JeremyMSG

iTrader: (1)

Hi Guys,
I am looking to buy tuning software for my 04. I have read, read, read, and re-read many of the great posts on tuning here on this board and others. I feel like I have a good idea of how to get started tuning, and have now begun researching the available options.

I have been able to figure out that EFI Live and HP Tuners are the only two viable options for what I want to do. The problem is, I feel like I am going to buy a very expensive, fancy hammer....but I have never swung one in my life. I know how it is supposed to work and what it is supposed to do, but how do I decide between these two great tools

Can you all provide me some positive feedback on both. I do not want to start a bashing war at all and really do not want this thread to be locked after only 5 minutes. I AM NOT ASKING WHICH ONE IS "BETTER". My question is, what is unique about each tool and why does that matter?

For example:
-EFI Live has the black box ability. This allows me to leave my laptop at home or in the pits.
-HP Tuners license is for two years, not two VIN's. This allows me to tune as many vehicles as I want within those years chosen.

Thanks in advance for your advice. I know there are some top notch self tuners on here and I look forward to hearing what you all have to say

TAQuickness

iTrader: (28)

Go to the respective websites and compare features.

I use EFILive, love it, and highly recommend it.


Don't be afraid to use the search button.

JeremyMSG

iTrader: (1)

The whole point to my post is why do you love it and highly recommend it?

Scooter70

iTrader: (1)

You can't go wrong with either. I use HPT and the only thing that I know about EFILive that I would like better is the black box logging. HPT2.0 is supposed to add more features that EFI may or may not have. Your example includes the only other difference... the two model years vs the 2 VINs. I believe that HPT may now include free updates for life, like EFILive.

My prediction: When this thread becomes another pissing match, it's going to get locked down.

-Matt

HumpinSS

iTrader: (1)

https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...o_threadsearch

JustAnIlluzion

iTrader: (60)

TAQuickness

iTrader: (28)

The answers are out there - if you search, you can find them

HumpinSS

iTrader: (1)

hahahahahahaha

https://ls1tech.com/forums/search.php

JeremyMSG

iTrader: (1)

Thanks Matt. Part of my problem is that when I look at the different feature lists between HPT 1.7 and 2.0 and then compare those back to EFI Live, I see a lot of terminaology that has little meaning for me. The marketing spin from each site is expected, but it takes someone using the tools over a period of time to understand what features of each tool is funtionaly helpful, and what sounds good but is not worth anything. The feature updates between 1.7 and 2.0 "sound" great, but deciphering why they will actually help me be a better tuner is what I am trying to figure out.

Seems like when you go to buy other types of items in this price range there are more apparent comparisons between products that give you a better idea of how the tools work.

The two items I mentioned and that you confirmed where the only to real features that seprate the products that I was able to find by "using the search button"

Thanks for the recommendation Matt

foff667

iTrader: (2)

I agree with scooter70 in that you cant go wrong either way...personally I use hptuners & personally found 1.7 to be fine to tune anything you need, but everyone wants more & with the competition out there the guys at hpt couldnt just stand by and let efi live pass them so they are trying to step up to stay on top. They are initially priced lower then efi live, & imo their licensing is slightly better. EFI live sort of has a leg up in the scanner dept but 2.0 will even the score with that, efi live also sort of has a leg up in that they offer a free 2 bar but from what I understand its not as in depth as hptuners pay to use 2 bar. They now both offer free updates so thats a non issue. As far as editing capabilities they are on level playing ground from what I know. And like mentioned efi live has the black box logging as well as currently offering a usb connection whereas hptuners still currently only offers the serial connection until 2.0 is fully released. If I were to buy again right now I'd still go with hptuners only for their licensing, the amount of licenses you can put on one unit, how many different types of cars you can tune...hptuners also tunes many v6 models whereas efi live is mainly ls1 based v8 cars/trucks currently.

HumpinSS

iTrader: (1)

Both companies licensing works depending on how and what you tune.

Scenario 1

1-98
2-00
1-02
2-01

HPT= 400
Efilive= 98=free 2 licenses come with the cable and 300.00
All fbodys


Scenario 2

1 00 corvette
1 03 Silvy
1 fbody
1 gto

HPT=800
EFILive=400

JeremyMSG

iTrader: (1)

Brilliant response. I am so elated by your presence and your unique ability to impart sage-like wisdom and perspicacious wit

Seriously it would have been kind of funny if you had not screwed up the dig the first time and had to repost it. The point is, I have searched and was looking for some insight from knowledgeable people who have been using the tools. It's not like I am on hear asking for a recommendation on headers I am not even asking for a "which one is better" I am asking for some POSITIVE feedback on why you like/love/can't live with out the tool you have chosen to use.

Here is what I have been able to discern from all of my searches. The two tools are about the same with the following differences

EFI Live HP Tuners
Black Box No Black Box
Licensed by WIN Licensed by Year
Built-in EIO Must Purchase $150
Free Updates Limited Free Updates

What have I missed?

JeremyMSG

iTrader: (1)

Thank you kind sir That what am talking about

JeremyMSG

iTrader: (1)

Please ignore my mean post back I jumped the gun

HumpinSS

iTrader: (1)

No hard feelings. LOL

foff667

iTrader: (2)

eh a little skewed if a person used hptuners to tune the 1st scenerio with the enhanced version yoru talking
$650 for the unit w/2 licenses for say 98/00 fbodies
then buy two more licenses for 01/02 fbodies @$199 each so your talking

$650+$199+$199=$1048

EFI live would be $699+$99+$99+$99+$99=$1095

Scenerio 2 would be
$650+$199+$199=$1048 for hpt

efi live would be $699+$99+$99=$897

Say Scenerio 3
3-98's
2-99's
2-00's
2-02's

hptuners again would be $1048
efi live however would be $699+7 licenses@99 each=$1392

so it all depends oh how many & what type of cars you tune...for a shop that specializes in fbodies & only fbodies though they could get every year for less then $1500 on one cable...whereas if they wanted to go with efi live it would almost be the smart thing to just go with the commercial version which is like 4x that price...again you cant go wrong with each...in my case I tune gtp's & v6 fbodies as well so they offer something efi live doesnt...and like I said their licensing just works out better in my case. Though I wish they'd lower the pricing for after 4 licenses are purchased on one cable especially now that updates are free I really dont see a reason to inconvience anyone.

foff667

iTrader: (2)

they both offer free updates now

HumpinSS

iTrader: (1)

I excluded the initial pruchase of the cable and dealt with licensing only. EFILive comes with 2 licences off the back. So to add another 01 and 00 it would only be 300. 98 support is free so that isnt counted. 2 licenses come with the cable and that leaves 3 vehicles to be tuned@99.00 per vehicle

Scenario 2 is flawed, my mistake.

HPT= 400
EFILIVe=200

HPT=400
EFILive = 400 (98's free,2 licenses come with the cable leaving 4 to license)

foff667

iTrader: (2)

i didnt even think about 98's...so efi live has 98 support now? I know that was a long awaited thing.

Fetumpsh

Sort has a leg up, are you kidding?, have you used EFILive V7 scanner?.
I spoke to a workshop last week that is using EFILive V7 and they were shown V2.0 as a demo because they want LS2 support (whch EFILive does not offer), they said the scanner in V2.0 has got NOTHING on EFILive still.
The gauge display in V2.0 is about on par with EFILive V4, yep V4!!, the charts still look the same, he didn't know about the PID selection but currently EFLive V7 has over 250 PID's to log, not sure how that compares to V2.0, V7 has 10 totally configurable MAPs (has had for months), very powerful data filtering, not too mention your logged data is traced back into the tuning program, I don't know if V2.0 does this?.

The FREE EFILive 2 bar also allows 3bar, it comes with Valet mode, 2step limiter, MAP vs RPM AFR table and a few other features the pay as you go HPT 2bar does not have. You can download the pdf file from EFILive that explains how to set it up, you'll then see how many more features it has.

I am not sure about HPT here, but EFILive has about 650 tables/parameters to edit. As for the free updates, EFILive has always offered this, they didn't need to be pressured into it.

Yeah, I hate the way EFILive copies everyone

I think if you look past the software differences then yes the license schemes can work out better for some using the HPT system where with others it works out better to go with EFILive, I guess it depends what types of vehicles you need to tune and how many.
I didn't want to turn this into a bashing session but the original posters questions were simply not answered correctly!!.