lolachampcar

A friend of mine is about to start shipping a data logging tool for the RX-8. In addition to logging data for tuning, it can reflash the RX-8 PCM and act as a general communication tool. I think he will be offering a performance reflash for 04, 05, and 06-08 standard RX-8s as well. It is the general communication bit that brings me to my challenge.

I think Dan Harrison of Harrison R&D had a good idea with his inexpensive Apex scan tool. Regretfully, it does not work very well and is just plain buggy. In addition, I have recently developed a desire to generate some competition for Mr. Harrison (a different thread altogether). So here is what I would like to propose-

I will put up $1000 to go to the first person to write a scan tool program that looks and works better than the H R&D Apex junk. I will write a simple dll that allows anyone to use my friend’s communication device to talk with an RX-8 and I will even do a quick VB routine to display something like water temperature. Source for the VB app will be provided.

I am trying to figure out how to structure the rest of the challenge and would like some feedback. Here are some of my thoughts and concerns-

How do we handle several people doing software and having to decide which gets the cash?
I would like my friend to have permission to sell the software and I would like to recoup my $1000 from the first royalties.
The software will need to sell to the public for about $75 to be competitive with my target (the H R&D junk).
My friend will need a little discount for handling the sales transactions that go through his site.
The author will be free to sell it anywhere he or she chooses; I just want to make sure my friend has a chance to offer it on his site as well.
The author must support the program if it is going to be sold to others (i.e. Address bugs when they crop up)

Any ideas?????
Thanks, Bill

StealthTL

iTrader: (1)

Kane?,

....paging Mr. Kane?


S

swoope

iTrader: (5)

ah,

hart party of one your table is ready.. tell patrick and tim i said hi..

and what you speak of is hymees stuff.. but i think that would be a tough deal.

beers

lolachampcar

Know the guys and will do, but probably only one of them...

Wrong on the second count. It is all home grown.

Coding the app should be straight forward and, if done right, there should be some money to be made.

Kane

iTrader: (1)

So you have a pipe and you want someone to do all software routines?

How will you pull the data off the PCM? What format is it in; do you have access too all the various tables? How does your tool log? Etc Etc Etc...

I don't want your money but if you have a VB app with the source to read and write from the PCM via ODBII - I'll give you the software and we can work out an arrangement to resell it.

eviltwinkie

Lot's of ideas...but you must ask the correct questions first...

For development...seek ye sourceforge...

OR just ask for a secure CVS repository that people can checkin and out of...if you are computer saavy...seek ye tortise SVN...

For distribution of the money you have to think...what is your single most important resource and go down from there...

In your case...you are seeking developers...unless you offer them something WORTHWHILE...your going to get mediocrity...

All you need is a SINGLE good one...and some support choders...that one gets a percentage...as in they need a vested interest...the support get fair offers...

From there you should be able to work out the rest...

Kane

iTrader: (1)

After reading the other threads I subscribe too; I am going to leave my comments up but state that for the record - as long as there seems to be conflict and professional shenanigans drug out into the public eye; I am not going contribute.

lolachampcar

It is far easier than you think.

Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OBD-II_PIDs for a definition of all the OBDii stuff. Go to H R&D for a look at his scanner software http://www.obdscan.net/

You will have a dll interface that will allow you to write to the RX-8 PCM (7E0) and read back (7E8). You need to ask for PiDs via the published OBDii spec and display the results. I will do an example for you, say reading and displaying water temperature or air temperature or mass airflow or Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) or or or. I will provide the source so you have an example of the communication and dll interaction.

This challenge has nothing to do with reflashing PCMs and the logging part is already done (as a stand alone element without need for a PC in your car). I just want H R&D's stuff done without bugs and the hardware side is already done.

As for selling the software, the guys at EFIDude (hardware) would like to be one channel for selling it. I would like to recoup my $1K from the first sales after which the per seat charge goes to the programmer and I am out of the loop.

These are just thoughts and open to discussion and modification. I am more interested in getting something done then doing things my way. If you want to do it on your own without the $1K guaranteed revenue, I'll still provide all the above to aid you in your efforts. If you get a hold of the guys at EFIDude, like them and want to sell it on their site as well. That would be great.

lolachampcar

Kane, thanks for joining in.

My chest is clear and it is now behind me.

People speak well of you so I hope you will choose to contribute at a later date.

lolachampcar

I would prefer not to own or control the end product in any way. The $1K offer was just an attempt to take some of the risk out of someone investing the time.

I would think there should be a good number car guys that are programmers as well. A good scan tool can be used on much more than RX-8s. Combining good, well thought out, well written code with a piece of hardware that can handle very fast data transfers reliably would make for a killer product. Everyone will win.

As for me, I am retired. I've already done all my commercial winning and now just look to add value where I can.

zoom44

staret writing that check. Mark Pickering - aka Hymee- did that very thing several years ago when he created the Scanalyzer tool

http://www.performancedesign.com.au/?content=scanalyser

It ha always looked and worked better than Mr Harrisons tool. IMHO

olddragger

iTrader: (3)

Well said Zoom and Bill-- Good luck to you. I hope all this works out.
olddragger

Hymee

iTrader: (1)

Bill,

PM Sent

Cheers,
Hymee.

lolachampcar

Hey, it sounds like Hymee has some nice stuff in the way of scan software.

I would appreciate hearing what people who have used it have to say about it.

swoope

iTrader: (5)

i gave you hymee in the third post.. i might be able to make it down if you want to see the software work..


beers

HiTMaNN

I am Hymee's Manager so all cheques made out to Hymee need to be filtered to me to make sure they are not "counterfit" or are proceeds of crime.

sosonic

Looks like a good thing for Hymee and Kane.

The sooner we see options, the better it will be for the entire RX-8 community (including the international ones too).