Star Diagnosis compact 4 C4
#1
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2004 SL55, 2010 Ferrari California
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Hi all,
I am new to your site as I am new to the MB community. I just bought my first SL55 AMG. An amazing car. I have been looking into buying a Star Diagnosis tool. I plan on doing work on this car and from what I read this is the first tool to buy to avoid much heartache. I see many websites selling this compact C4. Most from overseas. China etc. Is this comparable to: Diagnostic system STAR DIAGNOSIS, compact passenger vehicle, order number 6511 1801 00? Has anyone had luck buying one of these from these overseas vendors? Seems inexpensive for what it does at under $400.00US. If so, will it work on a Windows 7 platform?
Thanks
Bob
I am new to your site as I am new to the MB community. I just bought my first SL55 AMG. An amazing car. I have been looking into buying a Star Diagnosis tool. I plan on doing work on this car and from what I read this is the first tool to buy to avoid much heartache. I see many websites selling this compact C4. Most from overseas. China etc. Is this comparable to: Diagnostic system STAR DIAGNOSIS, compact passenger vehicle, order number 6511 1801 00? Has anyone had luck buying one of these from these overseas vendors? Seems inexpensive for what it does at under $400.00US. If so, will it work on a Windows 7 platform?
Thanks
Bob
#3
Newbie
Hi all,
I am new to your site as I am new to the MB community. I just bought my first SL55 AMG. An amazing car. I have been looking into buying a Star Diagnosis tool. I plan on doing work on this car and from what I read this is the first tool to buy to avoid much heartache. I see many websites selling this compact C4. Most from overseas. China etc. Is this comparable to: Diagnostic system STAR DIAGNOSIS, compact passenger vehicle, order number 6511 1801 00? Has anyone had luck buying one of these from these overseas vendors? Seems inexpensive for what it does at under $400.00US. If so, will it work on a Windows 7 platform?
Thanks
Bob
I am new to your site as I am new to the MB community. I just bought my first SL55 AMG. An amazing car. I have been looking into buying a Star Diagnosis tool. I plan on doing work on this car and from what I read this is the first tool to buy to avoid much heartache. I see many websites selling this compact C4. Most from overseas. China etc. Is this comparable to: Diagnostic system STAR DIAGNOSIS, compact passenger vehicle, order number 6511 1801 00? Has anyone had luck buying one of these from these overseas vendors? Seems inexpensive for what it does at under $400.00US. If so, will it work on a Windows 7 platform?
Thanks
Bob
good luck...
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#4
I've got one of the "china" ones for the house and we have a german one for the shop. the cheap one is definatly cheap but it does the job. I've had it for four months and it does everything that our expensive one does. I'm a little more careful with it so I don't mess up the wiring. I say buy it!!!!!!!!!!
#5
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2004 SL55, 2010 Ferrari California
Star C4 China Model
Thanks for the reply,
I did try from one vendor and had problems communicating with the car. It was a version that runs off a usb hard drive through Virtual Machine software. It was unstable. I have since returned and bought an older Dell D620 with a serial port and plan on buying Star C4 directly installed in a Dell D620 hard drive. No Virtual Machine issues. Now fighting to get credit from this China vendor before I try again. Has anyone used a good China vendor you could recommend?
Thanks
I did try from one vendor and had problems communicating with the car. It was a version that runs off a usb hard drive through Virtual Machine software. It was unstable. I have since returned and bought an older Dell D620 with a serial port and plan on buying Star C4 directly installed in a Dell D620 hard drive. No Virtual Machine issues. Now fighting to get credit from this China vendor before I try again. Has anyone used a good China vendor you could recommend?
Thanks
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#8
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SLK55, S65
I got mine from alibabaexpress
didnt buy the hard drive, just installed the software on my own laptop. Yes it will work on any laptop that has a serial port - db9.
The USB to Serial is unreliable, the VM is also unreliable.
They sold me a C4 but not the wireless kind its just a box with connectors on both ends. The firmware has a 2005 date. But it works on all the cars.
didnt buy the hard drive, just installed the software on my own laptop. Yes it will work on any laptop that has a serial port - db9.
The USB to Serial is unreliable, the VM is also unreliable.
They sold me a C4 but not the wireless kind its just a box with connectors on both ends. The firmware has a 2005 date. But it works on all the cars.
#10
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SLK55, S65
The software is on many places, search google. Thats how I found it, but it was a pain in the neck to download (large files) and also pain to install it (lot of nuances to deal with)
SDConnect - Star Diagnosis Connect - without this you wont be able to communicate with the mux (the hardware box)
I installed Xentry, EPC, WIS, SDMedia on the same laptop.
I am in bay area and drive to so cal on every other weekend or so to see my parents. I can help you out as I got all that stuff on a hard drive now.
SDConnect - Star Diagnosis Connect - without this you wont be able to communicate with the mux (the hardware box)
I installed Xentry, EPC, WIS, SDMedia on the same laptop.
I am in bay area and drive to so cal on every other weekend or so to see my parents. I can help you out as I got all that stuff on a hard drive now.
#12
Hello
I was reading the posts and I'm also located in the bay area. I'm interested in getting one of the sds c4 systems. Can you help me with what I need to buy and or download? Do you have copies of all the software? What is the easiest way? Thanks for your help.
Bogdan
I was reading the posts and I'm also located in the bay area. I'm interested in getting one of the sds c4 systems. Can you help me with what I need to buy and or download? Do you have copies of all the software? What is the easiest way? Thanks for your help.
Bogdan
The software is on many places, search google. Thats how I found it, but it was a pain in the neck to download (large files) and also pain to install it (lot of nuances to deal with)
SDConnect - Star Diagnosis Connect - without this you wont be able to communicate with the mux (the hardware box)
I installed Xentry, EPC, WIS, SDMedia on the same laptop.
I am in bay area and drive to so cal on every other weekend or so to see my parents. I can help you out as I got all that stuff on a hard drive now.
SDConnect - Star Diagnosis Connect - without this you wont be able to communicate with the mux (the hardware box)
I installed Xentry, EPC, WIS, SDMedia on the same laptop.
I am in bay area and drive to so cal on every other weekend or so to see my parents. I can help you out as I got all that stuff on a hard drive now.
#14
seeking for help
i having some problem with sdconnect 4, i got a customer send a fuso truck to check but there a problem with it, the error message was using wrong connector or faulty das database. anyone got the same problem.
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(1960) 300d, S550 AMG S500 S600 560SEL
I've got one of the "china" ones for the house and we have a german one for the shop. the cheap one is definatly cheap but it does the job. I've had it for four months and it does everything that our expensive one does. I'm a little more careful with it so I don't mess up the wiring. I say buy it!!!!!!!!!!
#18
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SLK55, S65
Lets see if hornet1 replies, I have C3 and it works fine for my 2001, 1998, and 2006 cars. The only advantage I can see is the WiFi without cables. Not sure if Xentry and DAS have new features only for C4.
#19
Benz Star Compact 4 SD Connect
#20
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DAS/Xentry are identical no matter what MUX/System you use.
The best bet is staying with a proven type D MUX. They have less problems that the SD Connect with WiFi MUX's have.
Also, the clone SD Connects still have issues with newer cars and black listings.
The best bet is staying with a proven type D MUX. They have less problems that the SD Connect with WiFi MUX's have.
Also, the clone SD Connects still have issues with newer cars and black listings.
#21
I'd like to verify what Type D MUX really means. Is that MB STAR compact C3? Thank you in advance.
#22
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The Type D Mux looks likes this:
![](http://www.specdiag.com/img/mb_sd.jpg)
Last edited by awiner; 07-21-2012 at 11:49 AM.
#23
Thank you for the quick reply. I'd like to get a piece of advice on this unit. I found it here: http://www.dhgate.com/by-dhl-latest-...099b0506b.html. The price is good. I am wondering if you find something wrong with the offered package. This unit is C3. As far as I understand, it is the one that should have less issues and also don't have to be connected to the internet for any testing/programming. Please let me know.
#24
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Thank you for the quick reply. I'd like to get a piece of advice on this unit. I found it here: http://www.dhgate.com/by-dhl-latest-...099b0506b.html. The price is good. I am wondering if you find something wrong with the offered package. This unit is C3. As far as I understand, it is the one that should have less issues and also don't have to be connected to the internet for any testing/programming. Please let me know.
There is a voltage regulator in many of the Chinese clones that is incorrectly spec'd during the build and it leads to early burning out of the unit.
Many have replaced the voltage regulator for the correct spec'd part and have gotten a longer life span out of the unit.
You are correct with your understanding. This unit has less issues than the newer clone SD Connect multiplexer that uses wifi. The clone SD Connect is more prone to being black listed and has some issues connecting with newer models.
Last edited by awiner; 10-07-2013 at 05:19 PM.
#25
Thank you again. Can you suggest a reliable Chinese distributor you know? Is that always hit or miss kind of stuff? How to choose the right distributor with a good product?