re: Re: User-programmable engine computers

[walter@quattro.corp.inmet.com (Walter Meares)]

> Hello group,
> 
> I believe that Gene Berg of VW drag racing fame sells a programmable fuel 
> injection system made by a company called Haltech. The last catalog I 
> received from him made mention of testing they were doing with the system. 
> I have also seen other ads for the system in Hot Rod type magazines.  The 
> Gene Berg phone number for information is (704) 998-7500
> Scott M.

Haltech's box is supposed to be easy to program, but of course it wouldn't be 
OEM plug compatible with anything.  It's also meant to drive pulsed injectors,
and so wouldn't be useful on an Audi with K-Jetronic.  I've been considering
this box for a motor I want to build in a z-car.


> 
> cordeiro@adi.COM (Alan Cordeiro) Wrote:
> | 
> | 
> | >I'm curious: how much demand do you all think that there 
> | would be for an
> | >easy-to-program engine computer which was fully 
> | plug-compatabile with the
> | >original engine computer?
....
> | 
> | Real time controller programming requires a bit more knowlege
> | than the average "C" or basic hacker has. Staying synchronized
> | with all events/operations in the engine is very tricky.
> | 
....

Well, you have to understand the physics of the problem space that
you're working with in order to build real-time software.  Also
have knowledge of hardware and electronics.  Software or "hacker"
skills don't come into play until one tries to a) cram the always
much-too-large program into the always very limited ROM; or b) figure
out how to instrument/debug the thing to as to be able to diagnose
and fix it, without breaking either time or space constraints.


> | 
> | Good luck
> | 
> | Alan Cordeiro


Walter

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