Android / OBD reader recommendations?

On 29/05/2012 20:29, T i m wrote:

http://dx.com/p/obdii-bluetooth-car-diagnostic-cable-black-blue-orange-dc-12v-42825?item=1

works OK for me using the Torque App on HTC Hero or Asus TF101 Eepad

YMMV, there are many similar devices out there, most of the cheaper ones
use a copy of the ELM327 chip at the core of these devices and may not
be perfect.

May not fit recessed OBD2 connectors without an extension cable.  Tested
OK on 97 Fiesta and 2010 Toyota Auris.

HTH

Chris K

wrote:


That looks very *like* my USB one (and was recommended here a while
back).


<Checks on Play Store> Ah, a free and a £2.95 version, thanks.

With that in mind do you think this could be the same?

http://preview.tinyurl.com/6c5cu8m

He mentions Android, Torque and seems to have sold a few with good
feedback ... or would you still go with dx.com because they are a
known quantity?


I've run the USB version on daughters 2001 Corsa and so am fairly
hopeful it should be ok on our 2004 Meriva.

It may well have done, thanks Chris. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

On 29/05/2012 21:54, T i m wrote:

http://dx.com/p/obdii-bluetooth-car-diagnostic-cable-black-blue-orange-dc-12v-42825?item=1

Looks the same - I think there are a lot of small manufacturers of these
things in the far East assembling nominally the same components so there
may be differences between what seems to be the same item.  Same price
as DX without the slow boat from China delivery :-).  Worth a £15 bet I
guess.


His list of compatible vehicles looks a bit scrappy - I'm sure it would
work on the Yaris for example.  It covers all the access protocols
including CAN.  Very small chance the Meriva would be difficult though
I'm not sure whether it is useful for diesels.

The list of sensors covered is to do with the vehicle and the reader
software, not the hardware.  Torque polls the ECU and lists all the
available ones.

wrote:

<snip>


As you say though, the devil *can* be in the detail with such things.


(I thought that). ;-)


Talking of that I just tried my USB version on my Android tablet and
whilst it powers up and initially 'talks' to the reader, the Torque
app doesn't seem to see it nor can be set to (seems like BT and WiFi
only). Not to say there isn't one that does support USB of course but
I guess that is less common on tablets and Smartphones?

Cheers, T i m

On 29/05/2012 23:28, T i m wrote:

Think that is unlikely.  Android has no real support for USB-Serial
bridges, there are drivers for some but it involves rooting your device
and recompiling (bits of) the kernel and persuading the app to use it
:-(, safer to stick with Bluetooth...

Chris

wrote:



Ah, not really for me then (at the moment anyway).


Quite (as I might be able to qualify tomorrow if my Postman does his
thing). ;-)

Thanks for the help, cheers, T i m

p.s. Have you tried any Newsreaders on Android please? I have
installed Groundhog and setup one newsgroup ok but whilst it can find
and appears to let me subscribe to a couple of others it can't seem to
display any messages (or headers) from them?

Well, the day after isn't too bad. ;-)

Plugged it in and paired it with the Tablet and it seemed to working
ok. I took it round the block and saw the temperature build up (and it
seemed to agree with the car temperature gauge). Is it simply
reflecting the info the EMU is gleaning from the temperature sensor?

Plenty of inputs to choose from and it will be interesting to see
which are active on this setup etc.

Cheers, T i m