AnyTone AT-D578UV vs. Connect Systems CS800D

[radioruck]

I'm looking for a mid-range dual band analog+digital radio to use as a base station at my desk. This will be my main radio used along with a Diamond X30A in my attic for local ham repeaters and a commercial DMR repeater from my area emcomm group. There's not a ton of options for high-powered dual band DMR radios but looking at a bunch of reviews I feel like these two might be the front runners.

I know a lot of you are fans of "top 3" commercial radios but I'm not looking to go with a multi-deck approach. Commercial grade hardware does appeal to me and it seems like the CS800D gets closest to that area.  The remote head is appealing on this one but no VFO seems a bit limiting and some reviews say that scanning is slow/sucks.

The AT-D578UV seems to be well rated as a typical consumer ham radio with nice scan groups, roaming, and VFO.

Pricing is similar on both, with the CS800D a little cheaper currently. Seems like a can't go wrong with either but it's more of comparing a commercial style to consumer style. Anyone have experience with either/both of these radios? Anything you think I'm missing in my comparison or other radios you think I should consider?

[SteveShannon]

A lot of people use and like the Anytone 578.  I helped configure one for a friend just the other day.  It’s pretty easy to program.  I did see where member @Lscott currently considers the 878, which is very similar in a handheld lower power form factor, his “worst radio” because of some memory issues in the radio, but his best radios are probably better than many of us will ever have.

Alinco sells a DMR mobile also, but it’s probably Anytone inside, just a slightly different version of the 578.

[BoxCar]

My primary VHF/UHF base radio is the Connect Systems CS800D Plus with the BFD panel extended to my desk. The Anytone does not have a detachable faceplate (and no plans to introduce a radio with one) while with the CS it is standard. You need to use the CPS for programming as RT Systems doesn't support it. 

Overall, I like it better than the ICOM 5100 now relegated to a backup role. CSI is primarily focused on their newest M17 radios but promises many of the additional things promised for the CS800 are still coming. I looked very closely at the 578 but decided the CS800 will be my mobile when I install it in my ride. 

[radioruck]

42 minutes ago, SteveShannon said:

Alinco sells a DMR mobile also, but it’s probably Anytone inside, just a slightly different version of the 578.

Thanks, I did see good reviews on DXEngineering for the Alinco DR-MD500T and was considering it over the 578 (even though they are basically clones). The 578 seems more common which usually helps with community support and things like sharing codeplugs.

[radioruck]

30 minutes ago, BoxCar said:

My primary VHF/UHF base radio is the Connect Systems CS800D Plus with the BFD panel extended to my desk.

The BFD does seem pretty handy. Just reading about it more and I didn't realize it enabled VFO and on-the-fly channel creation, which is pretty neat.

[SteveShannon]

4 minutes ago, radioruck said:

Thanks, I did see good reviews on DXEngineering for the Alinco DR-MD500T and was considering it over the 578 (even though they are basically clones). The 578 seems more common which usually helps with community support and things like sharing codeplugs.

I agree with that; the 578 is more common. The code plugs are so similar that I was able to download a 578 codeplug and convert it to a codeplug for my Alinco md5xt, even though I had never worked with DMR codeplugs before. I learned a ton doing it also. 

[wrci350]

10 minutes ago, radioruck said:

Thanks, I did see good reviews on DXEngineering for the Alinco DR-MD500T and was considering it over the 578 (even though they are basically clones). The 578 seems more common which usually helps with community support and things like sharing codeplugs.

I have both the DR-MD500T and AT-D578 (one in my shack, one in my truck).  I would say that they are "cousins", not siblings.  They may very well be the same inside but the front panels are noticibly different.  I use RT Systems software to program both of them.  I actually do very little with DMR nowadays but I like the fact that they are dual-receive (as opposed to dual-watch) and the ability to program different zones for different activities or locations keeps me using them even if only for analog.

There's also the DR-MD520T which adds 222 if that's of any interest to you.  Of course then you will need a tri-band antenna too.

[radioruck]

10 minutes ago, wrci350 said:

I have both the DR-MD500T and AT-D578 (one in my shack, one in my truck).

Which of the two do you think has better menus, zone selection, and scanning?

[WRUE951]

For a Dual Band its pretty hard to beat an Anytone 5888UV..  I love that radio and it probably spends more time in my truck than my Hytera HM782.   Occasionally i also use this one for a base..  

[SteveShannon]

34 minutes ago, radioruck said:

Which of the two do you think has better menus, zone selection, and scanning?

Comparing my Alinco MD5 to an Anytone 878, they both use exactly the same menus. The push buttons are slightly different, but I wouldn’t say one is better than the other.  I believe it will be the same between an Anytone mobile and an Alinco branded version.

[wrci350]

22 minutes ago, SteveShannon said:

Comparing my Alinco MD5 to an Anytone 878, they both use exactly the same menus. The push buttons are slightly different, but I wouldn’t say one is better than the other.  I believe it will be the same between an Anytone mobile and an Alinco branded version.

And I think Steve is correct, although I don't have any easy way to do a head-to-head comparison.  If the menus are not identical they are very close.

[SteveShannon]

The major differences between the two handheld radios (Anytone 878 and Alinco MD5) that I have noticed are memory capacity for contacts (Anytone could store 300,000 call signs and names and Alinco could store 200,000 when I got my Alinco; both have increased since then), physical size (Alinco is shorter by nearly half an inch), price (Alinco was $70-80 less expensive), and interface cable (the Alinco simply used a USB A to USB mini cable, while the Anytone needs a K1 connection to the mic/earphone jacks).

I don’t know how those features compare for the mobile radios. 

[wrci350]

38 minutes ago, SteveShannon said:

The major differences between the two handheld radios (Anytone 878 and Alinco MD5) that I have noticed are memory capacity for contacts (Anytone could store 300,000 call signs and names and Alinco could store 200,000 when I got my Alinco; both have increased since then), physical size (Alinco is shorter by nearly half an inch), price (Alinco was $70-80 less expensive), and interface cable (the Alinco simply used a USB A to USB mini cable, while the Anytone needs a K1 connection to the mic/earphone jacks).

I don’t know how those features compare for the mobile radios. 

Steve, you are making my brain hurt.  

I honestly don't remember how many contacts either one can hold; as I said I am not really into DMR anymore so I haven't updated the contact database in either one in a year or two.  I'm sure a quick Internet search would provide those answers.  I believe there have been multiple versions of the AT-D578 and increased contact memory is one of the defining features.  I think at least one of the new versions also has 222 (like the DR-520T).  Pretty sure I have the first version.

Physically the radios are the same size and behind the faceplate appear identical.  The faceplates are quite different in appearance.  Both share the same location for the knobs, microphone jack, power button and TX/RX LED but the Anytone has a column of function keys on either side of the display while the Alinco has them all grouped on the right side.

Programming of both radios is done with a micro-USB cable.  Steve, is the one on the MD5 really a mini?

[radioruck]

2 minutes ago, wrci350 said:

Physically the radios are the same size and behind the faceplate appear identical.  The faceplates are quite different in appearance.  Both share the same location for the knobs, microphone jack, power button and TX/RX LED but the Anytone has a column of function keys on either side of the display while the Alinco has them all grouped on the right side.

Ah yes I see what you mean. At first I thought you meant "front panel" as in how it operates but I see the difference in the panel button layouts now.

[SteveShannon]

35 minutes ago, wrci350 said:

Programming of both radios is done with a micro-USB cable.  Steve, is the one on the MD5 really a mini?

It is a micro USB, sorry. I get those two confused and until now I never have studied the difference. I apologize giving bad information. It’s the same as the power cord for my hotspot. 

[radioruck]

Are there any significant hardware differences that would be noticeable/limiting?

The CS800D "has two independent power amplifiers. Switching between UHF and VHF is by means of solid state switches." I think this means that it's neither dual-watch nor dual-receive, right? Or is that just on TX? I don't see anything about dual-receive in the manual CS800D manual.

[radioruck]

2 hours ago, WRUE951 said:

For a Dual Band its pretty hard to beat an Anytone 5888UV..  I love that radio and it probably spends more time in my truck than my Hytera HM782.   Occasionally i also use this one for a base..  

That does seem like a really solid option for dual band. I do want to get something that's DMR capable though. Not sure how much I'll use TGs but one local group is going digital that I want to stay in touch with.

[WRUE951]

1 hour ago, radioruck said:

That does seem like a really solid option for dual band. I do want to get something that's DMR capable though. Not sure how much I'll use TGs but one local group is going digital that I want to stay in touch with.

I agree 100%.  I bought my 5888 two years ago.  Today, and on my wish list, i would grab up an Anytone AT-D578UV PLUS Dual Band Digital Mobile radio..  DMR, Analog all in one package..  Their CPM for this radio is not bad either.  You can download it free off their web site and play with programming.  But i warn you,, It just makes the itch to get one 10x's more irritating.    I'm getting close..