USB Ported ECU !
Serial to USB Adapters are at best a " Bit of a Pain " - And just how many modern Laptops & PCs have Serial Ports ? I did go on a bit of a crusade, I tried 17 differing adapters, some worked but really most failed, even the good ones were touchy as hell, and then there is the price - decent USB To Serial Adapters are not cheap, and also it means you have to carry it around with you. Without it your often stuck, as laptops or Tablets offerred to you have that missing serial port problem you just can't get around
So, 'Plan B' has just finished prototype testing - A Posh ECU with a PCB Board Mounted USB Mini Port - no more Serial leads, no more touchy Serial to USB Adapters, connection is now simple and with just about any Laptop or PC in circulation - in simple terms the ECU now has a USB Plug on the end for computer connecting - and not a Serial Plug ! Once plugged into a PC it loads its drivers, and up pops Megatune.
For Testing the Prototype unit has been doing a round robin postal trip, and has been tested on a wide selection of Computers and Operating Systems - Windows 98 (Yes I did have to dig around a number of my friends for that one ! ) XP, Vista, Windows 2000, Windows 7, and all work simply and superbly - and no connection problems even with protracted datalogging sessions.
Having proved itself as being a simple and robust upgrade I am having more made, probably 2 - 3 weeks away (date of this update 20th Nov 2011) . Although not fully worked out pricing yet, Costs will probably be £395 fully Built Tested + Loaded with Firmware and Suitable Specific Rover V8 Engine Program etc. No VAT as I am not registered.
These USB Ported ECUs are not yet on my website, but the website due for an upgrade and some other new products - this being 1 of them so pictures will follow later.
Before anyone asks - This is too tricky to do as an upgrade to any existing Megasquirt, plus we don't like taking on other peoples work other than for essential repairs, its the problem of we touch a ECU if it then goes wrong it 'has to be something we have done' sort of conversation, and also desoldering to the level needed is frankly just not a good idea in the 1st place.