At the AGM today I raised the possibility of developing an Android/Bluetooth application to work as Startrek. It seemed to go down well... is this something that might have general interest?

Here's the situation: to build this I need to expend several hundred hours learning the OS and developing the application; I need to design, test, and debug the hardware dongle that will (wirelessly) connect to the ECU. If there is interest, I'm prepared to put that effort in...

This will be a two part solution: the first is the android application itself which will be free. The second is the interface for ECU which may well be for 20vt and will regretably have to be charged for. I have no idea of the cost of this interface though it ought to be somewhat less than the widget - it uses many of the same components.

Sedicivalvole has indicated that may be able to facilitate conversion to Apple iPhone format.

Please understand that I don't yet know if this is possible though I believe it to be - but I need to know first whether the interest is there...

Cheers!

Hi Neil, I liked your vocal style and your pitch was good. It's a 100% YES from me!

Im sure i asked you this in a pm ages ago

It would be a yes from me as well

If it can be made iPhone/mac compatible I would definitely be interested.

Yeap i would get it

A yes from me too Neil, if iPhone compatible.

This is a great idea Neil, imagine the potential market if you could design a system that could bluetooth with any vehicle ECU and display the information on a tablet or similar device!!

That's already available, Jimbo - look for 'elm 327 bluetooth' which works with current OBD-II systems and many CAN systems.

The big problem is that the coupe doesn't use OBD-II nor anything remotely similar. The 16 (Weber/Magneti Marelli) ECU is the easiest to implement but uses a baud rate that bluetooth can't handle; the 20 uses a combination of a brain-dead processor and an equally braindead and unnecessarily complex comms protocol which requires very precise timing - and will still drop out from time to time if the ECU has more important things to do.

That's why an interface box is required; it has to manage the bluetooth comms and talk to the ECU and negotiate between the two.

In my earlier post I said and I forgot to include the word 'only' but I'll see about the 16; it's the easier one to start with. Might be different boxes/software packages - stuffing both sets of protocols into the widget complicated it enormously.

Pinin, failed to notice you there at the AGM; you should have said hello!

You'll struggle to get a Bluetooth adaptor working on a IPhone I think, unless it's jailbroken.

The only ones compatible I found used WiFi and we're expensive.

Yes yes yes :-)

Hell yes!!!

If it wireless then yes im in all the way. The screen of my galaxy s note would love it

Very interested in Android one!

On the 'droid you say? I'm in.

Second that!

Sounds like an excellent idea.

Yes

Can i ask how exactly this device would work.Is It simply a board connected to the diagnostic port outputting to an android device via bluetooth interface?

Just thought about this after you mentioned it yesterday. How would this benefit over a widget or star trek and cables.

More displayed information? Just a query really. Defiantly a great idea though.

Rather you than me, but I'd be interested in an Android version and both 16VT and 20VT dongles.

Basically yes, Rueb. It benefits those who don't want to remove the vent to fit a widget, and it benefits those who don't have a laptop. There's no point fitting it if you have a widget unless you want to swap. You won't be able to use two at once.

This sounds brilliant. Id be interested in it.

I'll be interested if you can do it for the iPhone.

Awesome idea

Great idea, as an iphone user that would be my preference, but I know plenty of people with Android phones.

Would be interested in an iOS version as first preference or Android as second.

Apple have restricted/crippled file transfers on Bluetooth on iOS not sure about data transfers though? I know i should go and look but it's Sunday!

Do Android first , iOS last

Android would definitely be easier (particularly in terms of the wireless component of it).

I am an iOS user, but in this case I would recommend Android come first (I think it would be much quicker as well, unless you already know Objective C).

If released on Android, I would buy a cheapo Android phone and stick it in the car permanently.

A resounding 'yes' from me, and I can guarantee a large number of the the Malaysian folks will also want a piece of this.

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/2012-HOT-.../635847694.html

Very cheap android phone. Scrap the rest of the sim functions etc. Just have this plugged in to some power in the car and away you go.

Neil, would this be capable of reading and deleting codes or is it purely a widget?

Unknown as yet, Kelvin, but it would certainly be capable of reading them and probably of clearing them too.