Thread: nanocoms-who sells them

Hi Bob - we pretty much cleared out the last 23 Nanocoms from Blackbox Solutions (BBS) with the AULRO group buy we did last month.

I had an update from BBS tonight that they do not expect to have another batch ready for 6-8 weeks due to changes in the design and production of the Nanocom Evos.

They are accepting orders for the Nanocom Evos through their online shop at https://www.blackbox-solutions.com/shop/ and assure me that buyers will not be billed until the new unit is available for dispatch.

Regarding local suppliers, I am not yet sure that my business, Hard Range Australia http://hardrange.com will be stocking them. I am yet to work out the details with BBS as to how I can make it worth my while to keep them in stock. It was ok to do a sub-$450 per person group buy as a one-off, but that is not a sustainable model for a business that needs to cover costs.

Hope this helps.

Cheers, Paul.

Thanks, Paul. I made enquiries at the local idependant dealer and they sell " hawkeye"? correct me if I'm wrong. Will that do the job? cheers Bob.

I think there was a review of the Hawkeye in the Diagnostics section on this site, or maybe it was rangerovers.net
I don't know how well it works on a Disco but it didn't get a good review for the P38. I should let someone who knows more about them than me give their opinion. FaultMate Extreme's on the other hand are a big seller for us, and over half of our sales are for Disco 2 and 3's.
Cheers, Paul.

Originally Posted by PaulP38a

I think there was a review of the Hawkeye in the Diagnostics section on this site, or maybe it was rangerovers.net
I don't know how well it works on a Disco but it didn't get a good review for the P38. I should let someone who knows more about them than me give their opinion. FaultMate Extreme's on the other hand are a big seller for us, and over half of our sales are for Disco 2 and 3's.
Cheers, Paul.

Could you give me an idea of the cost of the Faultmate Extreme please Paul, and bearing in mind I am a baby boomer who had to be dragged into the computer age, do you think it would be better value than a nanocom for me? Sorry for all the questions but keen to get a system that best suits me. Cheers, Bob.

Originally Posted by bob10

Could you give me an idea of the cost of the Faultmate Extreme please Paul, and bearing in mind I am a baby boomer who had to be dragged into the computer age, do you think it would be better value than a nanocom for me? Sorry for all the questions but keen to get a system that best suits me. Cheers, Bob.

Hi Bob, might be more appropriate to take the "commercials conversation" off-line from AULRO... suffice to say here that I can do a better price than what we advertise them for at hardrange.com for AULRO members

A quick pro's and con's from my perspective of the Faultmate MSV-2 Extreme versus the Nanocom Evo for the Disco II... but first...

Preface and disclaimer: both the FaultMate and Nanocom products are now manufactured and sold by Blackbox Solutions (BBS). My business is a distributor of BBS product and I am a (mostly) happy owner of a Faultmate MSV-2 that has saved me a lot of money and grief-avoidance in ownership of my P38 Range Rovers. If my opinions appear biased, I apologise now, but it is my opinion (like sphincters, everybody has one ) and other members are welcome to add theirs to the mix.

Faultmate MSV-2 Extreme PRO's:

• communicates with all ECU's in the Disco II
• built-in LCD screen for stand-alone functionaility or can be connected to a PC/laptop for greater functionaility
• Vehicle Explorer software very comprehensive and good help features
• backed-up by BBS support forum and helpful user community
• hardware can be retained when changing over to another Land Rover (BBS charge an admin fee to transfer codes to another Disco II, and/or credit software cost off another vehicle licence)
• has 3 licence "slots" (1 for your Disco, another 2 available for other single-vehicle or multi-vehicle licences)
• supports all Land Rovers with ECU interfaces (limited support for RRC and Disco I)
• difficult to break the software interface, i.e. solid programming and protection in place
• compared to similar Testbook/ Autologic systems, is excellent value for money
• worth buying if you plan to keep your vehicle for more than 12-18 months (mine paid for itself in less than 6 months).

Faultmate MSV-2 Extreme CON's:

• is locked to a single vehicle by VIN (but can add another 2 single-vehicle licences, or another single vehicle and multi-vehicle licences)
• PC connection is via serial interface (or USB-Serial adapter)
• more expensive than Nanocom
• the "communicating with" screens during operations seem painfully slow at times... may be due to serial interface.

Nanocom Evolution PRO's:

• communicates with TD5 EMS, Body Control, ACE and SLABS ECU's
• TFT touch screen user interface is easy to navigate
• USB interface to PC for applying software updates and backup/restore functions
• can run in instrumentation mode (trip computer etc)
• can be used on any number of TD5's
• better value than Faultmate for Defender TD5 (due to lack of ECU's in Defender TD5)

Nanocom Evolution CON's:

• does not communicate with auto box, SRS or cruise control ECU's
• does not communicate with V8 Petrol EMS
• currently supports only Disco II TD5, Defender TD5 and Puma, no other Land Rovers
• originally written in Italian but English translation of menus and manuals is not so great (BBS are fixing this)
• system software can easily be wiped (but fairly simple to restore if you have taken a backup)

I'm sure there are other pro's and con's that other members can share. These are just mine based on owning a MSV-2 for a couple of years and playing around with my Nanocom Evo for a couple of weeks on other people's vehicles.

My examples:
My FaultMate Extreme MSV-2 has it's first licence "slot" assigned to my P38 Range Rover, the second slot to my wife's Freelander, and the third slot is used by multi-vehicle licences to help out mates with P38's as well as my other P38 project vehicle.

My Nanocom Evolution is licenced for Disco II TD5 and Defender TD5 and can be used on any number of those vehicles. If I want to connect it to post-2007 Defender Pumas I only need to purchase another 2 unlock codes.

Hope this helps.

Cheers, Paul.

Thanks for the info, Paul. I am slowly getting my D2 set up for a Kimberly trip. As I am retired, I have taken the option of a part time job, to finance the trip, so it may take a month or two to reach the stage of purchasing this article. I will be in contact at the appropiate moment, [ I like the look of the side steps, as well] Cheers, Bob

Originally Posted by PaulP38a

Hi Bob - we pretty much cleared out the last 23 Nanocoms from Blackbox Solutions (BBS) with the AULRO group buy we did last month.

I had an update from BBS tonight that they do not expect to have another batch ready for 6-8 weeks due to changes in the design and production of the Nanocom Evos.

They are accepting orders for the Nanocom Evos through their online shop at https://www.blackbox-solutions.com/shop/ and assure me that buyers will not be billed until the new unit is available for dispatch.

Regarding local suppliers, I am not yet sure that my business, Hard Range Australia http://hardrange.com will be stocking them. I am yet to work out the details with BBS as to how I can make it worth my while to keep them in stock. It was ok to do a sub-$450 per person group buy as a one-off, but that is not a sustainable model for a business that needs to cover costs.

Hope this helps.

Cheers, Paul.

Unfortunately if you are after a nanocom the next batch is due in around 8 weeks but the units have already been allocated! I placed an order and got very prompt reply saying that I have been put on the waiting list.

Will have to wait a little longer for my new toy

Sorry Caboose and all

I feel a little bad that after taking on the Nanocom product, partly to fix the well known supply problems, that one of the first things we have to do after existing stock runs out is provide a delay in availability.

But sadly the original design was such that it could never be manufactured quickly enough or in sufficient quantities to ever meet demand, and in the long term, it is much better that we totally re engineer it to not only be a much better product physically, but also one which can more easily and more quickly be produced, even if that means there is an initial delay in availability.

All i can tell you is that from what i see of the prototypes, the wait, no matter how long, WILL be well worth every minute.