OBDII Engine Diagnostic Software

WIEGS · Aug 8, 2007

Thinking of buying OBD II Engine Diagnostic Software for my laptop and was wondering if anyone has ever used one they would recommend and are they really any better than the had held ones ?

MAKG · Aug 8, 2007

It depends on which handheld one you mean. The cheap code readers? Absolutely, the software is better. The cheap scanners? Still true, but less so. Expensive DSOs? No. Multichannel arbitrary analog inputs are a very, very good thing.

I would insist on software that allows multichannel inputs if you can find it. Real-time (not accumulated) PIDs are also very useful. The latter will be quite a lot easier to find.

Keep in mind that the reason you get these is not to get codes (though they all do that). It's to get real-time data. If you just want codes, get a cheap reader (but I'll advise against it -- codes alone are not very useful).

gw33gp · Aug 8, 2007

I got the diagnostic software for my lap top and it gives me much more information than my scanner. You can go to www.myscantool.com/index.html to check it out. It is the least expensive one that I could find but it probably does not have all the features that the more expensive ones have. I am happy with it.

It does show real time data and has multichannel capability.

WIEGS · Aug 8, 2007

MAKG said:
Expensive DSOs? No. Multichannel arbitrary analog inputs are a very, very good thing.

I guess I just need it for codes and real time data. But I'm curious to know what more could you get out of DSO? I mean can it program or somthing?

MAKG · Aug 8, 2007

DSO's can display arbitrary (within bounds) electrical signals as a function of time, graphically. It's particularly useful for diagnosing ignition, but it's powerful enough to be used for just about anything in the vehicle and even on your computer or other electronics. I most recently used one to read data off an RS-422 serial port (verifying operation without fully tested client software).

They are, however, often rather pricey.

Popular automotive ones are Snap-On's Vantage and MODIS, both of which go for four figures. Electronic DSOs are (usually) cheaper, but they don't know anything about OBD-II.

almostclueless · Aug 8, 2007

Most people can't afford the fancy stuff.....so the sub-$300 hardware and software packages can be a viable option if one remembers that they won't be able to monitor more than a few parameters at once.

I have the digimoto usb combo. I can monitor five parameters at once with decent refresh rate, read any codes, log data, and clear the check engine light. The package works decently on my P4C equipped laptop.....satisfied with the product but the company seems slow to respond to questions.

Dave R · Aug 8, 2007

Citoriplus uses and has recommended to me this software/interface.

http://www.obddiagnostics.com/index.html

Frank has demonstrated it for me and it seems to be quite useful. And for under $100 it's tough to beat. Hopefully he'll chime in with more.

Sockethead · Aug 8, 2007

I have the Pro scan tool USB (www.myscantool.com). It does everything I need and it also shows real time data from various senors like o2. i also does 1/4 mile time and dyno althoough I doubt the accuacy of those two...

BigClemsonFan · Aug 8, 2007

Dave R said:
Citoriplus uses and has recommended to me this software/interface.

http://www.obddiagnostics.com/index.html

Frank has demonstrated it for me and it seems to be quite useful. And for under $100 it's tough to beat. Hopefully he'll chime in with more.

This is what I use as well. Don't have much input to offer other than it works well, easy to understand, easy to use.

Only caveat is that it's a serial connected device. If your lappy doesn't have one, you'll need a USB to serial converter.

OBDII Engine Diagnostic Software

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