Calling all 6.0 owners and Linear Logic gurus
#1
10-13-2013, 04:51 PM
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Calling all 6.0 owners and Linear Logic gurus
It's been a lazy Sunday here so I just kicked back and was reading the 6.0 coffee table book. When it hit me... Ok 6.0 gurus and computer savvy bunch I have to purpose something here. The ScanGaugeII, do not want to operate a 6.0 without one yet we can only view 4 operating parameters at the time. It seems to me someone has put alot of effort to create the Xcodes for the 6.0 engine. The operator of the engine needs to be able to view more function than he/she can currently. Question: Can someone devise a way using the vacant OBDII cable port to be connect to a tablet/laptop device there by allowing for a large screen and more data displayed at once? The ScanGaugeII would be acting as a clearing house for the readings and the tablet becomes the display. Maybe using Bluetooth technology. As side benefit, make them display so as to look like a real gauge. Just a thought. I'll go back to reading now.
#3
10-13-2013, 08:31 PM
Posting Guru
When I was having issues with my SG2 last winter, I had a few decent conversations with tech support. I asked the same thing. The tech said that a usb cord is not wired the same as the scan gauge wire/plug. They Linear Logic use a cross over box IIRC that interfaces the SC2 and the laptop/PC.
If someone wants to put time into it and figure it out, I will buy a cable from them.
If someone wants to put time into it and figure it out, I will buy a cable from them.
#4
10-13-2013, 08:42 PM
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#5
10-13-2013, 08:47 PM
Cargo Master
#6
10-13-2013, 10:35 PM
I follow your thinking but here's my thoughts on the issue. Sorry so long 
The coolest things about my ScanGauge are that it stays in my truck. It's simple. It tells me what I want to know. It was inexpensive. It comes on when I crank up. It doesn't do anything else so I'm not temped to pull it out and carry it around with me, or order a pizza on it. It is just part of my truck. It was supposed to be there when the truck was built.
I would like it better if it could be updated to read manufacturer specific codes, trans codes, ABS codes etc. I would also like it better if it had some memory and could datalog. I'd be willing to pull it out and connect it to a computer to download but as you mentioned Bluetooth would be cool also. I prefer to stay with the wired connection for the OBD part though, just to skip all the handshaking, delays, and aggravation that goes with it. To be honest, if it got too complicated I would like it less.
I've mentioned a couple times that ironically, the Prius crowd seem to be ScanGaugeII fans also and there are quite a few posts by some computer types that have done some cool stuff with them. (If you're a computer type google it, you'll be surprised) If I understand right, (I'm not researching right now, just pulling these numbers out of my butt....I mean head as best I can) the ScanGauge has just enough hardware to ask the computer in the truck 8 questions at a time (although it can only display 4) and only on 1 data bus at a time. Our truck has something like 5 (or more) going all the time. So the SG is badly out paced by the truck it's connected to. There is a chip that CAN interface with the truck and speak it's language on the front end AND can be controlled using the SG on the back end. That is to say they are using the SG as the human interface to control the other processor. The cool thing about this is the possibility of controlling things on any of the busses like clearing an ABS light, setting the dome lights to shut off early or late, or turning off the seatbelt reminder tone and light, and more importantly changing engine parameters. Yes, writing your own custom tunes! Imagine how many of us could royally screw up our trucks if we had that capability! Lol! You can find a description of the chip and examples of how the programming language works online if you are interested, but in addition to the practical reasons why this isn't available, I'm sure there are legal reasons also. Anyway, my point is the ScanGauge is woefully inadequate in it current specs to do much more than what you are currently using it for, except daisychaining a second one so you can display all 8 parameters at a time. But even getting them at the $120 two will cost enough you could add just a bit more and buy AE or something similar. Besides, 4 at a time works well for me, I can easily flip through the gauges and I do change them often.
If you want some good power look to your phone. These things have wider data busses, faster clocks, and more memory than the best desktop systems of just a few years ago. Somthing like DashBoss is cool because you can get it up and running, start data logging and drive, you really don't even have to look at it much for my favorite feature to be handy- although you can monitor 12 parameters at one time, on one screen. I'm not very interested in squinting at the simulated gauges- If you tip in the throttle and get a stumble, for example, make a note of the time, or flip the recording off and back on. Whe you get home send the file to your home computer and open it up in an excel spread sheet, scroll down the first column (time) to the spot where the problem happened or to the end if you stopped the recording after the issue happened. Boom! All the parameters you were monitoring. If it helps you can select the ones you are interested in and open them up in a graph, save that and post it back here on FTE or e-mail it to your uncle in Idaho. (I just realized I should add DashBoss to my sig
)
I don't own any android devices so I can't say much about how they work but I imagine it has similar capabilities and certainly costs less than the apple stuff. At $170 for the dongle, $100 for the EGT probe kit, and $5 (+sensor) for the temperature connection kit, and $499-$699 for the iPad (of course a used iphone or iPod can be used) if you not an apple user already the cost is kinda high. And, you still don't have the bi-directional stuff you get with PC based software. Like running contribution tests. But as I said above, lots of power for the casual user.
I have this: ScanTool 423001 ElmScan 5 Compact OBD-II Scan Tool and OBDwiz Diagnostic Software:Amazon:Automotive
And it's the best $45 I've spent on diagnostic stuff. I think now it's less than $25. It has the option to upgrade the software with more features but to be honest I haven't clicked on the link in the software to even see how much the upgrade costs. The adapter is OBD to USB and it has connected quickly to everything I've ever tried it on. It ain't very fancy but it has many "customizable" features like gauges and such. You can buy a decent laptop at Wally World for $300 these days (or cheaper used). So up and running for cheap, with everything you mentioned and more. I think the cable may work a an android device (tablet) but the software is windows based so you would have to hunt up some other software.
I have loaned out my ScanGauge and felt naked driving without it but it is what it is, trying to expand it somehow is going to be futile given it's basic inexpensive design and the availability of other more powerful devices- unless you are a serious computer geek and use it as a controller for a custom built and programmed system.
The coolest things about my ScanGauge are that it stays in my truck. It's simple. It tells me what I want to know. It was inexpensive. It comes on when I crank up. It doesn't do anything else so I'm not temped to pull it out and carry it around with me, or order a pizza on it. It is just part of my truck. It was supposed to be there when the truck was built.
I would like it better if it could be updated to read manufacturer specific codes, trans codes, ABS codes etc. I would also like it better if it had some memory and could datalog. I'd be willing to pull it out and connect it to a computer to download but as you mentioned Bluetooth would be cool also. I prefer to stay with the wired connection for the OBD part though, just to skip all the handshaking, delays, and aggravation that goes with it. To be honest, if it got too complicated I would like it less.
I've mentioned a couple times that ironically, the Prius crowd seem to be ScanGaugeII fans also and there are quite a few posts by some computer types that have done some cool stuff with them. (If you're a computer type google it, you'll be surprised) If I understand right, (I'm not researching right now, just pulling these numbers out of my butt....I mean head as best I can) the ScanGauge has just enough hardware to ask the computer in the truck 8 questions at a time (although it can only display 4) and only on 1 data bus at a time. Our truck has something like 5 (or more) going all the time. So the SG is badly out paced by the truck it's connected to. There is a chip that CAN interface with the truck and speak it's language on the front end AND can be controlled using the SG on the back end. That is to say they are using the SG as the human interface to control the other processor. The cool thing about this is the possibility of controlling things on any of the busses like clearing an ABS light, setting the dome lights to shut off early or late, or turning off the seatbelt reminder tone and light, and more importantly changing engine parameters. Yes, writing your own custom tunes! Imagine how many of us could royally screw up our trucks if we had that capability! Lol! You can find a description of the chip and examples of how the programming language works online if you are interested, but in addition to the practical reasons why this isn't available, I'm sure there are legal reasons also. Anyway, my point is the ScanGauge is woefully inadequate in it current specs to do much more than what you are currently using it for, except daisychaining a second one so you can display all 8 parameters at a time. But even getting them at the $120 two will cost enough you could add just a bit more and buy AE or something similar. Besides, 4 at a time works well for me, I can easily flip through the gauges and I do change them often.
If you want some good power look to your phone. These things have wider data busses, faster clocks, and more memory than the best desktop systems of just a few years ago. Somthing like DashBoss is cool because you can get it up and running, start data logging and drive, you really don't even have to look at it much for my favorite feature to be handy- although you can monitor 12 parameters at one time, on one screen. I'm not very interested in squinting at the simulated gauges- If you tip in the throttle and get a stumble, for example, make a note of the time, or flip the recording off and back on. Whe you get home send the file to your home computer and open it up in an excel spread sheet, scroll down the first column (time) to the spot where the problem happened or to the end if you stopped the recording after the issue happened. Boom! All the parameters you were monitoring. If it helps you can select the ones you are interested in and open them up in a graph, save that and post it back here on FTE or e-mail it to your uncle in Idaho. (I just realized I should add DashBoss to my sig
)I don't own any android devices so I can't say much about how they work but I imagine it has similar capabilities and certainly costs less than the apple stuff. At $170 for the dongle, $100 for the EGT probe kit, and $5 (+sensor) for the temperature connection kit, and $499-$699 for the iPad (of course a used iphone or iPod can be used) if you not an apple user already the cost is kinda high. And, you still don't have the bi-directional stuff you get with PC based software. Like running contribution tests. But as I said above, lots of power for the casual user.
I have this: ScanTool 423001 ElmScan 5 Compact OBD-II Scan Tool and OBDwiz Diagnostic Software:Amazon:Automotive
And it's the best $45 I've spent on diagnostic stuff. I think now it's less than $25. It has the option to upgrade the software with more features but to be honest I haven't clicked on the link in the software to even see how much the upgrade costs. The adapter is OBD to USB and it has connected quickly to everything I've ever tried it on. It ain't very fancy but it has many "customizable" features like gauges and such. You can buy a decent laptop at Wally World for $300 these days (or cheaper used). So up and running for cheap, with everything you mentioned and more. I think the cable may work a an android device (tablet) but the software is windows based so you would have to hunt up some other software.
I have loaned out my ScanGauge and felt naked driving without it but it is what it is, trying to expand it somehow is going to be futile given it's basic inexpensive design and the availability of other more powerful devices- unless you are a serious computer geek and use it as a controller for a custom built and programmed system.
#7
10-14-2013, 06:36 AM
Cargo Master
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#10
10-14-2013, 06:40 AM
My issue is that it won't run the power balance. Working with AE on it but so far no bueno. Everything else works fine. 2 of the last 3 versions have been this way and now the previously working version won't run. I'm sure it's probably due to some stupid Windows update
#12
10-14-2013, 06:49 AM
It ran great on windows XP but since that computer died I've only had one version that ran on W 7 and it doesn't display anything at all on the 2000 Escort (SG II works great on both).