Gauging interest for Bluetooth Rovergauge (iOS and Android)

[thefrog]

Hi all, after writing an IOS app for the Cerbera diagnostics (Also works on Tuscans, T350, Sagaris) which communicates with the ECU over Bluetooth (with a serial-bluetooth adapter), I've been working on a prototype for a RoverGauge-like app.

Before I invest any further time and effort into this, I'd like to know what the likely interest would be.

The app would exist on iOS (and probably Android) and would require an adapter to be plugged into the ECU (the same way you connect the RoverGauge cable) in order to get access to the ECU over bluetooth. Unfortunately, due to the odd way in which the ECU communicates, I have no choice but to build the adapter myself which means prototyping hardware...

Being Bluetooth, you can keep your device on charge and use it while looking at/working in the engine bay... there will be no cables

Before investing any more time and finance into this, I'd like to gauge likely interest in this project.

Could you let me know whether:
1. You'd prefer iOS or Android (or both)
2. £120 for the adapter built, tested and shipped to a UK address would be acceptable (app would be free). This is to account for the costs of buying the hardware components, time to solder the lot together, cables, testing, postage, etc... final costings are still approximate and this should be a maximum.

Any other comments or thoughts.
Thanks
Greg

Edited by thefrog on Sunday 7th January 19:33

Edited by thefrog on Sunday 7th January 20:46

[bobfather]

Android for me, very keen to do this however £120 is more than I'd want to spend. Cost of components and time soldering shouldn't be anywhere near that number.

[eliot]

bobfather said:

Android for me, very keen to do this however £120 is more than I'd want to spend. Cost of components and time soldering shouldn't be anywhere near that number.

if produced in china in the thousands - yes. Small batch made by hand in the UK/France - no.

[bobfather]

I work for Cleveland Circuits http://www.pcb.co.uk/ I know the cost of production

[eliot]

bobfather said:

I work for Cleveland Circuits http://www.pcb.co.uk/ I know the cost of production

Fair enough - but given neither of us know what’s actually involved in this particular adapter, how much is the cost of development and production going to cost accross presumably a small run of adapters - i’m assuming in the tens.
If I was the op l, I wouldn’t be keen fronting the cost on the hope that i recoup my investment. (unless we are talking of say a batch of 10 or 20 for £10’each - all in)

[bobfather]

Generic BT transmitter ~£2 to £3, surface mount components are mostly fractions of a penny each, say £5 total, bespoke socket ~£5, enclosure £1.50. One-off multilayer board design £30 (spread over 10 boards £3 each). One-off manufacture set-up £40 (spread over 10 boards £4 each). Manufacture, handling and dispatch ~£10/unit for short run. That's £30 built & dispatched, £90 profit per unit, seems high to me.

Personally I'd make these at home on my breakfast bar with a soldering iron, production costs would be even smaller

Edited by bobfather on Monday 8th January 07:43

[m4tti]

bobfather said:

Generic BT transmitter ~£2 to £3, surface mount components are mostly fractions of a penny each, say £5 total, bespoke socket ~£5, enclosure £1.50. One-off multilayer board design £30 (spread over 10 boards £3 each). One-off manufacture set-up £40 (spread over 10 boards £4 each). Manufacture, handling and dispatch ~£10/unit for short run. That's £30 built & dispatched, £90 profit per unit, seems high to me.

Personally I'd make these at home on my breakfast bar with a soldering iron, production costs would be even smaller

Edited by bobfather on Monday 8th January 07:43

You’re not accounting for the software development time, as it states the app is free with the adapter...

[thefrog]

You also need to add a microprocessor, serial to TTl converter, on board power supply to downconvert 12-15v to 3.3v for starters.

As I said, the price is imprecise and I’d rather state an upper end than too low.

I might get in touch for full manufacturing prices if they’re so low for small production runs

[bobfather]

thefrog said:

I might get in touch for full manufacturing prices if they’re so low for small production runs

If you do, come through me as my wife is the sales manager so she would be the person receiving this request. She can do 'friend' rates for TVR related products

[thefrog]

bobfather said:

If you do, come through me as my wife is the sales manager so she would be the person receiving this request. She can do 'friend' rates for TVR related products

[echazfraz]

I'm very interested in this and can offer 3D printing and scanning for prototyping purposes if necessary, please PM me if this could be helpful.

[blitzracing]

I think you are adding a level of technicality and you dont get a lot of advantage using blue tooth. After all the RV8 ignition system is a small lightning storm in terms of interference in a fiberglass bodied car with no RF protection from a metal body so id suspect you are asking for trouble - I certainly would not spend time and effort on trying to get it to work, as it can prove difficult to get even direct USB to work with all the interference. There is an Android version of RoverGauge in Playstore already, that runs off the Phone / tablet USB port, but needs an adaptor for a couple of quid to run with the stock serial cable.

[thefrog]

I’d be interested feedback from owners using a Bluetooth connection to their stereo if that’s the case, is it unreliable?

It works perfectly well in the Cerbera.

I am aware of rovergauge for Android, there isn’t anything for iOS tough which is where I started and that has to be over Bluetooth, apple won’t allow a serial connection.

[blitzracing]

Dont forget you are polling the ECU interface all the time, is not a quick burst of data as it would be on a radio. i just know from bitter experience that the birds nest of HT leads the RV8 uses make very fine radio transmitters, even worse with the dreaded Magnecore leads and its has proved difficult to get even some USB devices to keep working reliably even with all the cable shielding, but I wish you the best of luck