OBDII bluetooth or wifi
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2011
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From: Killeen Tx
OBDII bluetooth or wifi
I have searched a few threads and everything talks about Android and the Torque App.
Is anyone using an iPhone? If so, what app and what scanner are you using?
I have seen comments where the iPhone wont communicate with a scanner via Bluetooth, only Wifi.
Wifi would be a better option since Sync uses Bluetooth as well.
Comments?
Thanks
Is anyone using an iPhone? If so, what app and what scanner are you using?
I have seen comments where the iPhone wont communicate with a scanner via Bluetooth, only Wifi.
Wifi would be a better option since Sync uses Bluetooth as well.
Comments?
Thanks
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 529
Likes: 0
I’ve been using the Torque Pro App. Simply put, the android operating system is open source, meaning that anyone with the knowledge can write an App to run on and android phone. On an Iphone, it has to be approved by Apple, which means that they have the say if the App can be used on the Iphone and if Bluetooth can be used. I know that there is OBD scanner Apps for the Iphone, I haven’t used them.
The Apps are advertised as an OBD scanner, by law the vehicle manufacturers have to have standard OBD2 information from the OBD2 port available (for example emission testing). Any other information that you want for a specific vehicle is kept top secret by the manufacturers. In Torque Pro, the developer allows you to “try” and read other information from the vehicle’s computer but this is not easy. The other thing is that because it works with a Bluetooth adapter, they are too open source which makes them cheaper.
So the main point is, do you want a $5 scanner, code reader or do you want a monitor? After market monitors cost hundreds of dollars and work as they are advertised. Torque Pro and the OBD2 Bluetooth adapter cost me $20 and works as advertised. The thing I find with the Apps are that the developers all give you some things to try and make their product sell more then the next. With Torque Pro, it gives you the ability to read and display some other information from a vehicle’s computer but the developer can’t know all the trade’s secrets for all the make and models so it is important to note: that the consumer has to find this information on their own.
With the Ford 6.7L because it is new, so is the information and every year the maker’s of vehicles try harder to keep the information secret. Before buying an App and Adapter, I would go to the developer’s web site and verify that it will do what you want for your specific vehicles. For me the $20 was well spent, but the time I spent on getting a little more then advertised out of Torque Pro might not be for everyone and a little time consuming and addicting.
I assume that there are few threads because it is not easy to get this information and some knowledge of ECM programming would help. It also helps how many consumers of a certain vehicle are willing to reverse engineer for this information and share. Also there is the concern of posting copyright material.
I know that I’ve got more out of Torque Pro, I just don’t know if I’m smart enough to get more and most people wonder why I need all this data (LOL)?
I believe that the Torque Pro developer is going through the motions on getting certified by Apple, but he is a one man band and it takes time and money, so who knows?
Sorry about the length and hope it helps…Good Luck
The Apps are advertised as an OBD scanner, by law the vehicle manufacturers have to have standard OBD2 information from the OBD2 port available (for example emission testing). Any other information that you want for a specific vehicle is kept top secret by the manufacturers. In Torque Pro, the developer allows you to “try” and read other information from the vehicle’s computer but this is not easy. The other thing is that because it works with a Bluetooth adapter, they are too open source which makes them cheaper.
So the main point is, do you want a $5 scanner, code reader or do you want a monitor? After market monitors cost hundreds of dollars and work as they are advertised. Torque Pro and the OBD2 Bluetooth adapter cost me $20 and works as advertised. The thing I find with the Apps are that the developers all give you some things to try and make their product sell more then the next. With Torque Pro, it gives you the ability to read and display some other information from a vehicle’s computer but the developer can’t know all the trade’s secrets for all the make and models so it is important to note: that the consumer has to find this information on their own.
With the Ford 6.7L because it is new, so is the information and every year the maker’s of vehicles try harder to keep the information secret. Before buying an App and Adapter, I would go to the developer’s web site and verify that it will do what you want for your specific vehicles. For me the $20 was well spent, but the time I spent on getting a little more then advertised out of Torque Pro might not be for everyone and a little time consuming and addicting.
I assume that there are few threads because it is not easy to get this information and some knowledge of ECM programming would help. It also helps how many consumers of a certain vehicle are willing to reverse engineer for this information and share. Also there is the concern of posting copyright material.
I know that I’ve got more out of Torque Pro, I just don’t know if I’m smart enough to get more and most people wonder why I need all this data (LOL)?
I believe that the Torque Pro developer is going through the motions on getting certified by Apple, but he is a one man band and it takes time and money, so who knows?
Sorry about the length and hope it helps…Good Luck
More Turbo
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 596
Likes: 23
From: Watson
Gunny- I don't have any useful iphone info to add to this, sorry, I think your findings are dead-on, something about Apple not wanting to open up for communication via Bluetooth is holding you back.....
I've also got an old Droid X I occasionally connect to the ole Elm327 OBD thingamabob and take a peek around my truck's readings. Found a pretty useful EGT readout, but in all honesty, the port didn't really give up much more info than the console does. I can find my Oil and Trans temps right there, no real need to leave the scanner in all the time.....
I've also got an old Droid X I occasionally connect to the ole Elm327 OBD thingamabob and take a peek around my truck's readings. Found a pretty useful EGT readout, but in all honesty, the port didn't really give up much more info than the console does. I can find my Oil and Trans temps right there, no real need to leave the scanner in all the time.....
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,616
Likes: 6
From: Whitecourt AB, Canada
The problem with wifi is that it ties up what your phone can be associated with at a given point in time. You can only be connected to one wifi network at a time, so that is either your Wifi OBDII interface, or another network, can't be both. Whereas Bluetooth supports multiple simultaneous connections usually as long as they are different services (not using the same profile).
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