I've been thinking a lot about this - I would think that SUK would argue that using VCDS (genuine or otherwise) to enable features on a car that didn't come with those features enabled from the factory is depriving them of revenue and so is no better than ripping free music, DVDs, software etc.

 

Hmmmmm.  I hate moral arguments. Why oh why did I end up being born with a conscience :(

 

You raise an interesting legal point. It is arguable that enabling features on a car is not illegal as it likely would be classified as a modification. And a modification would not be illegal per se.  I cannot think of any grounds that Skoda could use to prevent this (although I'm willing to be proved wrong).

 

Copying music, books, films, software etc is an entirely different situation. These are classified as creative works and are protected by various statutes - not least the Copyright Act.  

 

However the morality of enabling features is a different question.

 

Discuss.

I guess it comes down to 2 things...

 

1. the feature in question - does Skoda justify the cost to enable it (them) based on the work required to activate it, or the work required to develop and support it?  Certainly if any VCDS-activated features didn't work, you'd be pushing your luck to ask a dealer to rectify them under warranty, and

 

2. copyright.  If the feature is copyrighted or patented then there could be a clear infringement if license fees are not paid (for example - NSU taking a cut for every ****el engine produced in the world).  Most (if not all) of the features VCDS can enable within the VAG range of cars are available across nearly every car manufacturer in the world.  I am not aware of any protection on any of them under IPR but, as you say, I am happy for someone to prove otherwise in which case I will reset the car back to how it was from the factory.

 

Edit...Damn the profanity monitoring S/W on this forum.  W A N K E L is not a swear word!

Edited 28 January, 201511 yr by Smeghead

The things that require any kind of licensing on the MQB platform need a SWaP code to get them to work, which is a license key, and VCDS can't get you round that.

 

Back to the original question, if you want to risk viruses and keyloggers on your PC and potentially frying a control module on the car, by all means buy a cheap chinese pirated fake off of ebay.

 

And if your car is less than a year old then v12.x VCDS is next to useless anyway as the label files don't cover the newer controllers. It is over a year since I used v12.x on a MQB platform, and it was struggling then to keep up.

Edited 28 January, 201511 yr by andyvee

The Octy MK3 needs a full HEX-CAN interface to read the ECUs, there is only one source for this version of VCDS and that is either Rosstech or an authorised distributor in your country. The 50-60GBP ones on eBay are all fakes, Rosstech are forever getting these listings removed. They come with hacked software which you cannot upgrade, and who knows what software modifications were carried out to bypass the license check. We have had one member completely immobilise there car when the fake VCDS erased the EEPROM in the instrument cluster.

 

Links to fake cables are not allowed, so please do not post any or this thread will be either edited and locked or removed all together.

are you sure the mk3 needs a full hex can, the ross tech website says it should work with a micro can cable.

i dont have a mk3, but i do have a micro can cable

can anyone confirm if a micro can cable will work with the mk3, be good to know, i'm thinking on buying a mk3.

are you sure the mk3 needs a full hex can, the ross tech website says it should work with a micro can cable.

i dont have a mk3, but i do have a micro can cable

can anyone confirm if a micro can cable will work with the mk3, be good to know, i'm thinking on buying a mk3.

I have the micro can cable and it works fine on my Mk3 

Yes, the micro can will work on MQB platform cars

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