Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Bluetooth OBD2 interfaces

  1. #1

    Bluetooth OBD2 interfaces

    I know the Bluetooth OBD2 interfaces have different chips and features, which one has the best performance for this App on the iOS products?

    Also, is there an iOS product that it works better or worse on?

    --Christian

  2. #2
    HPT Employee Weston@HPTuners's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    39.735034, -103.894459
    Posts
    868
    For iOS, most OBD devices will be WiFi, due to Apple's restrictions on Bluetooth connectivity. The best performer I've seen is the OBDLink MX... There is a WiFi model for iOS devices, however there can be some issues getting that connected (doesn't always accept the WPA password), for which they are reportedly working on a firmware update. Their Bluetooth model is for Android.

    If you're desiring a Bluetooth solution, the GoPoint BT1/BT1A is the only option for iOS, and it tends to be reasonably quick too. The catch is that it uses a very different chip and protocol from all the others we support, so some features may not be available with it.

    As for iOS devices themselves, anything that runs iOS 7 or newer should work as long as it has a GPS (or you use a compatible external one). iPhone 4 or newer should do the trick, but the 4S has a bit more power, better video, and possibly a better GPS too. iPhone 5 / 5S / 6 / 6+ will also work, mainly adding more screen space and faster processing over the 4S.

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Weston@HPTuners View Post
    For iOS, most OBD devices will be WiFi, due to Apple's restrictions on Bluetooth connectivity. The best performer I've seen is the OBDLink MX... There is a WiFi model for iOS devices, however there can be some issues getting that connected (doesn't always accept the WPA password), for which they are reportedly working on a firmware update. Their Bluetooth model is for Android.

    If you're desiring a Bluetooth solution, the GoPoint BT1/BT1A is the only option for iOS, and it tends to be reasonably quick too. The catch is that it uses a very different chip and protocol from all the others we support, so some features may not be available with it.

    As for iOS devices themselves, anything that runs iOS 7 or newer should work as long as it has a GPS (or you use a compatible external one). iPhone 4 or newer should do the trick, but the 4S has a bit more power, better video, and possibly a better GPS too. iPhone 5 / 5S / 6 / 6+ will also work, mainly adding more screen space and faster processing over the 4S.

    Thank you for this info, thats exactly what I was looking for!

    One last question how does the WiFi connection with the iOS device work if I'm also trying to use the GoPro WiFi? Do I need to setup a infrastructure network or does iOS support dual Adhoc WiFi networks?

    --Christian

  4. #4
    HPT Employee Weston@HPTuners's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    39.735034, -103.894459
    Posts
    868
    Quote Originally Posted by CDNITE View Post
    Thank you for this info, thats exactly what I was looking for!

    One last question how does the WiFi connection with the iOS device work if I'm also trying to use the GoPro WiFi? Do I need to setup a infrastructure network or does iOS support dual Adhoc WiFi networks?

    --Christian
    Unfortunately, the phone can only be connected to one WiFi network at a time, so you'd have to choose between using the OBD WiFi interface or the GoPro WiFi control feature. That choice would be made in the iOS Settings app, by whichever WiFi network you are currently connected to. Most people would opt to use the OBD WiFi, then control the GoPro manually or via its physical remote control.

  5. #5
    Tuner in Training
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Posts
    19
    Which is more reliable for an iOS device, the "GoPoint BT1" or the "OBDLink MX WiFi" ?

    My initial instinct was to go for the "OBDLink MX WiFi" but I'm reading a lot of negative reviews about connection issues. I would be using the ODBLink in Access Point mode, and connecting an iPhone and iPad to the network it provides. In that configuration are the WPA password issues just related to getting connected but stable once authenticated - or is it prone to dropping the clients?

  6. #6
    HPT Employee Weston@HPTuners's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    39.735034, -103.894459
    Posts
    868
    In my experience, once the connection is established between the OBDLink MX and the iOS device, it appears to be good. I had encountered those reported intermittent problems where it wouldn't authenticate, which can be pretty frustrating, but ultimately I could usually get it to work after cycling power on the OBDLink and/or the iOS device. Reading the reviews, it's not clear if that method is working for other people or not, and unfortunately I haven't seen much definitive information on the issue.

    The GoPoint is a good "it just works" option for iOS that's Bluetooth-based (the only one we can support on iOS). It uses a different and proprietary protocol, so that limits how many other apps support it, and it might not be able to benefit from all future functionality we implement, but it does tend to work well.

  7. #7
    Tuner in Training
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    33

    Lightbulb

    Apple has lifted restrictions on Bluetooth 4.x devices (but not earlier versions), PLX Devices confirmed this to me today, and their new Kiwi 3 (for sale Dec-2015) will be Bluetooth 4.1 and WILL WORK ON iOS & OS X!

    https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...ace-reinvented



    Quote Originally Posted by Weston@HPTuners View Post
    For iOS, most OBD devices will be WiFi, due to Apple's restrictions on Bluetooth connectivity. The best performer I've seen is the OBDLink MX... There is a WiFi model for iOS devices, however there can be some issues getting that connected (doesn't always accept the WPA password), for which they are reportedly working on a firmware update. Their Bluetooth model is for Android.

    If you're desiring a Bluetooth solution, the GoPoint BT1/BT1A is the only option for iOS, and it tends to be reasonably quick too. The catch is that it uses a very different chip and protocol from all the others we support, so some features may not be available with it.

    As for iOS devices themselves, anything that runs iOS 7 or newer should work as long as it has a GPS (or you use a compatible external one). iPhone 4 or newer should do the trick, but the 4S has a bit more power, better video, and possibly a better GPS too. iPhone 5 / 5S / 6 / 6+ will also work, mainly adding more screen space and faster processing over the 4S.

  8. #8
    HPT Employee Weston@HPTuners's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    39.735034, -103.894459
    Posts
    868
    Quote Originally Posted by libertyforall1776 View Post
    Apple has lifted restrictions on Bluetooth 4.x devices (but not earlier versions), PLX Devices confirmed this to me today, and their new Kiwi 3 (for sale Dec-2015) will be Bluetooth 4.1 and WILL WORK ON iOS & OS X!

    https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...ace-reinvented

    The Kiwi 3 is an interesting project, and it is the first that I'm aware of to use Bluetooth 4. In the past, I've seen some complications and throughput issues with Bluetooth 4 Low Energy (BLE) devices, so I'm eager to see how PLX has innovated here. The Apple restrictions that were lifted in iOS seem to be focused on just the BLE stuff, via the CoreBluetooth framework, rather than using the traditional higher-speed serial stuff, but I'd love to be wrong about that. It is plausible that they could get BLE to work for this too.

    Either way, I already have one of these coming to me when they start shipping in December... It will work a bit differently than others, so it would be something that we'll have to evaluate and then it would need to have some level of special support built for it.