DSMlink, why so much?

[Madcap]

We all know Dsmlink is the end all be all of all tuning options for our DSM's. Why is it so damn expensive? In reality all you are buying is a cable, an Eprom and software. You would think someone else would be able to come up with something cheaper. DSMchips is similar to a degree only there's no software to make your own changes.

 

[420a-t]

Appearently you dont understand how long it takes to research, test, and create a software for a vehicle. For what you get, it's a damn good deal.

Sure theres other things you can get, AEM EMS, MSnS, or if youre on a really tight budget, safc???

 

[TALONTRAX]

I have v3 . . . trust me, it`s worth the $$$

 

[Madcap]

Appearently you dont understand how long it takes to research, test, and create a software for a vehicle. For what you get, it's a damn good deal.

Sure theres other things you can get, AEM EMS, MSnS, or if youre on a really tight budget, safc???

Appearently I don't.

I have v3 . . . trust me, it`s worth the $$$

Don't get me wrong it's capable of amazing things. But $600? I'm gonna get it regardless. It just seems like more people would be doing the same thing. Even it were just a third party Eprom that was compatible with software. What they're doing can't be a secret.

 

[robbo185]

Appearently I don't.

ok why dont you create a product from scratch, take much of your time in creating it, put it on the market, then charge a stupid cheap price for it.

Do you think research and development is cheap???

 

[aaronspeed]

A lot of better solutions for a 96+ obd 2 car like yours with better support and under $150.
ECUEdit and the cable and you will be set. After you find that software you will find 2 or 3 more that all work together.

 

[bluegs03]

Thats why they are planning on releasing a ECMlite or a lite version of dsmlink for around half of the price. It wont have all of the features that V3 has but it will be a hell of deal. In reality though the dsm scene is spoiled with affordable viable tuning options. I mean its insane what some of the other cars cost to tune. For example i looked up how much a pretune on a volvo c30 would be $1,000+ for a single tune! albet you can get different ones sent to you but when you compare it to that we have it pretty good.

Another example is the TT supra have you ever priced out an AEM standalone? its 1.9k for the cheap ones. The exact same thing for a 1g dsm is 1k

 

[SmalltownDSMer]

We all know Dsmlink is the end all be all of all tuning options for our DSM's. DSMchips is similar to a degree only there's no software to make your own changes.

I think you have answered your own question.

I have V3 and must say it is well worth the cash, It is by far the best tuning/datalogging software for our cars IMO . I used to have an SAFC and it was ok, but I prefer the Link.

Jayson

 

[Madcap]

ok why dont you create a product from scratch, take much of your time in creating it, put it on the market, then charge a stupid cheap price for it.

Do you think research and development is cheap???

Did someone kick your dog?

Maybe that's it.... maybe they're facists. Any questioning of they're product and no time is wasted to silence the "non-believer."

 

[Calan]

Why does anything cost what it does?

Because most people have to make a living, and there is an enormous amount of time and effort that goes into the development of something like ECMLink.

ECMLink and the support/help those guys offer is worth every cent.

 

[Madcap]

I think you have answered your own question.

I have V3 and must say it is well worth the cash, It is by far the best tuning/datalogging software for our cars . I used to have an SAFC and it was ok, but I prefer the Link.

Jayson

, I never questioned how great a product it was. I simply pondered where the costs went and I have been rudely informed. A simple case of curiousity.

Think for Yourself, Question Authority.

 

[Zdrummer15]

It's simple. Due to the fact that link is by far the best tuning option for our cars, there is a high demand for the product. Basic economics states that they will charge as much as people are willing to pay in order to make money. Since so many on this forum use it, it seems apparent that it's worth the money.

more demand for a product = higher price

 

[Ceddy]

DSMLink has a high hardware cost, you need a cable and the flash eprom board/chip.

There are tuning options available, from people who do it as a hobby and to help out the community, not for profit.

Check out the DSM Flashable 98/99 ecus and the Evo ecu swap, and EcuFlash software. The Evo and Subaru guys have had this open source, community effort type of tuning for a while and have done amazing things with it.

 

[GooeyGus]

The fact that NO ONE ELSE has a similar product on the market should tell you how much work and research goes into developing a program like DSMlink V3...

If it was simple and cheap for them to produce, someone else would be on the bandwagon raking in the dough.

Just going through and decoding the EEPROM took several people several years.

 

[Madcap]

It just occured to me that we have a HUGE aftermarket. But only one dedicated tuning system. Does no one understand what I'm getting at?

 

[GooeyGus]

It just occured to me that we have a HUGE aftermarket. But only one dedicated tuning system. Does no one understand what I'm getting at?

That's the point I'm getting at. The fact that the aftermarket is pretty large, yet only one company has come out with a full tuning solution. That right there shows how much work went into it.

I think I remember hearing something like 6 years in the making before DSMlink was ready to launch.

Now that the program is finished, yes it is super cheap. Throw some software on a disc and a couple pieces of hardware, not expensive at all. But the reason they charge so much is to make up for all the years they spent developing when absolutely no money was being made.

 

[HighPSI TSi Guy]

The guys that said R&D are correct. Plus, as mentioned, the hardware is more expensive than you think. A lot of custom things done to prevent piracy.

I have programmed my own 1G based ECU that actually does way more than DSMlink, however choose not to market it because if the immense cost, especially the anti-piracy part. It took me 2-3 years to do as well, and is still not exactly where I want it.

Think about how much all your free time for 2-3 years is worth and ask yourself how much you'd sell it for if someone wanted to buy it.

 

[Ceddy]

The fact that NO ONE ELSE has a similar product on the market should tell you how much work and research goes into developing a program like DSMlink V3...

If it was simple and cheap for them to produce, someone else would be on the bandwagon raking in the dough.

Just going through and decoding the EEPROM took several people several years.

It doesn't take several years to disassemble a rom, Christian did the 1G disassembly in 3 months, I did a fairly complete 98 disassembly in 4 months.


There are similar products for the DSM out there, you need to look around a little more. Most of them don't follow the for profit model that DSMLink has, so they are not really advertised.

 

[92AWDHX40]

Im getting me one, despite cost, just one more thing on my to do list.

 

[doctor_shock10]

damn buddy dont take this the wrong way but 600 bucks for tuning a dsm iis a dang good deal in my mind. i think if you cant afford 600 dollars for tunning i dont think you should be upgrading your dsm in the first place. but thats me.
you should go ask how much wrx guys have to pay to tune their rides. so thanks dsmlink for everything.

 

[92AWDHX40]

Yeah buddy id rather had link than other things my car doesnt really need, i wish i would have bought it earlier. But now that i have done more to my dsm than i ever thought, there are only a few simple things left in the perfmance dept. link is on the list after i get my fmic, in the coming months. Yeah.

 

[KazooGS-T]

It doesn't take several years to disassemble a rom, Christian did the 1G disassembly in 3 months, I did a fairly complete 98 disassembly in 4 months.


There are similar products for the DSM out there, you need to look around a little more. Most of them don't follow the for profit model that DSMLink has, so they are not really advertised.

x10000000.... There are free tuning softwares for DSM's out there... Please research before you give up fraudulent information saying DSMlink is the only option for DSM's and the cheapest. (Not directed towards Ceddy, towards others)

 

[dsm-onster]

There is NO free tunign solution. Talk about fraudulent . You have to have cables, emulators, eprom ecus (most dsms do NOT come with them stock: +$250), EEPROMs, etc.

There is some free SOFTware out there. But no LIVE editing free software, anymore.

 

[rEclipserGST]

"Quoted everyone"

Yeah, what they said

You have to remember and take in account what it does. It can tune, pinpoint, fix, flash, and rig up a ton of things. Free software is going to cost you at least $100 to start logging, another $200 to just edit fuel trims with SAFC, and add a wideband in there and you have what??? $500 to $600.... almost the exact cost of DSMlink without an EPROM chip. .

I have been reading thru a lot of threads lately, after reading them I decided my "time" is not worth answering that particular question or involving myself in the thread. Never thought it would go there but... "Oh no you didn't"

 

[Ceddy]

There is NO free tunign solution. Talk about fraudulent . You have to have cables, emulators, eprom ecus (most dsms do NOT come with them stock: +$250), EEPROMs, etc.

There is some free SOFTware out there. But no LIVE editing free software, anymore.

The Evo ecu swap has Live Editing and DMA(Direct Memory Access)

Of course your not going to get hardware for free. But there is more then one tuning solution out there. Which is a good thing, competition breeds innovation.
If we didn't have DSMs constantly breaking each others records, we wouldn't have DSMs going as fast are they are today. And if you don't have competition in the tuning world you are going to be stuck with last years outdated software. I highly doubt if we didn't have the progress being made with the EcuFlash stuff lately, that there would be any need for something like Link Lite, people would buy the full version because they had no other option.


The 2Gs don't need eprom ecus and emulators anymore the 98/99 ecus are Flashable and all turbo 98/99s come with them stock, which makes for an economical solution for 2Gs.