can someone give an over view of the Vida Dice?

[nicopag]

I purchased a Dice via EBay from China. It comes with ViDA as well! When I got it I sold my other scanner in which it paid for the ViDA. Well worth the purchase if your a DIY.

Can you tell me what kind of stuff you can do with the dice? Can you download software?
Thanks

[nicopag]

I have a ViDA/DiCe. It will track live data. It will read all data associated with your car such as the current mileage. It will erase any error messages. You can change/alter some settings like how long to keep the interior lights on, or to lower or raise the temperature of your heated seats. You can reset your transmission fluid counter and relearn transmission. It will show how to repair or diagnose repairs. You can not download software from Volvo.
Most Chinese vendors will supply the 2010 versions which means you can use on model years up to that production year.
You must be running XP Pro!
When I bought the unit from a vendor I had to return it as it did not work. I got my refund after shipping it back to China via USPS.
My second one I purchased off of EBay for a lower price with excellent buyer feedback. I suggest you do the same and prevent the hassle of a Chinese vendor and a greater risk of failure and potential loss of your money.

Are you sure you cant download software from Volvo?

[537playing]

With both the 'clone' Dice and 'modified' ViDA, you cannot download software. The dealer equipment costs a few thousands so if your equipment cost you a few thousand then you'll be able to download software. But to work on your car and be able to read Volvo codes, Diagnose repairs and change a few settings, test some items, it worth the money that purchasing a standard scanner.

[carboncow]

for those looking mine is awesome. i'd argue they are not knockoffs but the actual unit going out the back door of the supplier...mine is simply to nice to be a copy!

[Aussie_S40]

When you're talking about software downloads, what does that mean? What kind of things could you not do if you can't do software downloading?

[carboncow]

Due to config issues with the forum I didn't see all these replies!

Many of you are not answering my initial inquiry (actually you are hijacking my post, but I digress) but since I wrote this I have purchased a China export Vida dice and can explain to you).

The China made unit I have is very much an OEM unit in my opinion. The quality of the unit is to good and it's perfect down to the heavy duty stickers for the front and back of the unit. I know a few of you "experts" will argue you've taken them apart and will note the different board manufactures but here me out...

I friend of mine is a robotics engineer who works with overseas manufacturing (China) and he says even the largest operations are guilty of what they call backdoor sales. The official company selling official products out the back door, usually on older items...he gave details how that I won't go into now.

Regardless the unit is flawless with the exception that none of the knock-offs have bluetooth or don't have the unique bluetooth USB to work (not any USB bluetooth dongle will do accord to Volvo or the seller of this). For the newbies who are not familiar with what official or knock-off vehicle specific diagnostics can do by manufactures such as Rosstech (vw), Durametric (Porsche) or OEM (Volvo's is called Vida DiCE) I'll tell you what my China unit can do...

I took me about 4 hours to really get to know the system (no instructions) and understand the install process, work flow of reading codes, finding reference material and troubleshooting...but it's time well spent. You'll need to bug a few experts here to understand some of the lingo as well as get a list of all the Volvo acronyms for sub computer systems. (PM and I'll send you the one I found.)

EDIT: I'm going to add that you should have a quality modern laptop...a 1.8 duo core seems best. I have not found official Volvo specs yet but I know all this data has to move at specific speeds through the system or you can get time outs...this used to happen on my older Porsche.

1. Vida is the Volvo software disc that many of you can find on the intertubes with torrent searches. Mine came with version 2011A so it can do up to vehicles with 2011. Mine came with the software and had a simple "crack" to make it work on any PC. I run it on my laptop to hook to the DiCE as well as a 2nd copy at my home and work PC for looking up stuff while away.
2. DiCE is the hardware that interfaces with the OBD2 port at the driver knee. It talks to all the different computer modules on the vehicle to find errors.
3. You can pull codes and reset them.
4. Codes found are linked to the Vida so you can find reasons the code exists and procedures to test and repair them.
5. From here there are detailed remove and repair instructions for most systems on the car as well as complete parts schematics and lists. EDIT: My cop of Vida was missing electric schematics.
6. It can not download the latest software updates from Volvo to get your car the latest fix for systems such as tranmissions, CEM, ect. This requires a subscription and direct link to Volvo.
7. You'll pull codes for issues you didn't even know you had so you can obsess over why auto-wipers and such don't work!

I found my buyer on eBay and paid approx $320 including shipping and it was well worth it. It paid for itself on the first fix that could not be diagnosed any other way (pump on AOC via DEM). You'll also learn to speak Volvo nerd!

I'm sure I missed a few things or got something wrong here but for newbes trying to understand what these illegal knock-offs can do...this is the general story. I didn't like searching/buying Alibaba.com and such as their system threw up to many road block with my credit card...just find one on ebay from a reputable seller and go with it. I haggled with the guy (dropped the $60 in shipping) and I had it in 10 days. If you own a Volvo out of warranty, a laptop and can install software it's worth the money. Nobody says you have to fix the car...you just now know what the problem is.

Lastly, I"ve already made $150 in my area pulling codes and advising others in my area by posting on craigslist. I live in one of those small college towns with a high professor to Volvo ratio and the only indie and dealer 40 minutes away.

Shawn

[matthew1]

Shawn, thanks for this. Very informative and interesting. I think you already will, but let me toss my hat into the ring with the others' and ask if you don't mind updating us* as the months go by with this, please do!


* oddities, capabilities, accomplishments, snafu's, gotchas, etc.

[carboncow]

Will do Matt. I'm newer to the world of P2 Volvo and have not found many niches to contribute since so much has been done (normal DIY stuff) on the many forums...but I have noted there is not much good info out there on the knock-off Vida DiCE units. I'll also add that another member here and I both compared (with high def photos) our units and although they were purchased a year apart...are 100% indentical.

I did forget to add:

#8. Live data view. With in any module you can view up to 10 different parameters to watch values, very useful if you know what all the values should be. Vida doesn't tell you what most should be (that I have found) but many techs and know-it-all here do. For example I could watch the amps and voltage on the AOC pump for our XC70 AWD system to determine if the switch or pump was to fail. I also saw all the useful values for the fuel/air system. Fun stuff.

Also worth nothing. This will not under any circumstance reset your oddometer if you replace the DIM and need the lower value stored in the CEM. I've also been told (thanks Jimmy) that even the Volvo deader will not be able to fix this. So if you swap your DIM you better hope you find one with lower mileage then what you have...I just added 40K miles to our XC70, ouch!

[Aussie_S40]

Shawn, thanks for all the handy info. It'll be useful to many people I'm sure!

I'm wondering one thing about lack of software downloads. Are you able to update the car's software at all -- say, with software available at the time the VIDA software was made? Or does any update require downloads from Volvo?

Thanks again,
Michael

[carboncow]

There is no software available with default setup. It appears that software is purchased ala carte as needed and I think costs are very high for a single need.