VAGCOM Adapter: From Old Cable to New Use

I found an old, discarded cable for a VAG 1551. Can I use it to build an adapter for my PC using an old printer cable? Does anyone know how to connect the individual wires?

Hi,

Well, what else can one say ?

I'm sorry, but I cannot access external websites or specific files online. Therefore, I am unable to translate the text from the provided URL.

Best regards, Andy.

@andy, what good will that link do him if he's asking a question about a cable?

The cable itself doesn't need to have any special properties other than having 4 wires... A forum member named Maik is selling a DIY adapter, which is a bit cheaper than the one Rainer offers in his shop.

I think the link here would have helped you http://shop.dieselschrauber.de/product_info.php/cPath/21/products_id/38.

Okay, and try using the search function; this topic has already been extensively discussed.

Sir Tortsch wrote:

@ andy, what good is this link going to do him if he has a question about the cable? The cable itself doesn't need to have any special properties other than having 4 wires... A forum member named Maik is selling a DIY adapter, which is a bit cheaper than the one Rainer offers in his shop. I think the link here would have helped you http://shop.dieselschrauber.de/product_info.php/cPath/21/products_id/38. Okay, and try using the search function, the topic is really already exhausted

.

Hello,

It's difficult to avoid offending anyone when discussing this topic.
Regarding the Maik adapter: it's certainly a technically well-designed solution and works great.
"Disadvantages: Not exactly easy to solder, and assembly is impossible without a fine soldering tip. The 30 minutes I estimate it takes to install and read errors from the car is, in my opinion, impossible to beat with this product."
Hat die Platine eine Bestückungsaufdruck? No.
Lötstoppmaske? No.
Verzinnte Lötpads? Not even that.
Price: If you want a housing for the OBD2 connector instead of just the connector insert with the pins, you can also buy the complete kit from the shop. Additionally, the transistors for the K/L lines are not protected against external voltages on the lines. With the kit offered in the shop, nothing can catch fire as long as it is assembled correctly.

@Sir Tortsch: Have you assembled Maik's adapter yourself? And how long did it take you to get it working?

The kit is therefore offered in the shop for 64 euros because it's simply not possible to offer the same quality at a lower price.
If someone claims the opposite, they can also earn their money as a magician and then don't have to lose money on the shipping of construction kits.
Sure, I could also give away DIY kits for free. But what's the point if a few nails end up stuck in the car's diagnostic port, the circuit board can't be soldered in less than 2 hours without causing a short circuit, and smoke starts billowing from the transistors if the radio is wired incorrectly?
Or does it come with the great parts from the auction house, which have a supposedly cost-effective circuit with 2 transistors built in, along with all the mentioned drawbacks? Additionally, do you need to download VAG-COM and purchase a separate serial Sub-D 9-pin extension cable?

I could even weld solid rubber tires onto the front axle of a €10,000 car because they're €10 cheaper than decent tires, but whether you'd be happy with that is up to you...

As I said, I'm happy for everyone to have their own solution, but from my perspective, Maik's solution is technically okay, aside from the lack of protection for the transistors.
That's why the article still contains all the usual information (as if there were no online shop yet), including contact details. Who's forcing me to do this?

If someone believes they must force the price down on high-quality items in the shop by comparing them to inferior products, I simply don't understand that approach.
For the sake of fairness, one shouldn't simply shout "this is cheaper," but also point out the differences.

Best regards, Rainer.

That's why the article still contains all the usual information (as if there were no online shop yet), including contact details. Who's forcing me to do this?

If someone believes they must force the price down on high-quality items in the shop by comparing them to inferior products, I simply don't understand that approach.
For the sake of fairness, one shouldn't simply shout 'this is cheaper,' but also point out the differences.

Greetings, Rainer

@Rainer
So, I initially ordered the adapter as a kit from Maik, and after taking a quick look at it, I had Maik assemble it for me himself, because I didn't feel confident enough to follow the technical assembly instructions.

I don't quite understand why someone would force you to delete or keep a scientific article. I assume you're referring to the idea of removing the scientific article and, as a result, increasing revenue .
... (which I would be sorry to see, as it's a well-written article).

Regarding the rest of your comment: I even linked to your shop and pointed it out... I find your reaction a bit exaggerated .

...and it does have a slight advantage, but overall, it's considerably more expensive in your shop.

Best regards, Tortsch (who doesn't feel like arguing).

Sir Tortsch wrote:

@Rainer Okay, so I initially ordered the adapter as a kit from Maik, and after taking a quick look at it, I had Maik assemble it for me... because I simply didn't feel confident enough to follow the technical assembly instructions myself.

Okay.

Sir Tortsch wrote:

I don't quite understand why someone would force you to delete or keep a technical article. I assume you're referring to the idea of removing the technical article and, as a result, increasing revenue . ... (which I would be sorry to see, as it's a well-written article).

My willingness to allow other people to use dieselschrauber.de as a free advertising platform for their own products has pretty much plummeted, considering my empty bank account, empty refrigerator, and advertising posts that are damaging to my business...

Sir Tortsch wrote:

Regarding the rest of your comment: I even linked to your shop and pointed it out... I find your reaction a bit exaggerated .

Your main point was: You can order the kit here in our shop, but it's cheaper there and there.
I don't think it's fair to proceed without addressing the differences between the kits.

Sir Tortsch wrote:

...and it does have a slight advantage, but overall, it's considerably more expensive in your shop.

Does your OBD2 connector have a proper housing, or is the cable just hanging loose from the contact pins?
Is the kit housed in a suitable enclosure?
Do the cables have strain relief and kink protection?
Do you offer a 2-year warranty?
Does your adapter have protection against smoke generation due to voltage fluctuations?

I actually see the points mentioned above more as advantages for customers than the fact that the finished product is more expensive than the kit.

Oh, and I almost forgot one thing: Both the kit and the finished product include a €10 voucher for the English full version of VAG-COM. The shareware version and the manual are included for free on a CD.
So, what is cheaper and what is more affordable?

Hi Rainer,

Perhaps you should include a link on the website, prominently displayed, with the text "Why 64 euros for a kit when ready-made devices are cheaper on [e-commerce platform]?" and include the text above in that link.

For example, when reading VAGCOM-specific discussions on forums like Ibi-Forum, you often see comments like "get an adapter from eb** for xy Euros." However, beyond the statement "it works for me," there's usually little information provided about the adapter's features. Such clarification could be helpful for this type of user.

Best regards,

Jan.

Hi,

To stay on the original topic.

@ andy, what good is this link to him if he's asking a question about a cable?

I found an old, discarded cable from a VAG 1551. Can I build an adapter for my PC using this and an old printer cable? Does anyone know how to connect the individual wires?

I understood the question to mean that he has an OBD connector and a SUB-D socket and wants to connect them directly with a cable, for which he is now looking for the pinout.
Therefore, there's a complete lack of understanding of what an adapter needs to do. That's why a technical article on diagnostics is the best starting point to understand the issue and realize that some electronics are needed between the two connectors.

Best regards, Andy.

@STRAWBERRY_BASKET

I also had a discarded cable - it contains a lot of electronics, and...
I don't think it's compatible or usable in any way.

I then used the connector – which isn't cheap, by the way. I cut the cable short, right before the connector, and carefully cut open the solid handle of the connector. There's a circuit board inside, which needs to be removed. Then you can expose the pins on the connector and attach your own wires to them.

Regards,
arne