OBD-II: Tested cars and readers!

knfevg

I had the same problem with the Deal Extreme BT scanner. the problem is that I have only this old Ipaq4150 (WM2003) that I can use for RC. I had to return the scanner back to HK.
Could you recommend a cheap BT ODBII scanner that WORKS with WM2003 devices and with Subaru STi 2003?

aol_of_RaceChrono

knfevg: Were you using Bluetooth GPS and Bluetooth OBD-II? If you have to use Bluetooth devices through COM ports (means the Bluetooth stack is WIDCOMM, not the Microsoft one), having two Bluetooth devices do not work. This is problem only with WM2003 devices. Very few newer devices have WIDCOMM.

The OBD-II readers should work on WIDCOMM if used together with an Internal GPS.

knfevg

I'm using a mouse GPS (connected with a cable) and not bluetooth

rickerbr

All works with a HTC Kaiser (aka AT&T Tilt) running WM 6.5, RC 1.30, OBDKey 1.30, Qstarz BT-818X with a US Spec 2006 VW GTI (2.0T engine code BPY). I do not have to unplug and replug the OBDKey in after shutdown and restart of the car like the Jetta TDI listed above.

christrans

Hallo everybody.
I'm new here and i have some problems.
I'm using race chrono with my htc touch hd mobile phone with internal gps and obdkey to my Subaru Impreza sti '04.
When i want to start the data logging i have the error message "obdkey is not a obd-II reader"
Sorry for my English i'm from Greece.
Thanks for the nice programm.

aol_of_RaceChrono

christrans: Hi, this is known problem. The OBD-II + windows mobile internal GPS does not work due to a bug. I will fix this for next version. For now use external GPS if possible.

knfevg

aol, will a simple Vag-Com USB cable work? Or do we need a "intelegent" ELM327 adapter?

aol_of_RaceChrono

Knfevg: ELM327 or compatible is needed. Vag-Com most probably will not work.

christrans

aol: Thanks,nice work.

AlexMessoMalex

We are three friends all with Audi S3 2.0TFSI MY2007
We bought this OBDII device http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250467340410 and we're trying to let RaceChrono work with it.
The bluetooth pairing is perfect and when we start the session we get the first data from the OBDII
But after 2 seconds we have no more data (all parameters don't refresh values, it seems like the data transfer has stopped) even if the device is still correctly connected.
After few minutes a message "no data from OBDII" appears on the RaceChrono's screen.
We tried with different mobile phones (Nokia N97, HTC TyTN with Windows Mobile 6.1, ...) but nothing changes.
The used GPS bluetooth antenna is the suggested QSTARZ BT-Q818 eXtreme.
Thank you in advance for your kind support.

aol_of_RaceChrono

AlexMessoMalex: It could be that there is some kind of problem with that reader. I have no prior confirmation that it would or would not work with RaceChrono.

knfevg

AlexMessoMalex, please let us know if you made this OBD scanner work as I"m planning on getting the same one.
I already purchased the one from DealExtreme and it worked fine with RC but didnt work with other programs so I've sent it back (and now regret it)

Dmitriy

AlexMessoMalex: I would also be really interested in this receiver working please let us know if you get it to work. I would suggest messing with baud rate of the OBDII rec.

AlexMessoMalex

aol: I also suppose it's something related to that reader; but, since this RC function is under development and this OBDII device is very cheap, I would pray the staff to check about it. I would be happy to donate the amount to get one device to be tested, if required.

knfevg: are you speaking about this device http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.16921 ?
If it works it seems the compatibility between RC and OBDII devices seems to be very accidental...

Dmitriy: unfortunately we haven't managed yet to let it work with RC.

aol_of_RaceChrono

Not sure if it's worth buying. if it seems to work first (gauges and all), but then stops - leads me to believe the protocol is parsed correctly at RC side, and there is not much to do to fix the problem. Maybe data flow problem with the reader.

The supported OBD-II devices are really not accidental, I've bought many readers for testing. ELM327 is the "standard" that is supported, but all readers seem to be a bit different still. And some readers are just bad with Bluetooth bugs etc.

The nameless readers are quite hard to support, because you never know what they are. If I buy one I can't guarantee it will be available in the future, or if is still the same one I recommended before. I'd be happy to promote a cheap reader, if it was branded and I could contact the manufacturer for updates etc.

Luckily the RaceChrono OBD-II parser seems to be robust enough to handle most of the ELM327 readers right now. Unfortunately the one you bought did not work.

Pimust

I bought a simlar looking (just the text on the label is a bit different) just to try one out and noticed that if I use the internal GPS of my E71 the ODB stuff works OK but if I try it with the external 5Hz then it stops after a while.

AlexMessoMalex

aol, you say "Maybe data flow problem with the reader" but it's strange because that cheap reader work with other software and it's able to get rea-time data... for example :

Anyway, is the OBDKey the only one suggested device at the moment?
My question because it costs about four times the cheaper devices...

aol_of_RaceChrono

Well OBDkey is the one that I can guarantee that works. The others do not have brand names, so I can't say that "go here buy that", as I have no slightest idea what they are selling each day. I have here few cheap ones bought from ebay. They all work, but I can not go on buying them, since the product changes all the time.

R-power

dear Antti,
ivo, friends of the 3 italian guys with audi S3.
I'm fully working too (for your first page list):
2007 VW R32 mk5, (RC v1.35, Nokia N95, Qstarz BT-818X, OBDKey)
everything is fine.

simoxmino

hi aol, do you can confirm to me that obdkey is the best way to make a performance test? at the moment i use an external hamlet 1hz gps..

i would like to buy an obdkey...only if the results is best!

aol_of_RaceChrono

I'm not sure which is the most reliable/best way. Good 5 Hz receiver or OBDKey...

simoxmino

if obdkey read the speed from the ecu..... i think odbkey..

witch is the best 5hz?

q818x or q818 extreme?

simoxmino

hi aol.. i received today the obdkey.. but how can start new session and be sure that performance test are make with obd speed?

and why we must use gps and not only obd?

final question.. how i can watch speed rpm and the other specification?

the time on 80-120 with my clio rs r27 is 4.15 with obd and 4.35 with external gps 1hz.. is ok?

why you don't make a "dyno test"?

thanks, i wait for a reply!

aol_of_RaceChrono

When you start the performance session with OBDkey enabled, make sure your "Use OBD speed" property is enabled (it is enabled by default). Dyno test would be very cool feature.

simoxmino

thanks aol! sorry but.. why we cant use performance test without gps? only for confort i advise you to add this feature, so anyone can use racechrono without gps..

aol_of_RaceChrono

Because only speed tests can be done with OBD only. You need GPS for distances.

Scinty

Nuff, which OBDKEY do you have? I have a Triumph Street Triple 675 (it is the same ECU Daytona 675) and a Daytona 675; I would like to connect Racechrono via Bluetooth to the ECU. Is it the "OBD-II to Bluetooth" I have found on Ebay? This is the link:
http://cgi.ebay.it/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280457367773&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:it
Thanks Scinty

Scinty

Hi Aol, do you know which OBD key has Nuff for his Triumph Daytona?

aol_of_RaceChrono

OBDkey is a trademark, so I think he means this specific product.

Scinty

aol, just today I have tested my Triumph Street Triple 675 + OBDKEY + Qstarz BT-Q1000X + Racechrono 1.30... it works perfectly... Have a look here, I have made a test today... and this is a video test made with Racechrono2avi. Thanks a lot for your help...