Where can I get one so I can datalog and program?

 

If you want serial, akmcables.com.

If you want usb, moates.net.

 

http://www.aldlcable.com
$40 and fast shipping

 

And not very reliable. Many people here have had numerous problems with that cable. You get what you pay for.

 

Many people would have problems with any cable because the problem is in the laptop or car, or the way they are using the programs. I'd say most of the problems are with the laptop and program set up, because mine took fiddling with. For example if you take TTS Datamaster and try and push it at too fast of a data collection rate it will lose sync and the signal to the PCM, or if you've downloaded the wrong version for your car or selected the wrong ECM for you car, the data won't make sense or it won't work at all.

Moates cables, aldlcable.com cables and akmcables are all fine I'm sure and are the one tested component in any of these setups. The laptop and car certainly aren't. My aldlcable.com cable has been very reliable and came with a clear instruction sheet. I took the shell apart and it has a little circuit board in it with surface mount parts. You can see a picture of it at:
http://www.aldlcable.com/sc/details.asp?item=obd1diykit
I'd say it would be tough to build any better, and it is a very simple circuit that has a 12v power source from the lighter plug. Some of the other cables, such as mastach, get the power from the laptops RS-232 serial port, which varies by laptop... some will work some won't.

Frankly, any of these cables are simple enough to build at home, but I'd rather pay $40 and have a tested setup than run around all day to Radio Shack or where ever to hunt up the parts and then have to solder it together in some tangled mess. But that's just me

 

Actually no. That's great if it works for you, but I have seen at least 4 accounts on here and another forum where this cable did not work for people, and they ordered a different one that worked fine for them.

Not saying it's a scam or anything, just from what I've read they seem to have more frequent problems that the other cables. Again, not saying that's universal and it if it worked for you it would probably work for most people.