Alternative to VMSPC

[Arcticdude]

How about this? Looks like it might work for both a 60 and an 8V.



http://rvtechtools.com/rvdash.html


This link is for a wireless sender for engine stuff, which might also be useful.
http://www.cubiclabs.com/sensenet_can_and_wireless.htm

[Itchintogo]

I am guessing this will work for 8V with DDEC and not mechanical? This is cutting edge stuff. Great post !

[davidbrady]

I know Wide Bodies and 43LXi's use J1587 which I don't think is supported by this device, but I need to look more closely at the device. The M380 and M450 use J1939. I like the 802.11 wireless feature. On casual glance it looks like you can read PIDs off the canbus via Wi-Fi and you can write to the canbus via Wi-Fi. I've been looking for a gateway to allow me to write fan speed to the canbus so that the vmsPC can pull it off and display it, but for my LXi it needs to be j1587.

[davidbrady]

I think so Rich - it may require a different cable, but it sounds like they're willing to support other engines. It may also work on our PT, WB, and LXi electronic DD equipped buses. I sent rv techtools an invitation to join WaGu and tell us about their product. The ad says S60 and 8V92 support. Very interesting, thanks John.

[pgchin]

(02-22-2013 12:26)davidmbrady Wrote:  It may also work on our PT, WB, and LXi electronic DD equipped buses. I sent rv techtools an invitation to join WaGu and tell us about their product. The ad says S60 and 8V92 support. Very interesting, thanks John.

Gosh, I hope so, I've been procrastinating about a tool and really like this one! Nice find Articdude, thank you!
Thanks David, looking forward to them explaining their equipment to us.

[Ray Davis]

Hello Guys,

My name is Ray Davis, and the RV Dash is my product. This was a personal project, done in my off-hours. I own a Prevost, and originally wanted an easy way to read error codes from the DDEC. Being a registered Apple developer, I wanted to do something with an iPad, and so I started back in Sep 2011 looking for hardware that would allow me to talk to my DDEC with an iPad.

As with David's coach, I soon learned that the generation of Prevost's owned by members of clubs I frequent (POG, PC), the DDEC speaks J1587, not J1939 which is the newer protocol. So, I had to find wifi device that could talk J1587. I found the CANpod from Cubic Labs, and began developing my product.

The RV Dash is the first of two applications. It connects via wifi to the CANpod device, initializes it, and starts data streaming. It then decodes in the data from the device, and operates about 25 gauges, set on two pages of the app. Currently the application ONLY speaks J1587. I have only tested on Prevost buses running either an 8v92 or S60 engine. I have had beta testers out for just over a year, running in a number of different buses, running from a 1990's 8v to a 2007 S60 based bus.

The second app is a universal app, will run on both iPad and iPhone, and is a DDEC error decoder reader/clearer. It has currently been submitted to the App Store, but is awaiting review. I expect it to hit the store within the next wek.

I have been very tentative about selling this outside of the Prevost market, because I haven't got any testing with other vehicles. I will say in general the newer, the more data is streaming down the CAN bus, and the more gauges are active. Older units there is less data, so some of the gauges do not work.

The app does allow the user to layout the size and placement of the gauges in any way they desire. It also has two different gauge "modes", one is standard rotational gauges like in a vehicle, and another mode is what I call slider mode, which has horizontal gauges, and the indicator moves horizontally over the gauge. Both style of gauges also include a digital value.

I am selling the CANpod hardware, with the two apps for $750. I have made a deal with my buddies on forums I frequent that I will discount that $100, and I will offer the same deal to this forum. So, both apps, and CANpod hardware for $650.

I would highly suggest that we try some testing with older units first, as I have not tested with a Wanderlodge at this point.

Ray

---

PS: A couple of things I forgot to mention:

The app is available for a free download on the app store. https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZSt...46745&mt=8

It has a demo mode available. I invite you to download, and try it out, and see if this is something that does interest you. To get to demo mode, simply start the app. Wait about 5 seconds, and when the CANpod is not located it will put up a trouble-shooting dialog. On the dialog is a demo button.

Tap demo, and the app will stream data out of an internal file that I captured in my bus while driving to a service facility. The data will run for about 3 minutes. During that time you can try out any of the functionality, including gauge layout etc.


Also, I am located in Southern CA (Lake Forest). Anyone in the area I would be happy to get together and test in your vehicle to see how it works.

Ray

[pgchin]

Thank you Ray for your very informative post. I REALLY like this solution including the iphone deal. Unless things change unexpectedly, I will most likely be out your way sometime this year. If I am , I'll contact you about a "test"...... I have a 95-s60, the first year Bluebird installed the s-60. DDec-3 system and I'm hoping it is the same as your Prevost s-60's of that vintage you may have beta tested and it will work, thanks again!!!!!!!

[Ray Davis]

Hi Pete,

I look forward to meeting you. I am pretty confident that a '95 S60 should work just fine. I assume you have the 6 pin round connector? Or does the BB use a different connector?

One "gauge" that is likely not to work is selected/attained gear, which is displayed at the bottom of the display in green. It's one I really like, it displays the gear that you have selected in the transmission selector, and the actual gear that is engaged. However, in a couple of coaches of your vintage, it appears that that data is not sent down the CAN bus. Only way to actually tell is to try it. If you run the demo, as per above, you'll see the green indicators at the bottom of the app, in the toolbar.

I guess one thing I should mention, is that I built this app entirely from purchasing the J1587 specification from SAE, and coding to that spec, and testing on a number of vehicles. IF there is proprietary conversation down that bus, then my app will not likely decode it. Unfortunately, I didn't have an "IN's" with DD giving me their proprietary info.

I would assume however, that a S60 in a BB is the same as in my bus.

Ray

[pgchin]

(02-22-2013 15:39)Ray Davis Wrote:  Hi Pete,

I look forward to meeting you. I am pretty confident that a '95 S60 should work just fine. I assume you have the 6 pin round connector? Or does the BB use a different connector?

One "gauge" that is likely not to work is selected/attained gear, which is displayed at the bottom of the display in green. It's one I really like, it displays the gear that you have selected in the transmission selector, and the actual gear that is engaged. However, in a couple of coaches of your vintage, it appears that that data is not sent down the CAN bus. Only way to actually tell is to try it. If you run the demo, as per above, you'll see the green indicators at the bottom of the app, in the toolbar.

I guess one thing I should mention, is that I built this app entirely from purchasing the J1587 specification from SAE, and coding to that spec, and testing on a number of vehicles. IF there is proprietary conversation down that bus, then my app will not likely decode it. Unfortunately, I didn't have an "IN's" with DD giving me their proprietary info.

I would assume however, that a S60 in a BB is the same as in my bus.

Ray

Thanks Ray, I look forward to meeting you as well, I'm pretty stoked about this! I'll double check, but I believe the connector is the same. I'll pour over the prints next week to see if anything BB propriety pops out and let you know but from what I was able to see from a high level, I believe BB left the s60 alone and it is stock DDEC-3. My vintage fan only has 2 speeds but the newer LXI's like David's have variable fan speeds but in talking with the BB factory reps back in the day, they gave me no indication they asked DD for something special on either vintage, and a lot of the hydraulics/ switches, etc. seem to be the same if not exact in BB and Prevost... Vintage to Vintage where common....... I'll update ya next week after I do some "homework"! Of course our resident s60 expert David will keep me straight and "weigh in" here to make sure I'm giving you good data! he's the go to guy on things like this to help us get this usable for the entire BB community or as much of them as we can who are interested in your product. Thanks again!!!!!!

[Ray Davis]

Sounds good. If specializations are needed for the BB community let me know, and I can build a special version of the app.

Ray