Would I be a retard if I upgraded Autotap instead of just buying HPTuners?
03-12-2006, 08:09 PM
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Would I be a retard if I upgraded Autotap instead of just buying HPTuners? Someone help knock some sense into me....
I currently have an "old" (V1, enhanced AT1 - 2002) version of Autotap that works absolutely fine for scanning & datalogging my '02 Firehawk and our '02 Trailblazer. HOWEVER, with the recent addition to our vehicle lineup being the '06 Trailblazer-SS, my version of Autotap no longer is compatible with this new vehicle ('06 SS is CAN-compliant; of which my Autotap hardware isn't).
To upgrade my AT1 version of Autotap to ATUATENDOM version (featuring CAN support) would cost me $250 & I would need to return to B&B Electronics my old cable. This would allow me to still scan my '02 vehicles as well as now my '06 vehicle.
I'm currently only in need of a datalogger, not necessarily a scanner & editor. BUT, that additional feature may be very nice to have sometime in the future - even if its just for basic changes to fan settings and whatnot. Currently I have no time nor initiative to program my own personal PCMs (two kids under the age of 2, fulltime job, building a new home, and a host of other projects), so for the short-term I'm only looking for a CAN-compliant scanner to be able to watch some key parameters on our new SS, as well as be able to also read parameters & erase DTCs from my other two OBD-II vehicles. Once I have time to sit & learn OBD-II programming (I can read, analyze, and interpret datalogs from Autotap (etc) quite well, but I will be an OBD-II programming newb), then the editing aspect of HPTuners would greatly entice me over the inability to do the same with Autotap.
Now, assuming that HPTuners can scan and log the same vehicle parameters as the enhanced version of AutoTap, here's where my dilemma comes in, as well as a few additional questions.
The HPTuners GM VCM Suite Std is $499. (I don't need the Enhanced I/O; already have an Innovate LM-1 that I can easily correlate back to the scanned data from Autotap or assuming also HPTuners). I could purchase HPTuners, then sell my "old" version of Autotap for say, $99, making my net cost of HPTuners only $400.
Thus, comparing my situation: Upgrade Autotap for $250 -or- for only $150 more (net $400), purchase HPTuners which also opens up the ability for me to make personal PCM adjustments on my vehicle(s). I'm sure I already know the answers I'm going to get....BUT, try to stay objective, please! Which would you opt for, if you were in my situation? For only a $150 difference, that luxury of being able to self-tune in the future sure seems like its a *cheap* option.
Two questions:
Can HPTuners be used to program my '02 Firehawk (LS1) *and* my '06 SS (LS2), provided I have sufficient "credits"? (I don't get how their credit purchase vs. model/year line works.... Li'l help?) If I can program only one or the other, then the possible usefulness of it is severely diminished for myself.
HPTuners can be used as an unlimited-vehicle scanner, including the ability to read/erase DTCs from any GM-supported vehicle, correct? In this manner, it is then identical to the functions of Autotap?
Aside from price $$, is there anything that separates Autotap from the scanning abilities of HPTuners?
Thanks for all the help you can provide! I've been on HPTuner's & Autotap's websites the past 2+ hours - and unfortunately I think I'm more confused now than when I started. (Both sites need some help in providing better/clearer information to the "new-user", upgrade costs, etc... But that's just a digression).
I currently have an "old" (V1, enhanced AT1 - 2002) version of Autotap that works absolutely fine for scanning & datalogging my '02 Firehawk and our '02 Trailblazer. HOWEVER, with the recent addition to our vehicle lineup being the '06 Trailblazer-SS, my version of Autotap no longer is compatible with this new vehicle ('06 SS is CAN-compliant; of which my Autotap hardware isn't).
To upgrade my AT1 version of Autotap to ATUATENDOM version (featuring CAN support) would cost me $250 & I would need to return to B&B Electronics my old cable. This would allow me to still scan my '02 vehicles as well as now my '06 vehicle.
I'm currently only in need of a datalogger, not necessarily a scanner & editor. BUT, that additional feature may be very nice to have sometime in the future - even if its just for basic changes to fan settings and whatnot. Currently I have no time nor initiative to program my own personal PCMs (two kids under the age of 2, fulltime job, building a new home, and a host of other projects), so for the short-term I'm only looking for a CAN-compliant scanner to be able to watch some key parameters on our new SS, as well as be able to also read parameters & erase DTCs from my other two OBD-II vehicles. Once I have time to sit & learn OBD-II programming (I can read, analyze, and interpret datalogs from Autotap (etc) quite well, but I will be an OBD-II programming newb), then the editing aspect of HPTuners would greatly entice me over the inability to do the same with Autotap.
Now, assuming that HPTuners can scan and log the same vehicle parameters as the enhanced version of AutoTap, here's where my dilemma comes in, as well as a few additional questions.
The HPTuners GM VCM Suite Std is $499. (I don't need the Enhanced I/O; already have an Innovate LM-1 that I can easily correlate back to the scanned data from Autotap or assuming also HPTuners). I could purchase HPTuners, then sell my "old" version of Autotap for say, $99, making my net cost of HPTuners only $400.
Thus, comparing my situation: Upgrade Autotap for $250 -or- for only $150 more (net $400), purchase HPTuners which also opens up the ability for me to make personal PCM adjustments on my vehicle(s). I'm sure I already know the answers I'm going to get....BUT, try to stay objective, please! Which would you opt for, if you were in my situation? For only a $150 difference, that luxury of being able to self-tune in the future sure seems like its a *cheap* option.
Two questions:
Can HPTuners be used to program my '02 Firehawk (LS1) *and* my '06 SS (LS2), provided I have sufficient "credits"? (I don't get how their credit purchase vs. model/year line works.... Li'l help?) If I can program only one or the other, then the possible usefulness of it is severely diminished for myself.
HPTuners can be used as an unlimited-vehicle scanner, including the ability to read/erase DTCs from any GM-supported vehicle, correct? In this manner, it is then identical to the functions of Autotap?
Aside from price $$, is there anything that separates Autotap from the scanning abilities of HPTuners?
Thanks for all the help you can provide! I've been on HPTuner's & Autotap's websites the past 2+ hours - and unfortunately I think I'm more confused now than when I started. (Both sites need some help in providing better/clearer information to the "new-user", upgrade costs, etc... But that's just a digression).
Last edited by 02RedHawk; 03-12-2006 at 08:18 PM.
03-12-2006, 08:17 PM
#2
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yes it can program and scan both your hawk and SS. There's no licensing for the scanner... so you can connect to any OBDII GM (currently, once the ford and dodge starts to be released you can scan them too.... may even be able to scan generic now but not sure)
For non supported OBDII cars (cars not on their order page) you can scan generic parameters, supported cars you can scan enhanced. (w/ford and doge support coming soon, HPT is more like the Autotap 123 )
Should be able to read and clear (erasing codes is a matter of writing to the PCM) on any supported GM vheicle (no license unless you need the PCM writing)
as for the licensings... you get 8 credits... then you can purchase different upgrades using those credits (pricing is on the order pag)
You have the option to license a single vehicle (in your case 4 credits for the 06 SS, 2 credits for the firehawk, so you'd have 6 used credits, 2 left over, and ability to tune both your cars... then you can use the 2 left over to do 1 bar speed density or various other upgrades)
The other option is unlimited tuning (12 credits for LS2, 6 credits for the LS1) , however unless you're tuning multiple of the same year/make this wouldn't be the best solution for you.
You don't have to choose the licensing options until you want to read/write the PCM... so you could use it as just a scanner all you want, then when the time comes you can choose to use a license to program the vehicle
For non supported OBDII cars (cars not on their order page) you can scan generic parameters, supported cars you can scan enhanced. (w/ford and doge support coming soon, HPT is more like the Autotap 123 )
Should be able to read and clear (erasing codes is a matter of writing to the PCM) on any supported GM vheicle (no license unless you need the PCM writing)
as for the licensings... you get 8 credits... then you can purchase different upgrades using those credits (pricing is on the order pag)
You have the option to license a single vehicle (in your case 4 credits for the 06 SS, 2 credits for the firehawk, so you'd have 6 used credits, 2 left over, and ability to tune both your cars... then you can use the 2 left over to do 1 bar speed density or various other upgrades)
The other option is unlimited tuning (12 credits for LS2, 6 credits for the LS1) , however unless you're tuning multiple of the same year/make this wouldn't be the best solution for you.
You don't have to choose the licensing options until you want to read/write the PCM... so you could use it as just a scanner all you want, then when the time comes you can choose to use a license to program the vehicle
03-13-2006, 09:30 PM
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Another newb question....
I want to be 100% *clear* with my understanding, and I haven't been able to give myself this confidence searching on HPTuners' website - comparing the functionality of VCM-Suite Std vs. VCM Suite Pro.
Basically, I want to be able to pass-thru realtime data to my laptop for datalogging. Do both Std and Pro do this, only Pro can do it standalone w/out a laptop? (black-box datalogging & wideband inputs)
In other words, VCM-Suite Std is moreorless identical to Autotap (in terms of scanning and datalogging with a laptop), but with the added functionality of editing/flashing....?
Is everything listed here pertaining to the Std version, with only the last couple lines of Keith's posting pertaining to the added features of Pro?
http://www.hptuners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2936
I want to be 100% *clear* with my understanding, and I haven't been able to give myself this confidence searching on HPTuners' website - comparing the functionality of VCM-Suite Std vs. VCM Suite Pro.
Basically, I want to be able to pass-thru realtime data to my laptop for datalogging. Do both Std and Pro do this, only Pro can do it standalone w/out a laptop? (black-box datalogging & wideband inputs)
In other words, VCM-Suite Std is moreorless identical to Autotap (in terms of scanning and datalogging with a laptop), but with the added functionality of editing/flashing....?
Is everything listed here pertaining to the Std version, with only the last couple lines of Keith's posting pertaining to the added features of Pro?
http://www.hptuners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2936
03-13-2006, 09:44 PM
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VCM Suite Pro comes with all of our interfaces (MPVI Std. and MPVI Pro).
With VCM Suite, comes VCM Scanner..
So Yes, you will be able to scan real time using VCM Scanner with any interface package you buy from our website.
I'll edit that post to make it more clear.
With VCM Suite, comes VCM Scanner..
So Yes, you will be able to scan real time using VCM Scanner with any interface package you buy from our website.
I'll edit that post to make it more clear.
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03-13-2006, 09:46 PM
#8
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both pro and standard allow for scanning via a laptop... main differences with the pro is black box logging, inputs, and outputs.
so yea... everything except those items listed at the bottom applies to the standard also.
If you plan on tuning w/wideband then the pro is the only way to go... but if you're not intersted in that (as you stated) then the standard will do what you want
so yea... everything except those items listed at the bottom applies to the standard also.
If you plan on tuning w/wideband then the pro is the only way to go... but if you're not intersted in that (as you stated) then the standard will do what you want
