# Clone Vagcom 19.6 cable - Drivers?



## Audittnumb (Apr 8, 2020)

Hey guys so I went out and bought a 19.6 Vagcom cable. The cd that was with it was empty though. Cant see any drivers in it what so ever. Its the cable bellow any input from the Vagcom / VCDS gurus? Any drivers I can download or should I go and plug the cable to the sellers *** [smiley=bomb.gif]


----------



## TTsdsgomg (Mar 19, 2013)

Audittnumb said:


> Hey guys so I went out and bought a 19.6 Vagcom cable. The cd that was with it was empty though. Cant see any drivers in it what so ever. Its the cable bellow any input from the Vagcom / VCDS gurus? Any drivers I can download or should I go and plug the cable to the sellers *** [smiley=bomb.gif]
> 
> We all need/want a bargain or deal, but somethings are just not worth the risk  , ask yourself ( Dirty Harry classic ) am I willing to plug this cheap noname device into the brains of my pride and joy, well are you ? :twisted:
> If you can, return the item and get your hard earned back ( assuming it was hard earned ) and then ask in the forum if there is anyone near you who can help, or just bite the bullet :wink:


----------



## SwissJetPilot (Apr 27, 2014)

@ *TTsdsgomg* - It never fails to amaze me how some people will pay thousands and thousands of pounds for a TT, and then risk completely destroying all the computers and software it comes with just to save a few bucks with a cheap Chinese VCDS knock off.

I am so looking forward to how this turns out!


----------



## FNChaos (Nov 30, 2016)

Whether a Chinese knock-off causes software corruption / module damage or not, it is unethical to support those that steal intellectual property and / or profit from counterfeiting... and asking the forum to assist with this theft is a bit of a dick move [smiley=whip.gif]


----------



## Audittnumb (Apr 8, 2020)

You guys are absolutely right.
I didnt know it was a clone before I bought it though, dont get me wrong! I never new that the only cable that was genuine was the Rosstech. Will get this piece of crap returned! You got me worried!!


----------



## SwissJetPilot (Apr 27, 2014)

@ *Audittnumb* - Unless you have a Roadster, or plan on deep diving into the functions and features, you can probably do 99% of what you want with an OBDeleven. It's designed specifically for VAG vehicles, works with Android or iOS, it's relatively cheap and since many people in this Forum use it, there's plenty of people who can help you.

Now, if you have a Roadster, you'll need a Ross Tech VCDS in the event the roof servos fail as the VCDS can perform the Adaptation needed to get them working again. OBDeleven is missing a number of Adaptation features, so be sure you understand the capabilities of both based on your needs before making a purchase.

So, to help you make a good decision about your next purchase, read through these posts. Keep in mind, with regards to price point, you get what you pay for -

*FAQ - VCDS Open Box Review*
https://www.ttforum.co.uk/forum/viewtop ... &t=1928927

*FAQ - OBDeleven Open Box Review*
https://www.ttforum.co.uk/forum/viewtop ... &t=1926899


----------



## chriscapon (Feb 13, 2013)

I've just looked at the OBDeleven website and it says the pro is in development and has a tick by the side for long coding and adaptation. Do we know if this is apply to the roof, and if so when this will be available.


----------



## Hoggy (May 8, 2002)

Hi, The Pro is avail now & works with Ios & Android.
Have a look through SJP post, it appears roof adaption is not avail but I'm sure SJP will be along to confirm.
https://www.ttforum.co.uk/forum/viewtop ... &t=1926901
Hoggy.


----------



## SwissJetPilot (Apr 27, 2014)

I've written directly to the OBDeleven team, and they are aware that the Adaptation function for the roof isn't currently available. When software updates are made available, you'll know it when you try to use it as you'll get a little red pop-up to announce it. Click on it and follow the link and read up on what's been changed and then perform the update.

When I did an update last week, I had to uninstall it and install the latest version. Not a big deal, just have your username and password handy when you reinstall it and you're good to go.

VCVS does the same thing too, they notify you of an update when you plug in - if you're online. With both systems, I've found it best to check BEFORE I want to use it so I do the update in the comfort of my home, rather than sitting, waiting for it in the car.


----------



## John949 (Apr 12, 2017)

If budgets are tight then VCDS lite (free) and a KKL cable (a few quid from ebay) is the safest way to go. The whole issue surrounding 'third party diagnostic tools' is a bit of a legal nightmare as both VCDS and OB11 are 'clones' of the dealer tools. At one level it is a question of who do you trust to have made a decent clone at another you're into very complex legal issues as to what can and can't be protected against copying.


----------



## FNChaos (Nov 30, 2016)

John949 said:


> If budgets are tight then VCDS lite (free) and a KKL cable (a few quid from ebay) is the safest way to go. The whole issue surrounding 'third party diagnostic tools' is a bit of a legal nightmare as both VCDS and OB11 are 'clones' of the dealer tools. At one level it is a question of who do you trust to have made a decent clone at another you're into very complex legal issues as to what can and can't be protected against copying.


OEM's must allow their products to be serviced by owners and third parties. Or in other words, an OEM cannot create a device that can only be serviced by the OEM and no one else. Many lawsuits have been filed (and won) by independents over this issue.

What an OEM can do however is create advanced service tools that are proprietary. As long as these tools are not required to perform essential & necessary service, the tools belong to the company that produced them and that company can sell, license or prohibit their use as they wish.

So legally, any company can produce a cable that allows one to connect to a car's OBD port and access data, but for the average user that access is of little value without a program to make sense of it. This is where companies like RossTech and OBDEleven come in. These companies produce their own versions of proprietary software that makes data access user friendly.

In order for RossTech, OBDEleven, etc to protect their investments, they need a way to restrict the use of their products to legit buyers, and they do so by tying software licensing to a unique identifier in their interface.

So while I said, any company can make an OBD interface, companies cannot legally make an interface that allows one to bypass another companies proprietary licensing.

A 'generic' cable running open-source software is perfectly legal. A RossTech clone that allows you to access RossTech's propriety software for free is not. Bottom line: Buying and using a cloned device to get free access to licenced software is theft and if you choose to use one, you are a thief.

(Note: My comments are not targeted toward the OP or anyone specifically, but instead towards anyone buying / using counterfeit devices in general)


----------



## John949 (Apr 12, 2017)

> RossTech's propriety software


How can it be propriety when they give it away for free?


----------



## FNChaos (Nov 30, 2016)

John949 said:


> How can it be propriety when they give it away for free?


RossTech offers a neutered shareware version of VCDS lite, but charges for their fully registered version.
https://www.ross-tech.com/vcds-lite/index.php

...and they most definitely charge for their full VCDS offerings
https://store.ross-tech.com/shop/cat/vcds/
https://store.ross-tech.com/shop/cat/vcds/intup/

Cut from https://www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/faq_3.php#3.3

_"VCDS-Lite will run through "dumb" interfaces which are not particularly difficult to make and *we would like to get paid for our work! The reality is that there are many people in this world who just won't pay for software unless they have to.* *We've invested a large amount of time and expense in developing this software, and we're trying to make a living with this product*. Furthermore, we're trying to sell it at a price that makes it affordable to everyone. The activation scheme is intended to ensure that we get paid by every user, not to make life difficult for registered customers."_

_"*The full (non-Lite) version of VCDS is not compatible with 3rd party interfaces at al*l, even in shareware mode and vehicles that use CAN-Bus diagnostics require a Genuine Ross-Tech CAN-capable Interface. To use the full (non-Lite) version of VCDS, you need to use a genuine KEY- or HEX-, or Micro- series Interface purchased directly from Ross-Tech or from one of our authorized resellers."_


----------



## SwissJetPilot (Apr 27, 2014)

If you have your heart set on a VCDS and don't want to pay full price, then check our market place and see if anyone's selling theirs. Ross Tech does support second-hand devices, but there are conditions -

*FAQ - Ross-Tech's Transfer Policy for Second Hand VCDS*
https://www.ttforum.co.uk/forum/viewtop ... &t=1857197

If you want to check out their online User Manual, follow this link - 
https://www.ross-tech.com/vcds/tour/main_screen.php

If you want download their 2015 User Manual, you can find it here -
http://www.ross-tech.net/VCDS/download/ ... l-2015.pdf


----------



## John949 (Apr 12, 2017)

> .and they most definitely charge for their full VCDS offerings


They charge for the lead, the software is freely downloadable from their web-site. You cannot patent or copyright an electrical design at the interface level*. It is therefore not illegal to produce a lead that mimics how the VCDS one responds to electrical signals (Including serial data streams). Whether you can take 'free' software, modify it and then sell it is unclear. Anyone selling 'mapped' ECUs is effectively doing this. Anyone cloning a key or producing an immobiliser defeat dongle is circumventing a protection mechanism (quite similar to how the VCDS protection works).

Having delved into how the diagnostics work, I am full of admiration for the amount of effort the Ross-Tech have put into their product and they have every right to profit from this investment. My beef with them is that they have chosen a flawed method to protect their investment (hardware dongle) and their attempts to protect this investment by re-programming third party leads are almost certainly illegal*. The statement in their T&Cs that you are not allowed to 'reverse engineer' their product, whilst their own sales blurb states that they developed the project by 'reverse engineering' is one of the finest pieces of hypocrisy I've seen in a long while.

*This is my understanding of UK/EU law, for other countries it may be different.


----------



## SwissJetPilot (Apr 27, 2014)

OBD III could be just around the corner and has some interesting potential -

_OBD III is being discussed as a program to minimize the delay between the detection of an emissions malfunction by the OBD II system and the actual repair of the vehicle. This includes a reading of stored OBD II information from in-use vehicles and the direction to owners of vehicles with fault codes to make immediate repairs.

In this concept, faults are picked up by a monitoring technology and reported to a regulator, and the vehicle owner is then directed to get further testing and possible repairs. The debate over controlling vehicle emissions may soon move from what type of testing facilities and test methods are most effective to the complete on-board cycle of fault detection, notification and follow-up testing and repair being discussed in the OBD-III concept.

An OBD-III program could be incorporated into the current inspection and maintenance (I/M) program. OBD III might also be used to generate an "out-of-cycle" inspection. Once a fault is detected, a notice could be mailed to the vehicle owner requiring an out-of-cycle inspection within a certain number of days or at the next registration or resale, or a citation would be issued. Penalties might include court appearances or fines related to vehicle registration. _

http://lobby.la.psu.edu/_107th/093_OBD_ ... stions.htm

.


----------

