SDR# End of support of the ExtIO interface?

[CaptainNemo]

We have a saying here, it sounds like this: "The toy is broken".
I was a fan of sdr#:
"Pro":
-- free of charge
-- good DSP algorithms
-- easy of use, clear/neat user interface
-- availability of plugins free of charge
-- support for many front ends
(by the way there are also a lot of "cons", I will write an other time...)

Now we all are in turmoil since "there's no more support for our SDRplay".
This is not the whole truth.
I' have an rtl-sdr and I can no more decode AIS (etc.etc.etc.). I have a funcube and now I have a spectrum of
only 38khz instead of 192. Fortunately I have a copy of build 1361
Etc.ect.etc.
This is to say that: it seems to me that sdr# is now concentrated in exploit airspy architecture
and even if it supports/will support other frontend it will never exploit different architecture at the same time.
And, as Jon says, they have all the rights to do this.

I'm afraid we have to find an other horse to bet on.

[dsalomon]

'Thanks ziptaco for your observations. However we don't think the world is as polarised as you suggest. The Facebook group you refer to is indeed an eclectic mix and that is why we at SDRplay would not try to close them down - indeed, many of them are enthusiastic dongle and Airspy users as well.

They do indeed provide a lot of informal and unpaid support and are providing much enjoyment to those experimenting with SDR. Many of those same people may even have helped shape SDR# to make it the great programme it undoubtedly is today. We have asked Youssef how we might help so let's see what he comes back with. The great thing about SDR is that together the mid-range affordable 12 bit products like Airspy and the RSP are making the pie much bigger for both suppliers to enjoy with their relative strengths. Jon

Jon -

I know there are some reading this post that do not agree with my position, but it is the same as yours. So, if there is anything you, or anyone else at SDRPlay think the user community (or any sub-part thereof) can do to help your cause with Youssef, please let me know. I'd be happy to start a poll, a group letter, etc.

Like others have said, I feel that SDR# is the best software available. This is due to Youssef's development skills, underlying math skills, and understanding of digital signal processing - it's obvious in the results. By adding the ability for others to create plugins, he significantly enhanced the value of the software. Without that plugin interface, I don't think it would be as popular or as good as it is today. It's a shame that he is taking the approach of locking others out. There are many examples available that show how that type of position killed a company. Maybe we can convince Simon to add the same plugin ability to his SDR Console software? I'll go chat with him...


Best regards - David

[Fones]

David, I've already had this conversation with Simon. He's not keen on the idea of third-party plugins, and he has explained his reasons for this. However, V3 is in development and he's aiming this much more towards VHF+ users. As it is, it has a more responsive and friendly layout, as can be seen on Simon's Youtube demos. I am about to survey the SDR crowd about the best plugins to SDR# (it's only the Plugins, that Youseff didn't write anyway, that make SDR# as useful as it is) and would like to see in SDR-Console. Simon is, clearly, a very talented programmer, so he'll use these suggestions to assist him with what he considers to be the best direction for SDR-Radio.com. I have faith in his decisions.

[Fones]

Sadly SDRSharper refuses to start and crashes instantly. Even compatibility mode doesn't help on this W10 machine.