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View Full Version : Obd-II Scan Tool Software That Works!



trinydex
11-02-2006, 06:02 PM
Yep.. You heard right..

http://www.aktivematrix.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=957 (http://www.aktivematrix.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=957")

Its a program called OBD Scan Tech, it supports a device called the "Jeff Protocol Converter" which is basically functionally identical to the Tactrix Openport cable without the reflash capabilities..

1) You need to be running the most current version of ECUFlash and Drivers, this is because the most current version creates a serial (com) port for your cable, this is REQUIRED to get this to work.

2) Go into computer management, look under devices, under ports, see what COMx port your tactrix cable is listed under, this is necessary for configuring the software

3) Install your copy of OBD Scan Tech (OBD II GENERIC version!) and under settings, set the interface to JEFF PROTOCOL CONVERTER and set the com port setting to the value you found earlier in the device manager.

Thats it.. When you connect you can now use your Tactrix cable as a regular OBD-II scan tool..

Okay.. Now your asking, What good is this?

1) Read and reset CEL codes
2) Check diagnostic data
3) Check the freeze frame info
4) check the continuous and noncontinuous monitors (so you can see if you'll pass an inspection)

This basically completes your toolkit of useful tools for the Tactrix cable to make it a fully fleged Scan tool!

trinydex
11-02-2006, 06:02 PM
Yeah, this was actually the result of a few months of research until I gave up and decided to write my own.. In the process of doing so, I came across the Opendiag project for Linux and Jeff Noxon's simple ISO to Serial adapter which looked strikingly similar (functionally) to the Openport cable minus the RS232-USB chip.. But if the com port driver is installed, any software that works with the JEFF interface will work with the Openport interface..

(This goes vice-versa for Evoscan, which works with the JEFF interface and anything similar if its hooked up to com1 or com2)

I don't think people really appreciate the amount of effort that goes into making a scantool, and how exasperated I was trying to find something that worked. I normally write code as a last resort, and was about a day into writing code that actually worked to read to see if the CEL light was on, and to clear the codes.. Thats as far as I got.. So I was looking for code that functioned similarly that I could use as a basis to save myself time and came across it.

Then I searched all over for software that was compatible with the JEFF interface (FWIW there isn't much), considering how simple the interface is, and how much effort the programming needs to get compared to ELM or mOByDic tools which are very simple for the programmer to utilize, but less flexible..

I found VAG-COM which the early hardware was almost identical, but I never could get it to work with a standard generic OBD-II protocol, it worked with the cable, but couldn't interface with the ECU correctly.

Finally I stumbled across this tool... Not only is it fully functional, but it does everything the more expensive scan tool programs can do (that I consider useful) It doesnt have a desktop dyno or anything like that, but at the sample rates that OBD-II runs at, its not really useful for that anyway......

This really does complete my "toolbox".. I can now reflash the ECU, Log it at high speed (Mitsulogger), log and adjust settings and my wideband (ECU+)...

The ECU+ also reads and resets OBD-II port.. But I frequently forget to switch the cable back and forth and this ended up being easier to on OTHER cars that don't have that luxury.