General: Vida/Dice buying advice

[Teddy1975]

Hi,
I've recently bought a V50 2007 2.0D mk2 and I'm looking to buy a Vida/Dice for general troubleshooting etc.

I found this on aliexpress and I'm hoping that someone will be able to say whether it'll work or not before I go ahead and order it. I'm thinking the first option (2014D full set) is what I'm looking for.

Thanks much in advance,
Teddy

[Wgl2020]

I would suggest buying a ready to go setup including the dice and a laptop running Vida.

There are a couple of sellers on this forum and also on eBay.

It's not totally straight forward installing the software and getting everything to work properly (at least for me!)

[Teddy1975]

Thanks for the advice.

However, I already have a laptop that I've installed Vida on and just need the dice now.
Living in Denmark means it isn't straight forward buying things from UK based members. Thanks to all those who voted for Brexit

[wynnj]

Originally Posted by Teddy1975

Thanks for the advice.

However, I already have a laptop that I've installed Vida on and just need the dice now.
Living in Denmark means it isn't straight forward buying things from UK based members. Thanks to all those who voted for Brexit

If you've got a working version of VIDA you're more than half way there. DICE should just plug in and be recognised. However I had to do a REG EDIT recently to get mine recognised again after I'd inadvertently let Windows update itself since I'd last used DICE.

Not very clear what exactly you're buying from the ALI express web site though.

[Simmy]

having vida on a lap top is no guarantee that buying a dice unit will operate there are quite a few things needed to make it work plus if you do get up and running its not the easyest thing to work takes some time but it is doable there are plenty links and instructions available eg vida dice user group on face book

[Teddy1975]

Originally Posted by wynnj

Not very clear what exactly you're buying from the ALI express web site though.

I'd be buying the hardware to connect VIDA to the car: the DICE. (Actually, the DICE along with a dvd that contains a pirated copy of VIDA.)
However, I don't want to buy something that doesn't work, particularly not at this price.

On the other hand, I don't feel like buying a laptop with VIDA already installed plus the DICE when I have a functional laptop that I can use for the purpose. That just feels too much like throwing money out the window for something I hopefully won't be using more than a couple of times per year.

I'm pretty confident I can make VIDA work as long as I can find a DICE that works. I've been working with computers and servers (including sql databases) and interfacing hardware professionally since the early 90s. However, I do not know if this particular Chinese DICE rip-off I linked to will work. I was hoping someone who knows more about this might be able to tell me before I go ahead and order one.

[wynnj]

Originally Posted by Teddy1975

I'm pretty confident I can make VIDA work as long as I can find a DICE that works. I've been working with computers and servers (including sql databases) and interfacing hardware professionally since the early 90s. However, I do not know if this particular Chinese DICE rip-off I linked to will work. I was hoping someone who knows more about this might be able to tell me before I go ahead and order one.

There's a member on this forum CheshireD5 who sells them tested and guaranteed to work. He'll also help if there is an interface problem; he helped me recently 2 years after I'd bought mine from him. He doesn't always have them ready to go though. He's more often seen on the P2 groups (S60,V70,XC90). Try sending him a PM and take the hit on post Brexit import charges, or if you know someone from the UK coming to the EU get them to post it once they're in EUland.

[Simmy]

there is a seller on ebay who sells tested dice units look for the sellers name at the bottom of the listing look for motormat he is awell known person within the general volvo circles most dice units come from china but there are sellers who test there units before sending them out. simon is also a top seller of volvo diagnostic equipment cheshired5 on here.top guy

[passenger]

I bought on aliexpress and installed on win7 some old laptop. So far so good

[Teddy1975]

Right, thanks!

I've just ordered the one I linked to now, so will see if it works. I'll report back.