I was looking at some of the concepts of the new Digital intstrument for the MINI's when I ran across this app.

I already have the OBDLink MX+ interface for my R56 MINI... It has great gauge readouts... but I was thinking of a gague upgrade for the original tach that would NOT replace it or disconnect it.


The new Digital dash for the MINI looks nice... and there seems to be a fair substitute that I could use with one of my refugee iPhone plus' or big Android...
RealDash looks like a nice idea... and, if I can figure out some kind of no-drill, no-adhesive type of mount for it to slip over the factory tach... I think it could be a nice setup.
mounted just high enough to still give the lower display on the tach some visibility while driving.







Something to consider....(horrible music warning)

You Tube

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Maybe even a small tablet...But what is a good one for this use??


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What I use is an iPad Mini on two of the little magnetic clips you can buy off amazon ( ) and stick the clips into the CD player, I use the iPad as digital gauges with a similar free OBD app (car scanner if you're wondering) and it works great for me, not sure about dash mounts though. Hope this was able to help or even just pose some ideas!

 

Sounds like some good ideas for that...the magnets sound like a great idea !!

Any photos of that?

I'm thinking of a big iPhone or Galaxie phone... with the app as the primary gauge in front of the driver/wheel.
While leaving the central Speedo and lights undisturbed..


Kinda like a rectangular version of this... with the RealDash and OBD module to run it...
Kind of like shown on MotoringFiles...



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That digital pod is friggin sexy
The issue with direct OBD readings is its slowww. Gauges don’t update very fast. And with boost isn’t accurate above 21psi.
obd polling isn’t a barrage of give me all this data, and get bunch of data back, not that I have seen given its a native serial connection, it has to poll for each gauge and get a reply, or poll in a series then get replies in the same order.
i use dashcommand its pretty much useless unless you only run 6 or less gauges, and even then it can be slow.
so what ever is made has to be hooked up differently or something.
I use an iPhone 7 Plus and hate it except for a few readings.
even logging can have 1-2 seconds between log entries which makes accurate log readings impossible.
tach, boost, throttle position, afr, coolant and oil temps, air intake temps are about all that have any off track real world use unless you are a serious gear head and are fine tuning your ride.
to me atleast

 

I'm personally not looking for a Data Logger and race computer... that is what the more expensive units seem to do well...
Easy to read and well laid out with nice graphics would be important and RealDash seems to have that going for it?
The graphic-design is pretty important for me of the "dash"

For me, the basic gauges and some other features like music track/Text-messages/Maps through phone function are what I'm looking for...Which, realdash seems to have to.

For me...Speedo (large) Tach (smaller) Temp, Oil-pressure are about all I need as far as engine parameters in front of me.


Cyber... Which brand OBD adapter are you using? How does that compare to the data throughput of competitors?

How much data are you running through the connection? (6 gauges seems like a lot to be paying attention to through a simple device like real-dash)

Have you tried to minimize your data stream and see if gauge performance improves?

For boost... a simple analog gauge mounted to a pod low would still be pretty visible and easily read.

 

Can the OBD2 signal from the MINI port give manual trans gear position info?


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I have this one which is wireless only, not Bluetooth, which is faster by definition, but I think BT and wireless are limited by the baud rate selected and/or capable by obdII and the number of things the app is polling for.
dashcommand by default is brutal and pretty crappy if you ask me. it does not work well on a phone, that is why so many good articles tell you to setup a custom log using minimal PID's so it can log quickly and display data quickly.
I paid for the PC version also so will be using that adapter with my laptop in the coming days to see if I can get more data to log at a much faster rate so we will see soon enough.

I do have an analog boost guage but temps, MAP/MAP AFR fuel pressure and other critical ones need to be logged also
I am not so much interested in live data as I am logging so I can upload to datazap.me and get a visual graph of the data.

dashcommand on the phone will log a lot, and needs to use the custom PID logging to be really useful ,and I may just end up going that route, but currently the number of things it logs by default is ridiculous and causes 1-2 second delays in the log entries as it polls, and cycles through everything.

a laptop by nature is faster and wont bog down like a phone would so I am simply trying to find a windows software that logs and if visual graphs or gauges are there in real time that's a plus but by far not necessary.

 

not that I see because its manual and doesn't have or may not have gear sensors...??

 

There is mine, with dashcomand while back, now it is almost covering the full Speedo, iPad mini. Amezon suction cup magnetic iPad mini holder very strong no movement at all and 360 adjustable.

 

also looks like every screen comes with a price...

 

The RealDash gives me the look and info I need... the dashcommand is more for track people and those who really need a lot of info, in my opinion.

I'd like to have this on my iPhone XS-Max edge to edge screen... I've really not noticed any lag with tach or other functions with the OBDLink that I have now tried in the car....

I'll have to download RealDash and check it out... cost seems super reasonable.