As ive made the step up to a digi tacho I now need all the necessary software to download my card and VU. Just wondered which is the cheapest/easiest option for owner driver/small fleet
Cheers
Matt.
Wait until Harry pops by as I’m sure I can recall he did extensive research into the options when he was setting up.
I like the Siemens TisWeb system, I doubt it’s the cheapest but you store your data on their servers & Siemens VDO come out with some cool add on stuff like remote downloading via mobli & so on. You only pay as you go so I would recommend it.
Silver_Surfer:
I like the Siemens TisWeb system, I doubt it’s the cheapest but you store your data on their servers & Siemens VDO come out with some cool add on stuff like remote downloading via mobli & so on. You only pay as you go so I would recommend it.
Cheers mate but im not interested in any fancy add on stuff, just want the minimum required equipment to ensure im compliant.
Matt
Just need the bottom yoke in that picture if you just want to download the head with your card in it.
Need the top yoke as well if you want to download cards out of head unit. (They plug in to each other).
Then you just pay as you go on their server for storage & it’s free analysis. Won’t be much for you as you are small like me.
I think I pay like £30 every 6 months or 3 months. Don’t quote me on that though.
There are cheaper options I think but I like the Siemens offering as it’s a polished product.
Their is a firm that sponsors the main forum I think, they are also popular.
You’ll also need a company smart card from the same place you got your driver card from. Basically you need to mate the vehicles to the company card before you use it. Then if you get rid of the vehicle you need to break the mate so next man can’t see your unmentionables.
Personally I use a Lisle Digidown Plus, I think it was about £200.
I use Tachomaster for the analysis, tachomaster.co.uk/ and I think it’s £1 a week for the driver and £1.50 a month for the vehicle, so for me about £5.50 a month. You an get subscription-free software but it’s not a great deal cheaper, and it isn’t backed up on the internet.
Am I right in thinking you don’t need to be able to see the downloaded data to comply with the regulations? So I could just have the digidown plus with no software and just save it in its own file on my laptop?
Matt
Your probably right but you need to show that you are checking for infringements so you should print a letter once a month showing said foibles & sign it. The man likes the paper trail you see…
I use one of these card readers
ebay.co.uk/itm/Omnikey-3121- … 2339784a51
And one of these that I bought on eBay
optac.info/uk/shop/product.h … d=9939-012
With Easytac software
i use the Lisle Digidown Plus, the same as Harry, it downloads both card and VU
you can also download both together if you leave the card in the VU
you will also need a Company Digi Card
you are correct in the terms of you do not need to see the data, the rules are simple, you must download it and store it, there is no legal requirement to have it analysed
To be honest, I think VOSA would take a fairly dim view of an operator who wasn’t doing any tacho analysis.
shuttlespanker:
i use the Lisle Digidown Plus, the same as Harry, it downloads both card and VU
The optac does too (I’d already bought the card reader before I saw mine on eBay)
you will also need a Company Digi Card
Thanks, you just reminded mine expires today 
Company card is applied for! Just wanted the cheapest option to start with that’s all. The cost of the hardware isn’t bad I just cant believe you then have to buy a computer program that’s £89.99!! Suppose they’ve got us cornered though as theres no way round it!
This is the starter kit ive been looking at (the top one). I think this would cover everything;
novadata.co.uk/sec/535/Digit … rter-Kits/
Matt
I remember when they first came out, there was stone ridge in the scania’s and Siemens in all others.
You had to have the software from each firm to read the pulled data which was a bit of a faff. You can import data to any software now, I don’t know wether that was forced on them to break the monopoly or wether they just realised it was a bit carp and sorted it themselves.
Harry Monk:
To be honest, I think VOSA would take a fairly dim view of an operator who wasn’t doing any tacho analysis.
Blimey, I wouldn’t fancy supping my tea & biscuits squirming in the seat trying to explain that away.
Silver_Surfer:
Harry Monk:
To be honest, I think VOSA would take a fairly dim view of an operator who wasn’t doing any tacho analysis.Blimey, I wouldn’t fancy supping my tea & biscuits squirming in the seat trying to explain that away.
firstly, i never said it was a good or bad idea for the tacho analysis or not, whichever the case may be
secondly, i only pointed out he legal requirement
thirdly, seeing that it is a legal requirement to only download and store the data, what could VOSA do?
Raise a stern & fiendishly impudent eyebrow?
Silver_Surfer:
Raise a stern & fiendishly impudent eyebrow?
yes, and that is about it 