Hey what's that OT-2 wireless app thing?

**Keen4Green** · 05-08-2010, 08:07 PM

I saw this sponsored add/"featured product" here on the forum and wondered if anyone has seen this yet. Looks sort of like a scan gauge for the iPhone. What do you think?

The first link is from the company's website and second one is to some You Tube videos showing the wireless OBD-II and how the app works. The app is free and has gotten good reviews (generally) on iTunes. The hardware is $179.

OT-2 OBD-II WiFi Interface for PCs and Smartphones

YouTube - Innovate Motorsports OT-2 OBD-II WiFi Interface (PCs, Smartphones, iPhone, iPod Touch) Unboxing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsetZ...eature=related

Here is another iPhone app called Rev, which is also wireless.

Edit: I notice on the video for the Rev gadget they mention that a wifi password is required. I don't know if the Log Works app and OT-2 require that. Seems to me it would be important to have a secure network in your car. Also, I wonder about the possible interference and data delay in a wireless system.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPzAw...eature=related

Cobb · 05-08-2010, 09:06 PM

It looks neat, but its more than I am willing to spend.

It is basically a wireless odb2 scanner that transmits data to your itouch or iphone.

**Keen4Green** · 05-08-2010, 10:08 PM

I am not as technically informed as you guys. Is it as good as/better than a Scangauge? If i already have an iPhone and I want to monitor my ECU for information that will help me with improving mpg, do I go for this set up or the SG?

Cobb · 05-09-2010, 10:16 PM

Its your call. The sg has a 2 line dot matrix display with adjustible color back ground. The meters just reported values and it was up to you to make sense of them.

This seems to take the guess work out of it. Guess you need an ipod holder and car charger now?

**Keen4Green** · 05-09-2010, 10:45 PM

Got a car charger. Need an iphone holder anyway. Not convinced about this iPhone app as being better than a SG. Just looking for feedback from experienced hypermilers and gadget geeks.

Cobb · 05-09-2010, 10:58 PM

Huh? Does your dashboard work and do you own an i2? If so, you got all the tools you need. You sound like a noob to car stuff and you rather rear numbers than see it color coded?

Anyhoo, when I drive I try to avoid using assist, but regen as much as possible. I keep the screen up with the current fuel economy and the bar that constantly moves across the screen left to right and aim to keep it no less than 50 or half way. I then use the green/blue screen as an indicator if I am close enough to someone to draft safely and or grade level change indicator.

When I use to own my scion xa it had no fuel economy measurement, no water temp meter. I used it to find my shift points, make my ac cooler and when you program in the price of gas, it tells you the currently price of your trip. Although having a price on your trip interesting, its not worth 150 bones.

Having said that it will read, clear and reset engine codes and let you see a lot of useful info for tuning your car.

**Keen4Green** · 05-09-2010, 11:06 PM

What's up with the namecalling? If you read my post I am looking for opinions, that's all. Do you have a SG? Do you have an Insight? Does your I2 MID provide all the tools you need? Mine doesn't.

Purplegate · 05-10-2010, 08:00 AM

The apps and the OT-2 seems fine, but I'm not convinced they can pick up all proper information for an IMA set-up (i.e. the Insight...). I sent them a quick message to ask if they can manage the hybrid related information.

Depending on what you are looking for as additional information, the tool could do more than the I2 dashboard, but seems less than SGII. Examples :

Fuel consumption : The MID does a pretty good job at it, so spending 179$ for a similar information could be a little expensive, by the way, I think that's what Cobb meant in his comment. I don't think he was deliberately trying to be harsh on you with the "noob" comment

Per our previous discussions (plural...) I know you are not a newbie anymore and doing great with yor I2

Gallon Per Hours and Cost Per Hour would be something the I2 MID doesn’t provide. Personnally, I don’t see a lot of benefits out of those.

For me, the info I found the most useful out of the SGII is the TPS (Throttle Position Sensor). A personal choice as I do a lot of highway and I felt it match my style to perform better P&G. I didn’t see any info that says the OT-2 has this, but I have not search very deep in the site yet... Oveall, I think it’s all yours to decide if the tool give you useful information or not to improve your hypermiling techniques

I'll report back if I get a reply from them about picking up any info related to the IMA data.

JimJohnD · 05-10-2010, 08:18 AM

I agree the OT-2 looks interesting. I guess the question should be 'what do you want to do with it'? If you are simply looking for something to help you drive more efficiently then Cobb was right, the MID does have everything you need. If you use the speedometer color and the Instantaneous MPG screen on the MID you have the two most important pieces of information to achieve the best MPG for the current driving conditions. Having another device to look at might prove distracting. The speedo is great because it is right in the line of sight while keeping your eyes on the road.

Now if you are looking for diagnostic information that would be a different story. I have a ScanGaugeII hooked up all of the time showing Air Intake Temp, Water Temp, Ignition Timing and 12v Voltage monitor (it supports about a dozen fixed gauges that can be expanded with XGauge if you know the codes). For more in depth diagnostics I bought the AutoTap package to use with my PC that allows graphing and logging functions.

The ScanGauge2 is great for supplying info the MID doesn't and the AutoTap does everything short of what is only available in the dealer's diagnostic tool. But for just getting the best MPG possible I use the Speedo/MID combination. Sometimes simple IS better.

**Keen4Green** · 05-10-2010, 09:24 PM

Good questions all. In considering the SG (or iphone app, or any other device, etc), I am most interested in what information it can provide to help with achieving better gas mileage. Purplegate makes a good point in that the SG provides a throttle position sensor while the OT-2/iphone setup does not appear to. This is a feature that seems important to me to have, for the same reasons Purplegate suggests. I am less interested in deciphering trouble codes and such. Seems like the SG provides way more than what I need, but would be a reasonable purchase given how others are using it for increasing FE and such.

Thanks Purplegate and JimJohn for your informed and reasoned input.