- Joined
- Jan 29, 2014
- Messages
- 3,162
- Reaction score
- 4,820
- Location
- Sector 7G
- VCDS Serial number
- HC424490
We have gotten several inquiries from customers who have legacy interfaces about using them on the latest cars. You are welcome to try a scan using the latest version of VCDS (which can always be found here) and email it to us. This should show details of what is and what is not compatible.
1) Why upgrade?
The HEX-V2 product announcement contains some information about why we discontinued our mainstay HEX+CAN that we had sold since 2004.
Vehicle Needs:
New Features/Functions:
Since ongoing development of VCDS is being done for use with our current interfaces, some new features are only available when using a HEX-NET or HEX-V2 interface, for example Extended UDS Fault Code Information. Another new feature available only when using a HEX-NET or HEX-V2 is Experimental Coding. Currently in Beta versions (which are HEX-NET and HEX-V2 only), you can run Whole Vehicle Maps.
Design Enhancements:
The HEX-NET and HEX-V2 are designed with user-replaceable USB wires (the standard printer-type work fine as a substitute) unlike the older permanently connected design of the legacy interfaces. This can be handy if, for example, a wire gets damaged when closed in a car door.
If you are using a legacy interface on older cars then VCDS should still work fine with it. If you work on newer vehicles or wish to take advantage of newer features, then you should upgrade.
2) How to upgrade?
Licensed, registered users in good standing with Ross-Tech are eligible for these trade-in programs.
If you purchased a system from one of our authorized distributors you can contact them to ask if they have a trade-in offer. Not all of them do but it's worth asking and may save you time/money.
1) Why upgrade?
The HEX-V2 product announcement contains some information about why we discontinued our mainstay HEX+CAN that we had sold since 2004.
Vehicle Needs:
- A HEX-NET or HEX-V2 is needed to fully support the latest vehicle platforms (MLBevo and the Chassis shown here). New releases of VCDS will take advantage of the hardware features in the new interfaces. For full performance of our software, users will need to use the new interface products: HEX-NET and HEX-V2. We pushed the HEX+CAN as far as we could. Now, for the newest platforms, the new interfaces are required. We have also discovered some Adaptation Channels in vehicles as far back as 2015 that use so many bytes that they are only supported by the HEX-NET and HEX-V2.
- Lamborghini vehicles are explicitly not supported by any of our interfaces except the HEX-NET.
- Model Year 2019 and newer vehicles are only supported with our current interfaces (HEX-V2 and HEX-NET).
New Features/Functions:
Since ongoing development of VCDS is being done for use with our current interfaces, some new features are only available when using a HEX-NET or HEX-V2 interface, for example Extended UDS Fault Code Information. Another new feature available only when using a HEX-NET or HEX-V2 is Experimental Coding. Currently in Beta versions (which are HEX-NET and HEX-V2 only), you can run Whole Vehicle Maps.
Design Enhancements:
The HEX-NET and HEX-V2 are designed with user-replaceable USB wires (the standard printer-type work fine as a substitute) unlike the older permanently connected design of the legacy interfaces. This can be handy if, for example, a wire gets damaged when closed in a car door.
If you are using a legacy interface on older cars then VCDS should still work fine with it. If you work on newer vehicles or wish to take advantage of newer features, then you should upgrade.
2) How to upgrade?
Licensed, registered users in good standing with Ross-Tech are eligible for these trade-in programs.
If you purchased a system from one of our authorized distributors you can contact them to ask if they have a trade-in offer. Not all of them do but it's worth asking and may save you time/money.
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