Radioddity DB20-G Issue

[WSDT708]

I manually programmed the DB20-G with no issue. 

I read through old threads about issues with the programming cable, especially with windows 11. I spent hours going through drivers trying to find a solution. Radioddity told me to download prolific 2303 driver but that is not the chip in my cable. The only driver that is recognized is CH343.

When I connect it in the software the COM channel is correct. When I attempt to read/write the radio screen shows “clone” but the read/write never initiates and then gives me a “read/write data failed” window.

I’ve done everything possible. I run the programming software as admin. I tried windows 8 compatibility mode. I even tried all of these steps on an old laptop running Windows 7 as well. Nothing seems to work.

I’m just wondering if there’s anything else people have figured out to correct this or if this is just a faulty cable that Radioddity needs to replace?

 

 

[Socalgmrs]

This is why I do my research BEFORE I purchase a radioditty, retivis, titration, midland rugged and ect.  I read Atleast once a week about each one having some issue.     Every cable I’ve ever used auto installs the driver.  

[WSDT708]

15 minutes ago, WRXP381 said:

This is why I do my research BEFORE I purchase a radioditty, retivis, titration, midland rugged and ect.  I read Atleast once a week about each one having some issue.     Every cable I’ve ever used auto installs the driver.  

I did actually research a lot of radios and saw enough on the topic that it looked like a pretty straightforward technical “fix” for any driver issues. The driver auto installed and connected to the radio but won’t read/write data. So I tried older drivers & other tweaks. 

The radio itself functions as expected so that’s not an issue. It’s more an annoyance that certain things I want to do with the radio can only be done through the software and that relies on a functional programming cable.

[SteveShannon]

10 hours ago, WSDT708 said:

I manually programmed the DB20-G with no issue. 

I read through old threads about issues with the programming cable, especially with windows 11. I spent hours going through drivers trying to find a solution. Radioddity told me to download prolific 2303 driver but that is not the chip in my cable. The only driver that is recognized is CH343.

When I connect it in the software the COM channel is correct. When I attempt to read/write the radio screen shows “clone” but the read/write never initiates and then gives me a “read/write data failed” window.

I’ve done everything possible. I run the programming software as admin. I tried windows 8 compatibility mode. I even tried all of these steps on an old laptop running Windows 7 as well. Nothing seems to work.

I’m just wondering if there’s anything else people have figured out to correct this or if this is just a faulty cable that Radioddity needs to replace?

 

 

This is the cable that came with the radios when I bought them. For this cable the correct driver is the CH340:

 

[WRYS709]

3 hours ago, WSDT708 said:

I’m just wondering if there’s anything else people have figured out to correct this or if this is just a faulty cable that Radioddity needs to replace?

Let me look into my Magic 8-Ball:

It say: “You have installed more than one serial driver, and have selected the wrong COM port in the Radioddity CPS software.”

[WRYS709]

2 hours ago, WRXP381 said:

This is why I do my research BEFORE I purchase a radioditty, retivis, titration, midland rugged and ect.  I read Atleast once a week about each one having some issue.     Every cable I’ve ever used auto installs the driver.  

99 out of 100 problems on the Forum about the DB20-G are “user errors!”

[SteveShannon]

10 hours ago, WRXP381 said:

This is why I do my research BEFORE I purchase a radioditty, retivis, titration, midland rugged and ect.  I read Atleast once a week about each one having some issue.     Every cable I’ve ever used auto installs the driver.  

Cables don’t install drivers.  Operating systems do based on what they read from the chip on the cable.  The problem is, the operating system doesn’t always have the best driver to work with the radio. Sometimes they simply have a stub that was provided to them by the chip manufacturer.  That’s why almost every radio manufacturer explicitly instructs users to download and install the driver before ever plugging in the cable. 

[WRQI663]

You can always make your own.....this one had a counterfeit chip so I got some UART's and made this.....I am using Win 7 no problems

This one shows up on com port 4 and works great.

[WRYS709]

1 hour ago, WRQI663 said:

You can always make your own.....this one had a counterfeit chip so I got some UART's and made this.....I am using Win 7 no problems

This one shows up on com port 4 and works great.

Except that the DB20-G is an RJ-45 connector and not the K-1. 
 

is that a “Miklor” DIY cable? They do have a DIY K-1 to RJ-45 adapter which allows my FTDI K-1 cable to work on the DB20-G. 

[WRQI663]

It still has to connect to the usb - do you know the pin configuration of the 'rj45' connector --- in telco pins 4 and 5 are for line 1 but I forget the

data pins - I usually follow the color code for cat 5 on them.

Yes it is a "miklor" the input/output should be the same - gnd, tx, rx

[WRYS709]

8 hours ago, WRQI663 said:

It still has to connect to the usb - do you know the pin configuration of the 'rj45' connector --- in telco pins 4 and 5 are for line 1 but I forget the

data pins - I usually follow the color code for cat 5 on them.

Yes it is a "miklor" the input/output should be the same - gnd, tx, rx

The RJ-45 pin out for the DB20-G should be on Miklor but listed for its clone Anytone AT-779UV

Let me know if you still cannot find it. 

[WSDT708]

I attempted CH340 driver, as I saw that in previous posts. I made sure the COM port was correct and got an error message that communication could not occur. At least with the CH343 driver, the there was a link that put the radio in clone mode even if read/write failed.

I ran prolific software which showed the chip is not one of theirs so the driver that is connected to Radiodditys software, which they say to download first, is not appropriate for the cable that was included with this radio.

I’ll see what Radioddity tech support says b/c they’ve got pics of all pertinent screens and the cable itself. Best case they have a solution that I haven’t seen in other threads on this forum. Worst case, I send the radio back and go with something else that doesn’t require hours of troubleshooting by the end user.

Thanks! 

 

[WRYS709]

What version of Windows are you currently running?

When and from whom did you buy this radio?

Have you tried running the Software NOT as an administrator?

By “I made sure that the COM port was correct” does the Radioddity software recognize more than one COM port?

[WSDT708]

3 hours ago, WRYS709 said:

What version of Windows are you currently running?

When and from whom did you buy this radio?

Have you tried running the Software NOT as an administrator?

By “I made sure that the COM port was correct” does the Radioddity software recognize more than one COM port?

Windows 11. Radioddity through Amazon. Tried to run the program both ways. Only recognizes one COM port which matched the COM port of the device in windows manager. It just seemed strange that as soon as I initiated read/write in the software it initiated the progress bar and switched the radio to clone mode but then would give the read/write data failed warning pop-up screen. I also made sure the radio and program were set to the same device version (GRMS) to save the settings I manually entered before I opened it up.

[SteveShannon]

3 hours ago, WSDT708 said:

I attempted CH340 driver, as I saw that in previous posts. I made sure the COM port was correct and got an error message that communication could not occur. At least with the CH343 driver, the there was a link that put the radio in clone mode even if read/write failed.

I ran prolific software which showed the chip is not one of theirs so the driver that is connected to Radiodditys software, which they say to download first, is not appropriate for the cable that was included with this radio.

I’ll see what Radioddity tech support says b/c they’ve got pics of all pertinent screens and the cable itself. Best case they have a solution that I haven’t seen in other threads on this forum. Worst case, I send the radio back and go with something else that doesn’t require hours of troubleshooting by the end user.

Thanks! 

 

Watching on Device Manager, when I plug in my cable (with the other end inserted into the radio and the radio powered up) I see that Windows adds a serial port using the CH340 driver. The radio doesn’t say clone. When I choose write or read from the radio I see that it’s working. 
But, both of my radios were purchased about two years ago and they could be using a different chip now. A friend bought a new db20g a couple weeks ago and tomorrow maybe I can see what his has. 

[WRYS709]

9 out of 10 problems with Programming Software on Windows is the archaic system it uses to install drivers.

On Windows 11, my Device Manager indicates that I have installed the CH340 driver and that one works. I see your previous post indicates you tried it previously, but...

Somewhere on this forum, there is software to install the CH340 driver in Windows 11.  I will look for it...

[WRYS709]

With the power off, hold down the V/M key and turn the power on and let me know which version firmware is installed.

Here is my earlier post solving the Windows 10 problem with the CH340 install software that now also works with Windows 11.  I obtained the "Anytone 2023 USB driver.zip" software from a retailer who sells the DB20-G clone, the Anytone AT-779UV and it is linked at the bottom of my old post (it works with both my Radioddity DB20-G and my Anytone AT-779UV):

Even though you have attempted to install the CH340 before, I suggest you uninstall the CH343 driver and use the linked software to install and try out the CH340 driver again.  I think we are getting close...

[WSDT708]

21 hours ago, WRYS709 said:

With the power off, hold down the V/M key and turn the power on and let me know which version firmware is installed.

Here is my earlier post solving the Windows 10 problem with the CH340 install software that now also works with Windows 11.  I obtained the "Anytone 2023 USB driver.zip" software from a retailer who sells the DB20-G clone, the Anytone AT-779UV and it is linked at the bottom of my old post (it works with both my Radioddity DB20-G and my Anytone AT-779UV):

Even though you have attempted to install the CH340 before, I suggest you uninstall the CH343 driver and use the linked software to install and try out the CH340 driver again.  I think we are getting close...

Firmware version 3.00. I found the link for the driver in the old post and will try that tomorrow after work. Thanks.

[WRYS709]

16 hours ago, WSDT708 said:

Firmware version 3.00. I found the link for the driver in the old post and will try that tomorrow after work. Thanks.

Interesting. My firmware is 2.34 and I am not aware of any public distribution of version 3.00. 

I wonder if this firmware requires an updated hardware version of the DB20-G, but I doubt it. 

[WSDT708]

8 hours ago, WRYS709 said:

Interesting. My firmware is 2.34 and I am not aware of any public distribution of version 3.00. 

I wonder if this firmware requires an updated hardware version of the DB20-G, but I doubt it. 

I’m confused by the version number as well.

I uninstalled all other drivers and tried the driver you suggested and it would not open a communication port & Radioddity has not responded back to me after the initial suggestion to download the prolific driver. I will be returning the radio because without being able to use programming software the radio’s functionality is diminished. I appreciate the help.

[amaff]

I can't remember if the problem footprint is the same, I'd have to experiment with it but it's not within arms reach. HOWEVER:

Try plugging the cable into the computer, plugging into the radio, and THEN opening the programming software after everything else is hooked up and ready to go.

I was having a similar problem, and now that's the order I do it in to prevent it. I have no idea why that made the difference (tho, with how crap the CPS is programmed, it's not exactly super shocking), but give that a shot at least and see if it does the trick.

[WRYS709]

31 minutes ago, WSDT708 said:

I’m confused by the version number as well.

I uninstalled all other drivers and tried the driver you suggested and it would not open a communication port & Radioddity has not responded back to me after the initial suggestion to download the prolific driver. I will be returning the radio because without being able to use programming software the radio’s functionality is diminished. I appreciate the help.

Sorry it did not work out for you, but I understand the need to return it within the deadline.

Let us know what you decide to use.

Good luck!

[WSDT708]

12 hours ago, WRYS709 said:

Sorry it did not work out for you, but I understand the need to return it within the deadline.

Let us know what you decide to use.

Good luck!

I’m looking at the DB-25 with a BTECH PC04 FTDI USB Programming Cable because it’s CHIRP compatible. I’m open to suggestions though. My plan is GMRS now but working toward HAM technician license over the next 6-9 months.

[WRXB215]

3 hours ago, WSDT708 said:

working toward HAM technician license over the next 6-9 months

I need to get my extra license but keep putting it off. Maybe if we have a race it will get me off my keister and doing some regular study. 

[WRYS709]

On 10/3/2024 at 7:55 AM, WSDT708 said:

I’m looking at the DB-25 with a BTECH PC04 FTDI USB Programming Cable because it’s CHIRP compatible. I’m open to suggestions though. My plan is GMRS now but working toward HAM technician license over the next 6-9 months.

I assume you mean the DB25-G and I have no experience with that radio. Can that model be opened to the Ham bands?

I do have the DB25-D, which is effectively the DB20-G plus DMR  

Good luck!

[WSDT708]

On 10/4/2024 at 1:45 PM, WRYS709 said:

I assume you mean the DB25-G and I have no experience with that radio. Can that model be opened to the Ham bands?

I do have the DB25-D, which is effectively the DB20-G plus DMR  

Good luck!

There is a way to open it up, which I might try in the future.

Was refunded for the DB20-G on Friday. I bought the DB25-G and the BTech PC04 cable. I received both today. I installed the BTech cable driver with no issue. I connected it to the radio first then ran the Radioddity programming software.

In less than ten minutes I had the factory settings downloaded from the radio to my laptop and my customized programming written to the radio. I never even tried to use the programming cable from Radioddity because I think that’s the weak link between their radios and Windows 11 systems. 

All that remains is to install the radio in my truck tomorrow after work and see if there are any tweaks I need to make to it. Thanks for trying to help make the DB20 work for me.