VAG cables - look what I found

[moniker]

Just stumbled across this (I have bought a few things from here in the past and the range of products is simply amazing)
Prices always include shipping ($US)

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.28527

There's a newer (CAN?) one also

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.28526

Comments?

I have an ebay cable and 'hacked' software for my car but these look interesting to say the least.

Cheers,

Keith

'01 4motion Bora

[Arctra]

Good find! I've ordered quite a few things from them too and have not been let down yet. I've just ordered one of the CAN cables to test on my Tig. Thanks a million!

[83_SUS]

wat can you do with these cables?

[Arctra]

wat can you do with these cables?

I'll tell you once I get mine and have a chance to test it out.

[83_SUS]

I'll tell you once I get mine and have a chance to test it out.

oh k sweet would love to know

[Treza360]

http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/newforum/upload/showthread.php?t=15666&highlight=vag+tacho

http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/newforum/upload/showthread.php?t=26922&highlight=vag+tacho

Cheers,
Trent

[Arctra]

Well, I finally got my cable in the post on Friday. I was quite excited when I saw it purported to support Vagcom VCDS 805.1, so I installed it and plugged the cable in. Unfortunately the cable keeps getting recognised, then disappears, then gets recognised again, and so on. I have tried it on 3 different machines now (Win XP, Vista 32, and Vista 64) and it doesn't work on any

So I have filled in an RMA form and hopefully will get my money back, though I am not holding my breath. I've also noticed the SKU has disappeared from their site, so it must be a problem product. Guess I deserve it hey!

[fuzion]

lol

it was a matter of time before someone found out.. ahhh welll!

[gavs]

Well, I finally got my cable in the post on Friday. I was quite excited when I saw it purported to support Vagcom VCDS 805.1, so I installed it and plugged the cable in. Unfortunately the cable keeps getting recognised, then disappears, then gets recognised again, and so on. I have tried it on 3 different machines now (Win XP, Vista 32, and Vista 64) and it doesn't work on any

So I have filled in an RMA form and hopefully will get my money back, though I am not holding my breath. I've also noticed the SKU has disappeared from their site, so it must be a problem product. Guess I deserve it hey!

Did you make sure you opened a new coms port on the computer? The cables won't work without a new one being setup....I found this when borrowing a Ross-Tech VAG cable, i would get an intermittent signal untill the correct driver was installed and a new COM port was connected....

[MAC883]

Where is the vagcom connection on the Mk4's? Have a mate who has one which we are going to plug in and check it out before I buy one

[h100vw]

Centre dash cubby hole, right at the back.

Gain

[brad]

So I have filled in an RMA form and hopefully will get my money back, though I am not holding my breath. I've also noticed the SKU has disappeared from their site, so it must be a problem product. Guess I deserve it hey!

I've had some problem items from Deal Extreme. The replacements were handled very professionally but you have to follow their instructions to the letter. Read very carefully.

I ordered one of those cables too. I'll let you know how it goes.

[Arctra]

Correction!

Woo-hoo! It works.

The mistake I was making was I plugged the USB part of the cable in before I had plugged the other end into the Tiguan and turned the ignition on. After I did that the laptop recognised the cable and it was stable. I managed to get VCDS 804.0 working, but only in shareware mode. Still, better than nothing.

Now I need to figure out how to use the graphing app, and the logging so I can do some testing. Also need to see if it's possible to change any settings with the shareware version of the software only.

BTW, I got the CANBUS version of this cable as my Tiguan is CANBUS based. I don't know if it works on non-CANBUS cars.

[brad]

I got mine on Friday & tried it out yesterday.
To make it work the order is:
Install software
plug in USB connector
turn on ignition
plug in ODB connector
launch software.

This is where it comes unstuck.

Dealextreme listed a truckload of things that you could do with this cable except the supplied software hasn't been hacked.
Fair enough, but it appears that there is no longer two versions of VCDS (a shareware trial & a full functioning version) and the full function of the software is activated by a dongle within the cable. Again, fair enough.

Therefore, this cable doesn't appear to have the dongle & will never activate any VCDS software.

Or is there something I've misunderstood?

At the moment I'm thinking this cable is useless & I'd like to file a return with DX ASAP if that is the case.

[logger]

It is perfectly reasonble to expect the dongle won't have the activating dongle included as it is after all a knock off. You need to buy the real McCoy for that. But I reckon you could just buy the VCDS licence for $99 and then activate the software and then the cable will be very useful.

So the:
Pro's of this method are you get the system up and running for (whatever you paid for the lead say $40 + usd$100 for the licence) around AU$200 versus around AU$350+ to get the Ross-Tech ridgy dig unit. Saving yourself around $150.
Cons are that your software licence will not readily transfer between PCs down the track as it uses a digital fingerprinting method to combat piracy. I think you can actually move it, but it is going to problematic.

If you pony the extra moola for the genuine article as I have done PC transfer should be straight forward but you dont want to lose the lead....