Are these for real?
Can't update but is the latest..

Should I or should I not ?

Edited 11 January, 201610 yr by Gizmo68
hacked link removed

That's purely down to your choice. Added bonus of the real McCoy is that you get support and updates.

That is your choice but as it is a hacked copy which have proven in the past to do damage to some controllers (what exactly has been hacked to make it work?) why would you? as cheaper now could well cost you much dearer in the long run.

 

We also do not allow discussion of hacked software on Briskoda (hence why the link was removed) so you would also be on your own if you get a problem.

Fair enough, was thinking the same. Sorry about the link

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They all appear to say they have 15.7 or 15.7.1 be aware that if you have a newish car with a MIB2 then you need 15.7.3 or you can get corrupted info loaded back to the ECU when changing some settings.  This is documented in the VCDS thread and on the Ross Tech site

Don't get a VCDS clone with version lower than 15 and don't get a VCDS clone spending more than £20. Search outside ebay, you will find. Damage with such a pirated cable is unlikely, but could happen.

Or, spend your money on the real deal, from an official VCDS dealer.

Or, even better, get VCP (Vag Can Pro), which seems to do many more things and is Germany-based so gets updates on new cars quicker than the US-based VCDS.

 

Everything depends on how often will you use this cable.

Edited 11 January, 201610 yr by eyegr

Don't get a VCDS clone with version lower than 15 and don't get a VCDS clone spending more than £20. Search outside ebay, you will find. Damage with such a pirated cable is unlikely, but could happen.

Or, spend your money on the real deal, from an official VCDS dealer.

Or, even better, get VCP (Vag Can Pro), which seems to do many more things and is Germany-based so gets updates on new cars quicker than the US-based VCDS.

Everything depends on how often will you use this cable.

Was just curious, wasn't sure if those on ebay are ok or not.

I will get an original one next month from a proper dealer.

Better to be safe.

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Was just curious, wasn't sure if those on ebay are ok or not.

I will get an original one next month from a proper dealer.

Better to be safe.

Sent from my D6503 using Tapatalk

 

I'd think that that would be the wise thing to do, no one in any VAG forum will knowing help members using scammed knocked copies of things like VCDS.

 

Of course if your intended usage for what you are buying is low level, then maybe consider VCDS-Lite if it still exists, or something like Carista.

no one in any VAG forum will knowing help members using scammed knocked copies of things like VCDS.

 

I must say that I don't like this behavior. I can totally understand Ross-Tech employees refusing to help members with VCDS clones, but for the rest of us it is a little bit hypocritic. It's like refusing to talk with someone about a song or a movie because he doesn't own the original CD or DVD.

I wouldn't like to be messing on someone else's car with a hacked version. I feel much more comfortable though using my real one. Faultless performance for several years.

I must say that I don't like this behavior. I can totally understand Ross-Tech employees refusing to help members with VCDS clones, but for the rest of us it is a little bit hypocritic. It's like refusing to talk with someone about a song or a movie because he doesn't own the original CD or DVD.

 

For me, I feel it is the correct behaviour on VAG DIYer forums, RossTech have provided, I think, the only solution for VAG DIY car owner's performing deep scanning of their cars and at that price they also need or request feedback from users especially in some of the European markets - which even although I've paid the full cost of VCDS, I'm quite happy to provide.  So really it is one community helping another member - even although they, RossTech are a proper company making money, but still playing the game!

 

I'm not trying to generalise and play the "hollier than thou" card here, I too do buy some items that are not 100% from the original company that brought an certain item to market - but so what, by doing that I am complying with consumer rights/rules and companies rights/runs that allow cloning/copying.

 

Mind you, different countries hold different commercial values, I don't know about Greece, but Turkey supports companies cloning other companies products - just take a look at the brake parts being supplied from Turkey claiming to be Textar etc?

Edited 13 January, 201610 yr by rum4mo

For me, I feel it is the correct behaviour on VAG DIYer forums, RossTech have provided, I think, the only solution for VAG DIY car owner's performing deep scanning of their cars and at that price they also need or request feedback from users especially in some of the European markets - which even although I've paid the full cost of VCDS, I'm quite happy to provide.  So really it is one community helping another member - even although they, RossTech are a proper company making money, but still playing the game!

 

I'm not trying to generalise and play the "hollier than thou" card here, I too do buy some items that are not 100% from the original company that brought an certain item to market - but so what, by doing that I am complying with consumer rights/rules and companies rights/runs that allow cloning/copying.

 

Mind you, different countries hold different commercial values, I don't know about Greece, but Turkey supports companies cloning other companies products - just take a look at the brake parts being supplied from Turkey claiming to be Textar etc?

I see your point.

Let's be clear here, the cloned VCDS versions are illegal almost everywhere, including Greece, because they contain copied and pirated software. Software is an intellectual work and is copyrighted so it's pretty much like the example with the CD I mentioned earlier. I don't support piracy, but I would help anyone without asking if he's using pirated VCDS, Windows or anything like that.

There lies another issue though, if no support is given to the hacked software users then they suddenly become less desirable over the Ross-Tech version... without such there would be no up to date VCDS.

In a similar light if there was no market for stolen Columbus units then there would be no point in stealing them, the problem is you will never get away from the fact there will always be some low life who want everything without either working or paying for it, after all why should they when its easy enough to steal it??

 Damage with such a pirated cable is unlikely, but could happen.

 

Sorry, wrong!

 

If you use a version less than 15.7.3 on MY16 cars you will corrupt data in the MIB2 units.

 

Also, I would expect that a £20 cable has not gone through rigorous quality control procedures - a £20k car and a £20 cable ...............

I must say that I don't like this behavior. I can totally understand Ross-Tech employees refusing to help members with VCDS clones, but for the rest of us it is a little bit hypocritic. It's like refusing to talk with someone about a song or a movie because he doesn't own the original CD or DVD.

Tough.

 

Ross-Tech spend a lot of time on R&D and providing support, why should anyone support someone who is using a pirated version?

 

The problems with MIB2 units in MY16 cars being a perfect case in point.

Hi guys - sorry to jump in on this thread - but talking of buying this genuine;

this is my plan come pay day after we managed to get our work's bonus scheme approved.

 

So best place to purchase.... still:-

 

https://www.gendan.co.uk/vcds-hex-usb-can.php

or

https://www.ilexa.co.uk/diagnostic-tools/vag-com-vcds/65-vag-com-what-you-get-in-the-box.html

 

 

Any other recommendations?

 

Thanks in advance.

Either are fine as they are both official distributers.

 

There are also http://mi-uk.co.uk/epages/950004761.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/950004761/Products/VAG1553D and http://www.v-techuk.com/ listed on rosstechs site.

 

Don't think it really makes any difference unless you happen to already have links to one company or another, mine came from Gendan within a few days of ordering.

Either are fine as they are both official distributers.

 

There are also http://mi-uk.co.uk/epages/950004761.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/950004761/Products/VAG1553D and http://www.v-techuk.com/ listed on rosstechs site.

 

Don't think it really makes any difference unless you happen to already have links to one company or another, mine came from Gendan within a few days of ordering.

 

 

Nice one - thanks for the quick reply!

Gendan are a UK distributor for Rosstech so check them out. I have just bought VCDS from them for about £270 which i think is good value for how useful it can be. An added bonus is that the license comes built into the cable so I can lend it to a friend for example and all they need to do is download the latest version of VCDS.

Sorry, wrong!

 

If you use a version less than 15.7.3 on MY16 cars you will corrupt data in the MIB2 units.

 

Also, I would expect that a £20 cable has not gone through rigorous quality control procedures - a £20k car and a £20 cable ...............

The whole MIB2 issue is due to a buffer overflow present at versions prior to 15.7.3 for which the only ones to blame are Ross-Tech. Even original cables updated to versions between 15 and 15.7.2 had this problem. See  http://forums.ross-tech.com/showthread.php?4343-Support-for-5F-MIB2-Columbus-amp-Amundsen-on-MY16-Octavia-III&p=45643&viewfull=1#post45643

 

So this was NOT a cloned cable's fault. Of course, cloned cables work only with specific pre-15.7.3 versions so they will cause problems to the MIB2.

 

Poor cloned cables can cause other random problems like intermittent communication and similar but it is rather unlikely to cause real damage themselves.

 

I must stress again that I condone piracy and that the original cable is what everyone should use.

I think you will find I probably know more about the issue than you do ............

I have damaged a module with a cloned cable in the distant past, and so have others.

The MIB2 issue is hardware dependent, HEX-NET and Micro-CAN are unaffected. I haven't seen a cloned HEX-NET or Micro-CAN though. All 15.7.3 does is prevent you from writing incomplete data strings back to the MIB2. The buffer overflow still exists, but the Software now recognises when it has occurred.

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Edited 15 January, 201610 yr by andyvee

Don't get a VCDS clone with version lower than 15 and don't get a VCDS clone spending more than £20. Search outside ebay, you will find. Damage with such a pirated cable is unlikely, but could happen.

Or, spend your money on the real deal, from an official VCDS dealer.

Or, even better, get VCP (Vag Can Pro), which seems to do many more things and is Germany-based so gets updates on new cars quicker than the US-based VCDS.

Everything depends on how often will you use this cable.

Care to elaborate what the differences are??

What's the layout like of the software ??/

Care to elaborate what the differences are??

What's the layout like of the software ??/

With VCP you can properly mess things up. Far worse than you can with VCDS. But VCP can do things VCDS can't.

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The user interface is awful on VCP in comparison.

Vcp for experienced users and professionals, preferrably who have a passing understanding of German as the only place you will get any half decent support or advice is a forum run by a customer(!!!) and the majority of posts are in German. There are a low number of English speaking users on there.

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I've also read you only get one year worth of updates