Hello newbe ethos pro questions

[Plawrence10]

Hello everyone. I'm thinking of buying a new ethos pro. I've had a few scanners all being launch products. But now I'm looking for a tool that has functional controls. My dealership is using a modus but there's only
One tool for all tec's. There's the mdi's but there more time consuming in most cases so now the questions has anyone used the ethos pro? What was your take on its function?

[BMW JEDI]

The ETHOS TECH is the current ETHOS platform, is that what you are referring to?

It will scan any OBD-II vehicle 1996 and newer, includes full bi-directional controls, component activation, etc., and when purchased new includes a three year warranty and free updates for the first 36 months. Normally, those updates cost as much as this tool, so not too bad.

Only downside to me is that it uses AA batteries when not connected to a vehicle, but there are work arounds for that. My favorite is to purchase an OBD port (under 10 bucks) and wire power and ground to it from the included power transformer, and connect to this when using the scan tool off vehicle.

EDIT:

I was unaware of the ETHOS PRO. Had not seen/or heard of it yet, my apologies. Looks like it is less expensive than the ETHOS TECH, and does not include the software updates or extended warranty. It would appear the ETHOS PRO provides access to 47 brands vs 46 brands for the ETHOS TECH, and the ETHOS PRO has OBD-I capability back to 1983 with an additional (sold separately) OBD-I master adapter set.

[Witsend]

Don't know what a Ethos Tech goes for

Considering Bang for the Buck for what you get (instead of getting banged by a Buck after buying a used Verus that turns out to be stolen property), have you considered one of these ?, ...albeit the Support is pretty pathetic and it might just have you Banging your head sometimes , but if you have security access to GM dealership programs and ecm programming free at your disposal and a laptop PC , you can even use the J2534 VCI from this thing off your laptop using tech 2 win program and possibly flash modules too. No matter what company sells what ever, nothing scanner wise is made in the good ole USA any more, no matter whose name and color plastic on what equates to a $500 in Asian built hardware ,the difference is the support is generally better and the software is proven by beta testing before release by Snap On testers to ensure what it lists does usually work and might save you blowing your cool as often, so maybe better off spending the extra money for less functionality as long as it isn't causing you harmful stress as often when things aren't beta tested and sometimes don't work.
I would say the Ethos Plus having the OBD1 (with OBD 1 graphing capability?) would be nice to still have OBD1, providing you were still able to use all the older OBD 1 adapters sourced from a defunct MT 2500, and maybe just purchase one cable, but for cars 23 years old or older here in the Midwest are getting too few and far between IMHO to justify the purchase of a new master connector set that likely cost more than the typical entire used MT2500 kit with black cartridges Euro and a CAN1B adapter. I bottom fed the lure of the complete set for $500 but spit it out when I saw some dark blotches in the LCD but bit on lure for $400. Figure i can find a nicer condition MT2500 someday if I can kill this beat looking one. I use it's cable on the Port Freight 08 most of the time. Just yesterday the Port Freight 08 let me down on a 98 Dodge Grand Caravan that would not communicate with Teeves ABS, but my old MT2500 did !
Just because something might be the latest Flash In The Pan Scan Tablet doesn't mean in a few years, The talking Chinese tablet Colana assistant isn't really gonna get on your F'N nerves and you'll rather just grab your trusty Ethos Pro that don't ask questions when you are seeking answers. LMAO

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA2VF39E6541&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleMKP-PC&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleMKP-PC-_-pla-_-AT+-+Diagnostic+%26+Test+Tools-_-9SIA2VF39E6541&gclid=CNj81Yy7osoCFQsvgQodWfcH6A&gclsrc=aw.ds

[Crusty]

Hello everyone. I'm thinking of buying a new ethos pro. I've had a few scanners all being launch products. But now I'm looking for a tool that has functional controls. My dealership is using a modus but there's only
One tool for all tec's. There's the mdi's but there more time consuming in most cases so now the questions has anyone used the ethos pro? What was your take on its function?

I take it you're at a GM dealer with GDS-2 using an MDI-??
Or are you at another brand of dealer-??

The ETHOS line may be price attractive, but it's not as capable as any of the various MODUS line.
Between the ETHOS and the MODUS, are the SOLUS Ultra and the SOLUS Edge.
The SOLUS Ultra and the SOLUS Edge are more than the ETHOS but less than the MODUS, both in functionality and in price.
The reliability of the Asian make of scan tool appears to be more of a hit & miss situation. The SnapOn products are pretty darn reliable. They aren't dealer scan tools but for most things, and most makes that you'll come across, they seem to get the job done.
You may wish you had stepped up the difference from the ETHOS to the SOLUS later on.
JMO, but there it is
(BTW, batteries are not any big issue. Just plug into the vehicle, save your screen shots and movies, shut down and take your files to your PC and use SHOP-STREAM CONNECT (SSC) if you want to review saved data, and you can see things on a much bigger screen, along with very easy PID manipulation and sorting)
The SnapOn products with SSC make for very good analysis capabilities, AND future reference and vehicle comparison.

[Plawrence10]

Yes I work at a GM dealer ship. Our dealer has a few mdi's an MDI 2 that was just released. GDS an tec2win to me seem to eat time in alot of cases that an waiting for a tool makes me want my own capability. Thanks for the input at this point I'm just shopping

[Crusty]

Yes I work at a GM dealer ship. Our dealer has a few mdi's an MDI 2 that was just released. GDS an tec2win to me seem to eat time in alot of cases that an waiting for a tool makes me want my own capability. Thanks for the input at this point I'm just shopping

I hear ya. Waiting for a shop tool to become available, only to find it's either dirty or broken is a PITA.
I bought my own first scan tool back in the 1980's. No waiting and it was always in working order. A bonus was that it would do some things that the Dealer tool wouldn't do. Mine would PRINT out a complete PID list so the warranty dingle-dorf could see a before and after print PROVING the repair-!!
PAY UP for the flat rate......NEXT vehicle....LMAO. No ambiguity there. There's the proof right in front of you.
(With SnapOn tools and SSC, you can save and prove what you found before and after very easily, and you'll always have those before and after digital files for reference, as long as you take the minute or two to save your collected data to your PC)
Been buying tools and equipment ever since.

The VERUS tools are very capable, albeit very convoluted with many things incorporated into ONE box. I'm not a fan of "all-in-one" because when a common component fails (and they will) you're completely out of capability.

The MODUS are much the same having scanner and scope in one box. Not as convoluted as the VERUS and both are good tools but in my world, the "KISS" rule, rules. (Dad was/is an electrical engineer....)

Take a serious look at the VANTAGE scopes. Vantage-PRO and the Vantage-ULTRA. That gets you a capable scope, but only two channels (and I seldom, if ever really need four channels). The Modus and the Verus get you multiple scope channels but are they "really" necessary, for most things-?

Now, there are the scan tools alone. The SOLUS and the ETHOS. The ETHOS may be stripped down a bit compared to the SOLUS-Ultra or SOLUS-Edge, and here is where you may wish you had stepped up a bit. I don't have an ETHOS so I'm not fully versed in what it can, or cannot, do.

If you need to Re-Flash anything, the OE tooling is pretty hard to beat, although some people have had success with tooling other than OE (but be wary)

Over 95% of the time My SOLUS and my VANTAGE get the job done very nicely and don't break the bank. They don't do "everything" but it's rare that I can't get to the root cause of problem vehicle.

Good luck with your tooling search.

[BMW JEDI]

You may wish you had stepped up the difference from the ETHOS to the SOLUS later on.

ONLY difference between those products is the 'troubleshooter info'. Both tools have identical capabilities otherwise.

(BTW, batteries are not any big issue. Just plug into the vehicle, save your screen shots and movies, shut down and take your files to your PC and use SHOP-STREAM CONNECT (SSC) if you want to review saved data, and you can see things on a much bigger screen, along with very easy PID manipulation and sorting)
The SnapOn products with SSC make for very good analysis capabilities, AND future reference and vehicle comparison.

ETHOS still has to have power to connect to SSC (which is a very good product) - so batteries will still be an issue.

[BMW JEDI]

Now, there are the scan tools alone. The SOLUS and the ETHOS. The ETHOS may be stripped down a bit compared to the SOLUS-Ultra or SOLUS-Edge, and here is where you may wish you had stepped up a bit. I don't have an ETHOS so I'm not fully versed in what it can, or cannot, do.

So, "I don't know what I am talking about, but I'll give advise anyway"?

I have both the ETHOS TECH and SOLUS ULTRA, and can tell you the only difference in capability is the troubleshooter information. The ETHOS TECH is slightly faster, and the SOLUS EDGE also adds wifi for access to the super lame 'Ask-A-Tech - I don't want to diagnose this I just want to throw parts at it' database.

[Crusty]

[QUOTE=BMW JEDI;52819]So, "I don't know what I am talking about, but I'll give advise anyway"?

Take that kind of comment back to IATN, it doesn't belong here

Your statement "ONLY difference between those products is the 'troubleshooter info'."

Well if the ONLY difference is the troubleshooter, then your comment about batteries is invalid then isn't it.

Go back to IATN and pick a fight there-!!!

If the tool is used unplugged only to save information to SSC, then the AA batteries may well last a good length of time. Changing some AA batteries a few times a year may be acceptable to the OP.
The Solus-Ultra charges it's battery whenever it's plugged into an AC adaptor, and, it charges whenever it's in use plugged into a vehicle. In five years of use, I've only had to plug my Solus-Ultra into AC power about three times aside from making sure it's plugged in during updates.

The "trouble shooter", while it is fundamental information, can be useful when working on an unfamiliar vehicle, may or may not be desirable to the OP.

There may be other operational differences noticeable to the OP, if he investigates both tools.

[Plawrence10]

Well after researching an reading I decided on the ethos pro today. Just a good package for the money, good capability an support. I usef it little today was surprised little quicker than I thought it would be.

[Crusty]

Well after researching an reading I decided on the ethos pro today. Just a good package for the money, good capability an support. I usef it little today was surprised little quicker than I thought it would be.

At the top left of the main page on this site, where it says "Diagnostic Software", click on that blue box and in the middle down about 3/4 of that page, you can download ShopStream Connect.

Plunk it into your computer and save the screen shots and movies that you can save with your new piece of kit.

Make some folders that you can sort that make sense to you, be it by customer, or vehicle, or model, or whatever, and save information so you'll always have it, and you can always review it.

You can build your own "known good" and "known bad" database. SSC is a great program. Just save files, lots of them, and once you get a hang of the scan tool and the program, you can sort them out later. Just make some folders so they make sense later. You can edit them out anytime later.

Have fun-!!

[Dashinoku]

Any features not explained in the manual?

Will the wall charger charge rechargeable batteries or is it just to power the scanner for offline data viewing only?

[Dashinoku]

Well after researching an reading I decided on the ethos pro today. Just a good package for the money, good capability an support. I usef it little today was surprised little quicker than I thought it would be.

It's basically a solus ultra without rechargeable battery and the big screen... It's a perfect fit for me though

[BMW JEDI]

It's basically a solus ultra without rechargeable battery and the big screen... It's a perfect fit for me though

...and no Fast Track repair information, but who uses that anyways?

Other than no rechargeable battery support, I think it is an excellent option for most techs tool boxes.

[Dashinoku]

...and no Fast Track repair information, but who uses that anyways?

Other than no rechargeable battery support, I think it is an excellent option for most techs tool boxes.

yea i forgot about that, we had a VERUS PRO in one of the shops and we barely played with fast track... ive heard its gotten better, and that its gonna be subscription only from now on...