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peacey
31st May 2009, 09:31 AM
Test book dongle schematics and obd2. have obd2 software & rave software also.
Will make a few if any is interested or make your own as per drawings.

Have attached.
Dont know if attachment worked.:confused:

peacey
31st May 2009, 09:34 AM
Can anyone tell me how to check attachment. never used before, in forum.

p38arover
31st May 2009, 10:16 AM
Did you use the Manage Attachments button?

peacey
31st May 2009, 10:47 AM
Attached using attachment butoon uploaded and closed nothing happens. Trying on other computor with word not microsoft works word processor. 15834:) does this work.

p38arover
31st May 2009, 11:08 AM
Dunno what you are doing but if you have an image in a Word .doc file, the file will be huge and will not upload. It has to be under 195kb in size. Convert the file to a PDF before uploading.

peacey
31st May 2009, 11:16 AM
attachment is their and opens.:):)

tracker
31st May 2009, 11:20 AM
yep,it works:)

p38arover
11th June 2009, 07:34 AM
Test book dongle schematics and obd2. have obd2 software & rave software also.
Will make a few if any is interested or make your own as per drawings.

So what does it actually do?

Does it interface a PC with Testbook software to the OBD2 port?

Does it allow access to all features that Testbook would do?

peacey
11th June 2009, 05:19 PM
With test book you can turn things off/on reset codes use it to raise lower turn on/off compressor on eas reset climate controls use it to test each component for fuction, runnig with test book software via pc. You can (on p38) to turn on heated seat fuction, all needed is a switch. It is like having the dealers test equipment at home/on board.:D

p38arover
11th June 2009, 07:41 PM
Interesting. I have the T4 software and a BlackBox Solutions Faultmate MSV and would like to try one of your interfaces with a view to telling others on the RangeRovers.net forum.

You mention making them available - I'm an electronics tech and could build one. Do you have a PCB available?

PaulP38a
11th June 2009, 09:46 PM
if this thing does everything a FaultMate does, I'm gonna be really ****ed off after forking out over a grand for one last week...:eek::eek:

peacey
12th June 2009, 04:37 PM
Dont have printed circut boards have to make them. As you must know fiddly pain in the arse work.

miky
13th June 2009, 05:02 AM
If you do a Google for the ELM323 or/and ELM327 chips you will find heaps of information, including free software.

Seams like it is no big deal to build an interface etc.

ariddell
13th June 2009, 10:06 AM
I've got an ELM327 interface sitting here, works fine for standard OBD2 stuff but i would have thought that T4 would have been more protected than just a standard PC interface?

16024

peacey
18th June 2009, 06:53 PM
like most devices that require make derived software all that is needed is a dongle to interface between machinery/cars and a pc. passwords are some times required but withj the range rover(p38) the vin number is only required.

MoodyBlue
6th July 2009, 12:39 PM
Peacy,
How much is this piece of Kit please?

Also what else does it need to talk to a laptop. ie serial port or USB?

Testbook software. where from?

I already have a dedicated laptop with serial port I use with EAS unlock and for my Tartarini LPG.

Off topic: Heated seat control. I recently changed Hevac with one I bought from UK. It has the switches. Any one know what elsse needs adding (fuse somewhere?)


Cheers and Thanks
Jeff

peacey
10th August 2009, 07:14 PM
Test book soft ware should be on you rave cd (if you have it) computor requires to run on xp and have a serial port. cost wehen i made mine was about 120 dollars. Will have a look at heated seats and post soon.

Cannon
11th August 2009, 11:45 AM
i've got a rave cd but i can't find any software on it???

any clues as to where it is please?:)

p38arover
11th August 2009, 04:16 PM
Testbook software isn't on the RAVE CD - at least not on the six different versions I have.

Cannon
11th August 2009, 04:58 PM
didn't think so:whistling:

peacey
12th August 2009, 06:01 PM
ive got it on mine if you want a copy will work something out (to large to upload) pm me:p

LOVEMYRANGIE
22nd August 2009, 12:50 AM
ive got it on mine if you want a copy will work something out (to large to upload) pm me:p

Yes pleeeeeeeeeease!!!!!

BBS Guy
11th September 2009, 03:40 AM
Hiya All
I have followed this thread for some time but only recently became a member and able to add my input. Sadly its not good news for which i apologise but i thought some might like to read what i know anyway.

I actually own examples of just about all testbook models and have repaired more than a few, so i actually have quite a good working knowledge of them and i do know how they work at quite a core level.
As is suspected, the IO (Input & output) is far from standard or easily duplicatable with a standard PC.
I only wish it were as it would have certainly saved me a lot of bother many years ago

TestBook one, the most common (especially second hand), with the reverse (to a laptop) folding B&W display has a custom HP 486 Motherboard which has a Xylinx FPGA (Field Programmable Gate array) on board. This is connected across the ISA bus and provides custom IO mapping via a plug on sub board that has reed relay switching control, voltage measuring via a common multi meter chip and Opto isolation for data channels on. With Comms traffic, this then passes via an external connector to an External VCSI brick (Vehicle Communications Serial Interface) and finally to a lead that routes it to and from the right pins of the respective vehicle diagnostic connector.

Testbook two has a more standard 486 motherboard, its B&W display is on an umbilical using a spoecialised AVED controler card and the FPGA was moved onto an ISA card which also piggy backs the same sub board as before.

TestBook 3 simply went to a colour display and a pentuim class CPU, but the IO was unchanged.

I was quite easily able to get the Testbook software running on a standard PC etc, but short of designing a similar FPGA chip that sits on the ISA bus, which is a skill i did / do not have, there was / is no way to get any data IO.

However T4 and T4 Mobile (seems someone nicked the TestBook 4 name :lol2:) Is a whole different thing.

The FPGA sub board and VCI functionality was replicated on one circuit board, this was then mapped to a bus on which also sits an Ethernet chip. This all in one board was then placed externally to the PC (origionally a standard Dell Laptop) in a box, the holster on a T4 metal box on the mobile and connected via ethernet.
The testbook software was then modified to also provide comms via the ethernets TCP/IP link.

For the sake of it, and in a less busier time than present we did actually manage to put in a Slip (IP over serial) driver, re map the T4 software to use that and replicated the entire external box's function in software using one of our own Vehicle servers (A mini PC in a box) and our own in house electronic interfacing. We even added cable handling in a very cute way. IIRC, I do have a Proof of concept video somewhere if you would really like to see that in action i will dig it out.

In any event, by that time, the project was actually counter productive to our own equipments development, and its not like we had a lot of spare time to play with, so it went no further. Although i have to say that on several occasions i have used our own version of the Testbook / T4 hardware as it was handier and actually better than the origional in a number of aspects.

Anyway, as i said, i really am sorry to be the negative sounding one here on what would seem and promise to be the holy grail for everyone, but unless some add on interface circuit connects to the whole ISA bus and it contains an FPGA or it starts with an Ethernet connection and has a lot of stuff after it, i am afraid to say that i personally don't give it any credibility.

I did not spend too much time with the T4 plus unit although i understand its like our solution just with serial transported over USB.

BBS Guy
23rd September 2009, 03:04 AM
Hiya peacey

Sorry chap, i do / did not mean to rain on your parade as it were.
I am just stating what i absolutely 100% know.

I am more than willing to be enlightened, bedazzled and proved wrong chap.

I fear no competition and would appluad any such break through as much as the next man. To me it would only result in a market shift or re focus exercise. So i really don't mind.

Perhaps a demo video on you tube etc or a bit more explaination on how it connects and works would help.

In fact if you prove it to me i will put you a link on our web site and help you with marketing it.

Now you can't say fairer than that.

Ubatoid
21st January 2010, 06:16 AM
Hi Peacey, just stumbled upon this thread, was most interested in your schematic of the testbook dongle. Can I ask, have you actually made any of these and tested with the testbook software ?. I have a Faultmate at the moment, but it is a single vehicle unit and it would be nice to be ableto help some of the other P38 owners in my area.

VMatas
27th May 2010, 07:24 PM
Thank you for cable schematics.. looks interesting. Did you test this interface cable by itself? And what about firmware for micro-controller - it's available in any way?
Sorry, for renewing a bit old post - but this issue is very interesting for me :)