RE: Cheap scan tool?? (Ease)

From: Jon Steiger (stei0302@cs.fredonia.edu)
Date: Fri Sep 18 1998 - 18:54:55 EDT


On Fri, 18 Sep 1998, Bridges, Bruce wrote:

> DML,
> I got the info package from Ease regarding their "low cost" scan tool. To
> get basic tabular info it costs you 295.00. If you want graphing capability
> (30 parameters perr graph) in the "real time" mode, its the ease + tool for
> 695.00.... Seems like a good package but the cost is getting up there..
> BKB

   Are you sure about that? The way I read the info is as follows:

  There are three versions: Professional, Express, and Consumer.

  There are also three standards for communicating with OBDII vehicles. The
  most common appears to be ISO (this is the one Chrysler/Dodge Truck uses),
  followed by VPW, then PWM.

  The Professional is the full blown version with loads of capabilities,
report creation, etc. Its cost is $1295. It supports ISO, VPW, and PWM,
so it can communicate with any OBDII vehicle.

  The Express version has less capabilities than the professional
version, but still has graphing, etc. It also supports all three
interfaces, so it can communicate with any OBDII vehicle.

  The Consumer version is exactly the same as the Express version, but
it can only support one interface, so you have to decide which vehicles
you want to use it on and choose the correct interface. In our case,
this would be ISO. Its cost is $295. If you want to add another
interface to the Consumer version, it costs $495. You can upgrade
any of these tools for the cost difference in the future.

  Here's a cut'n'paste from their web site:

   |----------------
   |The Consumer Version of the PC Scan Tool has the same scan tool
   |capabilities as the Express Version except the Express Version works
   |with all OBD II communication protocols and the Consumer Version works
   |with only the specific OBD II communication protocol(s) you purchase.
   |----------------

  Did Ease specifically tell you that the consumer version doesn't
do graphing? If so, how long ago was this? Maybe its something they've
changed recently.

                                              -Jon-

  .--- stei0302@cs.fredonia.edu ----------------------------------------.
  | Jon Steiger * AOPA, DoD, EAA, MP Race Team, NMA, SPA, USUA * RP-SEL |
  | '96 Dodge Dakota v8 SLT CC (14.80@92.97), '96 Kolb FireFly 447 |
  `--------------------------- http://www.cs.fredonia.edu/~stei0302/ ---'



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