FAQ
Questions
1.Q: Do you provide telephone-based support?2.Q: I'm still having weird driver problems on Windows XP / Vista. Help me.
3.Q: What's the deal with Windows 7 64-bit?
4.Q: When I connect the FC-HAKO, I start up the tuning software within 1 second and it always fails.
5.Q: Will the FC-HAKO work on OSes other than Windows XP?
6.Q: Does the FC-HAKO support connecting the hand controller at the same time as a laptop?
7.Q: Is any software provided with FC-HAKO?
8.Q: Do you provide support for the tuning software?
9.Q: I want a simple tool to check the communications with the PowerFC. Is there one available?
10.Q: I have tried Copilot, it somewhat works, but it always does a soft-reset. What gives?
11.Q: I successfully ran PFCPing for testing and then switched to Copilot and it is now NOT working.
12.Q: How does this compare to the datalogit hardware interface?
13.Q: I have seen some other cable solutions from Japan. Are they any good?
14.Q: What's the difference between FC-HAKO and Kashima's communication adapter?
15.Q: How do I connect up a WBO2 controller to the FC-HAKO?
16.Q: Which WBO2 controller does the FC-HAKO work with? Which one do you recommend?
17.Q: I installed the Prolific USB-to-serial driver but the device is not detected, help me!
18.Q: My FC-HAKO does not work or stopped working!
19.Q: What happened to the PowerFC repair service?
Answers
1.Q: Do you provide telephone-based support?
1.A: No. Email support is provided.2.Q: I'm still having weird driver problems on Windows XP / Vista. Help me.
2.A: Enable show phantom devices then "show hidden devices" from the "view" menu - then remove drivers that use COM 3,4,5. Also remove driver the "uninstall way". Reboot. Install driver using "Run as Administrator".Make sure the driver version (Device manager => Properties => Driver) does NOT show Driver Date of 2005 or 2008. If it does, you must uninstall the old driver, disconnect FC-HAKO from the PC, install the official Prolific drivers, and only then connect FC-HAKO to the USB port. Otherwise Microsoft's automatic driver installation process will happen and will install before you can install the proper driver, even after reboot.
3.Q: What's the deal with Windows 7 64-bit?
3.A: The problem came down to down to past-rumours and having already installed (but old) Prolific drivers. Make sure you:• do NOT have any pre-existing Prolific drivers installed. If you do, please make sure that you uninstall the drivers and _correctly_ install the new drivers from the Prolific website or from fc-hako.com
• Right click on drivers exe, "Install as Administrator". Do NOT install it with "install new hardware" right-mouse-button method, if available.
• disconnect and reconnect the FC-HAKO once the drivers are installed or upgraded. This step is often skipped, especially if drivers are already installed.
4.Q: When I connect the FC-HAKO, I start up the tuning software within 1 second and it always fails. I try again around 10 seconds later and it works. What gives?
4.A: This was a problem with the FC-HAKO bootloader. It has now been resolved by firmware v1.04. Apologies for the issues encountered.5.Q: Will the FC-HAKO work on OSes other than Windows XP?
5.A: FC-HAKO will work with all well-maintained Microsoft-based operating systems. FC-HAKO will NOT work if:• you have pre-2009 Prolific drivers installed; please upgrade to latest version.
• your driver system is broken; no serial or printer devices work at all; please reinstall the OS.
• Windows 7 "XP-mode" or any other virtualisation environment.
• Drivers from other devices (eg: mobile phone serial comms cable).
• Tuning software set to auto-detect COM port.
6.Q: Does the FC-HAKO support connecting the hand controller at the same time as a laptop?
6.A: No. This is not a supported nor designed feature. Please have a read what PaulR33 has to say here.7.Q: Is any software provided with FC-HAKO?
7.A: NO software is provided or included - only the hardware interface is supplied. FC-HAKO has been designed to work with official and third party software, as well as anyone who would like to write their own software.8.Q: Do you provide support for the tuning software?
8.A: We do provide support and attempt to best answer your questions. For very specific tuning questions, they should be directed to the forums:• Copilot by Kevin Beane.
• FC-Tune by Andre Buenger. (fasthatch)
• FC-Edit newcelica.org tuning guide.
9.Q: I want a simple tool to check the communications with the PowerFC. Is there one available?
9.A: Steps:• Download FC-HAKO-debug.exe.
• Connect FC-HAKO to the car and the PC. Start IGN.
• Run FC-HAKO-debug.exe COMX test, where COMX is the USB port (serial port) you have connected the FC-HAKO.
• The debug tool sends 10 commands to the PowerFC then repeats the process by sending each command 32 times.
Each dot represents success. Any other character represents failure.
10.Q: I have tried Copilot, it somewhat works, but it always does a soft-reset. What gives?
10.A: Verify that your PowerFC version string (exact) is listed as supported. If not, CoPilot will always default to AFM-based engines. If you happen to have a MAP-based engine, Copilot will continuously fail with a soft-reset. This is NOT caused by FC-HAKO.11.Q: I successfully ran PFCPing for testing and then switched to Copilot and it is now NOT working. Is this normal?
11.A: This issue has now been resolved by firmware v1.05. Apologies if this caused any confusing issues. So now it is possible to change from FC-Pro to Copilot to PFCPing to FC-Edit, without physical disconnection and reconnection!12.Q: How does this compare to the datalogit hardware interface?
12.A: datalogit per-say is a hardware and software solution, so it is not fair to compare it on that level. So to compare it to datalogit's FC-Box:• FC-HAKO provides an integrated USB serial interface, without the need of an USB-to-RS232 converter.
• FC-HAKO is firmware upgradable to resolve obscure communication bugs and issues.
• FC-HAKO works with all software specific to PowerFC.
• FC-HAKO provides only two analog inputs and no switch outputs.
• FC-HAKO does not provide a hand controller output.
13.Q: I have seen some other cable solutions ( yahoo jp cables and PFCLinker ) from Japan. Are they any good?
13.A: It depends if you are happy with the following limitations:• comes without professional case. For example, PFCLinker3.
• requires the use of an extension cable, due to larger-than-required connector plug.
• it is more expensive than the FC-HAKO.
• it supports only X001-based Power FCs.
• it supports only FC-Pro software.
• it does not have analog (ADC) input.
14.Q: What's the difference between FC-HAKO and Kashima's communication adapter?
14.A: Kashima's hardware is a perfect drop-in replacement of Power Excel hardware as it supports 4 analog inputs, including exhaust temperature input (with signal amplification and adjustment) which is used by FC-Pro. But there are a couple of negatives, and that is it only works with FC-Pro software, plus the package is costly (~500-750 AUD). FC-HAKO will work with FC-Pro but you will not be able to utilise 4 analog inputs. FC-HAKO will also work with third party software, which is lacking from Kashima's hardware interface.15.Q: How do I connect up a WBO2 controller to the FC-HAKO?
15.A: Since firmware v1.06, FC-HAKO supports and recommends differential input mode only. For more information, please read the FC-HAKO WBo2 Installation and Setup Guide as each wideband controller has different number of outputs, different out names, and different wiring colour! Do NOT CONNECT any signal or +5V wires to ground / black wire of FC-HAKO. Doing so will render FC-HAKO useless and will VOID WARRANTY.16.Q: Which WBO2 controller does the FC-HAKO work with? Which one do you recommend?
16.A: They will all work since the output will be between 0V-5V. it's a matter of how the hardware is calibrated to the software, or the software calibrated to the hardware. Please refer to the WBO2's manual for further information.The best choice for WBo2 controller is the Innovate MTX-L. It is an integrated wideband controller with gauge, including oxygen sensor.
17.Q: I installed the Prolific USB-to-serial driver but the device is not detected, help me!
17.A: Make sure you install the drivers prior to connecting the hardware. Once the drivers are installed, the hardware then can be connected. Otherwise, if you install the driver while the hardware is connected, you need to reconnect the hardware again in order for it to be detected.NOTE: Is it best NOT to reinstall the drivers, as the com port number will enumerate to a higher number. So if you do connect the USB cable, please check device manager for the com port number and use that. Otherwise, you will need to use Registry Editor to remove the definition of that com port.
18.Q: My FC-HAKO does not work or stopped working!
18.A: Number one thing to remember is not to spend 10 hours figuring out the problem _then_ emailing for assistance. It is also best to take a don't-think-you're-smarter-than-the-problem approach, otherwise the problem will always win.The main thing to do is to:
• download the FC-HAKO debug tool and run it in "test" mode. This will show whether communications works.
• send the output to sales at fc-hako.com so analysis can be performed.
In the mean time:
• Check if tuning software is NOT set to auto-detect COM port (Setup => Port).
• Check Device Manager under the 'Ports (COM & LPT)' subtree. There should be a device called 'Prolific USB-to-Serial Comm Port (COM#)'.
• Check that no other software is running that is taking over the COM port.
• Check if the mini-DIN (PS/2-like) plug to the FC-HAKO is firmly in place, aswell as to the PowerFC.
• Make sure the DB9 connector is tightly screwed in.
• Make sure you do NOT pull on the "PS/2" cable, but rather hold the "PS/2" connector to remove it.
• Disconnect and reconnect the USB cable to power cycle the FC-HAKO.
• If all else fails, email us with what you did and did not do, then follow directions exactly and verbosely to isolate the problem.
19.Q:What happened to the PowerFC repair service?
19.A: This has been discontinued.This is due to the realisation it is impossible to repair more than 25% of all failures. There are so many different hard and soft failures that it is not practical to be able to diagnose these failures, especially ones that only appear when running the engine (eg: engine cuts out after 4000 RPM).