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Read the WELCOME ALL BMWFANATICS post.
Diagnostic tool Cable
- Thread starter tumzozo
- Start date
Ratslaaf
///Member
I'm actually thinking of grabbing a few cheapy cables that are known to be faulty and fix them up to actually work. Biggest issue I've found so far is the FT232 USB serial chips that are fakes, proving to be problematic especially in Windows 7. I'll dig a little more as I have time and report back.
People seem to balk at paying over R1k for a known working cable but don't blink an eye if you charge them R500 to read codes. Boggles the mind...
People seem to balk at paying over R1k for a known working cable but don't blink an eye if you charge them R500 to read codes. Boggles the mind...
I bought mines from a China supplier and it works.
The issue I had was the Post Office who took 7 months to deliver, but it came eventually.
If I remember correctly, it cost me about R600.00 for the first one (A in pic) and about R1700.00 for the second. I am not sure why the latter is more expensive and what extra it can do.
PM me if you are interested in A in the pic, I can let it go because I use the other.
BTW, you need a laptop with a serial port - preferably (actually much better if you dont want crap) 32bit as the 64bit systems dont like the serial ports drivers.
The issue I had was the Post Office who took 7 months to deliver, but it came eventually.
If I remember correctly, it cost me about R600.00 for the first one (A in pic) and about R1700.00 for the second. I am not sure why the latter is more expensive and what extra it can do.
PM me if you are interested in A in the pic, I can let it go because I use the other.
BTW, you need a laptop with a serial port - preferably (actually much better if you dont want crap) 32bit as the 64bit systems dont like the serial ports drivers.
Ratslaaf
///Member
No one uses serial ports anymore, it's more convenient using a USB interface.
In other news, I've figured out the issue with the Zasstra cables and as I suspected, it's the USB to Serial chips. These are clones instead of the proper FTDI chips.
So, it looks like we can buy the Zasstra cables and just replace these chips. I'll order a bunch of these in order to help the guys out here.
In other news, I've figured out the issue with the Zasstra cables and as I suspected, it's the USB to Serial chips. These are clones instead of the proper FTDI chips.
So, it looks like we can buy the Zasstra cables and just replace these chips. I'll order a bunch of these in order to help the guys out here.
Ratslaaf
///Member
German_spec said:
About R80 excl. But I've replaced it and now have the serial port working properly. I see now there's an issue with the software running on the cable as well. I've upgraded the firmware on the AVR chip, just waiting for my PLD programmer to come back so I can upgrade that firmware as well. I've checked the hardware and it's pretty much identical to the expensive cable I've got here.
