anyone use a PDA with MJLJ software?

General Topics for configuring, operating and tuning the Megajolt. Also see the <a href="http://www.autosportlabs.net/MJLJ_V4_Operation_Guide">Operation Guide</a>

Moderators: JeffC, rdoherty, stieg, brentp

Josh_b
Posts: 0
Joined: Sun Feb 29, 2004 9:23 pm

anyone use a PDA with MJLJ software?

Post by Josh_b »

i was wondering if anyone used a pda in conjuction with the MJLJ software? i am thinking of getting one......

dh154
Posts: 0
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 1:00 pm

check out my

Post by dh154 »

check out my site:

http://ipaqsparker.tripod.com

david

Josh_b
Posts: 0
Joined: Sun Feb 29, 2004 9:23 pm

nice

Post by Josh_b »

looks good, do you plan being able to program the mjlj from the pda?

dh154
Posts: 0
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 1:00 pm

hi josh, i'm not planning to

Post by dh154 »

hi josh, i'm not planning to do it; i already can! i have tuned the ignition map on my dads austin healey sprite (with MJLJ) from scratch using nothing but the pocket pc software shown on the site. some constants (eg. number of cylinders) you will still have to set using your desktop, but it's a lot easier to carry just a pocket PC!

Josh_b
Posts: 0
Joined: Sun Feb 29, 2004 9:23 pm

hhe

Post by Josh_b »

oops i must have read the site wrong, i thought you could just view the mljl settings, not program the unit directly from a pda. can you recomend a good pda, i dont know alot about them, i would also like to use gps with it too, thanks, Josh

dh154
Posts: 0
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 1:00 pm

the HP Ipaq 4150 is brill,

Post by dh154 »

the HP Ipaq 4150 is brill, wireless lan and bluetooth, my friend has one, it works with my software and he runs GPS on it too.... that said, I'm pretty sure the cheaper models (right down to the 1900's etc) which you can get on ebay for fifty quid will cope with it too. i've got a 4350, which is a 4150 with a keyboard, but you don't really need that if you're not going to write the software on it..

david

Josh_b
Posts: 0
Joined: Sun Feb 29, 2004 9:23 pm

thanks

Post by Josh_b »

taa for the info, time to look on ebay me thinks

Josh_b
Posts: 0
Joined: Sun Feb 29, 2004 9:23 pm

dell

Post by Josh_b »

would a dell axim x50v do the job?

dh154
Posts: 0
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 1:00 pm

i would have thought so.

Post by dh154 »

i would have thought so. Check it has an operting system that will work with the PocketC runtime (listed here.... http://www.orbworks.com/pcce/download.html)
and also it must have a serial connection (just google for the pinout of the PDA) it should have some pins labelled 'serial TX' and 'serial RX' etc.... some of the more modern PDA's have done away with serial connections in favour of USB-only connection.

david

Jax2A
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2004 11:05 am

X50V

Post by Jax2A »

Josh, I'm running David's program on my X50V and it seems to work well. The Dell can't be connected straight to the DB9 serial port on the MegaJolt Lite Jr though as the voltage is too high. I soldered in a small stereo headphone jack (on the advice of another member) on the input side of the 232 chip. Then made a headphone jack to Dell connector cable. Seems to work well, data does transfer and all. However, I don't have my MegaJolt in the car or even on a bench tester. I have used the Dell to change values and save them and they're still their after shutting it down and restarting.

Jax2A
Jax2A

Josh_b
Posts: 0
Joined: Sun Feb 29, 2004 9:23 pm

is

Post by Josh_b »

is that the 232 chip on the mjlj? or have you opened up your pda? i see you can buy serial adapter cable would that work, or would the voltage still be too high? i am writing this from my newly aquired x50v!

dh154
Posts: 0
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 1:00 pm

I'm still not sure about

Post by dh154 »

I'm still not sure about that Jax2a... serial ports are serial ports surely! RS232 is a 'standard' system so it seems unlikely that Dell would do their own thing and have other voltage levels.
But you've got it going and thats the main thing; good work on testing off the car though, I may see about copying your idea of the headphone jack for data transfer, would be good to have a 'port' on the dashboard!!
By the way Josh, the 232 is on the MJLJ; don't try soldering up your new PDA!

Jax2A
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2004 11:05 am

MAX232

Post by Jax2A »

Josh, Yes the 232 is the one in the MJLJ. Like David said don't crack open that Axim on my account. My research says the Axim serial connections are 3.3 to 5v and the 232 boosts the serial signal to 10v out the DB9 connector on the MJLJ. I got advice saying definitely don't and advice saying it would be OK. I wasn't willing to risk it so I soldered in the stereo jack on the "low voltage" side of the 232 chip. Worked for me. Here's another thread on the topic for more information:
http://picasso.org/mjlj/?q=node/341

When I was researching this I found a lot of information at www.aximsite.com It's a good site but some of the people on the forums like to show how much they know about computers by being pretty condescending to people that are trying to learn it like me. However there are some darn smart people in there that do crack open there Axims and soup them up like people on this list build cars. No joy for me but to each his own, you know. Anyway I was able to wade through the BS and find some that helped walk me through it all. It's definitely a good site for Axim owners for all kinds of other resources too. Later.

Jack (Jax2A)
Jax2A

Jax2A
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2004 11:05 am

Not sure either

Post by Jax2A »

David, I'm still not sure about it either but I never got enough evidence to risk frying my Axim.

Jack (Jax2A)
Jax2A

dh154
Posts: 0
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 1:00 pm

good point, although I did

Post by dh154 »

good point, although I did accidentally reverse the connection (RX/TX) on my ipaq when building my cable, but it didn't cause any problems!
i'm 99% sure that you just need a custom cable and no other soldering though.

Post Reply