Believe me when I say that I've thought about this VERY thoroughly.

Third party model specific scan tools exist for some other brands. Most notably VW/Audi (do a search for "VAGTool" on Google... or visit http://www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/). Since VW/Audi outsells Saab 20 to 1, there is actually a market for this.

The way you create something like this is buy the proprietary scan tool (in this case a Tech II) and a logic analyzer. You hook up the logic analyzer between the scan tool and the vehicle and watch the packets go by. If you're lucky they're not encrypted so you can eventually figure out the format of all the various commands. This should take someone several months and several thousand dollars to do.

Then you write software to emulate this functionality. You put a pricetag of say $200 on it and wait for the orders to come rolling in... Bzzzzt.

The problem is that the Saab market is TOO small. Maybe you get 500 orders for it at $200 a pop. That's one hundred grand. Now those people want tech support (for "free" of course) and free software upgrades for life. And of course people are passing around YOUR software to all their buddies or loaning them the use of the scan tool.

Are you beginning to see the problem here? But wait, it gets worse.

Saab corporate gets wind of your little venture and their lawyers send you a cease and desist order. You're now out of business.

Even if that didn't happen you can be sure to expect many changes to the software on a regular basis... How do you keep up with that?

It's not just as simple as getting someone to "port the PCMCIA card information" as you stated. This information is naturally in compiled binary code (and possibly encrypted). That would be akin to reverse engineering the BIOS in a pc. Yes, it can be done with a lot of smart engineers and money, but it ain't easy. Plus, having to have a copy of the PCMCIA card just to run your third party hack is added expense and complexity.

Can you see where I'm going with this?

posted by 66.181.9...

• Tech 2 tool for Saabs, Jeff Cunningham, Thu, 31 Jul 2003 07:20:41
  • Re: Tech 2 tool for Saabs, JAGJIT SINGH, Tue, 20 May 2008 09:29:38
  • Sorry to disappoint, phred, Thu, 31 Jul 2003 15:16:02
  • so expensive..., MO, Thu, 31 Jul 2003 12:54:08
    • Yeah, but that doesn't mean you should "steal" it..., Bruce, Thu, 31 Jul 2003 14:44:10
    • Re: so expensive..., MO, Thu, 31 Jul 2003 14:40:16
      • Playing Devil's Advocate..., Bruce, Thu, 31 Jul 2003 15:21:37 <-- Viewing This Message
  • TECH 2 INFO >>>>>>>>, SWEDECAR , Thu, 31 Jul 2003 08:42:56
    • Re: TECH 2 INFO >>>>>>>>, Paul Campbell, Mon, 15 Jun 2015 04:55:28
      • You do realize you are posting in 12 year old thread?, dmz789qqq, Wed, 17 Jun 2015 07:57:12
    • Re: TECH 2 INFO >>>>>>>>, Dean, Thu, 31 Jul 2003 12:46:16
    • Question about updating software, Serendipity, Thu, 31 Jul 2003 09:27:36
  • tech II tool... for rent?, compaqted, Thu, 31 Jul 2003 08:29:26
    • Thought about it..., Scott Paterson , Thu, 31 Jul 2003 12:07:20
      • It wouldn't take long before it was broken., SWEDECAR , Thu, 31 Jul 2003 17:51:50
      • Re: Thought about it..., avanti, Thu, 31 Jul 2003 17:35:08
        • yep... in the end, I reached the same conclusion..., Scott Paterson , Fri, 1 Aug 2003 05:22:06
      • BMW Club of LA does this, phred, Thu, 31 Jul 2003 15:18:44
      • Re: Thought about it..., lowbar, Thu, 31 Jul 2003 14:15:01
      • renting a Tech-II, compaqted, Thu, 31 Jul 2003 13:51:50
      • Maybe $50 with a $100 deposit., Jeff Cunningham, Thu, 31 Jul 2003 13:44:44
      • some thoughts..., JimBlake , Thu, 31 Jul 2003 13:39:51
      • Risky, MisplacedYankee , Thu, 31 Jul 2003 13:25:19
  • Re: Tech 2 tool for Saabs, Chad, Thu, 31 Jul 2003 07:31:05
    • Tech 2 tool for Saabs - some other items, oldsaab, Tue, 20 May 2008 10:27:47
      • Re: Tech 2 tool for Saabs - some other items, John Schreiber, Wed, 4 Feb 2009 13:48:15

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