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obdii apps... do they exist?

Hey Thats a great app but i was wondering if you can also make a programmer like Moates.net or tunercatpro to program your custom eprom for example adjusting your fuel curve, boost control, timing, and etc. also data logging live While it is hooked up to your ecm and driving.

If your phone is a buggy as mine, I wouldn't trust it to be reflashing my ecu. One FC and you could have bricked your ecu (much more expensive than bricking your phone). Or what happens if you get a phone call in the middle of a switching engine maps.
While I'm sure someone could figure out a way to do it, I just don't know that it is a good idea.
 
It wouldn't be that big of a deal. In the program you make it so that the phone can't receive phone calls during the connection to the car, must have so much battery to even start the app, etc. It will be a HUGE project, but I think it's do-able. A nice open source version of the access port from Cobb! Subaru ftw!
 
This is a fantastic idea. Just so you know, there is an opensource cable known as the Tactrix 2.0 port (tactrix.com) that most tuners (Subaru WRX, Mitsubishi evo) use to flash new ROMS to their cars ECU. It comes with a mini-USB cable and there is already software that people use called ROMRaider to use for logging all data points in the ECU. There is a huge following for the Tactrix cable and open source maps for the ECU.

Romraider is great, but right now, you have to plug in the tactrix into your laptop to see all the guages, graphs and to log data. It would be great if the same functionality was on your cell phone, using a mini usb to mini usb jack, or micro usb if you are getting an EVO or similar.

I've been using my laptop in the passenger seat as a boost guage to monitor my turbo but it would be nice to just use my phone.
 
The tactrix is very similar to the COBB accessport mentioned earlier in the thread, except the accessport is sort of a "ease-of-use" proprietary machine but the tactrix is opensource and can be used on any laptop.

The good thing about using the tactrix, is that the ECU definitions and logger.xml files already exist for many cars, so you would be saving yourself a lot of time and also would be able to tap into the opensource world to make your product more universal.
 
I finally got my phone upgraded to Android 2.1 and happily downloaded OBDroid to play with. But sadly, it doesn't seem like it can find my Bluetooth adaptor.
I have a "CAN OBDII" scanner, the same as purchased on this website:
Bluetooth ELM 327 OBD II Interface for Carputers, car pc's, mobile computers, and laptops

But when I have it plugged in and do a scan for bluetooth devices from my phone, it doesn't find anything. :(

Anyone else have experience with this tool? I used to use it fine with my Treo, and I don't have any reason to believe it's not working...
 
I'm actually surprised that the search came back empty on this subject.

Anyway... Are there any apps available for android that allow you to check engine codes and reset your check engine light? I know there are cables available for WinMo units that allow you to interface via usb... but I doubt any phones available right now have usb-host. There are also Bluetooth and Wifi dongles available, which would be more plausible for this sort of thing. (I believe the older phones like the G1 only had bluetooth profile for headsets, but I don't know about the newer phones.)

Also, I know apps like this exist for the iPhone. This is an example:

iPhone OBD-II app - Hack a Day


If nothing like this exists, perhaps a developer would like to take a stab at it? I'm sure it would gain quite a bit of interest. :)

Its call this MIV mobile in vehicle in Korea...very like men in black stuff

System already been use and implemented on many app in Korea with LG, SamSung phone.

Core tech from company call CM Network cmnetwork
 

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Too bad there isn't an OBD1 Droid tool.. That would work for me

Although my Dell A90 with cabling is good enough
 
I finally got my phone upgraded to Android 2.1 and happily downloaded OBDroid to play with. But sadly, it doesn't seem like it can find my Bluetooth adaptor.
I have a "CAN OBDII" scanner, the same as purchased on this website:
Bluetooth ELM 327 OBD II Interface for Carputers, car pc's, mobile computers, and laptops

But when I have it plugged in and do a scan for bluetooth devices from my phone, it doesn't find anything. :(

Frogging...

I ordered one of the Bluetooth OBDIICAN adaptors from DealXtreme and tested it yesterday. It worked fine and I could connect with several different OBD tools.

I took apart my old unit and tested it bare, and could confirm the power was running through it. The Bluetooth module lit-up with two status LEDs that flickered every few seconds. So I'm not sure why it wasn't possible to pair it to my phone.

Thoughts I have are:

1) It's using an older and/or buggier Bluetooth protocol implementation, which the Android 2.1 BT stack can't talk to
2) It broadcasts with a device iD that the Android 2.1 BT stack has no idea what to do with and so it ignores it.
3) It's actually truely broken, which seems unlikely to me.

I'll have to get a laptop with bluetooth and take it in the car with me to figure it out. But I can definitely say the DealeXtreme BT adaptor works fine with a Sprint Samsung Moment running Android 2.1
 
Wow, so I haven't checked this forum in a while. My app is still on the market, and still doing well. I'll try to answer some of the questions asked since my last post.


Are you looking at developing as far as Rev for the iPhone? Features such as: multiple gauges onscreen at once, data logging

Yes, I am currently working on datalogging, and graph displays as well as accelerometer and GPS logging.

I already have the tactrix openport cable v1.3m (odb to usb cable, similar to vagcom) will this work with your app? Also wondering how many obd protocols it can read and how fast it can recieve and display data and how much can it receive at once without slowing down too much. It'd be cool if you can read things like manifold pressure engine speed, engine load, a/f ratio (for those of us with widebands) and maybe even knock correction parameters.
I'd also like to see gps incorporated into this so you can log data and then review corner by corner your laps when your at the track.

I don't know what kind of car you drive, but do you have any interest in making a Subaru specific app that uses Subaru's proprietary SSM protocols instead of the much slow odbii? Subaru SSM is read over the odbii port but is able to send a greater amount of data and at a much faster sampling rate than odbii.
There is already an opensource project called romraider (www.romraider.com) that has successfully figured out how to read and tune the subaru ecu, lots of info is there probably saving you a lot of work from that start. Any interest in attempting an app like this?

First, it will not work with the Tactrix cable. My app will only work with ELM compatible interfaces. Some cars are faster than others when it comes to speed of communication, as well as some tools being faster. Generally the cheaper the tool, the slower it will be. As I said above I plan on integrating GPS :).

I have no interest in making a Subaru specific app, sorry. I drive a Mazda, and I have no access to a Subaru, or the hardware required to write an app.

What SDK or information resource are you using for the protocol needed to talk to ODB tool?

Wikipedia, and a friend's MODIS with a sniffer.


I will soon be releasing a new version, with much improved communication routines, and many more PID's supported.
 
Don't mean to threadjack...I was reading this thread hoping I could use this app for my Impreza WRX....it doesn't appear that would work now though...does anyone know of an app that can????
Thanks
 
Just downloaded this for my Mazdaspeed3 using one of those cheapie ebay ELMs. Unfortunately its got a long way to go to compete w/ the likes of Torque.
 
What if you are running Android on your netbook and use a usb to obdii instead? I had a lot of good luck running it with windows so but I want to put Android on my netbook and run it that way. I have a 15" touchscreen mounted in the dash and had all my gauges up on the top of the screen and media player on the bottom left and google earth on the bottom right, but I would like Android on it instead if I can get the drivers to work right for the touchscreen and usb cable.
 
Looking forward here. I have a iPhone, and they have many good apps(some very good are Devtoaster`s REV, DashCommander, FUZZYCar). Something to learn from iPhone there.
 
this is a great thread and I'm having an issue with my car and want to use this app to help me go thru the codes as i test things that could be wrong.

where can I go to get a bluetooth or usb adapter to plug into my droid? What kind of store would i look to find this in? Or can it only be purchased online?
 
so is there any combo of app/plug out there that will work well on VW's? i guess i can't expect 'vag-com' levels of interface, but at least to display sensor/ecu data and read/clear codes would be nice
 
OBD2 is pretty much OBD2. Is there something specifically different with VW's?


yeah apparently there is, vw's support obd2 but they also have another set of capabilities thru a system called vag which provides more/faster data and the ability to change vehicle functions


Ross-Tech said:
1.10 What's the difference between VCDS and an OBD-II Scan-Tool?
OBD-II is a government mandated diagnostic protocol that is primarily aimed at diagnosing emissions-related problems. An OBD-II scan tool will work in many different brands of cars. VCDS uses VW's proprietary diagnostic protocol and will only work in VW/Audi vehicles. Although you can use an OBD-II Scan Tool in an OBD-II compliant (1996 or newer) VW or Audi, an OBD-II Scan Tool can only talk to the engine, not the numerous other "intelligent" systems in the car. Want to reprogram your central locks or your Radio? Diagnose a problem with your ABS, Airbags, or Automatic Transmission? Re-align your Immobilizer after swapping ECU's? Reset your Service Reminder Indicators? Communicate with a pre-1996 model (not OBD-II compliant) car? An OBD-II Scan-Tool can't do any of these things. Please see our OBD-II Page for information on using the Generic OBD-II function in VCDS. Want some reasons to choose VCDS over a generic OBD-II scan tool? See this Real World Comparison.
 
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