Phone Speedometer

[Boink]

I know this has been posted before, but, wow, what amazing "apps" are out there. I finally downloaded a "speedometer" app (that uses GPS, I think) and it's remarkably accurate! It's called "DigiHUD" for the Samsung Galaxy S4 phone. There's also a secondary version of it that will run a small insert window on your main screen... so one could clip the phone onto a dash-mounted clip and have it there with a general navigation app running.

When I first looked up "speedometer" in the app stores, there sure were many others! I wonder if anyone wants to follow-up on this post to get a thread of variations going.

 

[waltesefalcon]

Weird. I did find a pretty cool chromatic tuner application for mine.

 

[Guest]

Weird. I did find a pretty cool chromatic tuner application for mine.

Dude, it changed my life!


Hey Mark, ever think about the phone might alert the police to your speed and location if speeding? Kelly and I were talking about all this tech crap. I told her as long as we have stuff made outta stamped sheet metal and air cooled we're o.k.:friendly_wink:

 

[Boink]

Hey Mark, ever think about the phone might alert the police to your speed and location if speeding? Kelly and I were talking about all this tech crap. I told her as long as we have stuff made outta stamped sheet metal and air cooled we're o.k.:friendly_wink:

Oh oh... one never knows. Seems like EVERYTHING on these smart-phones is linked! I'm new to smart-phones (having resisted data plans - heck, I resisted getting a cell phone for as long as I could). Every time I download another "app" it says it needs to access this-or-that and there are terms I have to accept. I suppose someone could activate my phone while it's in my pants! layful: No, I'm only going to use it to calibrate the Bugeye.

 

[DrEntropy]

When my Motorola flip-phone dies it will get a burial inna back yard, with full military honors.

 

[sail]

Got my flip phone for insurance when I got the TR, resisted paying for more "air" but since we're traveling in the VW now I just got an iPhone. What a nifty device.

 

[Boink]

Have to admit that there are a number of useful features on a smart-phone. And they're SO smart now. You can simply talk to it and get answers.

 

[MarshgrassA]

Our club had a rally this weekend.....I had the TR4A out and all ready to rally and zeroed the trip odometer out but it did not seem to want to roll again! The folks in the MG TF mentioned they had downloaded an odometer app since their car's did not work. We did the same and wow it was a cool tool very unlike the weather. Interesting that my trip odometer started working again and was pretty spot on with the app.

 

[DNK]

Did you wim?

 

[maynard]

I have Torque. It is an app for my android. I bought an OBDII adapter on ebay for $3.00. It gives me live info on things like temp, speed, fuel trim, mpg, etc.

 

[Boink]

Maynard, that Android "Torque" program looks good (as I read the reviews). I see there are multiple versions... including a "pro" one that costs $5. The FREE one looks well-reviewed too. I'm curious about the On-Board-Data/Diagnostics II adapter. You can get one for $3??!!! Does it then just plug into your car and then the phone (or does it communicate by blue-tooth or something to the phone software)? Is there an easy way to know if a newer car will use the OBDII format (i.e., a Lexus)? Thanks.

EDIT: (should have looked it up before posting the questions) It seems that there are many OBDII adaptors out there on eBay, ranging from about $5 to $30. The $5 ones (mostly from Hong Kong - always spooks me to order from China - like this one https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-OBD2-...1507358894&pt=Motors_Automotive_Tools&vxp=mtr ) look mighty simple. They do use blue-tooth.

Question, does anyone know about all these variable types of OBDII units?

 

[GregW]

I've used Torque to help diagnose bad cats. I failed SMOG but wasn't getting any engine codes. Using the data logging feature, the culprit revealed itself. I bought a different bluetooth dongle than the one you linked Mark. Pairing can be frustrating on my old tablet. Sometimes it would take 15 minutes to get them to link up. Kinda like messing with rabbit ears on old TV's It looks good until you remove your hand from the antenna, then it goes out again.

 

[Boink]

Thanks Greg. Good info. [I've also had difficulties always getting blue-tooth to full work in an automatic way.]

 

[GregW]

I'm using a custom ROM on my tablet and an alpha version at that. The bluetooth might not work as well as a stock ROM. My Galaxy S3 seems to connect faster but it was too small for what I was doing. Here is a shot of my setup. I like how the gauges in Torque match my car's.

 

[Boink]

Nice! Thanks.

 

[maynard]

That's the one I use. I may have been off about the price. I have the $5.00 version of Torque and am still using it. You just plug it into the OBDII socket and connect it by Bluetooth to your phone or tablet. I don't know if there is an Apple version of Torque.

I have used it in my 2010 Corolla, 2010 Lexus, and my daughters 1997 Volvo,

Forgot to mention, in addition too reading codes, it can clear them.

I'm still learning about it.

 

[sail]

Question, does anyone know about all these variable types of OBDII units?

Nope but I just ordered this wifi plug https://www.ebay.com/itm/ELM327-WiF...1422710720&pt=Motors_Automotive_Tools&vxp=mtr to hook up with my iPhone.

Spent a little more to get it sooner than from China, have a couple other items coming from there and seller warned me "shipping in China very slow this month." I'm reading that iPhones need wifi and not bluetooth that androids use for the plug connection. Torque is not available for iPhone app from what I see so am researching what app to try. Next week I'll give it all a shot and report back.

 

[WillR]

Hey Mark, ever think about the phone might alert the police to your speed and location if speeding? Kelly and I were talking about all this tech crap. I told her as long as we have stuff made outta stamped sheet metal and air cooled we're o.k.


Ford had to publicly take back a comment from one of there spokemen. something along the lines of - you would be surprised what we collect from the gps- speaking of the gps that comes in the car. they claim they only want to see how the car is being used to better build cars.

 

[Boink]

Hey Mark, ever think about the phone might alert the police to your speed and location if speeding? Kelly and I were talking about all this tech crap. I told her as long as we have stuff made outta stamped sheet metal and air cooled we're o.k.
.

Yes, he commented on this... but I doubt it. Can't quite imagine a private company risking it all for that. Besides, I don't think the police don't have the time to monitor all this data. Besides, I don't use it that much. Basically, I used the "DigiHUD" to establish how to READ my speedometer. Now I quickly do that math in my head (e.g., take the value on the dial and reduce it by about 10%).

 

[WillR]

That was a quote from some one else. I still struggle to get that "originally posted by.... thing. Im no tech pro. I agree the police don't have time to monitor everything. That does not mean its not being monitored. Or that it has the potential to be monitored when there is a desire. A few years a go a story broke out on the news of local police not needing any kind of warrant to monitor your phone. The phone companies would just charge them a fee with no responsibility to warn you about it. Same thing with ford pulling info from their gps. Are they going to call the police when your speeding? probably not. Its the fact that they are pulling your info im commenting on. It just makes me uncomfortable. Similar to NYC being covered with cameras. There is the argument if your doing nothing wrong why would being watched bother you. Because we don't really know whos watching what. Its just info being broad casted. Something Im uncomfortable with.
The company wouldn't be risking anything. If they called thge police on you how would you know it was that piece of equipment? I think these gadgets are great. Super fun and a lot cheaper then adding a million gages in to your car. There is no such thing as a free app.