OBD II apps and dongles
- Thread starter Beowulf
- Start date
robgendreau
Explorer
For iOS? Probably the two most popular are Rev and DashCommand. There's the Harry's Lap Timer if you're racy, and certainly other apps like that that are not specifically just OBD front ends but use that data for other purposes. Just make sure your vehicle and your OBD dongle, whether it's wired, BT or wifi works with iOS. It's definitely got fewer alternatives than Android devices do. Used to be that BT was more problematic on iPhones re compatibility (they had that in common with BT GPS too; they charge a license fee and you have to get certified, limiting choices); wifi or cabling was a better choice. And some hardware, like GoPoint, also makes apps for their devices.
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iOS doesn't do the bluetooth serial port protocol that the cheap adapters do. That's also why you cant connect a bluetooth GPS (except the apple approved ones that cost quite a bit more) to a iPhone or iPad. The wifi ODBII dongles like the Kiwi can connect to Apple hardware.
My iPhone 4S has been connecting to my "chinese" bluetooth OBDII for over a year now... though, it is jailbroken and has a $2 app on there to allow it too... lol... Screw Apple. I just retired my iPhone for a new Galaxy S5... I feel free again..
robgendreau
Explorer
I got to use a wifi dongle from OBD Innovations, the vGate iCar 2. It's an ELM clone, like most of the others circulating around I guess. The vendor is very helpful though, and answers tech support questions quickly. They sell a bluetooth version as well (as noted, if you have non-jailbroken Apple gear you're stuck with either the $100 units (when available) or wifi. Similar problems with external GPS units as well. In any case this dongle is about the size of my OBD cover. Tiny. Has autooff, but I can't get it to automatically come back on, at least in my Ford. Works fine; just select it where you connect to wifi, and then fire up your app of choice. I've been using Dash Command, by Palmer. They certainly know their OBD stuff. They also sell a $10 set of Ford-specific PIDs that aren't included in regular OBD. I got at least a few of those free by customizing a Scan Gauge to read them (basically adding some hex strings), but these make it super easy. There are a lot; for me, the key one was with transmission temperature and some other stuff.
I like Dash Command, but like so many it's oriented more to the sports car or tuner audience. It does have a tilt meter for offroaders. You can customize skins, and gauges, but I don't like their looks much. I'd prefer to just have big numbers since I think I can tell RPM from oil pressure (be bad if I did mess that up....). They do have great tech support, and make a lot of other OBD products. I'd say an offroad-oriented OBD/GPS app would be quite popular; it would have more detailed trip meter stuff, make use of that tilt meter, do logging, speedo adjustment for bigger tires, and things like fuel calculation to destination. Depending on the sensors available, it might do some trick things with wheel spin, time spent in 4WD, automatic speedo adjustment when using the transfer case, etc. I may check out some other OBD apps; more seem to be coming on line. I noted that Rev hasn't been updated in like forever; not likely to invest in that. Anyone try any other iOS apps?
Rob
I like Dash Command, but like so many it's oriented more to the sports car or tuner audience. It does have a tilt meter for offroaders. You can customize skins, and gauges, but I don't like their looks much. I'd prefer to just have big numbers since I think I can tell RPM from oil pressure (be bad if I did mess that up....). They do have great tech support, and make a lot of other OBD products. I'd say an offroad-oriented OBD/GPS app would be quite popular; it would have more detailed trip meter stuff, make use of that tilt meter, do logging, speedo adjustment for bigger tires, and things like fuel calculation to destination. Depending on the sensors available, it might do some trick things with wheel spin, time spent in 4WD, automatic speedo adjustment when using the transfer case, etc. I may check out some other OBD apps; more seem to be coming on line. I noted that Rev hasn't been updated in like forever; not likely to invest in that. Anyone try any other iOS apps?
Rob
Root Moose
Expedition Leader
Forgot about this thread - good bump.
I recently got Forscan for Android and it talks to a cheap wifi OBD dongle no problem. Forscan can talk to Ford/Lincoln/Mercury and some Mazda vehicles. It shows all the codes including ABS, body, air bag, etc. and allows you to reset the codes. It's really fast too, at least compared to using Torque on my Audi with the same wifi OBD dongle. That's really slow.
I recently got Forscan for Android and it talks to a cheap wifi OBD dongle no problem. Forscan can talk to Ford/Lincoln/Mercury and some Mazda vehicles. It shows all the codes including ABS, body, air bag, etc. and allows you to reset the codes. It's really fast too, at least compared to using Torque on my Audi with the same wifi OBD dongle. That's really slow.
I just got this one from Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DYOVXZ0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
Plan on using Dashcommand. Hopefully it works, but it not will return to Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DYOVXZ0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
Plan on using Dashcommand. Hopefully it works, but it not will return to Amazon.
Root Moose
Expedition Leader
That's the same one I'm using.