Thread: Old Tablet uses

Originally Posted by theresanothersteve

All you need is an ELM327 device, the OBDII port on a disco is fairly accessible so all I have tried will fit, and an app like DashCmd or Torque Pro (I'm using DashCmd).

You will need to use a permanent power supply to the tablet, most tablets (particularly the cheaper/ older ones) don't have good battery life when the display is permanently on. I suspect in extreme cases power use might even overrun the battery's ability to charge. A bluetooth ELM327 (you only need wireless if you are going to connect to an iAnything) is about 20 bucks and a full version of an app about 10, so it doesn't cost much to find out.

Both of my machines are 300Tdi powered, so no OBDII for me unfortunately.

Originally Posted by AllTerr

I thought the apps like torque pro and such only work for D3 on up? I may be wrong but I though I read somewhere that they don't work on D2 or older

Works ok on a D2 V8. How accurate is another question tho, but in saying that it seems accurate.
Can reset faults too.
I get coolant temp volts, RPM and something else(can't remember) .. but that's all I've tried and needed.

As already said, 300 Tdi OBD doesn't work with these apps.

GPS use is nice to have, although I know the Pendo GPS isn't all that good(tried).
The thing I liked about the Pendo was the 16:9 screen format so made it large, but not in the vertical manner, so over bonnet visibility wasn't impeded as much as with something like a 10" Galaxy Tab or similar.

Other thing you could 'repurpose' it for is entertainment system(music, etc) if you have a compliant radio, and a wired/wireless rear view camera as well(seen cheapies for $30) .. and a dashcam if you haven't already got one .. etc.