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.

You guys do realize the Chinese have their own "Durametric-style" software (although 100% in Chinese) and use a plain and simple USB-to-OBD2 architecture for comm. It's a software on its own and has nothing to do with Durametric look & feel.

The software is by-far more advanced than the Durametric 'pro' version as it literally does everything a piwis does (keys prog, locking systems, adjust this and that, has it ALL... can't list them all here).

Where I'm trying to get at with this is, they are selling it to guys like myself for $60 a license. Instead of the ridiculous amount of money the other one is selling theirs to their Porsche crowd in the USA/CA/EU.

Really makes you wonder; who is stealing who?!

Believe me they could translate everything in English, French, Itralian, and shutdown your mates at Durametric in a flash but hey man.... they don't. Any idea why?

Nobody is hacking the Durametric software; I think that's what you're forgetting. There's no special effort to get the software to work. It's not like other diagnostic tools.

Again, the cable is independent from the software, any diagnostic system. The cable is just a tool to communicate with the ECU. The ECU dictates what type of protocol it can TX/RX.

Is the cable offered by Durametric unique? Yes, no doubt! Can other cable in the market able to communicate like the cable offered by Durametric? Yes, no doubt! Does other cable in the market provide the same feature as cable offered by Durametric? No!

It does not mean that it's cloned or ripped off!

After Durametric version 5.1.3, they changed everything (cable and software) to limit cloning efforts. Durametric 6.0 and later will not work without the latest Durametric cable, which has proven hard to crack due to each one being unique. The latest cable will also not work with the earlier Durametric software. If that were not the case, there would be $39 versions of the current Durametric software and cable being sold on the internet.

.

Probably a clone of PIWIS version 1, which suffered the same problems Durametric did. PIWIS version 2 (current) is a fully networked system that Porsche keeps a very tight rein on, only leasing it, and running an active campaign to disable clone systems that pop up from time to time.

Correct.

Why they don't make it viral is because they know too well that Porsche are very recently putting extra efforts in protecting their brand as much as being very proud, if not jealous, of their engineering integrity. They just don't allow anyone to modify or tap their systems anymore.

I'm surprised some other guy stayed that long in business and still able to 'legally' tap into their corporate assets. Same lawyers or P family's friend perhaps?!

Mind you the protocol handshake and comm is all done by software. Where the P Piwi is not and requires extra "hardware". That alone could qualify for a system on its own in legal terms :/ complicated huh

Yes...assuming the encryption for the cable has NOT been cracked by the Chinese (or any other smart IP copier). Just like our cars can be stolen (hacked and started without the key, correct frequency and payload of the 'unlock' command and correct key oscillator freq), the cables can be copied, which has obviously been done..

I need me one of these $60 licenses...

sooree friend me not-not involve, and no-no PM me about crazy s**t

(( I don't even have it myself, I trust my indy (1km away?) has all the knowledge and "right" tools to do the car. ))

lol funny as hell... just seen/read this (smack) lol

Careful, here ordinary people rules and could be affected by the reality - that's why they still hide UFO technologies. A simple bearing is sufficient to trip someone like me you see.... now I won't be sleeping tonite thinking about my car being abducted almost :matchup:

Follow up to my earlier comment on the Durametric clone I purchased from NewEgg. It no longer works. Keep getting an error that the software cannot identify the cable which may be a version issue. If you update the software and get version 5 or 6 it will not work with the chinese clone cable. I will have to remove program and go back to the disk they sent me which had a very early (version 1 or 2).

DO NOT BUY KNOCKOFF CABLES!!!

They can damage your car, if they even work to begin with. Additionally, while a real Durametric is expensive, if everyone were to buy a knockoff there wouldn't be any software developed to use with it. The Durametric may be pricey, but it's much cheaper than a PST2 or PIWIS. Everyone who is interested enough in DIY maintenance to be interested in a Durametric, should support the real thing!


EDIT: I did not read the whole thread. The above is my opinion with regard to supporting a Porsche specific company so that they can continue to make/support Porsche specific software.