Red Devil wireless ALDL adapter doesn't work - help

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Phil Errett
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Joined: Thu Oct 16, 2014 3:29 am

Red Devil wireless ALDL adapter doesn't work - help

Post by Phil Errett »

i have the device powered, connected to ALDL connector of my 1984 Buick Regal Grand National and paired to my Samsung Tab 2.

Upon start up the led eventually goes to flashing green, until I try to start either Tuner Pro or ALDLdroid. The program crashes and the LED moves to magenta.

I have tried a number of ADX files, most recent - A014 from TunerPro, without success.

Any suggestions?

Phil Errett
Ottawa, Canada
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Mangus
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Post by Mangus »

First question: how are you running TunerPro on Android?
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Phil Errett
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Oopps!

Post by Phil Errett »

I should have provided more details. I tried Tuner Pro, which Timm Bacher of Red Devil provided when I purchased his wireless ALDL adapter. His instructions say that it will work with a wireless laptop and he also claims it works with Android devices.

I installed Tuner Pro RT v5 on my Acer laptop running windows 7 64 bit tied directly to his device by a USB cable. No go - his LED turns from flashing green to "magenta" and no data comes through on most items (only two show up - BLM 128 and IAC 50 - then program crashes and LED goes to magenta. I have not tried it wirelessly with my PC (would have to get more gear).

So I tried it with ALDLdroid, from a guy named seabastian, on my Samsung tab2, wirelessly, and still nothing.

I tried the ADX file for 84-85 Grand National provided by Timm as well as A014 from Tuner Pro site. ???

I cannot get Timm to even respond to my emails or even get him to tell me how to return his device.

Last shot - try the forums here.

Any suggestions?

Phil Errett
1984 Buick Grand National
Ottawa, Canada
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Mangus
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Post by Mangus »

I don't have any experience with Red Devil cables myself, but any standard ALDL cable that connects either through serial or a USB port (using an FTDI or similar usb->serial conversion chip) should work just fine.

Someone mentioned something about a Bluetooth ALDL cable. I haven't tried that myself, but would imagine that it could cause some problems, since Bluetooth usually changes the timing of the commands and responses a little. I do have experience making Bluetooth work with "smart" devices like emulators, but not with a straight ALDL cable.

What I'm not clear on is what the LEDs on his cable are supposed to mean.

When you have your cable plugged into the PC (but not your vehicle), and in TunerPro you go to preferences->Data Acq / Emulation tab->"Configure Plug-in Component" on the data acquisition side, and hit the "test for Valid Interface Using Settings" button, does it return success?

If it does, then you're ready to go. It's just a matter of choosing the right definition for your vehicle.

If it doesn't report success, then make sure you've selected the proper COM port number (only COM ports that actually exist on the PC should be available for selection) and try again.
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Phil Errett
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Yup!

Post by Phil Errett »

What I have is the Bluetooth version of the cable and adapter. I will double check with my son - more cptr literate than I, but what you suggest with the PC is what I think we did.

I think A014 is the right file for a 1984 Buick Regal Grand National. GM ecm 1226459

Any way that you know of to verify I have the right ADS/ADX file?

Phil

by the way thanks for taking the time to try and help me out 8)
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Mangus
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Post by Mangus »

You want the $1D files, second to the last entry in the GM table here: http://www.tunerpro.net/downloadBinDefs.htm
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Six_Shooter
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Post by Six_Shooter »

If this is the cable you have: http://www.reddevilriver.com/ALDL_Bluetooth.html

Then I believe the only way it will actually transmit data is through Bluetooth, not the USB. I'm not quite sure what the USB connector is for on that, other than possible firmware upgrades.
cliffharris
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Post by cliffharris »

The Red Devil River Bluetooth cable puts a 10K resistor across ALDL pins A and B and expects data to come out on pin M. If your car outputs data on pin E then it will not work.

The USB connector is for programming the device. It is a standard Arduino MEGA microcontroller board with a custom Bluetooth PC board piggybacked on top.
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