Looking at what makes up a GM MDI2 scan tool system. I’ve been using an OTC Genisys 5 EVO scan tool for 5 years, plus I have a Tech 2. The Genisys is a decent scan/test tool for a broad range of cars. The Tech-2 does more than the Genisys for GM cars.
The GM MDI system started to appear in some GM cars around 2009 and was pretty much in all their cars by 2014. I have a couple cars that are GM MDI so I’m thinking about an MDI setup. What I’ve found so far leaves me with some questions.
My questions are:
1) What’s the hardware setup? From what I read, it’s an MDI-2 module and a Windows-based PC.
2) Is a subscription needed to just download the PC application software and updates to the PC? Same for MDI-2 firmware updates? Are these separate subscriptions for just the software or the same subscription service that makes calibration files available?
3) Does this setup have some functionality when operating stand-alone like the Tech2, or does it always need to be connected to TIS2WEB or some other subscribed service? From what I’ve read, you need to have a subscription for the calibration files, but it is not clear to me that a MDI system will operate stand-alone and what the scope of those stand-alone functions are. From what I’ve read so far, I believe that the system will operate stand-alone for scanning, live data streams, and two-way function testing without a subscription or connection to a GM-provided service, but want to verify.
4) Subscriptions. I see there are short-term, relatively low-cost subscriptions available for calibration files. Anybody used those?
5) Also would like to verify the MDI system is ‘backwards’ compatible with the cars the Tech 2 now covers, perhaps making the Tech 2 unnecessary.
Appreciate any comments from those who have experience with MDI.
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