Attention, cheat: ELM327 v2.1

[FORScan]

ELM Electronics recently released ELM327 v2.1 chip. In contrast to 2.0, that has no significant advantages against v1.4 (from FORScan's point of view), v2.1 contains quite important feature for CAN. In the meantime, we got a request about support it in FORScan. We have decided to buy a couple of devices and test them. Typed "ELM327 v2.1" in google and got list of links. We have ordered the device from the top of the list and as a result, we got this adapter:

http://www.aliexpress.com/snapshot/6104069621.html

Note that the description page has reference to v2.1 in bold.

Of course, it is just another china clone and ATI command returns ELM327 v1.5. If you ask seller about it, they will answer that the device has "v1.5 firmware and v2.1 software", meaning that ELM327 v1.5 is distributed with ScanMaster-ELM v2.1. In other words, it is simply a cheat.

Does anyone know where to purchase good board with ELM327 v2.1 inside?

[SteveJobs]

I've been looking around http://www.obd2allinone.com

and this one also.

http://allobd.com

Jim

[rmn284800]

Hey.

I have an Obdlink MX. Works very well.
Import directly from scantool, good price.

Will Forscan be able to work with Cantiecan mutiplexor interface ??

[FORScan]

I've been looking around http://www.obd2allinone.com
and this one also.
http://allobd.com
Jim

Don't want to be sceptic, but first link offers COM interfaces for $110, second one has no ELM327 at all.

Hardware COM interface is an anachronism, it is really a problem to find a modern laptop that has COM port. Besides, COM port is limited to 115.2 Kpbs, although any ELM327 is able to work on 500Kbps. OBDLink is able to work on 2Mbps.

Next, price of $110 simply doesn't make sense, as you can purchase OBDLink MX for $100 that is much more powerful product than any ELM327 adapter (even ELM327 v2.1). We believe the "white label" ELM327 should cost around $50 to be competetive. That's probably not realistic as ELM Electronics sells the original ELM327 chip for $21 (only chip, not a board!).

Will Forscan be able to work with Cantiecan mutiplexor interface ??

We work on it and hope it will be available very soon.

[speedy100]

Hi there,

Could this link be of help?

http://scanmasterelm.blogspot.gr/

Best Regards

[FORScan]

Could this link be of help?

http://scanmasterelm.blogspot.gr/

ScanMaster-ELM v2.1 is a software developed by a German company. ELM327 v2.1 is a firmware developed by a Canadian company. So the only common thing between them is the number of version (v2.1). This is the exactly confusion we mentioned in the first post of this thread.

[FORScan]

It looks like the story with ELM327 v2.1 continues, we already have 2 complaints from customers who purchased an adapter claimed to have ELM327 v2.1 inside. But in fact, it seems, they have some counterfeit chip that doesn't work properly and even doesn't support commands supported by old good ELM327 v1.4 and v1.5 (even china clones).

If we check it using a terminal and ATI command, we will see v2.1:

>ATI
ELM327 v2.1

So it tries to convince us it is fair ELM327 v2.1. So what is the problem then?

First problem is that it doesn't recognize some commands that are supported in all previous versions of ELM327 and must be supported in 2.1 too. For example (the list is not complete):

ATPPS
ATPP
ATAL

Another problem is that it often behaves not adequeate. For example, instead of waiting for 200 ms for ECU response, it returns NO DATA immediately after the request. This is how it looks like for the end user:

v2_1_not_connected.png (67.46 KiB) Viewed 74559 times

So in summary, this seems to be very buggy product (even for china clone) and we strongly not recommend to use it.

At this moment officially supported (and recommended) adapters are OBDLink SX/MX, ELS27 and CanTieCar v3.

[avkdm]

Is this item any better?
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/271521177290

[FORScan]

Is this item any better?
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/271521177290

We think it will not work with FORScan as it claims to be v2.1:

1. Fully compatible with ELM327 V2.1

We have doubts it has some ELM327 v2.1 other than the counterfeit one mentioned in this thread.

[sergis87]

I tested another one - http://www.banggood.com/ELM327-V1_5-Bluetooth-OBD2-II-Car-Auto-Diagnostic-Scanner-Android-p-75121.html, its says ELM327 v2.1, and does not connect to ford. On device pcb is MCP2515 and MCP2551 chips + bluethoot , pins for J1850 not soldered to pcb, so i gues this adapter only works with can, if even