EFIDude, Here is what I know
03-08-2008, 06:22 PM
#1
EFIDude, Here is what I know
A lot of people have been asking me about EFIDude as I spend a good bit of time talking about them and I am the only one using their yet to be released reflashing. I figured it was best to start a new thread and update it as I learn stuff.
The guys over at EFIDude are friends and I have helped them out with technology and testing. I do not speak for them but this is what I know.
The hardware bit is one price and that comes with the ProLogger option. The same hardware can be used for flashing as well by ordering the single ViN option. You can reflash your car as many times as you like or need with this option. They tell me they will have a multiple ViN capability with discounted per ViN charges for tuners that want to use the system for customers as well. The reflashing bit will be released within a week so it will be released before you can generate and digest logs from hardware you order today. They use me as their lab rat and I've been using the retail dongle personality changer (or at least that is what I call the software that changes the hardware from a logger to a programmer) for several days now so the timing seems doable.
If you get the logger now you can simply order the reflasher option from their site and you will get an email enabling the option. The same ProLogger application software handles making the hardware a programmer or a data logger and also handles putting tuned (or stock) files on the hardware for reflashing onto the car. I've been using the reflashing stuff for over six months but they are just finishing the retail stuff.
You can download the ProLogger software from www.efidude.com for free and grab one of the data files I put in one of the threads if you want to take a look at the software. Any changes, bug fixes or added features will automatically show up on your computer. Every time you start the ProLogger software, it checks the internet for a newer version of the software and grabs it. It is kinda neat. I went to run it the other day, it took a couple of minutes to load and then I had the new data import feature I asked them for so people could email me files (and so I could post data on the forum for others to view). It also makes it easy to send your data to others as they can load ProLogger for free and check out how your car is running.
The ProTune phone home communication only goes one way. The software checks for newer versions but I have confirmed that NO DATA from my computer is ever sent back to EFIDude.
With respect to editing, the Dude guys are supposed to release a shareware text editor so you can make your own fuel and timing changes for NA. That will follow release of the programmer of course. I use WinOLS and plan to support the Open Source Tune project by emailing people spread sheets, having them edit and return them then emailing them back a file to flash and test. Once the freeware package is available (or Hymee's nice graphical editor) you will be able to continue on with the files yourself. All the files I do will be posted and made available for free download.
That is all I know for now. I am pressing the guys to release another feature of the hardware and will keep you posted on my progress.
The guys over at EFIDude are friends and I have helped them out with technology and testing. I do not speak for them but this is what I know.
The hardware bit is one price and that comes with the ProLogger option. The same hardware can be used for flashing as well by ordering the single ViN option. You can reflash your car as many times as you like or need with this option. They tell me they will have a multiple ViN capability with discounted per ViN charges for tuners that want to use the system for customers as well. The reflashing bit will be released within a week so it will be released before you can generate and digest logs from hardware you order today. They use me as their lab rat and I've been using the retail dongle personality changer (or at least that is what I call the software that changes the hardware from a logger to a programmer) for several days now so the timing seems doable.
If you get the logger now you can simply order the reflasher option from their site and you will get an email enabling the option. The same ProLogger application software handles making the hardware a programmer or a data logger and also handles putting tuned (or stock) files on the hardware for reflashing onto the car. I've been using the reflashing stuff for over six months but they are just finishing the retail stuff.
You can download the ProLogger software from www.efidude.com for free and grab one of the data files I put in one of the threads if you want to take a look at the software. Any changes, bug fixes or added features will automatically show up on your computer. Every time you start the ProLogger software, it checks the internet for a newer version of the software and grabs it. It is kinda neat. I went to run it the other day, it took a couple of minutes to load and then I had the new data import feature I asked them for so people could email me files (and so I could post data on the forum for others to view). It also makes it easy to send your data to others as they can load ProLogger for free and check out how your car is running.
The ProTune phone home communication only goes one way. The software checks for newer versions but I have confirmed that NO DATA from my computer is ever sent back to EFIDude.
With respect to editing, the Dude guys are supposed to release a shareware text editor so you can make your own fuel and timing changes for NA. That will follow release of the programmer of course. I use WinOLS and plan to support the Open Source Tune project by emailing people spread sheets, having them edit and return them then emailing them back a file to flash and test. Once the freeware package is available (or Hymee's nice graphical editor) you will be able to continue on with the files yourself. All the files I do will be posted and made available for free download.
That is all I know for now. I am pressing the guys to release another feature of the hardware and will keep you posted on my progress.
03-13-2008, 06:44 AM
#2
I checked www.efidude.com this morning and they are now shipping the reflasher. I've testing the personality swapping part of ProLogger for a while now and I know the Dudes wanted it beat on a bit more before they ship it to the world. The reflasher remembers all the ViNs it has been married to (and for which you have paid for) and they wanted to make sure that memory was absolutely safe when you change back and forth between logger and reflasher personalities. They came up with a solution and I am trying to break it now.
The company was also painfully aware that they promised to ship a reflasher last week and wanted to do something extra to honor that commitment. The solution was a middle ground where they would ship a programmer today and test the personality swapping a bit more before releasing it to the public. Practically, this means if you buy a logger with reflash, you get one white labeled dongle that logs and one red labeled dongle that reflashes. If you already have a logger and order the reflasher upgrade, you will get a red labeled dongle. Either way, the pricing stays exactly the same.
When the personality option is released, you will be given the option to return the red labeled programmer dongle and have the original logger dongle be both your logger and programmer. You can also choose to keep the programmer dongle so you have one of each at all times. If you choose to keep the reflasher so you have two dongles, it will cost $75 to cover the costs of the extra dongle. For me, I prefer two dongles so I can walk over to the car, reflash it with one then drive off logging straight away using the other.
The reflasher is supported by the same ProLogger application. The next time you run ProLogger with an internet connection, it will download the latest version of the program which contains support for the reflasher. When you attach the reflasher via USB, the program will "see" that it has a reflasher attached and ask you if you want to send a file to it. Say yes and off the file goes to the dongle. It is that simple.
I'll try to shoot some pics or video of the process and get it posted.
The company was also painfully aware that they promised to ship a reflasher last week and wanted to do something extra to honor that commitment. The solution was a middle ground where they would ship a programmer today and test the personality swapping a bit more before releasing it to the public. Practically, this means if you buy a logger with reflash, you get one white labeled dongle that logs and one red labeled dongle that reflashes. If you already have a logger and order the reflasher upgrade, you will get a red labeled dongle. Either way, the pricing stays exactly the same.
When the personality option is released, you will be given the option to return the red labeled programmer dongle and have the original logger dongle be both your logger and programmer. You can also choose to keep the programmer dongle so you have one of each at all times. If you choose to keep the reflasher so you have two dongles, it will cost $75 to cover the costs of the extra dongle. For me, I prefer two dongles so I can walk over to the car, reflash it with one then drive off logging straight away using the other.
The reflasher is supported by the same ProLogger application. The next time you run ProLogger with an internet connection, it will download the latest version of the program which contains support for the reflasher. When you attach the reflasher via USB, the program will "see" that it has a reflasher attached and ask you if you want to send a file to it. Say yes and off the file goes to the dongle. It is that simple.
I'll try to shoot some pics or video of the process and get it posted.
03-13-2008, 06:59 AM
#3
On a completely different note, the EFIDudes have said yes to one of my requests. I posted a scan tool challenge on a different thread and, with luck, our good friend Hymee will soon have his scan package "ported" to use the EFIDude high speed USB to CAN interface. That "high speed USB to CAN interface" is just another fancy name for the Dude dongle with a "Pass Through" personality.
Given that a pass through communications personality exists for the dongle, I wanted to know if it could be shared with everyone. The answer is yes. Once testing is complete (probably with the scan tool) the EFIDudes will release a dll (dynamic link library) for Windows that allows anyone to write software to talk to a CAN bus. I've not seen final pricing but suspect it will be significantly less than the logger.
The nice part about the personality system (when it is released) is that you will be able to put a Pass Through personality on your logger or reflasher for no extra cost. When released, it will simply become another personality you can put on the dongle.
If you are familiar with the CAN communication dongles out there you may ask what is so special about this one. The answer is simple; not all that much. The neat thing about what the Dudes are doing here is that (1) it does not cost you anything if you already have a dongle and (2) it is bloody fast in comparison to most all the other options out there. If you are a serious nerd, you will also find that the CAN controller is fully configurable so you can set it up for any data rate (up to a meg I think) and any filters and destinations. I'll try to post more as I get a chance to use it.
Given that a pass through communications personality exists for the dongle, I wanted to know if it could be shared with everyone. The answer is yes. Once testing is complete (probably with the scan tool) the EFIDudes will release a dll (dynamic link library) for Windows that allows anyone to write software to talk to a CAN bus. I've not seen final pricing but suspect it will be significantly less than the logger.
The nice part about the personality system (when it is released) is that you will be able to put a Pass Through personality on your logger or reflasher for no extra cost. When released, it will simply become another personality you can put on the dongle.
If you are familiar with the CAN communication dongles out there you may ask what is so special about this one. The answer is simple; not all that much. The neat thing about what the Dudes are doing here is that (1) it does not cost you anything if you already have a dongle and (2) it is bloody fast in comparison to most all the other options out there. If you are a serious nerd, you will also find that the CAN controller is fully configurable so you can set it up for any data rate (up to a meg I think) and any filters and destinations. I'll try to post more as I get a chance to use it.
03-13-2008, 08:31 AM
#4
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03-26-2008, 03:26 PM
#7
Pass Through Example Source
Ok, I just spent the day finishing off my VB6 code to exercise the Pass-Through personality of the EFIDude dongle.
In short, the EFIDude dongle is used to log data and reflash RX-8s in stand alone mode. You can also put a "Pass Through" personality on the little bugger that makes it a high speed USB2 to CAN interface.
This is a free feature to the product and so I decided to write some code to provide an example for using the bit. The attached code will grab an RX-8 ViN using the Mazda proprietary PiD and then grab the two packed PiD data sets the EFIDude data logger uses and display this information.
The dongle uses the MicroChip CAN interface (MCP2515, I believe) and comes set up to talk to 7E0 and listen to 7E8. For those of you that want to muck with things other than the PCM (or even cars for that matter), all the MCP2515 registers are exposed. There is no limit to the damage you can do (and ask me how I know this).
I’ve passed the source along to the EFIDude guys as well and suggested they post .NET source on their site as that is a bit newer and probably better known.
Good luck and do not hesitate to PM me if you have any questions.
In short, the EFIDude dongle is used to log data and reflash RX-8s in stand alone mode. You can also put a "Pass Through" personality on the little bugger that makes it a high speed USB2 to CAN interface.
This is a free feature to the product and so I decided to write some code to provide an example for using the bit. The attached code will grab an RX-8 ViN using the Mazda proprietary PiD and then grab the two packed PiD data sets the EFIDude data logger uses and display this information.
The dongle uses the MicroChip CAN interface (MCP2515, I believe) and comes set up to talk to 7E0 and listen to 7E8. For those of you that want to muck with things other than the PCM (or even cars for that matter), all the MCP2515 registers are exposed. There is no limit to the damage you can do (and ask me how I know this).
I’ve passed the source along to the EFIDude guys as well and suggested they post .NET source on their site as that is a bit newer and probably better known.
Good luck and do not hesitate to PM me if you have any questions.
Last edited by lolachampcar; 03-27-2008 at 07:25 AM. Reason: Fixed Problem in VB6 Sample Code - Please uses this release
03-27-2008, 03:25 AM
#9
Originally Posted by lolachampcar View Post
the EFIDudes will release a dll (dynamic link library) for Windows that allows anyone to write software to talk to a CAN bus.
the EFIDudes will release a dll (dynamic link library) for Windows that allows anyone to write software to talk to a CAN bus.
Really super cool! and very interesting...
03-27-2008, 06:55 AM
#10
The dll is included in the VB6 stuff above. The VB6 stuff is just an example of how to call the dll to get results.
Please be kind as I am no programmer. I just hack around at the stuff but you should get the idea.
By the way, none of this stuff is limited to the RX-8 apart from the Mazda specific PiD used to fetch the ViN. It can be used on any car with CAN (which all the new ones must have via EPA mandate).
Please be kind as I am no programmer. I just hack around at the stuff but you should get the idea.
By the way, none of this stuff is limited to the RX-8 apart from the Mazda specific PiD used to fetch the ViN. It can be used on any car with CAN (which all the new ones must have via EPA mandate).
04-11-2008, 09:49 AM
#12
Here is a quick screen shot and data file for a normally aspirated 2004 RX-8 where mixture has been leaned a good bit under 100% load. You can look at the file using ProLogger (which is a free download from the EFIDude site).
There are more data files being posted to www.efidude.com. You may want to look there as I am no longer checking the RX8Club forum.
Thanks, Bill
There are more data files being posted to www.efidude.com. You may want to look there as I am no longer checking the RX8Club forum.
Thanks, Bill
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