Because of the power steering issue, i need to move onto FORSCAN. I need to read a DTC concerning the power steering and
for a long time i wanted to turn off the DRL (daytime running lights).
i dont have the best of laptops running win7 - but it will have to do.
In a post in 10-2020 a member of the forum wing43215 recommended this adapter:
ELM327 from the OBDMOSTER store.
Any feedback ??

 

I don't know about the toggle switch adaptors. I haven't used one. I have an older model Win10 laptop. It's relatively slow but fast enough for this. I don't know how having to throw a switch to read the HS-CAN network affects FORScan. I spent a little more and bought the OBDLink EX ($49.95, I know a lot more comparatively) and it works perfectly, no fuss. I figured I'd go with what they recommend and spend a little beer money.

https://www.obdlink.com/products/obdlink-ex/

OTOH if anyone has experience with your adaptor and it works for them, I'd be happy to eat humble pie and you'll have some extra beer money.

 

I am using an older Win 7 laptop. It works fine. The pprogram itself does not need much in the way of resources. I suspect it would run fine on an XP machine.

I have several different ELM327 adapters, from the cheap $10 ones to the $100 OBDLINK-MX, which i never got to connect reliably. I had the best success with one specific to Fords that uses a USB connection and has the switch. You have to have the switch to access the peripheral functions like DRLs.

This isn't the exact same, but should work: https://smile.amazon.com/OHP-ELMconf...4264238&sr=8-5

 

I dont know anything about that adapter but i wouldnhighly recommend the OBDLink EX. No switch, was made with the help of the forscan folks specifically for Forscan. Its super fast and hard wired with a usb so you dont lose packets if yiir programing modules and such. I have a 2011 mac book that i run a windows simulator on and it works very well. I also have a 2013 mac mini that i run bootcamp on which allows me to run windows and switch between the 2 and it works great. Couldnt be happier. I also use it on my cheap chinese android head unit with no problems and use forscan light. Obdlink has their own software that you get thats pretty cool too. Just my 2 cents.

 

Pretty cool! Is that screen part of the head unit, or a separate tablet?

 

that is a separate tablet (best i can tell)
my question is: do you leave that there when you are driving
(or can forscan operate while the car is running)

i know people would put in scanguage II to get the coolant temperature - and of course it is running all the time the engine is running

 

Its part of the head unit. Not a seperate tablet. That one in particular does turn vertical and you can remove it by releasing the locking tabs and sliding it up. Once its free from the ball joint and bracket theres a small wire loom with a plastic clip/plug to release and its free. Its really there for installation purposes so you can mount the double din portion and your plastic bezels or trim if you will as they wont fit around the screen. I wouldnt reccomend removing it often. These things are pretty neat and well within affordability at less than $200 depending on the hardware and manufacturer. Mine is a no name either knock off or is built then sold to be branded by other "manufacturers" whom may do little more than slap on a sticker on it and put their own version of android with their proprietary apps. Later on I can remove the screen and take some quick photos if yall would like. Oh alot of these also have the capabilities to connect to your vehicles canbus for tpms monitoring and such as well as mirror your phone.

 

I for one would like to see more of that. I have been toying with the idea of mounting a tablet on a stalk so I could get a full gage display like yours, but I keep running into issues maintaining connection.