Has anyone bought a SDS system they liked recently?
-Mike
-Mike
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Got my system in, these guys were great. Shipped fast, booted up no problem, had one issue with com ports - there was a help doc on the desktop. Pulled codes within 20 mins of starting the computer up.


LOL ! Aye, that's an understatement. Although not necessary much of the time ... the blink code reader really is much faster and easier to work with. The SDS is more of a "heavy gun" when needed....I suppose this is a step up from my homemade blink code reader.
The SDSes will work with anything that is a 129, 140, and newer. It's super great starting on 210s and all newer cars -- MUCH more data and stuff to play with on more modern cars. Unfortunately being OBD-I and first-gen CAN/electronics, our .036s have relatively little built-in instrumentation & fault specificity compared to newer cars.Would it also read the rest of my cars?
It's expensive, because it doesn't have the hard drive with it. You NEED the external hard drive (or an internal hard drive, whatever you prefer) becuase it has all of the software.What do you guys think of this one?
http://www.diagmaker.com/mb-star-c3...4.html?t=usa&gclid=CNHlvPr2tLkCFcN9OgodST8ADg



I politely disagree with Herr Honcho. There is a LOT of data available from our OBD-1 systems. However he is correct that unless you know how to interpret what you are seeing, it won't help much. But it can help a lot if you can post the data to a forum where someone else can interpret it for you. The only advantage of the HHT over SDS is speed. No waiting for XP to boot or for emulated software to run. Functionality is identical.Our 036 systems are very crude by modern standards, and even the C3/C4 only include the HHT to access the live data in an "emulation" mode, meaning the HHT is recreated in software, and combined with the rest of the C3/C4 which is designed for the more modern cars up to the present time.

That's the reason why we keep you around here and that you make the big bucks as chief 500E MB Mycologist.....unless you know how to interpret what you are seeing, it won't help much. But it can help a lot if you can post the data to a forum where someone else can interpret it for you.
That's the reason why we keep you around here and that you make the big bucks as chief 500E MB Mycologist.....
and have a sparring partner 
Correct. Only E-GAS has 3-digit codes.Thanks, guys. Looking at Dave's DTC handout, the only digital codes I'm seeing are the three-digit codes under the EA/CC/ISC, where there is more than one meaning to the one or two digit blink code. Are there other digital codes for the 034/036 on other modules? I can't find any if there are.
Correct. The only way to access those 3-digit codes is with a digital scanner like the SDS, HHT, Snap-On, or similar scanner with MB OBD-1 digital capabilities.Not to beat a dead horse, but is it true that an HHT or Snap-On tester would allow me to read these digital codes that I couldn't otherwise read with the blink code tester and pretty much nothing more?

And the amount of extra money that you have to pay to read those digital codes (and play with live data, if you are so inclined) via HHT, SDS or Snap-On is many hundreds of dollars more than the blink-code reader, which gives you all other codes, plus the "basic" blink codes for the system(s) where the digital codes provide drilldown.Correct. Only E-GAS has 3-digit codes.
Correct. The only way to access those 3-digit codes is with a digital scanner like the SDS, HHT, Snap-On, or similar scanner with MB OBD-1 digital capabilities.
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For basic code reading, yes. The analog blinker box is great. MOST of the time, this is all that is needed for general diagnostics. But in some instances, the digital codes from E-GAS can be very useful in pinpointing which item is causing the problem (specifically, E-GAS blink code #2). Basic DIY'er = blinker box. Advanced DIY'er = digital scanner.And the amount of extra money that you have to pay to read those digital codes (and play with live data, if you are so inclined) via HHT, SDS or Snap-On is many hundreds of dollars more than the blink-code reader, which gives you all other codes, plus the "basic" blink codes for the system(s) where the digital codes provide drilldown.
Well, it depends. Most dealers will charge $100+ just to pull codes and give you a printout, nothing else. And the dealers don't always interpret the codes properly... they can tend to throw parts at a problem. The $300-$500 investment up front for the SDS could pay for itself with one problem where you didn't have to pay $$$$ to the dealer or indy shop. Again, it depends on your DIY level. It makes a lot more sense for the advanced DIY'er.For most people it's not an economically feasible proposition.....

On this forum, this would pretty much solely be YOU. And of course Jono and Jackasic as shop/business owners, so they would be beyond the DIY category. The rest of us are DIY peons.....Again, it depends on your DIY level. It makes a lot more sense for the advanced DIY'er.
By the way, this Yoink was/is accepted, and appreciated !!It's not just that, but for GVZ to yank his chain.and have a sparring partner
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Joe, any chance you just need to re-enter the license keys? The SDS system uses both a LAN / MAC ID, and also a separate "Hardware ID". The latter may somehow be generated based on the laptop components, and the hardware ID may have changed after the SSD upgrade.
If your EPC + WIS worked fine after the swap, but DAS / Xentry did not, a new license key may fix it. Worth a try anyway. Did your system include a keygen? If you don't have the developer mode, you'll want that for a W211.
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