INPA OBD2 Cable vs ISTA+,which is better?

INPA vs ISTA+ (Rheingold) is a hot topic on BMW forums all the time. It’s a write-up of opinions collection of “how to people think of INPA and ISTA+”.

ISTA+ vs. INPA… Here you go.

Bmw software	ISTA+	INPA
What is…	current Dealer level diagnostic and repair guide * Newest: ISTA-D 4.04.12 ISTA-P 3.60.2.001	older factory floor diagnostic software * Popular: BMW INPA 5.0.2
Where to download…	freely available online
How about space…	uses a ton of space It is a 10GB download size and requires 25GB installation space.	much smaller install than ISTA+
How to setup…	requires some basic Windows installation knowledge	much easier to get going despite the shitty menus, incomplete translation
How to install… in the same machine	ISTA+ and INPA can co-exist on the same machine with no problems.
What can do…	Basic diagnostics, coding, programming (ISTA-P)	Basic diagnostics, coding
Can work with K+DCAN cable?	Both require a K-DCAN cable to interface the OBD port and can be installed directly on Windows.
Can work with BMW ICOM?	Both work with bmw icom, old or new (ICOM A, ICOM A2, ICOM A3, ICOM Next)
What cars can be tested with…	All BMW cars, motorcycles	BMW E series only

View 1: INPA is older while ISTA+ is current (小标题颜色突出标注)

INPA (interpreter for test procedures) is older factory floor diagnostic software. It was designed to run test procedures. While INPA can be set for English user interface, most of the Test Procedures, which can be difficult to find, are in German. BMW AG discontinued .ipo script files a very long time ago.
ISTA+ is the current Dealer level diagnostic and repair guide (including diagrams). It has a modern GUI in English and multiple other languages. The Test Procedures are comprehensive and are in English. It is intuitive to use without guidance.
Both require a K-DCAN cable to interface the OBD port and can be installed directly on Windows. The cost is the cable and the software is freely available.


View 2: ISTA is better but need more work to get going

We all know ISTA is way better but needs a lot more work to get going. I know there are VMs out there ready to go so may not be much of an issue. The ICOM emulator seems a little dodge but I guess if it works, it works. I would be interested to try one of these VMs.
For basic diagnostic functionality that’s simple to install, you can’t go past Bavarian Technic.


View 3: ISTA is easy to setup but a lager to download

IMO ISTA Rheingold is just as easy to setup as INPA. The diagnostic software ISTA-D will self install via executable on the latest versions of Windows and doesn’t need virtual machines. Just need to set up the cable communications correctly.
It is however a larger download, and ISTA-P for programming with Daten/spz is massive 60+Gb.


View 4: ISTA is user friendly while INPA is much easier

I have ISTA and while it’s a lot user friendly it’s a bit of a bastard to get going and uses a ton of space. I couldn’t get it to work with the dcan emulator, I have an ICOM cable and i find connecting to the car takes forever to go thru the process of detecting all the modules and getting to the point where you can do stuff. Also unless all your modules are on the same level of firmware as your current version of ISTA you will have to update all your modules to do programming (can be risky)
Inpa is much easier to get going despite the shitty menus, incomplete translation and you can actually do stuff quickly.
Ista however is indespensible for the up to date service manual documentation and I use it all the time


View 5: ISTA+ requires basic Windows installation knowledge

ISTA+ (Integrated Service Technical Application) aka ISTA/D & Rheingold can be used to diagnose all cars.
However programming is not supported for E series.
ISTA+ requires some basic Windows installation knowledge. If you have installed one click software on a PC then you have the prerequisites. There is no need for VM’s, this was used in older versions requiring emulators. It is a 10GB download size and requires 25GB installation space. In this respect it is a much larger install than INPA.
ISTA/P, is for programming. But as you are concerned with diagnostics this is not required.
BMW ICOM emulator is an interface between the laptop/PC to the OBD port. It primarily is concerned with programming and is not required for diagnostic functions. Most issues relate to Chinese copies. If you develop an interest in programming then ICOM used with ISTA/P is the best solution. The ICOM has a price of $350 USD for a Chinese copy or $600 USD for the original.


View 6: ISTA+ & INPA can work in the same machine

ISTA+ and INPA can co-exist on the same machine with no problems.

ISTA+ has all the relevant repair information included with associated pictures, fluid amounts, wiring schematics and torque requirements etc. just as if you were a BMW Technician repairing a clients vehicle.
Most of this information is viewable without having to connect to the vehicle.
With ISTA+, any fault codes can be selected and a description is provided. A Test Plan is automatically created if you want to interrogate the system.
The Bavarian Technic kits are very well received. The only limitation is that depending on the kit level purchased they are VIN locked. ie. the Basic kit supports only one VIN.

UOBDII All rights reserved INPA vs ISTA+: ISTA+ better, INPA easier

Diatronik OBD2 cable update-Toyota Renault VW IMMO works

Update Notice! Diatronik multi-functional cable update-Toyota Renault VW IMMO works!

Here four pictures to prove:


Diatronik cable what works in total:
Works: So far, Diatronik cable can perform all renesas and Infineon airbag restore by OBD2 up to 2016, Dash mileage correction via OBD2,airbag Calculator via USB, Toyota Renault VW IMMO.

Under development: Please be expected to have the coming functions incl. OBDII Diag, G-Prog.

If you brose this link:
http://www.uobdii.com/wholesale/diatronik-srs-dash-calc-eps-obd-tool.html
You could check:
Diatronik cable function list
Diatronik Software Installation
How to update Diatronik OBD Tool
Diatronik cable PCB display
 

UOBDII All rights reserved Diatronik multi-functional cable update-Toyota Renault VW IMMO works

Mangoose SDD Cable fix Passenger seat recline issue on Jaguar XK / XKR ( X150 )

Let’s start with my car models and issues: I have Jaguar XK / XKR ( X150 ), my passenger seat will back will not sit up correctly. It appears to only travel about 1/3 of the driver, leaving the seat and passenger leaning back very far.
I loath having to go there and have not found any indy in my area that has the diagnostic tools.

Then is solution:
If you have a spare laptop, you can get set up yourself for as little as $50.
I have had my Mangoose SDD (Chinese clone of a Mongoose) for 5 or 6 years and have been able to do most things dealers do, including updating firmware in various modules.
As you can see from the attached screen shot the seat calibration routines are in one of the menus done through SDD.


If you have a few hours to spare you could start with this thread:
Cloned dealer scan tool – Jaguar Forums – Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum
There are quite a few suppliers and some people have had mixed success with them but I think I bought mine from here:
JLR Mangoose SDD V145 for Jaguar and Land Rover
They also do a copy of the Mongoose Pro now as well:
V145 JLR Mangoose SDD Pro for Jaguar and Land Rover

As you can see from the above I mentioned, the cable should come with a copy of SDD (Jaguar supplied diagnostic software). You may or may not be able to read the CD the software comes on and it may or may not work fully! SDD V131 seems to be the sweet spot for functionality and least issues and there may be a link to a copy in that thread somewhere.
You can buy the cable plus a complete image of a virtual PC from a few suppliers which means you don’t have the hassle of installing the diagnostic software yourself. I have not had many problems myself but some people have wasted days trying to get theirs working (Here is: how to install JLR SDD V145 on XP WIN7). Once you have it working though it is an invaluable tool and will pay for itself over and over again.
If you use it to update firmware you must make sure you have a decent (at least) 25 amp power supply connected to the battery otherwise you run the risk of bricking modules.

UOBDII All rights reserved How to fix Passenger seat recline issue on Jaguar XK / XKR ( X150 ) by Mangoose SDD?