I am getting stressed out about this devise.
when I stick it in the tacho to download data I am never sure that it is working as it should as the tacho displays “download error” so I pull it out and reinsert the [zb] thing and it seems to be ok.
Then after a while it seems to have worked, but when yhe time comes to transfer data to the pc the real fun starts.
The wife (bless her) does all that kind of stuff and I have just been told that it has messed our pc up (not an exact quote) and i think it did the same to the last laptop.
On top of all that,when the data is successfully transferred it’s pretty useless from the point of view of checking compliance ect.
Can anyone suggest a viable alternative I am an owner driver with one truck and absolutely no intention of increasing from one truck.
Any replies gratefully recieved
ROADRANGER:
I am getting stressed out about this devise.
when I stick it in the tacho to download data I am never sure that it is working as it should as the tacho displays “download error” so I pull it out and reinsert the [zb] thing and it seems to be ok.
Any replies gratefully recieved
Is this the type because this one used to give the same error message but always managed to download the info. I never had to do the rest because we just threw it to the office wallah after a download.
Yes that’s the one.
I think it is probably working as it should do, but, when I look at the data when it is on screen it is of no use.
What software are you using to read the data ?
Your not alone with this, I spent £300 for a kit from Tachodisc & its taken 2 visits back to there premises to sort some problems out, apparently its because I have Windows 7 on my laptop, when I’m downloading from the tacho itself I have no idea whats going on the gadget just flashes & blinks, I’ve only done it once so far & have’nt tried to transfer it to my PC yet. I’ve got to be honest I think the whole digi thing is a crock of ■■■■, I also think it just sums up the EU & there take on transport, its obsolete technology that suits them. As an OD why should we spend all this money & spend all this time pratting about like some computer geeks collecting data that should just go directly from the truck to whoever wants/needs the data within it.
Thats Mondays moan over.
Fly sheet
How old is your truck you’re downloading from? I have a 56 plate volvo that always comes up with “download error”, the later 08 and 09 plates don’t do this. The information is still transferred, even with this download error. Don;t worry.
The information VOSA will want is stored on the download key - you can copy this to your pc/laptop as a backup in case you lose the download key ( a good idea) but you don’t have to. So long as it’s been downloaded to the download key, that’s all you need to do.
How do you download your driver card? And analyse the info on that? How did you analyse your old tacho charts - have a bit of a look and them stuff them in a drawer?
If you’re an OD and only you drive your truck you should know if you’re compliant on drivers hours regs - you can buy software to analyse it yourself but it aint cheap - try contacting the RHA/FTA if you need to analyse your data every so often, it would be cheaper. If you know your pretty much compliant whats the point in further analysis.
The download key data contains information like when the truck was driven with no driver card in, speed and overspeed data. If there’s only you driving the truck you would know if you drove with no card in, so there’s no point in further analysis (my view).
If you had a driver working for you it’s a different kettle of fish - you need to know if he’s breaking rules or driving with no card in so it’s important to analyse the downloaded data from card and vehicle.
Hope this helps
fly sheet:
Your not alone with this, I spent £300 for a kit from Tachodisc & its taken 2 visits back to there premises to sort some problems out, apparently its because I have Windows 7 on my laptop, when I’m downloading from the tacho itself I have no idea whats going on the gadget just flashes & blinks, I’ve only done it once so far & have’nt tried to transfer it to my PC yet. I’ve got to be honest I think the whole digi thing is a crock of [zb], I also think it just sums up the EU & there take on transport, its obsolete technology that suits them. As an OD why should we spend all this money & spend all this time pratting about like some computer geeks collecting data that should just go directly from the truck to whoever wants/needs the data within it.
Thats Mondays moan over.
Fly sheet
You have taken the words out of my mouth pal!!!
coiler:
How old is your truck you’re downloading from? I have a 56 plate volvo that always comes up with “download error”, the later 08 and 09 plates don’t do this. The information is still transferred, even with this download error. Don;t worry.
The information VOSA will want is stored on the download key - you can copy this to your pc/laptop as a backup in case you lose the download key ( a good idea) but you don’t have to. So long as it’s been downloaded to the download key, that’s all you need to do.
How do you download your driver card? And analyse the info on that? How did you analyse your old tacho charts - have a bit of a look and them stuff them in a drawer?
If you’re an OD and only you drive your truck you should know if you’re compliant on drivers hours regs - you can buy software to analyse it yourself but it aint cheap - try contacting the RHA/FTA if you need to analyse your data every so often, it would be cheaper. If you know your pretty much compliant whats the point in further analysis.
The download key data contains information like when the truck was driven with no driver card in, speed and overspeed data. If there’s only you driving the truck you would know if you drove with no card in, so there’s no point in further analysis (my view).
If you had a driver working for you it’s a different kettle of fish - you need to know if he’s breaking rules or driving with no card in so it’s important to analyse the downloaded data from card and vehicle.
Hope this helps
Ok you are correct, I would just like to have a look just as i did with the old charts.
I dont download the driver card, I transfer date with the download key directly. I did a trial with vdo tisweb I think that is what it is called,but I was not too impressed.
I cannot use the RHA as i am no longer a member, as I said I would just like to have a look from time to time.
plus and more importantly the wife hates the thing and will not let it near her precious laptop as she blames it for the demise of the last one.
Cannot answer all the questions about the VDO download key because we don’t use it, we use the Lisle Digidown, which seems to work fine. Also have some software on the netbook that will download VU or card via the appropriate connection stuck on the end of a usb cable.
Download Fault 12 on the before v1.3 VDO tachos isn’t a fault with the download as such. Basically the download key tells the VU to send the data for particular days. At the end of each bit of downloading the VU runs a check process where it asks the download key if it got the data. Now, for all sorts of perfectly legitimate reasons there may be a bit of data ‘missing,’ the VU asks ‘did you get all the Data?’ The download Key responds ‘no’ and you get ‘download fault 12’ shown on the VU display. Don’t worry about it, let the download run its’ course and remember to copy the data off the key to a secure storage location, for example to PC and a back-up copy to CD or something similar.
It is not sufficient to download just the VU, the card must be downloaded as well. There are plenty of analysis systems around, some cheaper than others some better than others.
Unfortunately cannot comment on the laptop vs download key problem when running Windows 7. I’m stuck in XP land and I’m quite happy there.I know the software that I use works fine on XP but has major issues with Vista, never tried it with 7.
geebee45:
Cannot answer all the questions about the VDO download key because we don’t use it, we use the Lisle Digidown, which seems to work fine. Also have some software on the netbook that will download VU or card via the appropriate connection stuck on the end of a usb cable.
Download Fault 12 on the before v1.3 VDO tachos isn’t a fault with the download as such. Basically the download key tells the VU to send the data for particular days. At the end of each bit of downloading the VU runs a check process where it asks the download key if it got the data. Now, for all sorts of perfectly legitimate reasons there may be a bit of data ‘missing,’ the VU asks ‘did you get all the Data?’ The download Key responds ‘no’ and you get ‘download fault 12’ shown on the VU display. Don’t worry about it, let the download run its’ course and remember to copy the data off the key to a secure storage location, for example to PC and a back-up copy to CD or something similar.
It is not sufficient to download just the VU, the card must be downloaded as well. There are plenty of analysis systems around, some cheaper than others some better than others.
■■■■!
That’s the first I’ve heard about having the card downloaded. According to the vdo add the download key is all I need to stay legal.
I can tell you know your onions,but. Are you sure about that?
HELP. Any vosa ists have any answers. Please.
geebee45:
Unfortunately cannot comment on the laptop vs download key problem when running Windows 7. I’m stuck in XP land and I’m quite happy there.I know the software that I use works fine on XP but has major issues with Vista, never tried it with 7.
I get “download error” come up on the Siemens every time too. My motors are 56 plates. Seems to download the info OK though. I take it you download you digi card as well. I use the Siemens software to analyse my info and create hours reports and the like. It’s called tis-web.
dtco.co.uk/generator/www/uk/ … me_en.html
The good thing (or bad thing!) is the data is stored on their servers so can’t get lost or destroyed and once you pay the registration fee, you only pay for the amoun tof data you need to store so for you will be very small cost.
ROADRANGER:
HELP. Any vosa ists have any answers. Please.
You’ve just had the answer from a ‘vosa ist’. 
I shall get my coat.
I think the key is windows vista,we had better do the xp upgrade.
Thanks to all for the help and information.
i run vista and have no probs at all, i have an omnikey card reader and a digidown downloder for the tacho itself, combined this with easytac software on the laptop and i can read everything you would on a paper chart, including all faults etc, very good bit of kit and im no IT nerd so if i can use it it must be easy 
btw you cant go from vista back to xp it wont let you
chaversdad:
i run vista and have no probs at all, i have an omnikey card reader and a digidown downloder for the tacho itself, combined this with easytac software on the laptop and i can read everything you would on a paper chart, including all faults etc, very good bit of kit and im no IT nerd so if i can use it it must be easy
btw you cant go from vista back to xp it wont let you
Thanks for that info, I shall look into that, well what I mean is I will try to get the obergrubenfuhrer (wife) to have a look.
I have to say, I’m a bit concerned that I have never once downloaded my driver card in allmost twelve months.
The reason being, according to vdo downloading data from tacho onto downloadkey and transfering and backing up,is all I needed to do.
Maybe I should have gone on a training course, but my view at the time was that I didn’t attend any course for analog and come to that the old log book, why go on a course for these pain in the arse things.
i have to admit that one of the reasons i put off changing vehicles for so long was the myth surrounding digital tachos and all the downloading carry on but i contacted these people smartcardfocus.com/ and they talked me through what i needed, the cheapest options for what i needed, and then told me how to set everything up ,great service
ROADRANGER:
I have to say, I’m a bit concerned that I have never once downloaded my driver card in allmost twelve months.
The reason being, according to vdo downloading data from tacho onto downloadkey and transfering and backing up,is all I needed to do.
.
you’re meant to download the card every 28 days, but if you do it soon the data may still be there
have you thought about a DCPC registered digi tacho course ■■ ( That’s what I did before I went digital)
chaversdad:
i have to admit that one of the reasons i put off changing vehicles for so long was the myth surrounding digital tachos and all the downloading carry on but i contacted these people smartcardfocus.com/ and they talked me through what i needed, the cheapest options for what i needed, and then told me how to set everything up ,great service
Thanks chaversdad, I shall follow that up.
Denis F:
ROADRANGER:
I have to say, I’m a bit concerned that I have never once downloaded my driver card in allmost twelve months.
The reason being, according to vdo downloading data from tacho onto downloadkey and transfering and backing up,is all I needed to do.
.
you’re meant to download the card every 28 days, but if you do it soon the data may still be there
have you thought about a DCPC registered digi tacho course ■■ ( That’s what I did before I went digital)
Is what I am doing not the same as downloading the driver card?
I insert the company card, then the download key, transferring data on to the download key, then on to the pc, then on to a back up disc.
surely that amounts to the same thing, or am I being really thick?
And yes, I am thinking of some kind of course.
Thanks.
ROADRANGER:
Is what I am doing not the same as downloading the driver card?
I insert the company card, then the download key, transferring data on to the download key, then on to the pc, then on to a back up disc.
surely that amounts to the same thing, or am I being really thick?
No that’s different ! What you are doing is downloading the vehicle unit , you have to download the driver card as well !