Wide band decisions...

[Six_Shooter]

I need to decide if I should get the 14point7 SLC_OEM, or the SLC_DIY2...


If I get the SLC_OEM, I would basically be replacing what I have with the same functionality, which is fine, but would need to keep the Tuner View II I have on my dash to have the real time readout.


If I get the SLC_DIY2, then I will gain a dedicated display (that I would have to find a spot for), and a bunch of other inputs, I will very likely never use, I wouldn't have to rely on the Tuner View II after I get another working water temp gauge too...


I'm leaning towards the DIY2, since I love how my DIY(1) works, that I use as a stand alone for tuning friend's cars...

http://14point7.com/Products.php

[EagleMark]

Have you seen the new MTX from inovate? I saw them for $150ish... don't know if you could hook up the output to yout tunerview though?

[Six_Shooter]

Yeah, looking to stay away from Innovate anymore...

I don't know about that MTX set-up, but everything else of theirs needs a serial connection, I don't have any luck with serial to USB converters, and the 14point7 stuff is native USB. ;)

The Tuner View is connected to my ALDL port, so it displays what is spit out from the ECM. I have the LC-1 feeding my ECM.

--==EDIT==--

I just looked and the MTX gauge from Innovate still uses serial connections.

Is this 1998, or 2012? :confused:

[EagleMark]

Other than my LC-1 working well with USB adapter I'd never do it again... it's like one end, you need a gauge, then have to build the middle harness cause nothing is long enough... but the MTX seems to have that covered. Right price for gauge, controller and wide band.

But your right, why would they go through the effort to make a nice package and still leave a serial connection? Only laptop I know of that still has a serial port is the Panisonic ToughBook but who can afford one? New Windows 7 starts at $2500 to $3500?

I got lucky with my USB to serial converter years ago, but many do not work? Moates has one that works with our stuff, I think Inovate does too?

[PJG1173]

the MTX still uses a serial cable.

[RobertISaar]

i find nothing wrong with serial communications, assuming you don't need some speed that COM ports can't achieve.

[EagleMark]

The only flaw in serial comunacations is laptops don't have serial ports anymore!

[Six_Shooter]

The only flaw in serial comunacations is laptops don't have serial ports anymore!

^^^^THIS x 11tybillion!!!one!!!!!onetyone!!one!!!!!!onehundre dandonetyone!!!!!!!!!!

I have had little to no luck with serial to USB converters. I have two, and neither will allow my laptop to communicate with my LC1, where as at least one had previously.

To buy a known "working" serial to USB converter will be at $33 + shipping ($33 MSRP for the Innovate and $37 for the Moates), on top of the Wideband gauge and sensor, so that's $232, plus shipping. and I still only have a(n ugly) gauge and a sensor, yes it has an output that can be used with my ECM, as I would with any WBO2 system, with no additional logging capabilities, without adding ANOTHER Innovate part (aux box).

OR

I can get the SLC_DIY2, that has WBO2 capability, built in display (I'm torn on the looks), up to 12 additional inputs, with ability to display certain inputs on the display, native USB, and I can pick it up from the guys house, like I did with my DIY(1). :D

If I really wanted to go all out, I could get the SLC_Pure Plus 2, that adds onboard datalogging storage. ;)

I'm done with Innovate products. The Innovate products I have had, have worked great, and are quite reliable, I just don't want to deal with this serial crap. It is 2012...

[RobertISaar]

what's so special about the "known working" converters?

i've had nothing but 100% success with anything using a FTDI FT232R chip, even for oddball data rates.

[Six_Shooter]

I guess you missed this part:



I have had little to no luck with serial to USB converters. I have two, and neither will allow my laptop to communicate with my LC1, where as at least one had previously.

I'm not getting an Innovate, or anything else with serial, simple as that. I don't want to deal with the extra parts to carry around, flaky connections, or just simply stop working one day, like I've already experienced.

[EagleMark]

I'd like to have an old XP laptop with serial port, just for all this old technoligy. Seen a couple running at pawn shops but $100. plus they all need a battery and they are old so who knows how long they'd last... or $2500 for a new ToughBook... :laugh:

OK everyone is going to have to start making all this crap work with USB or it get's boycott! But all my serial port stuff works with my USB to Serial adapter...

Did you see that other Wide Band in other thread? No free air calibration! Plus it had a data box that did other stuff... ProLogger!

[1project2many]

I don't blame ya, Six. I still use my Win 98 powered IBM Thinkpad for tuning. I spent many years fighting hardware, learning quirks, &etc. and when I get the tuning equipment out I want to be able to get the job done that I intended to do. I bought a newer, faster laptop with Win2k several years ago for OBDII tuning. It does nothing else. I am now in the market for the new CAN bus style TunercatII cable and I'm buying the USB version.

FWIW several years ago I bought up a huge lot of Silicom PCMCIA serial adapter cards that worked very well with Datamaster. Sold most of them but kept a few for myself. None of the usb to serial converters worked consistently at the time. I have never checked into whether or there are any express card versions but I'd think it's worth it to have one if your laptop has an express slot because you just don't know what you'll need to connect to. :)

I like the DIY2.

[EagleMark]

I never thought of a serial card for adapter cards because all the old laptops had serial. Just looked at my new laptop, that I have had 2 years and it has so many things I have never used and one looks like a adapter card slot! With something in it? So I pushed it in and it popped out and I have a remote control!

[EagleMark]

My PCMCIA is a phony and only has have the connection in back for the remote. Why a laptop needs a remote I do not know? I guess to watch movies on TV as it has so many other monitor and HD outputs...

But it does have an SD slot, I wonder if one of these would work or cause more issues then a Serail to USB converter?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Syba-SD-EXP15010-2-Serial-Ports-ExpressCard-New-Laptop-/180841292986?pt=UK_Computing_ComputerComponents_In terfaceCards&hash=item2a1afb24ba

[Six_Shooter]

That is a PCMCIA card that is what 1project was talking about.

Why add more cost, parts and possibility of a component failure, when you can have native USB in the device?

Why is there continued discussion of serial interface in a thread where serial is not even a consideration.

If it makes you feel any better, I use a home made serial ALDL cable on my test bench.

[EagleMark]

We know that serial is not an option for you and I agree! It is 2012 and why anyone is making products with serial port attatchments just confuses me!

But you know how conversations here just keep going with new ideas...

I was just thinking if I had a serial port I could plug in my wideband to log seperate while still logging through extra port on some ECM/PCM or what I normally do tied into my AutoProm.

[PJG1173]

We know that serial is not an option for you and I agree! It is 2012 and why anyone is making products with serial port attatchments just confuses me!

But you know how conversations here just keep going with new ideas...

I was just thinking if I had a serial port I could plug in my wideband to log seperate while still logging through extra port on some ECM/PCM or what I normally do tied into my AutoProm.

thought of that but couldn't get the data to sync up and Tunerpro couldn't accept input from multiple data sources.

[EagleMark]

I'd have TunerPro hooked to AutoProm or cable to record data and Serial port hooked to LC-1 wideband into LogWorks which is there software to record WB info. Not both into TunerPro...

[POZE]

Greg Banish of Calibrated Success mentions the NTK AFX Wideband that he claims is close to lab grade accuracy where it counts.The unit is very similar to a more expensive unit they produce. The manufacturer is ECM Engine Control and Monitoring.
http://www.hptuners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21019

[Six_Shooter]

I definitely won't be spending that much on a WBO2.

The 14point7 wide band products will, and have served me well, I just need to decide which of the two will work best for me in the long run.