APX8500HP-CH Display and Soft Key Buttons Color Color

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ASTROMODAT
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Joined: Tue Nov 05, 2002 12:32 am

APX8500HP-CH Display and Soft Key Buttons Color Color

Post by ASTROMODAT »

I have a new APX8500HP quad band enabled P25 mobile, with the 02 Impact Green control head (ordered new from Motorola factory a few months ago), and it's all programmed now and is working just fine. However, I cannot figure our how to change the LCD main CH display, and the four soft keys located immediately below the display, from their default factory white/light blueish, to one of the 4 default colors (like green). I notice in the MAINTENACE mode (entered Mtce Mode after I loaded the 29 JAN 2020 R20.61.00 new firmware refresh via 02 DEC 2019 CPS R20.00.04), the CH display and the 4 soft keys all turn green, which is exactly what I'd like in its normal operating mode. Yes, I notice the drop down menu for the display colors in the current CPS, but regardless of what color I choose here, it makes no difference. Stays factory white. Pls Help!
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Code3
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Re: APX8500HP-CH Display and Soft Key Buttons Color Color

Post by Code3 »

Those color settings are for the O5 head only. The O2 is white or black background. You can change it to night mode with a long press on the dim button.
ASTROMODAT
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Re: APX8500HP-CH Display and Soft Key Buttons Color Color

Post by ASTROMODAT »

Thanks very much, Code3, for kindly responding!

I spent more time after putting up my initial post on this dilemma, and I finally found a note about 05 CH only for color capability in the CPS Help file, under “Menu.” I was very surprised, as I had read my APX8500HP’s virgin codeplug the same day I received it via UPS on my doorstep. So, this means my CPS “knows” I have an 02 head, which cannot be programmed for colors. At the same time, the CPS did allow me to program ‘COLR’ into the 02 CH’s Menu. Normally, the CPS will red out any error, like trying to enter a 700/800 freq if this band is not enabled in the radio. And, any such red entry(s) prevent the user from being able to save any plug containing even a single innocuous error. I was able to save my codeplug with ‘COLR’ being entered into my 02 CH configuration, and there was no red error indication. Certainly the 02 CH is a hardware configuration, which the CPS darn well knows. This is why I didn’t trip to this non-color capable possibility. Stranger yet, the radio is, in fact, fully capable of displaying different colors on the 02 CH because in the Maintenance mode, the 02 CH display and all of its various buttons and keys are lit-up in a gorgeous green, juxtaposed to the very boring factory black & white scheme. Yuk! Go figure!
res6cue
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Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2007 8:38 pm

Re: APX8500HP-CH Display and Soft Key Buttons Color Color

Post by res6cue »

APX mobile codeplugs are largely blind to the control head that is actually on the radio. CPS doesn't care if you have an O2, O5, O7, etc., all of the options for each compatible head are going to appear and can be configured. The radio only pays attention to whatever fields apply to whichever head is physically attached to it.

I'm sure if you look at the APX mobile codeplug, you'll no doubt see all of the O series heads listed under Radio Ergonomics Configuration > Controls. Clearly you don't have an O3 or O9 attached to that radio, and yet the options are there. Why? Because it ensures that the mobile is compatible with any head you might slap on it, including if you swapped a head out. Let's say your O2 head fails and you need to throw an O5 on the radio...if the codeplug were not aware of O5 parameters, you'd be in trouble.

Bottom line is that, as Code3 stated, the Backlight Color Control settings only apply to the O5 head. The only time you will see different backlight colors on the channel knob LED or soft keys is when Intelligent Lighting kicks in. Red for Out Of Range/Failsoft/No Comms/Reg Refused, Orange for Emergency, Green for Call/Page Received, to name a few.
ASTROMODAT
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Joined: Tue Nov 05, 2002 12:32 am

Re: APX8500HP-CH Display and Soft Key Buttons Color Color

Post by ASTROMODAT »

Thanks for your explanation and clarification, res6cue!

BTW, do you know why the 09 CH was discontinued?
resqguy911
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Joined: Sat Jun 26, 2004 3:35 pm

Re: APX8500HP-CH Display and Soft Key Buttons Color Color

Post by resqguy911 »

ASTROMODAT wrote:Thanks for your explanation and clarification, res6cue!

BTW, do you know why the 09 CH was discontinued?
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Jason
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Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2001 4:00 pm

Re: APX8500HP-CH Display and Soft Key Buttons Color Color

Post by Jason »

Because they were outrageously priced, huge, and suffered poor sales because of both factors.
Jason

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