car pc in a mk3 (need details on OBDII/VAG-COM)

[bboyskidz]

Heya fellas,

I've found a new way to spend my money - a car pc.

My main reason for doing this is because I'm sick of having to always burn off new CDs onto an MP3 disc when I buy new stuff and I want GPS.

I'll post details on how I want it eventually be configured if you guys want (i.e. additional specs, components, fabrication) but the main reason for posting is because the program I intend to use (centrafuse (http://www.fluxmedia.net/)) has OBDII control in it.

I know Vdubs use VAG-COM, but i also hear that VAG-COM is semi compatible with OBDII specifications. I've had a look for a VAG-COM/OBDII USB cable, and came up with this (http://shop.dieselschrauber.de/product_info.php/products_id/46/language/en?osCsid=acb6bc881afd95fa4bbddcd40f69338a)... but then I look on ebay and find this for so much cheaper (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/KKL-409-1-VAG-VW-AUDI-OBD2-OBD-COM-USB-Cable-2-SKODA_W0QQitemZ220145639396QQihZ012QQcategoryZ3205 3QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)....

I'm confused... does VAG-COM need a dongle to activate it? is it really compatible with OBDII? why is there such a HUGE price difference between the cables...

i just dont want to go wasting my money willy nilly.

[deemoE36]

why dont you just get a CD player or even dvd player with an usb drive, where u can plug and play 1000's of songs depending on the size of the flash drive ur using

thats what i did and never looked back

[bboyskidz]

already got that (not really a flash drive - but a 30gb ipod does the trick)

the point is that i want a pc in the car for the following:
gps
media
dvds
wardriving
ecu monitoring
bluetooth phone management
+ anything that a regular pc can do
edit: it's also about $1000 cheaper...

the topic of the post is about OBDII and VAG-COM... can anyone answer my previous questions?

i'll start another thread about the car pc if necessary.

[The_Hawk]

I have always liked the idea of a car PC and with the cost of laptops these days it's pretty cheap and easy to setup. Laptop + touch screen + cables and you have everything!

Now you have me thinking bboyskidz, while I already have sat nav, an integrated system would be nice, and if it is possible to monitor your engine would be pretty cool too :) Especially if you had the option to make adjustment while driving (or while stopped). Just thinking it would be cool if you were running round a track... or even something as simple as, daily driver settings and flogging the guts out settings :D

So is this purely monitoring or is it possible to make changes to the setup?

[Tim]

on a mk3 the vag-com allows your to monitor your ECUs output but i dont think there is much that can be done in the way of changing things. From what i understand the cheaper interfaces only allow pulling down of error codes. Im not sure if they work with the ross-tech software and allow you to log data like the genuine ross-tech one does. Im not 100% certain on it cos i sprung for the ross-tech canbus compatible one but someone with one of the cheaper ones may be able to chime in.

[bboyskidz]

looking over the ebay sale, it looks like it only supports up to version 409.1 (the newest version is 700 something) and it doesn't support CAN-BUS

i think i might just go ahead and buy the ebay one. its only a few bucks and if it doesn't work I can post it back on there! haha.

tim is right, you can't really change anything, it is more for monitoring output codes/pressures/speeds/timing.


edit: just bought it. 2 weeks for shipping and we'll be in business.

[MattyT]

the point is that i want a pc in the car for the following:
gps
media
dvds
wardriving
ecu monitoring
bluetooth phone management
+ anything that a regular pc can do


Ahhhh, Wardriving. The wonderfully pointless activity that ends up getting the internetigorant whining at me for 20minutes because some git has discovered their virgin and innocent wireless network. Eventually I tell them to bugger off because wireless network security is the responsibility of the customer. Which pisses them off. Which pisses me off because they're so clueless. But war drivers make that happen. Wardrivers make my day annoying. GO AWAY. </rant>

Anyway... ECU monitoring would be nice. But i'd like to see a package that can modify things on the fly. Not thats particularly useful for a VR6, but in boosted applications it could be handy.

[bboyskidz]

thought i'd move this to a more open forum to get more of a response...

my question is basically; what is the difference and compatibility between OBDII and VAG-COM?

i've bought a cheap usb OBDII cable off ebay, but i'm unsure as to whether it will actually work with any kind of software. (i.e. ross-tech, official vag-com, obdII)

[Tim]

I already answered that question in my post above.

from what i understand OBDII is just a standardisation of how ECUs report error codes.

VAG-COM is a software application developed by ross-tech as an alternative to the diagnostic tools VW use which cost big dollars.

To the best of my knowledge. the cheap cables only allow u to scan for codes. They dont work with the free version of the ross-tech software for viewing or logging live data from the ECU.

[DaveMack]

And VagCom does need a dongle.

Dave

[bboyskidz]

I already answered that question in my post above.

from what i understand OBDII is just a standardisation of how ECUs report error codes.

VAG-COM is a software application developed by ross-tech as an alternative to the diagnostic tools VW use which cost big dollars.

To the best of my knowledge. the cheap cables only allow u to scan for codes. They dont work with the free version of the ross-tech software for viewing or logging live data from the ECU.
well so you did. sorry mate. awesome. hopefully this cable can output obdII style codes then (the software I will be using is mainly for viewing codes anyway...)
i'll report back how it goes. thanks guys.

[h100vw]

Genuine VAG-COM cables have security/dongle built in which stops you having to register the software to get more functionality. You can't change anything in the ECU with a VAG_COM cable.


ODB2 is an international standard which outputs info from the ECU. VAG-COM is just a nice way of looking at the information and tells you a lot more than the raw data.

I think an ebay cable and 409 would be a cheap and not overly complicated purchase to use on a MK3. If you want to look at MK4s then a proper cable with CAN-BUS is the way to go.

I have a flash cable and there are plenty of ECUs that can't communicate with, even in MK4s.

Gavin

[pommy_golfer]

Mate, how you getting on with that touch screen in car pC?

Let us know and post pics if its up and running!

Cheers

Thierry

[BlackVr6ix]

Ebay cable works great with 409, and using the right section of the program (can remember off hand) you can get just about every reading you would need, road speed, engine speed, temps, O2 voltage, injector duty cycle etc etc

[bboyskidz]

Mate, how you getting on with that touch screen in car pC?

Let us know and post pics if its up and running!

Cheers

Thierry
nah not yet. just about everything else for the car PC is here, just got to get the GPS module and the touchscreen - then i'll start adding intergrating it into the car...


Ebay cable works great with 409, and using the right section of the program (can remember off hand) you can get just about every reading you would need, road speed, engine speed, temps, O2 voltage, injector duty cycle etc etc
That is what I was hoping to get - it intergrates well with this frontend program (http://www.fluxmedia.net/) which a mate gave to me from his old car PC.

I've got the cable now, to be honest i've not had the time to test it out yet... i did briefly for a about half an hour but didn't get to test it out very much as the PC wasn't able to detect anything from the car - even using the 409.1 software that came with it...

It says in the dodgey instructions that i need to disconnect the battery to reset the connection or something? i thought that was a bit odd.

does anyone know what kind of connection I have to set the programs as or what could be causing it to not connect?? It seems the dude who sent the cable was more interested in packing the CD-R he included with as much pirated ODBII software as possible...lol! some actual instructions would have been nice...

[BlackVr6ix]

have you got the com port setup properly, because of my bluetooth my cable was coming up as com port 14 or something and the program couldnt find it!

Centrafuse is not too bad, but hardly worth the money IMHO.

[soccergk]

that ebay cable is awesome! I have it with the cracked version of the software. If anyone wants the cracked version so they can use the program to its full abilty let me know

[Peter Jones]

I'll be selling my tabletkiosk e0 7210 Ultra Mobile PC soon. (Upgrading).

It's the same as http://www.tabletkiosk.com/tkstore/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=35&idproduct=153

but with a faster processor and more RAM. There's brackets available to car mout it, I always thought it would be an interesting project to do. It has a docking station which could be adapted and car power supplies are are to get.

Have a search for other UMPC in google to see what's out there, it's an interesting platform to play with, based on the Microsft Origami project, they're still mostly for the early adopters but ideal for a car PC.

Pete


(PM me if you're interested in the UMPC:))