Porsche diagnostic cable (DURAMETRIC Clone?)
 

Looks like there is a knockoff of a DURAMETRIC cable for sale on Ebay. $159.
Item number: 110814675719
Anyone have an opinion on these?

We sure do. There's a couple of threads on this topic that you may want to search for. It was actually a pretty heated discussion IIRC.

I bought one, not realizing it was a clone, for $75 through Kijiji. It only works with version 3 of the software. Eventually I'll buy a real one and toss this one.

Bloody hell there are some making a lot of dosh online huh. I should open an eBay store!!!

Got mine here for $15 if my memory is good. If your Chinese is good enough, you can order it from the Chinese eBay at Porsche Piwis Cable for Rmb150. (Aprox $18).

Works flawlessly up to version 5 of Durametric.

LOLLL for $150 here you can buy the PIWIS I. Allows you read codes, program the ecu, new keys, setup all Porsche features....auto door lock and list goes on forever. Very useful.... I kinda love it

Or this one for $12 if you are short of cash :]

Ìؼ۴ÙÏú Porsche Piwis Cable ±£Ê±½ÝÆû³µÕï¶Ï¼ì²âÏß-ÌÔ±¦Íø

Everybody I know with a Porsche here have the same one and runs durametric 5. Cute little toy, damn useful anyway

Sorry, didn't realize it had been discussed in depth. Thanks for the info.

I ordered 4 of them from 4 different places.. received ONE of them.. LOL

and it was the Chinese who delivered FIRST!!


I buy them and rewire them..



B

if everyone is running Durametric version 5 with this cable can anyone tell me which particular version of 5 they are running please?

What is the purpose of re-wiring?

I am looking for a copy of Durametric V 5.0 software ( must be before 5.0.6). If you have it I have a dropbox and can then post it for others. I also have most Porsche service info and I can send you something in return such as the OBDII manual or Diagnostic manual or ...

I'm also wondering this?

So many opportunities these days to sell one's soul for a few dollars by rewarding these knock off thieves...

Morals and ethics are lacking today in great quantity.

Just go by the product from Durametric, doing anything else is acting like a sack of shyt.

I'm no so judgmental about knock offs. durametric hacked the Porsche computer to make its product, the chinese hack Durametric. Whats the difference? Thieves stealing from thieves doesn't bother me too much.

Not quite. Durametric analyzed the Porsche diagnostics system use by the DME and developed their own software that can read and address many, but not all critical functions. This is exactly what everyone from Snap-On to Actron does when developing a diagnostic tool, and is not protected under intellectual property rights laws.

If they had simply "hacked" the PIWIS code, they should have been able to mimic everything it does, which would have promptly been addressed by Porsche's legal department as the PIWIS system is copyrighted, and therefore the intellectual property of Porsche. But as Durametric developed their own software independently, Porsche cannot touch them.

Knockoffs, on the other hand, as simply clone copies of someone else's property. The Chinese have been able to replicate the old style simpler cable Durametric used on earlier software versions, essentially stealing their design. but because they have been unable to replicate the later cable's features and encryption tools (yet), the ripped off cables cannot use the later and more competent software Durametric puts out now. Durametric cannot stop the rip off artists because they have no physical presence (read assets) in the US and ship their goods from a country renown for ignoring everyone else's property rights.

So this is thieves stealing from a legitimate diagnostics software firm, not another thief.

Just found this today:

New OBD2 Diagnostic Tools OBDII Cable for Porsche Piwis | eBay

If JFP's statement is true, then my Tactrix Openport 2.0 Cable is a clone, too. :confused:

The term "clone" isn't defined well here in the diagnostic cable world and it's being used very loosely.

Considering that a real PIWIS can only be leased, and currently runs Version 31.2 (or later) software (the flea bay posting for this thing lists Software Version: 1.1.4322), I rather doubt this is even close to the real thing................

Easy, a "clone" is a simple illegal copy of someone else's copyrighted or patented product, nothing more. Your Tactrix Openport 2.0 Cable is a USB cable, which is an industry standard, not a copyrighted or patented design, so anyone can use it. Their software may be another story...............

^I'm not sure what you mean because a lot of cables out there has same function as mine and able to handle various protocols and hardware driver compatibility.

Cables are independent of the software. Durametric is no special tool, it's like any other OEM tools out there. Anyways, it's a bunch of nothing. Let's just move on.

That is actually the point, the Durametric cables are different, each one carries both unique firmware (copyrighted) an encrypted chip that allows their software to work, as well as communicate with Durametric for additional cable firmware updates via the web. As the result, their cables will also not work on any other brand of car, and will not communicate with any other diagnostic software systems; and no other cable will now work with their software either.