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MG MGF Technical - Test book software. Now what

HAving just picked up the T4 Testbook software on CD, I am just wondering where I go now in terms of hardware and further sofware to interface with my 1997 MGF and the J1962 diagnostic connector.

Erik - perhaps you can fill me in as I believe you have achieved what I am hoping to in the next few months!
Julian

Oooh! Julian, what's on the disc? How does the software work in the absence of the T4 hardware? And where did you get it from? :o)
Rob Bell

Rob, bought in on Ebay this afternoon via auction (I was the only one bidding) from Germany so have not yet seen it!. Will it run on the laptop but then how do I interface it with the MGF? Questions I have no answers at the moment. The CD covers all Rover models incl MG but there there was another auction at the same time that only covered the Rover models and agian there was only one bidder who got what he was bidding for.

I decided to do this a step at a time on basis I had not seen the software for sale before so I grabbed it whilst I can!

Julian

Julian,

I have some info about the tbook stuff.
email me when you get a chance.


cheers,
Branko
Branko

Much of the content can be read as "Text files" using simple "Word". A lot of interesting reading!! To implement it on a laptop to work with the J1962 is a lot trickier...The interface is very similare to what is being used to control ICOM amateur radios via a computer :O)
/ Carl.
Carl

Carl,
Julian is on T4, not the old. I recall that's different, but the ASCII content is the same (nearly).
Dieter

Branko

Sent you an email. Hopefully you have it!

Julian
Julian

Hi Julian,
not arrived as yet.

Did you remove the "NOSPAM" part from my email address?

Cheeers.
Branko
Branko

As has been mentioned elsewhere, I am after a complete T4 system. However, I have a suitable laptop and can get hold of a copy of the software, so just the cabling would suffice :)

I also need a set of MGR special tools.

Anyone help with these?

Cheers

Ralph
Ralph

Apologies Julian for dropping in so late.

I am not sure what is exactly on the CDRom as we have gone down the following route:
- bought the T4 interface (with all cabling, printer etc), but without the vital laptop and software (probably the reason why it went so cheap in comp. with the full systems).
- copied the contents of the T4 Dell laptop disk (if you want you can access the underlaying Windows98 from within the T4-software).
- played with it so we could have it running on VMWare (virtualisation): there were some issues with drivers (video, nic, etc...), but nothing too major.
- obtained the 'monthly' (?) CDRom for the data, whih is required (older versions will work perfectly). It could be that you have bought this one. If needed I could have a look and see what's on our CDRom.

Laptop (or VMWare machine) and interface are communicating using the TCP/IP protocol, which is nice as you could use a simple network interface card for that.

The application itself is called T4Menu.exe and is localised in C:/Windows (on the T4 laptop).

Other interesting directories on the harddisk are:
C:/RDS
C:/Program Files/Omitec

Check if you have these after an installation.

Some other things can be found on a harddisk of a T4 system, but many of them are used for remote support and dial in.

Hope this helps you in some way.


NOTE: all copies mentioned above are made for backup reasons.

Erik

Erik, have you managed to get everything to work yet - in other words, get the thing to talk to MEMS? I can see that you've done a massive amount of work on this already - sounds as though you've had a lot of fun!

I can see that there are a lot of owners - myself included - who'd love to get an operational T4 for their MGs. But how fesible is this?
Rob Bell

>bought the T4 interface (with all cabling, ..

:) that's the main problem :)
Julian, just forget it without this having this interface.

At the old TB the Interface was an IDE card to the PC IDE bus. I think the new has included the decoding now with another Xilinx programmable Logic IC.

Had the option to repair an old one and take some images. http://www.mgfcar.de/data/testbook/DSC01490.html
The Xilinx IC with gull wing legs was already obsolete in 1998.
Was an easy repair cause only the DC-DC converter was gone.
Dieter

I thought the ECU diagnostic interface was ISO9141 which is simple and cheap to reproduce. I suppose it depends if you actually want to replicate all the TB diagnostic procedures or settle for reading the stored parameters plus whatever else may be achievable taking a simplistic approach. It may be possible to hack the basic query messages from the .exe or data files. Definitely need a test ECU setup as I suspect it would be quite easy to disable something while playing around:-)

Julian
What about a shared copy? Beer and or money could change hands.

Ken Waring

Found the site where one can buy Testbook T4

http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:A33E5h6Ngg8J:www.interro.com/cat/catalog802.htm+testbook+interface+for+sale&hl=en&gl=uk&ct=clnk&cd=1

But I suspect it will take alot of readies!

Looks like a readily avaialble laptop running windows (XP?) with the clever bit being the interface.
Julian

I already have a price list for the T4 system. It is a lot of wonga, which is why I want to buy a second hand system. However, if needs must I will buy it new! :(

For those wo don't already know... A fellow MG enthusiast and myself are setting up a specialist garage in Kent.

Ralph
Ralph

Ralph - where abouts? I would be interested as I live on the doorstep of Kent - in fact before the days of the LCC Woolwich was in Kent.
Ted Newman

>>>>
>bought the T4 interface (with all cabling, ..

:) that's the main problem :)
<<<<
Totally agree. One must be lucky to obtain the interface, but today it is more easy than 3 years ago.
Erik

Guys,
Sounds like aquiring a testbook could be very costly.

I'm getting a quote from a company called Blackbox Solutions Ltd in Cypris, which makes test systems for rover cars. (and others).

They have one for the MGF, but it is not advertised.

If anyone is interested, I will post details when I know more.

Here is there web site. http://www.rovacomlite.com/


Cheers,
Branko
Branko

I have also asked Blackbox (Rovacom) for a quote but I think that with the interface (hardware and software) and the leads (and with a standard laptop and T4 software), it should work but I am not sure whethet one has to buy their application test software or whether the Rover T4 application software is enough.
Julian

See below response from Rovacom. The key bit does appear to be the interface.

Hello Julian.

I am sorry but Louisa is no longer here.

My name is Colin Whittall, I am the Technical Director here.

Fortunately the items you already have towards attempting to create your own Testbook are quite readily available.

However, the interface you are missing, is not, and as with our own system, it’s difficulty, often impossibility in duplication is the key to the whole systems copy protection.

Not only is the interface you require very sophisticated and intelligent, it also encompasses a number of processors with internal code which is protected.

I believe that the mis conception, stems from the plethora of common OBDII compliant scan tools and simple to build interfaces that connect the vehicle to a PC’s serial port.

However, OBDII compliance is near useless to most and for proper dealer level access to these systems something much more sophisticated is required.

In our case the Interface is even more sophisticated than theirs because we use a PC.

This is why our system is so much more capable. I have attached some more information


Our hardware for a ROVACOM LITE system typically costs only around £400.00 and software modules are only around £100 each on average.

Although at the moment the only software we offer for your vehicle is the MEMS2J engine management and the 5AS alarm, in about 10 days we will be launching our software version 1.16 which will cover everything else except the EPAS.

Regards

Colin Whittall

Julian

Very interesting Julian. 400 quid is quite an investment for a private individual - but perhaps not too much for a group or a club (hmmm- Rob thinking aloud)

Perhaps we should get these guys round for a demonstration?
Rob Bell

Ted, we'll be based in the Medway towns, probably near Rainham. Opening date to be advised, but probably late April.

BTW we will have a Hunter 611 computerised 4 wheel alignment system! :)

Ralph
Ralph

Ralph - Nice easy drive for me - look forward to getting updates.
Ted Newman

Ralph...same here. I'm near Canterbury.
SimonKE

Interesting.

Some additional advantages of the MGRover system (T4): all the knowledge and how to's are in there. It says how a value must be, how it can be interpreted, etc. It starts at the very early beginning telling you which connector to use to start or not to start the car (warns you to make sure the car is out of gear), etc... For some tests it is required that the car has reached a certain temperature, it will wait (and show you the actual temperature) and continues when the temperature is reached. There are predefined sets of diagnostic tests which can be run.
Don't know if you can find something as user friendly as a T4. It must be better than the car itself ;o)
Erik

This thread was discussed between 12/02/2006 and 15/02/2006

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