Which would you choose and why between HKS Camp2 and Defi Advanced ZD

[Mty Mous]

Time to take care of the gauge (or lack there of) situation ... I'm currently looking at either the HKS Camp2 or the Defi Advanced ZD packages. Here are the Pro's and Con's I've come up with ... let me know which you'd choose and why.

HKS Camp2

Pros:
-Very clean look as it hook's up to the A\V input of the deck.
-Plugs into OBDII port and can monitor a few more options
-I can add optional sensors and interface module to the Camp2 brain (oil pres, oil temp, egt, boost)

Cons:
-When on Aux mode on the deck to view gauges, I will have to wire in the audio in through the RCA's or else giveup music while monitoring gauges
-Not 100% sure if there's an extrenal warning light\buzzer that can be wired into place incase I hit any preset limits
-Takes up my OBDII port if I want to monitor those items.

Defi ZD display

Pros:
-One display unit to show everything
-I can attach a master warning light which will react to any of the sensors that are used.
-I can have my audio while monitoring my gauges 24\7 and not sacrifice on either.

Cons:
-a display screen on the interior that anybody\everybody can see even when the car is off
-display screen is kinda smallish compared to HKS using the whole screen
-overall, its about $100~200 more expensive than HKS when you want (Oil temp\pressure, water temp, egt, boost).

HKS CAMP:
http://www.hksusa.com/products/more.asp?id=3471

Defi ZD:
http://www.defi-shop.com/product/zdcsp/zdcsp_top.html

Soo ... which way will you go out of the 2 options?

[Fobio]

Not much to share, since I never wanted to run a gauge pkg, considering the costs. And it sounds like you wqant to run a proper gauge pkg with audio warnings and such. I have EGT and will soon have a boost gauge...one mechanic remarked that most gauges are great for telling you when you've BLOWN already...lol...anyway...

If you're looking at a gauge pkg and looking to spend that kind of money anyway, I'd consider checking out the DashDaq...it's a full colour LCD screen that can also log (and tune?), but the GPS and logging function with gauges is enough to make it worth while. However, I don't know if works with oil pressure or egt.

Starscream has a DashDaq setup...maybe you can ask him.

[laksman91]

Slightly irrelevant, but sort of relevant - other options to consider would be the Blitz B.R.A.I.N. and the Greddy Informeter Touch (This is the one I went with, due to it being not as expensive lol)

[Mty Mous]

Not much to share, since I never wanted to run a gauge pkg, considering the costs. And it sounds like you wqant to run a proper gauge pkg with audio warnings and such. I have EGT and will soon have a boost gauge...one mechanic remarked that most gauges are great for telling you when you've BLOWN already...lol...anyway...

If you're looking at a gauge pkg and looking to spend that kind of money anyway, I'd consider checking out the DashDaq...it's a full colour LCD screen that can also log (and tune?), but the GPS and logging function with gauges is enough to make it worth while. However, I don't know if works with oil pressure or egt.

Starscream has a DashDaq setup...maybe you can ask him.

Lol regarding the gauges are good for telling you that your engine is blown! I'll agree, yet disagree with that mechanic. Normal gauges that don't have a warning system as it passes a preset limit will do exactly what the mechanic said.
The whole reason I'm thinking of going this route is to learn exactly what the car does in stock form and how much of a range it needs under normal conditions, then set the peak values just a smidge over it. Example is that I haven't noticed my ScangaugeII show the water temp over 99*C before the fan kicks in, so when I set a warning threshold, I can set it for 105*, this way it'll give me a head's up as things are getting outta hand. Hoping that'll help me catch things before it is tooo late and give me enough time to pull over and shut things down.

As of right now the car is bone-stock, but who knows what the future holds! ;)
So I wanna learn as much about how my car behaves while its OEM.


Slightly irrelevant, but sort of relevant - other options to consider would be the Blitz B.R.A.I.N. and the Greddy Informeter Touch (This is the one I went with, due to it being not as expensive lol)

I'm aware of the Blitz BRAIN and the Greddy Informeter Touch, screen size wise I'd be in the same boat as the Defi ZD ... but I have access to some Defi stuff, hence why I was leaning towards them.

To be honest tho, I want that stealth look as much as possible, so that's why I was leaning towards the HKS Camp2. I've now found a solution for the OBD-II port being taken up at all times ... now I just gotta read up on the deck to see if I can hookup the video feed to the reverse camera input on the Pioneer unit, so I can have my tunes while keeping an eye on the gauges ... if this is possible, then I'll have to figure out how to run the Audio out RCA cables from the Camp2 to a dedicated speaker. That would pretty much solve most of my issues for now.

[Fobio]

I know exactly what you mean...gauges without peak warnings are useless.

I'd encourage you then to consider a DashHawk as well...just from my experience, it's really hard to correlate while driving between different gauges...for example, if you want to observe knock retard, it's best to be able to do so, while reading Fuel Pressure, BAT, and Boost...eventho the DashHawk can display multiple param's, just like the DashDaq, the best part about it are the logs which you can pore over at home on a spreadsheet.

Like Ami's thread, one of the guys mentioned that some gauges are only useful for tuning while on a dyno.

Personally, having gauges work along with an AP is not bad as well.

[starscream]

I personally wouldnt go for any of those options.

Seems like you might need to by optional sensors/senders and as well they dont directly mention logging (I assume they do however). Your taking away your screen for use of this (lets say you have navigation running, then you cant monitor at the same time in real time). Not sure if they have a upgrade path (as in firmware updates and all that) and as well you cant simply unplug it and take it with you or use it in another car.

Personally DashDAQ is a better option. Granted there is 1 main issues with it (that are currently being resolved which is some PIDs not showing Knock, BAT and WGDuty Cycle come to me off the top of my head). I have tested in a 2010 Speed3 and about 95% of the PIDs work. It does log, and has upgradable firmware as more features/updates come out, its customizable and not to mention I think cheaper than the options youve suggested. It can show more on the screen (depending on what settings you have as well), and setup alerts.

Also being able to take it into your other cars is a plus and wont tie up your navi.

I mean look into it, it might be a better more viable option.

Heres some pics of it with a MS3 theme (there are other themes too).

http://www.laleetsgarage.com/pics/photos/MS3/OBDmonitoringstuff/OBDMonitor_0006.jpg

http://www.laleetsgarage.com/pics/photos/MS3/OBDmonitoringstuff/OBDMonitor_0007.jpg

http://www.laleetsgarage.com/pics/photos/MS3/OBDmonitoringstuff/OBDMonitor_0008.jpg

http://www.laleetsgarage.com/pics/photos/MS3/OBDmonitoringstuff/OBDMonitor_0009.jpg

[starscream]

I know exactly what you mean...gauges without peak warnings are useless.

I'd encourage you then to consider a DashHawk as well...just from my experience, it's really hard to correlate while driving between different gauges...for example, if you want to observe knock retard, it's best to be able to do so, while reading Fuel Pressure, BAT, and Boost...eventho the DashHawk can display multiple param's, just like the DashDaq, the best part about it are the logs which you can pore over at home on a spreadsheet.

Personally, having gauges work along with an AP is not bad as well.

Not 100%, but I remember reading that the DashHawk doesnt work 100% with the 2010 Speed3's and given support has ended with them they probably wont ever support the Speed3's. So thats something to consider as well. The Dashhawk only logs in their own logging/graph mode, one of the reasons I switched to the DashDAQ I wanted a .csv file for logging with numbers rather the just a graph that you cannot have exact numbers.

Having warnings is a big one, totally agreed. You can setup alerts with both the DashHawk and DashDAQ.

***EDIT***
Actually MighyMouse, if you want lets hook up sometime. I'll let you test out the DashDAQ in your car, see how you like it. That way you can physically see and feel how it works and see if its something thats better for you :D

[starscream]

Totally forgot to add 1 point that, at least to me, is critical. With the DashDAQ, lets say your driving and something happens (idle drops, LTFTs go crazy or whatever) and you WERE NOT logging. IF you hit the log button it will actually record the past 20 seconds before you pressed the button. So essentially it keeps 20 seconds worth of logging data in its memory, so the second you hit the log button the last 20 seconds are in there. Its helped me a few times where I had a weird hiccup and wasnt logging and was able to lead me to findout WTF it was.

[Mty Mous]

So this logs everything through the OBDII port right? Can I add additional sensors like Oil Pres and Oil Temp to it?
I DO like the 20sec constant loop in its memory so you can catch what just happened.

I'll touch base with you for next week, I really wanna see what the DashDaq is all about and see if its something I'd wanna get.

[gar_lei]

have anyone tried HKS Camp 2 yet?
I heard that there might be some kind of lag on the displays of the parameters, is it true?
Or is it as accurate as external gauges?

Thanks