Hardware Recommendations: Beacons and OBD Adapters

🇩🇪 Deutsche Version

JourneyPulse needs no extra hardware. Two features do get better with small Bluetooth devices, though: iBeacons for faster trip detection and an OBD adapter for vehicle data. This page tells you what to look for when buying.

ℹ️ Not buying advice in the strict sense: Only some of the devices mentioned have been tested so far (see labels). Manufacturer names are examples, not advertising; JourneyPulse has no connection with any manufacturer.

On this page: iBeacons · OBD adapters

iBeacons

What they're for is described under Places and POIs › Beacon detection. In short: a beacon in the car and one at home let the app detect trip start, trip end and arrival faster and more reliably.

What the beacon must support

• iBeacon format (Apple's standard). Beacons that only send Eddystone or a proprietary format are not detected by iOS in the background.
• Freely configurable UUID, major and minor, usually via the manufacturer's app. JourneyPulse expects major 5 and minor 6 for both beacons. You enter the UUID in the app (Settings › Home automation, "UUID" field below the respective beacon switch). A beacon with a different major or minor number stays invisible, even if the UUID is correct.
• Own UUID per beacon: vehicle and home need different UUIDs. The pre-set values are the common example UUIDs of many manufacturers; changing them avoids confusion with other beacons in the neighbourhood.
• Adjustable advertising interval: about 300 to 1000 milliseconds is a good compromise. Shorter intervals report slightly faster but drain the battery more.
• Adjustable transmit power: in the car a low level is enough; the beacon should only be visible in and right next to the vehicle, not in the flat next door.

Vehicle beacon

• Battery-powered (e.g. CR2032 or CR2477): lasts one to several years depending on the interval. Don't put it in the glovebox above the heater or on the dashboard in direct sun; coin cells like neither heat nor severe cold. A spot under the seat or in the centre console is better.
• USB-powered: if the beacon is plugged into a USB port that only supplies power with the ignition on, it only transmits while the car is on. That's actually good for trip detection and saves battery changes. If the socket supplies permanent power, the beacon stays on; the consumption is low but still worth considering for long standstill periods.
• If the app repeatedly reports that the vehicle beacon wasn't seen, the battery is usually empty.

Home beacon

• Ideally USB- or mains-powered, so no battery changes are needed.
• Close to the entrance or on the side of the home where you arrive. Metal, reinforced concrete and aquariums strongly shield the signal.
• Choose the transmit power so that the beacon is still received at the front door but hardly on the street.

Examples

Configurable iBeacons are offered by Minew, KKM (KBeacon), Feasycom and Blue Charm, among others, each with a configuration app for iOS. In the product description look for "iBeacon", "UUID/major/minor configurable" and a replaceable battery or USB power.

⚠️ Not tested: No specific beacon model has been officially tested with JourneyPulse so far. Any iBeacon with the values above should work.

What to expect from detection

iOS usually reports entering a beacon region within a few seconds. The system deliberately reports leaving with a delay so that short signal gaps don't immediately trigger a trip end; this can take half a minute or longer. Bluetooth and the location permission Always must be switched on.

OBD adapters

What the app does with the adapter is described under OBD.

What the adapter must support

• Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE, "Bluetooth 4.0" or later). The iPhone can't connect to classic Bluetooth adapters (often described as "for Android"). JourneyPulse doesn't support Wi-Fi adapters.
• ELM327-compatible commands. This applies to almost all consumer diagnostic adapters.
• A genuine chip instead of a cheap clone. Very cheap adapters labelled "ELM327 v1.5" or "v2.1" often don't support all commands, respond slowly or drop the connection. A few euros more for a branded adapter are worth it.
• Sleep mode. The adapter stays plugged into the OBD socket, which often has power even with the ignition off. Good adapters switch themselves off when idle. Without sleep mode an adapter can drain the car battery during long standstill periods; then it's better to unplug it.
• Flat design if the socket is in the footwell, so you don't catch it with your knee.

Older vehicles (K-Line)

Vehicles from before about 2004, including the Audi A3 8L and VW Golf IV, don't speak CAN but K-Line (KWP2000 or KWP1281). The adapter must support the protocols ISO 9141-2 and ISO 14230 (KWP2000); the product description usually lists this under "supported protocols". Some cheap clones only support K-Line on paper.

Status of the profiles in the app

Adapter	Status
Vgate AD10	tested, recommended
vLinker FS, vLinker MS	profile available, not yet checked with real hardware
other BLE adapters with ELM327 commands	via the "Generic ELM327 clone" profile, no guarantee

If your adapter doesn't show up under Search for adapter, tap Show all BLE devices. The normal search only shows adapters with a known identifier. In the extended list you choose your adapter; the app then finds the right data channel by itself.

⚠️ Beta: The OBD features have not yet been tested on all vehicles and adapters. Safety notes are on the OBD page.

See also: OBD · Places and POIs · Recording Trips · Known Limitations