FE software for ELM323
 

Hi,

I bought a very chip OBD-2 to USB converter based on ELM323.

Is there any freeware software that is able to display FE values?
If not, what would it take to make one based on scantool.net?

I like all the activity on the MPGuino and OBDuino but it would be cool to be able to use what we already have (many people have ELMs to turn off CEL).

Thanks.

tangomar -

I think this is a freeware version that may work for you :

ScanTool.net - Software - ScanTool.net
Tell us if it works.

CarloSW2

Yah, someone could borrow the elm based FE calculations in the obduino and apply them to scantool.net. I haven't checked them for completeness yet though, but feel free to take a look certainly.

Thanks.
dcb, where should I look for the obduino FE calculations? The forum isn't that organized right now.

If anybody wants to try it out, I downloaded OBD2007 (you can test it for 15 days I believe). It worked really well and the MPG gauge was really accurate.

There should be a link in this post to googlecode
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...html#post61518

tangomar -

Yeah, the OBD2007 looks like a really good one :

OBD 2007
http://www.glmsoftware.com/Documenta...onImperial.png

I had the 15 day trial, but it ran out on me before I could try it (my bad).

CarloSW2

Hey, cool, I missed this one in looking around for stuff to try with the kit interface I built. Looks nice, but the purchase price is pretty high.

Dunno if you saw my other thread, but you can check out Digimoto and WOBD too. Which interface do you have?

Digimoto doesn't give MPG (at least the free version). I haven't tried WOBD.

I bought this (very cheap): more info obd2

Yeah, niether of them do mpg directly. Isn't the whole point of going to the injectors with the mpguino that FE data derived from OBDII sensors is unreliable, though?

That's why I wanted both.

I did download the 7 day trial of OBD2007 and play around with it today. It is pretty nifty, alright, but just beyond my budget.

lyd -

I agree. I would pay up to $50, but not what they want. Also, it appears to be tied to only one PC. In an automobile situation, your hard disk is at much higher risk, unless you have an über-expensive hard drive that is flash-based.

The ScanXL software is almost cheap enough at $70, but I want to see if I can make my own work first.

CarloSW2

ScanXL is $100 according to their web page, did you find a cheaper source?

lyd -

They're have a $70 sale (pre S&H, shipping from Arizona) :

ScanTool.net - Products
CarloSW2

I found this:
Main Page - JDash

I think that we can try to exchange formulas and see if we can expand it from Subaru only to every car. It seems really cool.

That's cool, source is here (even saw a waba directory)
SourceForge.net Repository - [jdash] Index of /

I like that it is open, and java (and waba for the pda/cellphone crowd)

Ahhh, OK. That's one of the versions locked down to require the ELMScan brand interface specifically, and apparently only the newest ones in that case. I was looking at these versions: PPE Online Store

They will work with other ELM-compatible interfaces, but are more expensive.

If you have a genuine ELM chip-based interface, have you looked at the free versions of scanmaster or easyobdII?

I couldn't get either of them to work with my "clone", but they look like good apps and you should have better luck with a natively ELM 323/327 interface. I think one or the other took it a step further and, like the ScanXL you linked, required a specific ELM-based interface, but I don't recall which one it was. Anyway, they're free.

Well, maybe I spoke too soon with this. I got a chance to test my interface with a copy of PCMScan 2.1.1, and it recognizes it as ELM but then fails to communicate any further with it. Just throws an "interface communication error" and gives up.

SSDs are way cheaper than they used to be. Just now, a 16GB USB SSD is $35 new from Fry's. 1GB of any common form factor is well under $10.

I'm actually using a 128MB SSD (CompactFlash form factor) in a pfSense machine (Cisco-like router without the Cisco price) I'm building. SSDs use very little power, which actually turned out to be a problem as it dropped the current to the point where the power supply (200w) would not operate correctly. I'm working with a friend of mine to design a new power supply.

I think all the software should be open source if possible. As for hardware, I'd suggest something like an old (Pentium 2/3 or M) laptop with a PSOne LCD running from the TV out. It should be easy to find a used one for cheap, especially one with something like a bad screen that decreases its value but is still usable for our purpose. And it can make a good MP3 player as well. If you want, you can even add in some extras like GPS. Just don't use a Pentium 4 as they use lots of power and will hurt your gas mileage.

Check this website: OBD Gauge
It has the source in C for a palm using the open source Palm Development C.
It does not do MPG, however it should be easy to calculate and display.
It has data log capability on Palm, with PC application for graphic presentation.

Hmmm, I think that I should have bought that ODB-BlueTooth... So that I can try to map the java source on my cellphone. That would be so cool and so inexpensive compared to a SG.

NiHaoMike -

I am basing my statement on an April 2008 price of $60 for 2 GB Solid State IDE drive. Google google google ... Here is the latest price :

Amazon.com: Transcend - Solid state drive - 4 GB - internal - 2.5" - IDE: Electronics - $50.95
Attachment 1906

It's getting closer to my price point. I might bite soon - Moore's Law Strikes Again!!!!!!

When you say $35 for 16 GB, I think you mean for non-IDE SSD. 16GB is more than enough "elbow room" for an XP install, but I wonder if it will work for me. I tried a Compact Flash + hard drive adapter (this gizmo) but I couldn't get it to be recognized as a hard disk. This was with notebook PCs with very old BIOS (some maybe circa 1996+).

Hrmmm, here's a good price on a 16GB PATA SSD :

Transcend 16GB 1.0" PATA IDE Solid State Disk SSD TS16GSSD10-M Detail Page

But all my old notebooks are pre-PATA, :( . Why is the PATA SSD so cheap?

I even have an old LG Phenom that works perfectly. I've never programmed for Windows CE, let alone the SH3 CPU. If I had the time, I would port the Scantool source code to run on the Phenom, for "fun". Fortunately, the good-as-new-LCD looks too krappy for me to really want to make the attempt.

CarloSW2

By specification, CompactFlash form factor SSDs require an ATA compatibility mode. The actual connector is not IDE, but the signals are ATA if the SSD is set to ATA mode by tying the correct lines to ground.
I actually added a CF socket to the PC motherboard for the pfSense box. I just glued it onto the board next to the IDE connector and soldered wires between the socket and connector. (Yes, it worked the first time.) Depending on the BIOS, you might need to manually set the parameters. In my case, the BIOS incorrectly detected the SSD as a Zip drive. However, when I manually set it to "User", it automatically filled in the correct parameters.

Some motherboards can boot from USB. In that case, use a USB Linux distribution and modify it. Note that such distributions use little space to the extent that even 1GB can be overkill.

Or just get an Asus EEE. Yes, it costs a bit, but you get a nice PDA as well.

NiHaoMike -

Thanks for the info! I only have surface knowledge, but you have the nitty-gritty. I think I will try to set the BIOS to "User" mode as you say.

CarloSW2