Dash DAQ

[cnsanford]

Originally Posted by SiestaSmart

I think I see the problem. Your middle image shows that you have nothing assigned for Mass Air Flow Signal. Tap that parameter, then scroll over to d-Economy Calculator and chose the Calculated Mass Air Flow. That should fix it.

Got it, yup that worked great. Thanks!

Is there some way to display average MPG over a tank of gas? Or how else do you calibrate it?

[SiestaSmart]

Originally Posted by cnsanford

Got it, yup that worked great. Thanks!

Is there some way to display average MPG over a tank of gas? Or how else do you calibrate it?

If you find a way to do that, please share! I have not been able to figure out how to do it, although there should be away by logging gal/hour and hours driven! I haven't had a chance to play with it that deeply to figure that out!

[wiltjk]

Having seen mention of DashDAQ on other posts, I looked up their website and saw that they didn't explicitly list smart as a supported auto. I emailed them and they were extremely helpful, to the point of sending out a test unit for me to try!!!

Over the past 3 weeks, I've put it through the tests of usability, visibility, applicability, configurability, and even entertainability.

It actually is one quality piece of hardware & software. The touch screen/audio output is high quality and the ease of use/set-up for the smart using the generic OBD-II drivers was easy.

I downloaded some additional "skins" and even did a complete upgrade to the unit over the internet. Again, nothing but quality all the way.

Here's some of the things I set up (after the pics are some interesting facts):

(1) I installed the Iconic skin and set up mpg, fuel tank level, and RPM:




(2) For mpg, I set a warning to go off if it drops below 25 mpg:




(3) There must be about a dozen skins, and you can create your own. Within each skin there may be 8-20 different formats for displaying the data.






Some interesting facts I've discovered using the gauges I set up:

• My speedometer is about 3.5 mph off over the entire range
• At 50 mph, I can maintain about 50 mpg
• At 75 mph, I maintain about 40 mpg
• Using warnings, I found I can adjust my driving habits to increase economy, but only when I want to!
• Setting limits on RPM and speed, I can push my manual-paddle shifting to the limits
• The fuel level fluctuates quite dynamically while driving - the fuel gauge in the dash really has to compensate for what is really going on

I've only played with the performance features of the unit, but its 0-60 1/4 mile feature looks like it can be a whole-lotta-fun.

I did not have the GPS feature, but plan to go with that option when I purchase one.

Yes, it is expensive at $550 or $700 w/GPS. The only time I ever spend that kind of money on a "toy" is when there's a real value to having it (in West-Michigan they say we have two (2) zippers on our wallets; the first is to remind us to really think before opening the second).

Still, the quality, support, and pure value of having the unit is justified in my mind. Knowing I'll never drive conservative enough for the unit to pay for itself, I'm content in knowing it is going to be a purchase well worth the investment into understanding my smart's internal dynamics better by allowing me to monitor the effects of my driving habits, weather, tires, brand of gasoline, and other choices over time.

At some point, I'll design a smart skin for the unit.

[HerrZ]

Originally Posted by John_H

By that reasoning, a Porsche is a pimped-out Smart. They both get you from point-A to point-B just like both of the products mentioned give you information from the OBD-II port.

NOT QUITE! i can do 72 mph in second, and 102 in THIRD. the 255 series tires dont have fitment problems.. and in the Boxster, the FLAT 6 is in the MIDDLE. I have TWO "trunks" as well. please take care with your analogies.

[mdfortwoguy]

Originally Posted by HerrZ

NOT QUITE! i can do 72 mph in second, and 102 in THIRD. the 255 series tires dont have fitment problems.. and in the Boxster, the FLAT 6 is in the MIDDLE. I have TWO "trunks" as well. please take care with your analogies.

And if someone wanted to have a pissing match, they could say that the smart has more in common with a 911, and a Boxster is not the definition of a true Porsche (not my opinion - I think it's a wonderful car).

Point being - don't blow things out of proportion.

[John_H]

The POINT behind the analogy is that saying Brand A is just like a pimped out Brand X is completely inappropriate when they're very different items.

Why are analogies so hard to grasp in the light they're communicated? We all read the same threads.

A Dash DAQ has tremendous flexibility in communicating the information you want in a manner you'd like it. The operating system allows the device to be tailored with your own routines if you desire but without that intimate a level of control, still provides an extreme level of customization. The color touch screen is a great user interface. To underscore the absurdity that "technically, it is pimped out ScangaugeII" - back in November, I might add - is like saying something with tremendous power and functionality (Porsche) is like a pimped out item that's small and economical (smart).

Does this explanation help?

I was using the absurd example because it should be patently obvious to anyone that the Porsche and smart really have too little in common to compare. The Dash DAQ and scangauge have too little in common to compare.

[wiltjk]

Originally Posted by John_H

Does this explanation help?

Thanks, John, for the clarification. I made the absurd connection before, but scanning these threads out of order or context too often evokes the given reaction.

Thanks, also, for your clarity of the clear difference between the two OBD-II units. Definitely an apples to oranges comparison (note: I do not wish to state apples are oranges, oranges are apples, or either is better than the other, just different) :-)

[Yellow Bird]

Originally Posted by wiltjk

Having seen mention of DashDAQ on other posts, I looked up their website and saw that they didn't explicitly list smart as a supported auto. I emailed them and they were extremely helpful, to the point of sending out a test unit for me to try!!!

Over the past 3 weeks, I've put it through the tests of usability, visibility, applicability, configurability, and even entertainability.

It actually is one quality piece of hardware & software. The touch screen/audio output is high quality and the ease of use/set-up for the smart using the generic OBD-II drivers was easy.

I downloaded some additional "skins" and even did a complete upgrade to the unit over the internet. Again, nothing but quality all the way.

Here's some of the things I set up (after the pics are some interesting facts):

(1) I installed the Iconic skin and set up mpg, fuel tank level, and RPM:




(2) For mpg, I set a warning to go off if it drops below 25 mpg:




(3) There must be about a dozen skins, and you can create your own. Within each skin there may be 8-20 different formats for displaying the data.






Some interesting facts I've discovered using the gauges I set up:

• My speedometer is about 3.5 mph off over the entire range
• At 50 mph, I can maintain about 50 mpg
• At 75 mph, I maintain about 40 mpg
• Using warnings, I found I can adjust my driving habits to increase economy, but only when I want to!
• Setting limits on RPM and speed, I can push my manual-paddle shifting to the limits
• The fuel level fluctuates quite dynamically while driving - the fuel gauge in the dash really has to compensate for what is really going on

I've only played with the performance features of the unit, but its 0-60 1/4 mile feature looks like it can be a whole-lotta-fun.

I did not have the GPS feature, but plan to go with that option when I purchase one.

Yes, it is expensive at $550 or $700 w/GPS. The only time I ever spend that kind of money on a "toy" is when there's a real value to having it (in West-Michigan they say we have two (2) zippers on our wallets; the first is to remind us to really think before opening the second).

Still, the quality, support, and pure value of having the unit is justified in my mind. Knowing I'll never drive conservative enough for the unit to pay for itself, I'm content in knowing it is going to be a purchase well worth the investment into understanding my smart's internal dynamics better by allowing me to monitor the effects of my driving habits, weather, tires, brand of gasoline, and other choices over time.

At some point, I'll design a smart skin for the unit.

These are real cool. Before I order one though, I would like to clarify that this is real-time data and that as the example shows above the tachometer on the screen could be used to shift by. Another question. Does any have one of these and an actual tach? Which do you prefer to look at?

[wiltjk]

Originally Posted by Yellow Bird

I would like to clarify that this is real-time data and that as the example shows above the tachometer on the screen could be used to shift by. Another question. Does any have one of these and an actual tach? Which do you prefer to look at?

Technically, I set a gauge to display the actual refresh delay, it is about 20 milliseconds. So, the tachometer is 0.020 seconds behind actual, but that is close to real time for most mortals.

I put the tach on the largest gauge so I could use it to shift.

[John_H]

The tach delay to the DashDAQ is probably shorter than the delay through the mechanical tach mechanism in the pods.