Using TM-Spy for Android

[garygid]

Here, we can discuss issues with using the Android versions of TM-Spy, how to configure it, use it, and any problems or suggestions associated with the Android versions. At the moment, v0.0.22 is the Beta Testing version, now available to Testers only, at the Play Store.

There is a different thread for discussing the iOS versions:
Using TM-Spy for iOS
Please use the iOS thread for any iOS related issues, problems, or suggestions. Thanks, Gary

To become a Beta Tester for the Android version, send your name, TMC handle, phone, and Google Play Store account email address ... to [email protected] with the subject "Request Testing Android TM-Spy".

 

[garygid]

At the moment, Turbo3's development work is concentrated on the iOS version, so v0.0.22 remains as the latest Android testing version.

 

[garygid]

Testing of the Android Beta version of TM-Spy requires ...

1. An Android device with standard Bluetooth
2. A 4-wire Adapter made with two specific connectors
3. A working ELM-type OBD to Bluetooth dongle
4. Request "Tester" status from Turbo3 via [email protected]
5. Get the app from the Play Store

Eventually, step #4 will not be required to get a Release version.

The iOS version is also being tested, with similar requirements.
The Adapter in #2 is the same for iOS.

 

[garygid]

When the Android version gets all the new stuff from the iOS version,
will it also get the Bluetooth 4.0 ability, so both versions can use the
LELink BT LE OBD dongle?

 

[garygid]

Apparently the iOS version of TM-Spy is now being "converted" to create a new, powerful Android version of TM-Spy. This should give our Android users most/all the splendid features that the iOS Testers now enjoy. This should include support of the Bluetooth 4.0 (LE) dongle, use X-files, support User Plots and Recipes, the Magic-MsgID, and many other cool data capturing and graphing features.

The new software should still support the standard ELM-type pairing-Bluetooth dongle that older Android devices require, since those devices do not support the newer Bluetooth 4.0 standards. I have ordered some new 8-inch Android 5.1 quad core tablets (under $100 each) that are said to support Bluetooth LE (4.0), but they have yet to arrive from ... far, far away, ... so I cannot yet vouch for them, or their vendor (gearbest dot com).

More when I get the shipment. Cheers, Gary

 

[garygid]

A 7-inch and an 8-inch Teclast phablet arrived, and they seem to work well, and I will report more when the new Android version of TM-Spy appears.

On both, Teclast appears to have disabled some/several features of the normal Android system:
1. Moving "movable" apps to the external SD card

Other features I still need to double-check:
1. Side-loading apps, at least in some cases
2. Default writing to the external SD card.

 

[Turbo3]

Version 0.1.24 has just been uploaded to Play Store.

This update adds all the features of the latest iOS version to the Android version. Including G force graphing and automatic download from the Dropbox "Copy To TM-Spy" folder so the user recipe file can be easily updated without the need for a USB cable to do the direct transfer.

Bluetooth 4.x LE OBDII adapter support for the following:

- LELink
- PLX KiWi 3
- Vgate iCar 3 Bluetooth 4.0 version (not the 3.0 version!)

Note that other OBDII adapter that say they are iOS compatible with Bluetooth 4.x LE support may not be for Android. These can really be dual mode adapters and are just normal Bluetooth adapters needing pairing when used with an Android device. You want real Bluetooth 4.x LE.

 

[Turbo3]

Until I do more testing I would recommend you stay with the LELink.

The Vgate iCar 3 is giving me some problems with very slow performance. <15 fps.

The PLX KiWi 3 actually hit the 97.5 frame per second rate but then sometime much lower.

 

[garygid]

WOW, an incredible amount of good work has been done in making the new TM-Spy for Android.
It is ready for testing for all those that have been waiting for the Android version to catch up with the iOS version.

Via Dropbox, one can bring in the X-file logs and User Plots file from the iOS version.
Apparently the two versions share the same Dropbox folders and files.

Scaling 3 and 4 graph plots still needs some work, but ... WOW.

Hopefully I will try my new Android tablets (with BT 4.0) and the LELink dongle tomorrow.

Great Work, Jim

 

[David99]

Hi Jim,

just tested the new Android version. Took me a attempts to make it work. First I had to unplug and plug in the LELink. Before that neither the Android nor the iOS version would connect. Not sure if that's the apps's fault, though.
The Android version still wouldn't connect. I enabled debug and test mode and that must have triggered something. Then it connected!
It's late so I didn't do any driving or graph tests yet. Anyways, great work! Thanks so much!

 

[Turbo3]

Hi Jim,

just tested the new Android version. Took me a attempts to make it work. First I had to unplug and plug in the LELink. Before that neither the Android nor the iOS version would connect. Not sure if that's the apps's fault, though.
The Android version still wouldn't connect. I enabled debug and test mode and that must have triggered something. Then it connected!
It's late so I didn't do any driving or graph tests yet. Anyways, great work! Thanks so much!

Don't enable "Testmode" as that will just generate test data to fill the arrays. I use that for offline testing of the graphing function and it generates Leaf test data with G-force data. Unlike the iOS version there is no Console screen when you enable Debug. I may add that screen in the future as it is very helpful to have.

You can try bringing up the Menu then "Select OBDII" and finally pick "Bluetooth 4 LE". That will set the connection type and force a connection attempt. It might take 10-30 seconds for a connection to start.

 

[Turbo3]

WOW, an incredible amount of good work has been done in making the new TM-Spy for Android.
It is ready for testing for all those that have been waiting for the Android version to catch up with the iOS version.

Via Dropbox, one can bring in the X-file logs and User Plots file from the iOS version.
Apparently the two versions share the same Dropbox folders and files.

Scaling 3 and 4 graph plots still needs some work, but ... WOW.

Hopefully I will try my new Android tablets (with BT 4.0) and the LELink dongle tomorrow.

Great Work, Jim

The graphing code is 100% the same between iOS and Android versions so don't expect to see any changes in that area (scale) at this time. The goal was to get the Android version up to the iOS version level.

 

[garygid]

The app dies if it is started, and then BT LE is selected (with the Android 5.1 device's Bluetooth turned Off).

After turning BT on, I got the app to connect and gather data once, but the app alternated showing both ELM... and OBDBLE. Is that normal because the dongle uses ELM... commands?

Later, I could not get it to initialize the LELink dongle a second time, even after several tries. It showed OBDBLE.

I will try again tomorrow. Any proper-sequence that always works?

 

[Turbo3]

The app dies if it is started, and then BT LE is selected (with the Android 5.1 device's Bluetooth turned Off).

After turning BT on, I got the app to connect and gather data once, but the app alternated showing both ELM... and OBDBLE. Is that normal because the dongle uses ELM... commands?

Later, I could not get it to initialize the LELink dongle a second time, even after several tries. It showed OBDBLE.

I will try again tomorrow. Any proper-sequence that always works?

New version 0.1.26 will automatically turn on Bluetooth if Bluetooth 4.0 LE is selected.

OBDBLE is the Broadcast name the LELink uses. The line below the version number at bottom center will now alternate between the OBDII device name (OBDBLE) and the status string returned by the OBDII adapter which is normally ELM327 vx.x. So what you are seeing is correct and means you are connected to the LELink.

You can force another scan to look for Bluetooth 4.x LE devices by going back into Select OBDII and selecting Bluetooth 4 LE again. Then you just need to wait until the two connect. That is unless the LELink is hung-up as indicated by more than just the Red power LED being on. In that case unplug and plug the LELink back in again.

 

[garygid]

Thanks for the explanation. When I try again later today, I will look at the dongle's lights before I start the app. I believe that I saw the red on solid and the yellow flashing before I tried connecting the first time, but just the red later, especially after I repugged the dongle. I guess we are not yet ready to hide/bury the dongle above the cubby.

In my experience with the iOS version, I had been able to use the app many times without ever touching the dongle, so I had been thinking that it might be time to hide the dongle ... but I will wait a bit longer before doing that.

 

[garygid]

I have been asked where to obtain a reliable ELM327-type standard-bluetooth dongle ... for use with TM-Spy running on pre v5 Android devices.

Sadly, I do not have a good answer. I have stubby, short, medium, and possibly even long body lengths, but got three or four different circuit boards even when ordering the same part from the same supplier.

From different sources, some seem to be constructed or assembled better than others, some work, pair, or connect better than others, or possibly last longer.

I see a version 1.9 and a version 2.1 firmware advertised, which is better, or preferred?

At least for US residents, a US based source would probably be helpful.
Any good, recent experience or suggestions?
Thanks, Gary

 

[Turbo3]

Future versions of TM-Spy may support the "ST" command set available on the more expensive OBDLINK LX and MX Bluetooth OBDII adapters. They support multiple filters and can be set to send data at a higher rate (1M baud). The clones that support the AT command set normally run at 32k baud and have only one filter.

Clone versions of the ELM327 OBDII adapters can report any version number they like so it has no meaning. Clones are free to drop any AT commands that are not needed for ICE vehicles since that is their main market.

 

[garygid]

So, does anyone know of a source for dependable BT ELM clone-type dongles, suitable for TM-Spy?

 

[Turbo3]

So, does anyone know of a source for dependable BT ELM clone-type dongles, suitable for TM-Spy?

Because you are requesting a "Clone" the answer must be no. Because it is a clone the Asian sellers are going to sell the cheapest they can get at that time. This explains why what looks like the same units externally (from the same seller) has different boards inside. I have several clones like that on my work bench. One works the other does not (for the Leaf which needs a real AT command set not a limited subset some clones are now supporting).

 

[garygid]

Can one guess that the older ver 1.9 firmware for the clone has the full AT command set, meant to more closely mimic the real ELM device, and that the newer 2.1 firmware is a reduced command set rather than an improvement?

Thanks.