List of loggers and info for tech article

[kenamond]

I'd like to collect some info for a tech article so that newbs like myself can get the lo-down on what loggers are available for their cars. I'd love to have that resource myself.

So here's what I'm collecting:
- Logger name
- Hyperlink to where you can get it or find more info out
- Whether it works on a 1g, 2g, or both, turbo only, etc.
- Whether it works with a handheld and laptop or just one or the other
- Has PC software (laptop loggers obviously will, but some handhelds may not)
- What interface is needed (many folks can't get loggers to work, because they don't have the correct interface)
- Price (Free or some ballpark $$ amount)

I'll probably edit the tech article over time as I get additional information or am informed of corrections, but a list of loggers with this info should give folks a good reference when they're looking for their first logger.

So far, I know (or think I know):

TunerStein:
- URL: http://students.db.erau.edu/~szabafab/stein
- 1g and 2g
- Palm handhelds (not all, though) and laptop
- PC software: Yes, data analysis
- Interface: 1g - ALDL that you can buy or make, 2g - Multiplex Engineering T16-003
- Price: Free

OBD Gauge:
- URL: http://www.qcontinuum.org/obdgauge/index.htm
- 2g
- Palm and Pocket PC
- PC software: Yes, data analysis
- Interface: Multiplex Engineering T16-003 or T16-006
- Price: Free

Pocketlogger:
- URL: http://pocketlogger.com
- 1g and 2g
- Palm
- PC software: Yes, Java PLViewer
- Interface: Pocketlogger cable
- Price: $125

MMCd:
- URL: http://mmcdlogger.sourceforge.net
- 1g
- Palm
- PC software: ?? Can hotsync logs to PC and supposedly convert to CSV or Excel for analysis
- Interface: ADLD, site has instructions for making your own. Can you buy it? Don't know.
- Price: Free

DSMLink:
- URL: http://www.dsmlink.com
- 1g turbo and 2g turbo - Need EPROM ECU in both cases
- Laptop and Palm - sort of - Hal Landry has a PalmOS port available for registered DSMLink users
- PC software: Whole kit and kaboodle
- Interface: In-house cables for 1g and 2g
- Price: $600 but can be more if you need to buy an EPROM ECU and have it socketted.

That's all I have for now. If there are errors (and you know FOR A FACT what the correction should be), please let me know. I'm especially interested in other loggers not on the list.

I'm thinking that aftermarket ECU loggers don't really belong in this. Each will obviously have a logging capability, but this is geared toward stock ECU loggers.

I also know that there are a lot of specific pros and cons for various loggers, but I'm not yet sure how to include that info in a concise manner in the tech article.


Anyway, I'd like to keep the incomming info related to the tech article in this thread until I think I've got enough.

Thanks!

 

[dave99gst]

www.obd-2.com
$120'ish + offer dsmclub discount
available for obd2
works on a PC

 

[kenamond]

www.obd-2.com
$120'ish + offer dsmclub discount
available for obd2
works on a PC

Thanks!

Have you tried it or know anyone who has on a 2g?

 

[PieEyedPiper]

Another thing you might want to consider is listing all the common abilities of these logging softwares, and to make it easier just mark which softwares don't have which features.

e.g.

Standard abilities of loggers:
a
b
c
d
e
f
g


www.tehBESTloggz0rEvar.com
$900'ish + 1.2 million for the cable
Available for obd2, 3, 4 and 5
Works on a PC, PDA, MAC, Commodore 64, Amiga, and your old NES.
Includes standard abilities, excluding:
b,d,3,g.

 

[Lzybum06]

You may want to make sure if you say "includes standard capabilities" that you list somewhere what those are for people who may not know or think differently, just my $.02. Also this is a great idea because I am getting a new labtop for college and was going to try to save on the palm by using it, so thanks for the effort you are putting in this.

 

[PieEyedPiper]

Is there an echo?

 

[kenamond]

Is there an echo?

Heh.

I've been thinking about this. I'd like to have a table where the columns are features and the rows are different logger tools. Then you could fill it with "Yes" or "No" or if it's like a sampling rate, you could include the sampling rate for that logger.

The tough part about this is that it's a lot of info to research. If I could test each logger, I could fill that stuff out, but I'm not going to buy each one .

Maybe I'll put up the initial tech article and improve it as I get more info.

 

[kenamond]

Just got an email from the OBD Win author. New web site is:
http://pages.videotron.com/jsenk

Still doesn't have any screen shots. I'm asking him for some, though.

 

[diablos991]

http://www.auterraweb.com/

They make a PDA version and a laptop version. I have heard nothing but good reviews about it. I am most likely buying this one because it will work with most OBDII cars and you can buy a version thats CAN compliant as well.

 

[wret]

I am using
ElmScan ISO Scan Tool P/N: 420100
OBD Gauge
HP/Compaq Pocket PC

I already had the pocket PC so I wanted a package that would work with it. The ElmScan unit came packaged with a Proscan CD for PC. I played around with this on my laptop but gave up after encountering repetive port errors.

OBD Gauge runs more or less flawlessly on my pocket PC.

 

[kenamond]

http://www.auterraweb.com/

They make a PDA version and a laptop version. I have heard nothing but good reviews about it. I am most likely buying this one because it will work with most OBDII cars and you can buy a version thats CAN compliant as well.

Thanks! Looks like a good tool. Let us know how it works for you. It's nice to have atleast one 2g owner verifying that a particular tool actually works.

Auterra Dyno-Scan:
URL: http://www.auterraweb.com
2g
PC, Mac or PalmOS
PC software: yes if you get the PC package, but you pay extra to get both Palm and PC
Interface: Included, not sure what type. Have Serial or USB option for PC-to-OBDII cable.
Price: PalmOS=$209 (non CAN) or $259 (CAN), PC=$219 (non CAN) or $269 (CAN)

 

[diablos991]

Thanks! Looks like a good tool. Let us know how it works for you. It's nice to have atleast one 2g owner verifying that a particular tool actually works.

A buddy of mine has it on the PDA. I have plugged it in before to monitor timing advance and was highly impressed. I can't get over how nice the user interface on this one is. Also it has a built in dyno and 1/4 mile time estimator. I am really curious to know how accurate these are.

I will ask him if I can take it out for a weekend to see what the sampling rate and such are. And I will post back with more information.

 

[eclipsegsx1736]

Thanks! I just checked, and the 2g kit comes with TunerStein, but the 1g comes with MMCd. This tells me that folks could also buy this and use OBD Gauge on a 2g. Anyone buy this then use OBD Gauge successfully?

I have the DSMloggers.com kit (color) and have used PalmNStein and OBD Gauge on it successfully. I use OBD Gauge for monitoring (every day driving) and PalmNStein just for logging. The problem with logging with OBD gauge is you can only view the logs on a computer. PalmNStein can view logs on the Palm, but in general the program is a little more buggy, so that's why I use the more stable and easier to read OBD gauge for monitoring. You can also customize OBD gauge more than PalmNStein.

 

[kenamond]

I am using
ElmScan ISO Scan Tool P/N: 420100
OBD Gauge
HP/Compaq Pocket PC

I already had the pocket PC so I wanted a package that would work with it. The ElmScan unit came packaged with a Proscan CD for PC. I played around with this on my laptop but gave up after encountering repetive port errors.

OBD Gauge runs more or less flawlessly on my pocket PC.

Good to know. How much was your interface? EDIT: I guess the ElmScan tool is your interface, nevermind.

Anyone else try ProScan with a PalmOS PDA? Maybe it's a PocketPC incompatibility?

Thanks.

 

[kenamond]

A buddy of mine has it on the PDA. I have plugged it in before to monitor timing advance and was highly impressed. I can't get over how nice the user interface on this one is. Also it has a built in dyno and 1/4 mile time estimator. I am really curious to know how accurate these are.

I will ask him if I can take it out for a weekend to see what the sampling rate and such are. And I will post back with more information.

Awesome! If he ever dynos the car, it would be interesting to compare the dyno numbers to the estimated logger numbers.

 

[skinnykenny84]

So what do you guys think is the most effictive software for a 2g? As far as easy to use and logging speed, etc....?

 

[kenamond]

So what do you guys think is the most effictive software for a 2g? As far as easy to use and logging speed, etc....?

DSMLink.

I get the impression that the sampling rate of anything else is going to be the same. There was one tool that permitted customization of the sampling rate of various parameters. So you could sample timing at the highest frequency and TPS at a lower frequency. That way, you could optimize the available bandwidth of the interface to get more data where you needed it but still capture other data you need but less frequently.

I like PocketLogger, but that's just because I don't have a laptop. There are a couple of really nice tools that aren't mentioned much on the forum. PCMSCAN is one of them (not mentioned anywhere on the forum). I forget but maybe ProScan is the one that lets you customize sampling rates. There are so many sites I've read that I'm losing track of which one could do what.

If you have a laptop, I'm looking for a guinnea pig to test the demo of PCMSCAN. You'll only be able to log RPM, but it will demonstrate that the tool works with a 2g DSM. It'll also give us an idea of atleast one interface which works.

 

[skinnykenny84]

I have access to a lap top when ever I need it.......

 

[kenamond]

I have access to a lap top when ever I need it.......

Do you have an interface yet? If not, you're not poised to be the guinnea pig (atleast not for free). They support the normal Multiplex Engineering T16 interface which folks use for OBD Gauge or Palm'n'Stein, and they support the Elm interfaces as well (I think VelocitaPaolo posted a how-to to make your own 2g Elm interface, but it looked kinda complicated).

If you have an interface, you can get the software here. Without a license, you'll not be able to log anything but RPM, but I already said that.

 

[skinnykenny84]

No, not yet :-(

 

[Enraged78]

http://www.obd-2.com/

This is what I used to use before I got DSMLink. It has all of the OBD-2 extended access codes, and if you spring for the tricom version, it will read anything 96 and up. I used to use it's dashboard function to monitor timing and air fuel while I was at the track. datalogging on this was really easy, and cheap. You can still get a tablet PC like the one you see in my car here cheap on eBay for 1-200 if you look for it. This one was a Fujitsu Stylistic 2300 running Windows ME (I know, but it was only used for OBD-2 and music..) It was since stolen from my car along with my DSMLink cable. Thanks, New Britain!

I mounted the tablet by machining a 16 gauge steel plate and inserting horizontally in between the vent and the trim panel. I then made and L bracket and stuck and eye bolt with a wing nut through it for easy removal. The pen based control was also a nice touch.

You could easily replicate a setup like this for under $300.00.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

Link to old thread:
http://www.dsmtuner.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63231

Thanks,
Matt.

 

[spyderturbo007]

Anyone know typical sampling rates for each of the tools?

Pocketlogger OBD-II (2g) runs around 9 - 11 samples / second and the bandwidth is distributed between all parameters being logged. For example: if you are receiving 10 samples / second and are logging 5 parameters, you will only get 2 data points every second for each parameter.

Note: Some '99 models have been know to log up to 15 samples / second.

 

[PieEyedPiper]

Pocketlogger OBD-II (2g) runs around 9 - 11 samples / second and the bandwidth is distributed between all parameters being logged. For example: if you are receiving 10 samples / second and are logging 5 parameters, you will only get 2 data points every second for each parameter.

Note: Some '99 models have been know to log up to 15 samples / second.

My '98 GSX runs a steady 18 samples/sec using PocketLogger and an M105.

(beautiful paint btw)

 

[spyderturbo007]

My '98 GSX runs a steady 18 samples/sec using PocketLogger and an M105.

Can I have your ECU.

(beautiful paint btw)

Thanks, you too......

 

[kenamond]

Would it be safe to say that the sampling rate is independent of the logger and completely a function of the car/ECU?

 

[Quasimondo]

I'll email [email protected] from my home account tonight with "Attn: Todd Day" in it unless you have better contact info.

Did you ever hear back from Todd about the freeware rumor?