Keith DC5
08-15-2007, 03:53 PM
I originally wrote this review for the ClubRSX forums last year, but I thought some of you may be interested as well:
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/142/brock5sb6.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=brock5sb6.jpg) http://img384.imageshack.us/img384/3485/brock1yj8.th.jpg (http://img384.imageshack.us/my.php?image=brock1yj8.jpg) http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/9377/brock2iq6.th.jpg (http://img102.imageshack.us/my.php?image=brock2iq6.jpg) http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/9674/brock3ct8.th.jpg (http://img102.imageshack.us/my.php?image=brock3ct8.jpg)
http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/6718/brock4oj1.th.jpg (http://img214.imageshack.us/my.php?image=brock4oj1.jpg) http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/9934/brock6ln9.th.jpg (http://img214.imageshack.us/my.php?image=brock6ln9.jpg) http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/1288/brock7jg5.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=brock7jg5.jpg) http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/3291/brock8xs0.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=brock8xs0.jpg)
(My apologies for the blurry pictures - the image quality from the R2000 is actually very sharp)
For those who aren't familiar w/ Brockway Engineering, they're the makers of several vehicle monitoring products such as the R900, R920, R2000, etc. Unlike other products that need to be tapped into existing sensors, these digital displays simply plug into the OBDII diagnostics port near the center console. This allows installation to be a true plug-and-play process, and elminates any complications associated with vehicle monitoring products such as gauges, Apex'i Rev-Speed Meters, etc.
Eric Brockway was kind enough to send me an R2000 unit to review w/ the optional AM1 acceleration timer. For a full product description, you can simply click here (http://www.brockwayengineering.com/r2000.html) but in short, the R2000 converts OBD-II readings into useful information such as A/F, engine speed, air and coolant temps, etc. As an added bonus, the R2000 can even read and delete any DTCs stored in the ECU, and can be ordered with numerous accessories ranging from a shiftlight, to the 0-60 acceleration timer.
Installation of the R2000 is a breeze, and consists of only 2 wires that need to be plugged in. The first simply plugs into the AV input on your headunit, while the other wire connects to your car's OBDII diagnostics port. Placement for the main unit however can be pretty tricky since the casing is pretty bulky. It won't fit in that tray above the cupholders, nor will it slide into that pocket below your single-din headunit. I ended up using velcro and stuck it on the side of the center console right by the OBD2 port. From there I can simply reach under the dash to change the screen modes and options, while hiding the unit and wiring as much as possible. You can even toss it into your glovebox if you want to, but accessing it from there won't be very practical.
Useage of the R2000 is as straightfoward as it gets. Press a button to select which "mode" you want the screen to display, and press another to configure it to your liking. It can get a little annoying at times because when you try to switch modes, you can accidently hit the options button and will have to scroll through several selections to return to the main screen. I think if Brockway Engineering could integrate a way for us to use the headunit to control the R2000, that'd be spectacular but I can see it being a very difficult thing to do.
Functionality of the R2000 is where it really outperforms the competition. Despite it's aesthetic shortcomings, it displays the information that you want, when you want, and how you want it. It also adds the versatility of a 0-60 acceleration timer, an OBD2 scanner, and a shift light. I never did like the look of having tons of gauges in the car, and this also eliminates the need for most of them making your car's interior look cleaner and less ricer-ish.
HIGH POINTS:
-Convenient "all-in-one" product
-Displays vehicle information at the touch of your fingertips
-0-60 acceleration timer
-Ability to read and clear DTCs associated w/ CELs
-Functional and practical use on/off the track
-True Plug and Play installation
-Eliminates the need to run multiple gauges in your car
LOW POINTS:
-Interface is very basic and leaves a lot to be desired
-Only 2 sensor readings besides voltage can be displayed at any given time (voltage is always shown)
-You'll need an in-car monitor to display the R2000's information
-Bulky housing for the processing unit makes placement inconvenient
-You can only configure the display via the unit itself and can't control it via a touchscreen head unit
MY WISH LIST:
The R2000 leaves a lot of empty space on the screen since only a couple of readings can be displayed at any given time. I think it would've been better to take after the R3000 and display ALL of the information at once. This way you can hide the main unit without ever having to mess with modes and options. By being able to hide the main unit, this also eliminates the problem w/ having to place such a bulky item within the driver's reach.
The interface is my biggest rant, but one can make the argument that it's functional and that's all that should matter. However for a product in this price range, having an MS-DOS style screen is pretty disappointing. It's clear and precise keeping distractions to a minimum, so with that in mind I've been able to overcome the blandness.
Integration with the headunit could also be improved. I'm sure it's easier said than done, but it would be so much more convenient to be able to control the R2000 via touchscreen, than having to play with buttons like a playstation gamepad. Again however, if all of the information could be displayed at once, this really wouldn't be a problem I think.
SUMMARY:
The R2000 is a very versatile product that will appeal to dedicated racers and novice tuners alike. It doesn't just deliver on all of its advertised claims, but it does everything so well and so accurately that purchasing this product is really a no-brainer. It's a bit on the bulkier side so placing the unit within reach (and making the install look clean) can be pretty difficult in our cars. However if you're all about functionality, this product is something to seriously look into. When all is said and done, would I recommend this product? You sure as heck bet I do, but to who is another question altogether. It's definately not a "bling" item, so for those of you that want gauges just to have gauges, then get gauges. If you want something integrated w/ your in car entertainment, get a Pioneer HU and use the AVG-VDP1. (http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/v3/pg/product/details/0,,2076_310069876_192089326,00.html) For those that want a functional, versatile, all-in-one unit at a reasonable cost, definately get the R2000.
Please keep in mind that this review is almost a year old. Over the past 12 months, Eric and I have exchanged emails to help improve their products. The R2000 is currently in revision 1.3 which has addressed many of my complaints stated above.
The R2000 now has a green LED that won't blind you at night, the screen layout has been improved, the R2000 will show up to 4 sensor readings instead of 2, new features have been integrated such as fuel economy estimates. The best new features IMO would appeal towards the "tuner" crowd as this product will now show calculated load values, injector fuel rates, and short term fuel trims. This is the new screen layout for the sensor readings:
http://www.brockwayengineering.com/resources/R2000_STi.jpg
Other modes feature an S2000-like tach that shows real-time RPM and your designated shift points. It can also show your real time 0-60 based on the VSS readings as well.
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/142/brock5sb6.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=brock5sb6.jpg) http://img384.imageshack.us/img384/3485/brock1yj8.th.jpg (http://img384.imageshack.us/my.php?image=brock1yj8.jpg) http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/9377/brock2iq6.th.jpg (http://img102.imageshack.us/my.php?image=brock2iq6.jpg) http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/9674/brock3ct8.th.jpg (http://img102.imageshack.us/my.php?image=brock3ct8.jpg)
http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/6718/brock4oj1.th.jpg (http://img214.imageshack.us/my.php?image=brock4oj1.jpg) http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/9934/brock6ln9.th.jpg (http://img214.imageshack.us/my.php?image=brock6ln9.jpg) http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/1288/brock7jg5.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=brock7jg5.jpg) http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/3291/brock8xs0.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=brock8xs0.jpg)
(My apologies for the blurry pictures - the image quality from the R2000 is actually very sharp)
For those who aren't familiar w/ Brockway Engineering, they're the makers of several vehicle monitoring products such as the R900, R920, R2000, etc. Unlike other products that need to be tapped into existing sensors, these digital displays simply plug into the OBDII diagnostics port near the center console. This allows installation to be a true plug-and-play process, and elminates any complications associated with vehicle monitoring products such as gauges, Apex'i Rev-Speed Meters, etc.
Eric Brockway was kind enough to send me an R2000 unit to review w/ the optional AM1 acceleration timer. For a full product description, you can simply click here (http://www.brockwayengineering.com/r2000.html) but in short, the R2000 converts OBD-II readings into useful information such as A/F, engine speed, air and coolant temps, etc. As an added bonus, the R2000 can even read and delete any DTCs stored in the ECU, and can be ordered with numerous accessories ranging from a shiftlight, to the 0-60 acceleration timer.
Installation of the R2000 is a breeze, and consists of only 2 wires that need to be plugged in. The first simply plugs into the AV input on your headunit, while the other wire connects to your car's OBDII diagnostics port. Placement for the main unit however can be pretty tricky since the casing is pretty bulky. It won't fit in that tray above the cupholders, nor will it slide into that pocket below your single-din headunit. I ended up using velcro and stuck it on the side of the center console right by the OBD2 port. From there I can simply reach under the dash to change the screen modes and options, while hiding the unit and wiring as much as possible. You can even toss it into your glovebox if you want to, but accessing it from there won't be very practical.
Useage of the R2000 is as straightfoward as it gets. Press a button to select which "mode" you want the screen to display, and press another to configure it to your liking. It can get a little annoying at times because when you try to switch modes, you can accidently hit the options button and will have to scroll through several selections to return to the main screen. I think if Brockway Engineering could integrate a way for us to use the headunit to control the R2000, that'd be spectacular but I can see it being a very difficult thing to do.
Functionality of the R2000 is where it really outperforms the competition. Despite it's aesthetic shortcomings, it displays the information that you want, when you want, and how you want it. It also adds the versatility of a 0-60 acceleration timer, an OBD2 scanner, and a shift light. I never did like the look of having tons of gauges in the car, and this also eliminates the need for most of them making your car's interior look cleaner and less ricer-ish.
HIGH POINTS:
-Convenient "all-in-one" product
-Displays vehicle information at the touch of your fingertips
-0-60 acceleration timer
-Ability to read and clear DTCs associated w/ CELs
-Functional and practical use on/off the track
-True Plug and Play installation
-Eliminates the need to run multiple gauges in your car
LOW POINTS:
-Interface is very basic and leaves a lot to be desired
-Only 2 sensor readings besides voltage can be displayed at any given time (voltage is always shown)
-You'll need an in-car monitor to display the R2000's information
-Bulky housing for the processing unit makes placement inconvenient
-You can only configure the display via the unit itself and can't control it via a touchscreen head unit
MY WISH LIST:
The R2000 leaves a lot of empty space on the screen since only a couple of readings can be displayed at any given time. I think it would've been better to take after the R3000 and display ALL of the information at once. This way you can hide the main unit without ever having to mess with modes and options. By being able to hide the main unit, this also eliminates the problem w/ having to place such a bulky item within the driver's reach.
The interface is my biggest rant, but one can make the argument that it's functional and that's all that should matter. However for a product in this price range, having an MS-DOS style screen is pretty disappointing. It's clear and precise keeping distractions to a minimum, so with that in mind I've been able to overcome the blandness.
Integration with the headunit could also be improved. I'm sure it's easier said than done, but it would be so much more convenient to be able to control the R2000 via touchscreen, than having to play with buttons like a playstation gamepad. Again however, if all of the information could be displayed at once, this really wouldn't be a problem I think.
SUMMARY:
The R2000 is a very versatile product that will appeal to dedicated racers and novice tuners alike. It doesn't just deliver on all of its advertised claims, but it does everything so well and so accurately that purchasing this product is really a no-brainer. It's a bit on the bulkier side so placing the unit within reach (and making the install look clean) can be pretty difficult in our cars. However if you're all about functionality, this product is something to seriously look into. When all is said and done, would I recommend this product? You sure as heck bet I do, but to who is another question altogether. It's definately not a "bling" item, so for those of you that want gauges just to have gauges, then get gauges. If you want something integrated w/ your in car entertainment, get a Pioneer HU and use the AVG-VDP1. (http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/v3/pg/product/details/0,,2076_310069876_192089326,00.html) For those that want a functional, versatile, all-in-one unit at a reasonable cost, definately get the R2000.
Please keep in mind that this review is almost a year old. Over the past 12 months, Eric and I have exchanged emails to help improve their products. The R2000 is currently in revision 1.3 which has addressed many of my complaints stated above.
The R2000 now has a green LED that won't blind you at night, the screen layout has been improved, the R2000 will show up to 4 sensor readings instead of 2, new features have been integrated such as fuel economy estimates. The best new features IMO would appeal towards the "tuner" crowd as this product will now show calculated load values, injector fuel rates, and short term fuel trims. This is the new screen layout for the sensor readings:
http://www.brockwayengineering.com/resources/R2000_STi.jpg
Other modes feature an S2000-like tach that shows real-time RPM and your designated shift points. It can also show your real time 0-60 based on the VSS readings as well.