Hi all,

Has anybody used the new software version on a CAN bus system?

What kinds of results have you had?

Thanks,

dave

Hi Dave,

6.3.4.0 has a serial decoding feature.  In order to utilize this feature, you have to have one of the more powerful scopes to be able to capture enough higher speed CAN messages reliably.  Preferably a 4000 series, although a 3000 series can also do it.

Once you have captured CAN, then you apply the serial decoding feature to render the hexadecimal notation from messages the waveform.

I am not too familiar with all this yet.  Initially, I thought this would be mainly for the engineering level.  However, we have had several techs with access to dealer level information who have expressed quite an interest in this new feature.  They would have access to the proprietary message translations and be able to make use of this to see what the CAN messages were actually saying.

You can try this using some of the CAN examples in the automotive library to see how it works.

Hi Tom,

Thanks for the explaination. I figured some of the super nerdz would be playing with it :D

I was thinking the CAN codings might be generic like the OBD II codings.

Guess we will need to wait to see the manufacturers release the CAN info and how soon we will be able to use it. Kinda like the mode$6 info.

Thanks,

dave

Dave,


Quote:

Guess we will need to wait to see the manufacturers release the CAN info and how soon we will be able to use it.

You can already use it. Just connect your OE scan tool  :)

In one of my classes years ago, we dissected network data and decoded it.  That was the best you could do back then. Network snoopers only let you access the serial data and you had to decode it by hand.  There are/were various network wrappers to work through.  

CAN is like other protocols and will have 'layers' to work through. Here is a link to a Wiki article.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controller%E2%80%93area_network

To be of any value, anyone trying to decrypt it will have to understand the protocol and differentiate between the various types of information. Only part of the serial data is actual 'data'.

The manufacturers are not going to give away anything that isn't mandated by law. That probably leaves out a great deal. What they do release will be fairly raw information and will require some expertise to do anything with it.

I don't see any value at the technician level for this information. However, if someone wants to play with it, more power to them  ;)

Hi Jim,

Thanks for the info!

dave