Consult software for MacOS

[silvia910]

I only have a MacBook (MacOS Mojave) and I'm trying to figure out how to use my consult cable to connect to my sr. I already have a consult cable and a consult port on the Wiring Specialties harness.
Anyone have any advice or experience on the best way I should go about doing this? Not having much luck confirmed instructions while researching.

My plan was to try to download VirtualBox to run Windows 10 on my MacOS Mojave, and using ECUTalk. (I also got a new Windows 10 Pro key for the VirtualBox)
Am I on the right track? One aspect I'm wondering if I might have an issue with though is, on the ECUTalk site it says:

Required Files:
ECUTalk on a PC/Laptop requires the .NET Framework 1.1

Will I have to obtain this ".NET Framework 1.1" after downloading VB and/or will I be able to do this while on the Windows VM. This is my first time ever considering or looking into running a VM so I'm just trying to research and figure out what I can.

[Silv1401]

I'm not incredibly versed in running windows software on os, but from my recollection running a vm often causes issues when it comes to communicating with external hardware. My recommendation is to parcel your harddrive and install windows via bootcamp. Just my .02 from reading other people's experiences over the last decade. At the very least will point you in the right direction. Hopefully someone with better experience can chime in.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[dorkidori_s13]

gonna be blunt... get over it and buy a windows laptop (Im A+ certified in VARIOUS iterations of MacOS from 10.3 to 10.6... MacOS is NOT tuner world friendly). i ran Consult software on my 2009 netbook (which used to run all the backing tracks on my live shows for my band btw). finding an old Windows XP or 7 laptop on ebay for like $100 cant be that hard. just buck up and buy an old PC based laptop... the switch will be well worth the costs given hooking up to my consult port via USB NISTune saved my butt completely when i found out a few of my SR sensors were bad! ditch the route of MacOS for trying to connect... even via emulation. just buy a Windows based PC for your troubleshooting needs. MacOS is nothing more than an OS based price tag.

And this is coming from someone whos a graphics based person. MacOS has been an overhyped and underperforming reality in the world of computers for almost 2 decades! Hence why Apple switch to Intel based CPUs in that time frame regardless of their recent announcement of inhouse CPU manufacturing again. Its an interesting announcement, but theyll fall back to PC based CISC based processing again in another decade due to costs.

[silvia910]

I definitely agree and understand your standpoint. Literally the only thing I want to use it for is the ECUTalk program to help troubleshoot and diagnose when needed; and simply for convenience, if I can get it to work with the MacBook I already have I would like to try that just for that convenience. If this doesn't end up working, then that was definitely Plan B!

As for what Silv1401 said, I was concerned about that also. My MBP is only 128gb with less than 60gb available left. That's the reason why I was considering VB over BootCamp, as I was under the impression that may not be near enough storage, without having to purchase an external HDD.. However, I wonder if that issue you mentioned previously applied to an older version of VB. Can anyone chime in if the current/latest VB 16.1.16 platform should work with USB devices without issues? Especially considering the 'VirtualBox 6.1.16 Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack' that is now available. (https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads)
Because it does state:
- 'Support for USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 devices, VirtualBox RDP, disk encryption, NVMe and PXE boot for Intel cards'

[silvia910]

Well it all ended up working out just fine with VB fortunately. Thanks for the help guys

[Trvpback_hvtchback295]

silvia910 just to confirm: ECUTalk v1.3.5 Consult Software works on windows 10 then? I am also wanting to use it for the quick troubleshooting & diagnostic convenience. Just wanted to confirm this before buying the cable off their site. I'm on a windows laptop but was worried about the framework 1.1 working on what is it now .NET 4.8?

[silvia910]

Yup I had no issues running on Windows 10 as is