"Street Surgeon" (coryislost)
05/28/2015 at 17:09 • Filed to: None
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"Street Surgeon" (coryislost)
05/28/2015 at 17:09 • Filed to: None | 1
| 4 |
For some time now I’ve been looking into purchasing an OBD2 bluetooth device to use in conjunction with my iPhone. The iPhone (and Androids etc) have tons of apps to assist with OBD2 datalogging, vehicle troubleshooting, track day video antics etc. Most if not all of them require a wireless OBD2 adapter in order to talk to your smartphone. For me, the choices are a bit limited and also quite a bit pricier than if you were to have an Android. The only real choices based on super limited research appeared to have been the GoPoint BT1, or the Automatic adapter. There are others to be sure, but these looked the most solid to me.
I ended up purchasing the Automatic adapter (ver2) and it’s not gone well. There were several things I didn’t care for in regards to this piece of hardware. The first was the cup thing that it came in. It’s neat, I got a free cup, buuuuuut I’d have much rather had a small case to store the adapter in than this huge cup. Next up, upon loading the app I discovered that this device apparently wants access to location services 24/7. In fact, you can only choose either giving the app access to no location services, or full 24/7 access. I’m the type of fella that only gives apps access to my location while using the app. So that sucked.
So back to the reason I purchased this adapter, it was to use it in conjunction with my Dash Command and Harry’s Lap Timer apps! That however, wasn’t meant to be. Firstly, in order to use the adapter with the apps you have allow the apps access to it, in doing so you have to give the apps access to all your automatic account info. As in name, address, email info etc. Now, this is more of an issue with the Dash Command app, but with the GoPoint you can just sync and go. Ugh. So anyway the Automatic sort of worked with my Echo, and wouldn’t talk at all with my Focus ST. That combined with all the other crap means it’s going back. I’ve sent an email to Automatic asking for a refund/return and we’ll see how that goes :-/
Justin Hughes
> Street Surgeon
05/28/2015 at 17:31 |
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I picked up an el cheapo ELM327 off Amazon and it works great with DashCommand. I haven’t tried Harry’s Lap Timer yet, mostly because I’m out of memory, I have to dump a bunch of music I don’t listen to anymore, and I hate hate hate iTunes.
The key with an iPhone is to get one that uses wifi, NOT Bluetooth. For some reason Bluetooth doesn’t play nicely with the iPhone, though it works fine on an Android.
BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
> Street Surgeon
05/28/2015 at 17:31 |
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Thanks for the review. I too was thinking about getting one of these, but will stay away from the Automatic / iPhone combo.
DarrenMR
> Street Surgeon
05/28/2015 at 17:36 |
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It may be worth your time to get a cheapo bluetooth one from amazon, and buy a prepaid android from walmart or something. You dont need service on the phone to do what youre trying, and if you need it for anything while youre going just use the hotspot on your iPhone.
(or you could throw the iPhone away and buy an Android for real, since they are awesome :D)
computiNATEor
> Justin Hughes
05/28/2015 at 17:40 |
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God, iTunes sucks. I love my iPhone to death, but I could kill iTunes.