OBDII Readers

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I like the tablet idea, rusty. One of the small cheap Android tablets that are otherwise fairly useless would be perfect. :cool:

Maybe I'll do that in my next modern vehicle. Or maybe I'll repurpose my iPad Mini when I retire it in a couple years...
 
Rusty, et al: Can you get tranny temp on your 'droid app?
 
spressomon said:
Rusty, et al: Can you get tranny temp on your 'droid app?
Click to expand...

The options are transmission Temp Method 1 and Method 2. I don't know what the difference is it would probably take some reading.

Tough to tell what is available with the device not connected to the vehicle OBD buss.
 
rusty_tlc said:
It must be something in your set up, we left the ELM plugged into my sons Cherokee for a couple of weeks with no issue. This time of year he only drives it once a week or so just to keep the batteries charged. It's easy enough to remove it when not in use though.
Click to expand...

Possibly. I added a splitter in order to allow both the ELM and my Scan Gauge to be plugged in at the same time. (The wife likes the Scan Gauge and does not use the app.) I did notice that the ELM has a little red light when active. It remained on when the car was off.

I also noted that the Scan Gauge became intermittent when both units were in use. I had to keep turning it on. Now that the ELM has been unplugged all is back to normal.
 
rusty_tlc said:
That is a possibility, I would just unplug it when not in use to be safe. :meh:
Click to expand...

I have noted that my Scan Gauge shuts down after I turn the car off after a few seconds.
 
I'll plug the ELM into the 100 and do a simple test this weekend, if my phone still recognizes the device with the ignition off it is active otherwise it is off. I don't have any other OBDII devices hooked up and have no history of battery issues so it should be a clean test.
 
so my mini elm327s arrived. and they do not work with iphones :bang:

the boy's samsung sees them fine but the iphone does not see them at all. i stupidly stopped my googling before purchasing at the point of finding iphone apps that work with bluetooth. it turns out apple bluetooth obd2 devices are rare and expensive so i need a wifi version :doh:

http://mechanics.stackexchange.com/...orks-best-with-elm327-bluetooth-obd-ii-reader

also, the elm327s definitely do draw power continuously and have the light on and are visible to the samsung even with the ignition off.
 
yooper said:
I thought we already knew that that particular model wouldn't work with the iPhone.
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i didn't. i first found an app that said it was wifi only then saw it was only updated to ios 4.3 and found other newer apps that said they supported bluetooth and concluded, wrongly, that bluetooth worked generally now. it does, but only with obd2 devices that use a different protocol from elm327.
 
Each app has specific devices that it is compatible with and each device has specific apps that have been written for it. Just because an device uses BlueTooth doesn't mean that it is transmitting information in any standard format that any app can use. Bluetooth is just the communications protocol, it has nothing to do with what data is transmitted.

I would have started with an app that I liked and then bought the device that it supports. ;)
 
yooper said:
Each app has specific devices that it is compatible with and each device has specific apps that have been written for it. Just because an device uses BlueTooth doesn't mean that it is transmitting information in any standard format that any app can use. Bluetooth is just the communications protocol, it has nothing to do with what data is transmitted.

I would have started with an app that I liked and then bought the device that it supports. ;)
Click to expand...

yebus. i was not aware there was a protocol issue. in actual fact it appears that the problem is not the protocol, but that apple bluetooth does not support the elm327 protocol. elm327 works fine on iphone wifi and apps use it.

a more careful ebay review shows two promising wifi candidates .


this one is available from several vendors. it powers down to a 3 microamp draw after an hour without use and it apparently uses a faster protocol than elm327 that is variously referred to as "iCar" "ARM 16bit MCU" and "j1939"

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Vgate-iCar-M..._Automotive_Tools&hash=item5d3cbba10c&vxp=mtr

this one is going to fit better overfoot and has a power switch as well as a low power standby mode. i assume it is elm327 but it does not say. it says it uses "ad hoc" mode for wifi on an iphone while some other devices brag about being faster because they do not use ad hoc mode.

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Wireless-WiF..._Automotive_Tools&hash=item53f5f36e6f&vxp=mtr

edit: the vgate model uses a specific ssid and ip. also j1939 is a heavy truck obd2 protocol.

further edit: ok the "arm" is just the processor and elm327 is the communications protocol used by everyone. so they are claiming a 16 bit processor vs. some models using 8 bit.
 
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semlin said:
also, the elm327s definitely do draw power continuously and have the light on and are visible to the samsung even with the ignition off.
Click to expand...

Yeah. I thought it might just be me. :doh:

Posted from a brick.
 
yooper said:
Each app has specific devices that it is compatible with and each device has specific apps that have been written for it. Just because an device uses BlueTooth doesn't mean that it is transmitting information in any standard format that any app can use. Bluetooth is just the communications protocol, it has nothing to do with what data is transmitted.

I would have started with an app that I liked and then bought the device that it supports. ;)
Click to expand...
Actually that is incorrect.

Torque is compatible with multiple reader devices, comm modes (Blue Tooth, WiFi etc.) and has options for different OBDII protocols.
To bad it only works on Android.

:idea: does apple have an iphone utility to run Android apps, similar to the one they use to run Windows programs on Mac's?

RE POWER DRAW---->>>>I haven't tried it but there is a menu option in Torque that will tell the reader to sleep after a period of inactivity. Who knows if that option is implemented on the ELM37.

My ELM37 quit working. I am going to play with it some more, it worked fine before we used it in the Jeep, I may put it back in the Jeep and see if it is a comm configuration problem in the 100. The vendor, Brainytrade, offers one year free replacement, but still. :rolleyes:
 
A quote from an Amazon comment on the Soliport reader:

"I bought this to connect to my 2008 Escalade and used dash commander on my IPhone 4 and IPad two. I connected it and thought it didn't work as a lot of people said here. Then I tried it with my computer and it worked right away. After googling a little, Apple, which restricts EVERYTHING, will only le their devices connect to Bluetooth items in which they certify. Fortunately I have both items jail broken and there is an app on Cydia called RoqyBT which costs $6 and allows the iPhone t connect without an issue.

The device now works great with my iPhone and iPad."

http://www.amazon.com/Soliport-Bluetooth-OBDII-Diagnostic-Scanner/dp/B004KL0I9I/?tag=ihco-20
 
i saw statements that apple would not permit a serial connection via bluetooth unless it was certified by them, but is ok with wifi. there is one company that makes one for obd2. also saw the elm327 clone software issue comments. definitely food for thought before buying a cheap unit.
 
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