Does anyone know if the new "SCT touch screen Xtreme" can load custom tunes? I'm guessing no because there is no mention of it in the adds but I was just wondering if anyone knew for sure...

 

that is something I was wondering also, have you tried calling them? I'm looking at getting a tuner, but I'm very confused as to the "custom tunes" vs off the shelf tunes. I see the DASHDAQ , SCT, have preloaded tunes but will support custom ones, does that mean that SCT's factory tunes are not as good? if not then what tuners "shelf tunes" are the "safest to use without encountering problems? then i see spartan technologies with their dashdaq , which they claim to only tune ford powerstrokes

 

Off the shelf tunes are not quite as good for everyone because those tunes are written to try to appeal to a broad range of people and driving habits. Just like the factory Ford programming on our trucks are designed to try to appeal to those that buy the truck. Some like how it performas and some do not. The problem with "canned"("off the shelf") tunes from programmers versus stock programming is that they aren't strategy specific(which goes into that some like it some don't deal).

However, with custom tunes you can get the programming to behave how you would like it to behave. Plus you have the ability to expand on that programming if you decide to go bigger with your HP mods.

SCTs pre-loaded tunes are probably the safests that you can get. I would stay away from anything that offers shift on the fly. That is mutually exclusive with actually programming our trucks. Although, I will say this, you run the risk of encountering problems if you use programs to enhance the hp/tq output of our trucks. Now your probably saying that if you using a programmer period, your increasing hp/tq output. That's not true if you use custom tunes. There are actually people that have gotten custom tunes(however, they are the minority) to actually de-tune these trucks(and there are legitimate reasons for doing so), which you can only do with custom programming.

Spartan really only does Ford programming.

Bottomline with the 6.0 and later diesels(and I would put this over with the gassers as well), I would only do custom tunes. If you are going to do this period, do it right the first time. Might cost you a little more in the front end, but it won't bite you in the *** in the back end(no pun intended).

By the way, I don't think that the TSX does custom tuning right now, but I can promise you that it will eventually(if someone hasn't been able to do it now, before SCT makes it official) will especially considering most people buy SCT for custom tuning ability.

 

I have been told that custom tunes are the ONLY way to go... I did not try contacting them yet I was hoping someone already knew

I was hoping to not have to buy and SCT-X3 and DASHDAQ....

 

wow, u guys are quick. Well i just got off the phone with Matt at SCT tech support and he said that it DOES support custom tunes, via the included usb cable included. i was sure to ask several times to be very specific and he stated yes every time.

 

Why are they not advertising this yet? Meatheads!

 

what do you use yours for? do you like it? i have read other posts and have seen your distrust of the new bluetooth technology, I'm not so much gung ho for wireless so much as the touchscreen ability and that it is SCT device, My goal is a little extra umph! when I want and the monitoring ability, I'm not in the mindset to run it on "highest hp setting" and leave it and romp on it all day long. but i do understand it could do damage to headbolts if going over 30psi for too long. I already have guages i.e water temp,egt, trans temp, boost. would it be a waste of money for me?

 

I also asked about the "multimedia" icon on the ad he said that it is no longer an option at this time, but may be released in a future update that would be no charge for current customers. does anyone have this unit and do they like it? that's what i want to know now.

 

I don't use the TSX. I have gone through the xCal 2 and the X3 though. I use the DashDAQ, which is everything of the TSX without the Bluetooth. The bluetooth that I have used for an application like this has been through the use of AE on my PDA. Some sensors just don't work as quick as they do with my usb laptop version.


Absolutely not a waste if you like to datalog and troubleshoot your own vehicle. I have 7 analog gauges and I use the DashDAQ as well and I have certain PIDs that are set up in the DashDAQ that as soon as I hit "log" it monitors all those PIDs. Now those PIDs aren't exactly set up as my gauges either as those are the same as the ones that I have analog gauges for, but for datalogging purposes I have them setup in the DashDAQ.

So it does serve a purpose and it'll be beneficial to also have it as a tuner as well, like I have with the Spartan one.

 

ok, this is very good info, so are you saying that the bluetooth device will "Lag" realtime? if that is the case it could be very annoying to see the boost levels lagging on the bluetooth devce vs. my mechanical autometer. like i stated the bluetooth is not my first reason for wanting it, but it seems to be cheaper than the dashDaq, i believe the TSX is $959 with only 3 pre-loaded tunes and the DashDaq is $1295 from spartan with 12 custom tunes, does that sound right? so i am beter off with the DashDaq form spartan? cause im not sure how much it would cost per custom tune for the additional tunes i would need for the TSX

 

Not all the sensors lagged with the Bluetooth on the AE software. It depends on various factors(how fast those sensors send information, speed of the processor doing the receiving etc). It would depend on the individual sensor your trying to monitor and that is even affected more by doing the extra task of datalogging.

Now this could be a failing with the AE software that I don't know, but I would think after having this option on the market for atleast 4 yrs that I'm aware of, there would be a patch of some kind to fix this.

That sounds about right cost wise. You might be able to find a package deal to get 3 custom tunes when you buy the TSX, otherwise your looking at another 60-100 bucks per tune if you don't get a package deal. So really I think it becomes a push as far as price goes unless you can get a package deal.

 

Bluetooth 2.0 speed being about 720 KBS I doubt you would see the delay.

 

I don't think you would see delay either but I would be worried about errors while installing new tunes... The new wireless technology is fast enough but it isn't as stable as a wired connection. I wonder if you could lock up the PCM because a transfer errors? One time I tried to update firmware on a router using wireless and it locked up and ruined the router... I wonder if you could lock up the PCM while programming? I'm sure a PCM isn't cheap if it got locked up and couldn't be reflashed!

 

That's actually misleading. If he were to be performing one function with that bluetooth at a time, he would see that speed. The more function you perform(especially the more "speed intensive" sensors you are running will drain that 720 kbs pretty quickly.

Put it this way. Remember internet with 56k connections? If you were running a phone line that had zero splices in it, you would be able to have up to that speed(for the most part; think of this as like performing one function with regard to bluetooth). Now if you were to splice it(adding another function) you cut that speed down. Add more splices(more functions) that speed exponentially goes down. With as many splices that was at my house, at best we got 5k on our internet connection on a good day. Now imagine the speed of bluetoot if you were running 20 sensors(DashDAQ is capable of that on a single screen from the factory, you can design even more on the screen yourself) and a few were "speed intensive"?

This isn't getting into the fact that you have the potential to have conflicting signals if you run multiple bluetooth devices at the same time. I run a bluetooth phone, and iPod Touch. They have been known to disconnect if I try to run them both at the same time. Imagine what that would do while uploading tunes?

 

They are considering use of Bluetooth on aircraft it is considered to be very stable. It uses a fast frequency hopping spread spectrum FHSS modulation scheme that makes it virtually impossible for the signal to be interfered with between transmitter and receiver. Packets of info sent are small also making it stable.