar SE for Windows
  ScanStar Plus for Windows
  ScanStar Industrial for Windows
  
  
• Scannerwear by RSCI
  
  Another Windows program for the OptoScan
  
  
• Wave Links by Percon
  
  Yet another Windows program for the Optoscan
  
  Wave Links
  Visual Wave Links
  
  
• Scancat by Computer Aided Technologies
  
  Scancat 6.0 for DOS
  Scancat Gold for DOS
  Scancat Gold for Windows
  
  
• CCC-ScanSys by Colonie Computech Corp
  
  Another DOS based program for the OptoScan
  
  Colonie Computech Corp
  438 New Karner Road
  Albany, NY 12205-3856
  (518)456-0678
  
  
• Radio Manager by Ben Saladino
  
  A Windows program that is Shareware
  
  
• Radio Max by Future Scanning Systems
  
  Another Shareware Windows program for the OptoScan
  
  
• SimpleScan by Keith McQueen
  
  A DOS shareware program with optional registration
  
  
• RadioCtl for Windows by Lydia Rosa
  
  Another shareware program that works with the OptoScan
  
  Radioctl for Windows 3.1
  Radioctl for Windows 95
  
  
• Wave by Adaptive Systems, Ltd
  
  A Macintosh Program
  
  
• TrunkTrac Distributed by Scanner Master
  
  Trunk Tracking software for the OptoScan 456/535