newbie seeking help on integrating OBD-II with carputer

**ZtH01** · 02-20-2007, 08:19 AM

Originally Posted by Brycestro

Ok, i'm new to the carputer scene but have plans on doing a full setup starting in the next few weeks when i have some time off work.

I've read the sticky thread here and now have a general idea about OBD-II and that it is a standard which allows data to be recorded/monitored/extracted from a vehicle. My question here is, what sort of options are there as far as interfacing this information to a Car PC?

I'm fairly computer literate and am through my first year of a Bachelor Of Information Technology. Are there devices/adapters out there made for the purpose which allow you to extract the information and present it on a VDU (aka monitor)? How customizable is it? How would you go about accessing such information if you were to incorporate it into a custom developed program? (I have some programming experience).

My Vehicle is a 1997 Holden VS Commodore (Australian Car) so i'm fairly sure it would have OBD-II after reading the sticky saying all vehicles after 1996. It definitely has fault diagnostics and i've already used some primitive methods to examine fault codes through that (which involved bridging a few pins with a paper clip and watching flashes on the instrument cluster).

Basically, i want to be able to extract data like speed, temperatures, rpms etc and display it on a monitor... Any help is much appreciated as i'm very new to this. Cheers, Bryce.

I don't think it would be OBD-II, if you can jump pins to get flashes. Talk to the service guys at a holden dealer, and find out what interface it uses, and go from there.

**simmo** · 02-22-2007, 12:41 PM

Ok guys I will join this thread as I am not completely sure what all I need to be able to monitor my OBD-II.
is this the only type of setup available?

that seems like too many adapters/cables... isn't there an easier set up where maybe the scantool itself would have OBD-II cable attached on one side and serial/usb connector on the other, to eliminate all these different cables/connectors.
From my understanding, I need a scantool that connects between the OBD-II and my carputer right?

**simmo** · 02-22-2007, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by michbound

Checkout centrafuse www.fluxmedia.net, that software has an OBD II plugin and it works great with the OBDPro interface www.obdpros.com

well seems like that flux software isnt even released yet. Any idea how much it will cost when it gets released? and whats the expected release date?

**michbound** · 02-22-2007, 02:48 PM

Originally Posted by simmo

Ok guys I will join this thread as I am not completely sure what all I need to be able to monitor my OBD-II.
is this the only type of setup available?

that seems like too many adapters/cables... isn't there an easier set up where maybe the scantool itself would have OBD-II cable attached on one side and serial/usb connector on the other, to eliminate all these different cables/connectors.
From my understanding, I need a scantool that connects between the OBD-II and my carputer right?

The interface ships with the cables so in effect the OBD II cable could be permanently attached to the interface and the same goes for the serial cable. Is that your question or did I misunderstand it.

Paul
www.obdpros.com

**michbound** · 02-22-2007, 02:49 PM

Originally Posted by simmo

well seems like that flux software isnt even released yet. Any idea how much it will cost when it gets released? and whats the expected release date?

Not sure about the costs, but they have a beta version that you can download for free and use for quite a few months I think.

Paul
www.obdpros.com

**simmo** · 02-22-2007, 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by michbound

The interface ships with the cables so in effect the OBD II cable could be permanently attached to the interface and the same goes for the serial cable. Is that your question or did I misunderstand it.

Paul
www.obdpros.com

Thats exactly what I was asking. Instead of gettin separate obd cable, scantool and serial cable.. is there a scan tool tha already has obd-ii cable attached to it on one end and serial cable on the other..
something like this

its got the scantool right at the obd-II connector, and usb on the other side.
this would be perfect, but its too expensive.. im just trying to get some options

**michbound** · 02-23-2007, 01:25 PM

Well since the interface ships with all the cables you don't pay any extra for the cables, but if you absolutely insist on having the connector right on the case look at this one http://www.obd-diag.de

Paul
www.obdpros.com

**digimotojoel** · 02-23-2007, 02:58 PM

The interface Digimoto sells is a single unit as well.

**marky9074** · 03-13-2007, 05:40 PM

Getting back on track, the only software I have found to embed into a front end is Shane's JDash, and as of yet I have not got it working properly due to the refresh rate.

I would be very interested if there are any better interfaces. I looked at ScoobyView, but found JDash to be a bit more presentable (no offence intended)....

**digimotojoel** · 03-13-2007, 07:36 PM

If you are using the ELM it's not going to matter what app you are using, you are going to see slow refresh rates. What front end were you looking to tie an OBDII solution into? A couple of the good ones already have these types of capabilities for generic use.