The OPCOM diagnostic interface serves as a means of communication between the OpCom /

Vaux-com Software and the vehicle through the Canbus system, to see and change some value
of the control units and be able to tinker with the electronics.

Although in the announcement they said that the interface was already updated with firmware
version 1.59, this was not the case. It actually came with version 1.45. What it did have
installed is the PIC18F458 micro controller, essential to be able to update the firmware
version. As you may have read, other Chinese manufacturers send interfaces with a copy of
the previous chip (cheaper) that cannot be written, and therefore, the firmware cannot be
updated.

The package includes the Opcom interface, the USB cable to connect it to the computer and a
miniCD with the Opcom Software, Vaux-com, drivers, Ocflash and various firmwares, including
version 1.59.
http://www.opelastraclub.com/t22511-estudiando-probando-y-analizando-opcom-y-vauxcom-

parte-1
Opcom Interface: Communication device between the computer/diagnostic software and the
vehicle control units through the canbus communication system. It connects to the vehicle via
the OBD2 connector and to the computer with a cable to the USB port.
OpCom : Specific diagnostic software for Opel. Also works for Vauxhall.
Vaux-Com: Specific diagnostic software for Vauxhall. Also works for Opel.
Driver: Software necessary for the operating system to recognize an external device connected
to the computer and communicate with it.
OCFlash: Software that allows loading new firmware on the Opcom interface.
Firmware: Software that gives instructions to a microcontroller to perform different functions.
I will now describe the process for the computer to recognize and communicate with the
interface. The entire process has been carried out with the Windows 7 Professional Operating
System, which is the most stable version for these purposes.
The first thing to do is connect the interface to the computer using its USB cable. At that
moment the computer recognizes a device connected to a USB port and it is identified in the
Windows Device Manager in the OTHER DEVICES branch as OP-COM USB V2, with the classic
yellow symbol that tells us that the driver is missing (! ), this with firmware version 1.45 that
comes standard. The computer has only recognized it, but is not yet able to communicate with
it because it is missing the driver.
On the miniCD that comes there are 2 folders called OP-COM 2014 and OPCOM 201008.
VERY IMPORTANT: Copy both folders to the computer's hard drive and install the driver as
indicated below from there. Sometimes install from CD, USB memory, etc. This may mean that
the driver is not recognized correctly.
Inside the second, there is a subfolder called DRIVERS.
In the Windows device manager, we will right-click on the recognized OP-COM USB V2 device
and press the UPDATE DRIVER SOFTWARE option.

At that moment there are 2 options:

1. Automatically update updated driver software.

2. Look for driver software on your computer.

We will select the second option and it will ask us to indicate the folder where the driver is
located, which as I said before, is in OPCOM 201008\DRIVERS.

From here the operating system begins to install the driver and once finished, the OP-COM
USB V2 device is fully recognized by the system, becoming part of the list of devices in the
device manager with the name USB SERIAL CONVERTER . From here, the operating system can
now communicate with it.
NOTE: If we install Vaux-com from the existing executable in the first folder, the drivers are
installed directly. The previous way, limited between ====, is to install the Opcom drivers,
which since it is a pure executable and does not have an installation, you have to install
them manually.
Well, nothing, we already have the interface connected to the computer and recognized by it.
Now it's time to start the Opcom and Vaux-Com Software to see the version of the interface
firmware and test that they are running correctly.
In the OPCOM 201008 folder, there is an executable file called OPCOM, we run it directly,
there is no need to install it, and we get the main screen with 4 buttons.

To check that the Opcom software communicates with the interface, press the SETTINGS
button and the following screen appears:
 Now we press the TEST INTERFACE button, and the screen appears showing us the firmware
version 1.45, indicating that the computer communicates well with the interface. In the photo
it shows 1.59 because I had already updated it.

Once you have verified that the computer recognizes the interface and that the Opcom
software communicates well with it, you must update the interface firmware to version 1.59,
which will provide more functionality.
Before performing this update, you must make sure that the interface has the PIC18F458
microcontroller chip. The only way to be sure is to open the interface case and look at it. There
are only 4 star screws.

The micro controller is the square chip, not the rectangular ones. In the photo you can't see it
well, but with a magnifying glass you can clearly see that the manufacturer is Microchip and
the micro controller model.
Once we have verified that the microcontroller is correct, we carefully close the interface again
and we will prepare to update the firmware to version 1.59 with the OCflash software,
reconnecting the interface to the computer through the USB port.

In order to run OCFlash you must first install Vaux-com, because everything comes packaged.
In the OP-COM 2014 folder there is an executable file named VAUX-
COM_120309a+131223d_GB+OcFlash China. We run it and it will install Vaux-com in the folder
called VAUX-COM_120309a+131223d hanging directly from the root directory of the hard
drive or C:\.

This folder contains several subfolders, including one called FIRMWAREFILES, which is where
the different firmware versions are located.
We run the OCFlash executable file in the Vaux-com installation folder and we get a screen like
this:

Now what we have to do is load the firmware that we want to update in the interface, pressing
the LOAD FIRMWARE button, and it will ask us which folder it is in, indicating that it is in the
C:\VAUX-COM_120309a+131223d\Firmwarefiles folder and opening the file FW159.HEX which
is the one that contains the version to update.

Once the firmware is loaded in OCFlash, under the LOAD FIRMWARE button we see the version
that we have loaded, 1.59, and the interface ID. Next, we press the FLASH button and the
program begins to update the firmware in the interface, indicating the update process with the
progress bar on the bottom left filling in green. The process lasts a few seconds and when it
finishes, a message appears indicating that the update has been completed successfully.
We close OCflash and run OPCOM again to verify in the same way as before, that there is
communication with the interface and it has been updated to version 1.59. IMPORTANT: It is
very convenient that the Operating System is in place and does not have anything that could
cause a system crash, because any cut in communication between OCFlash and the interface
will make the latter unusable. Any firmware update must be done in one fell swoop and
without interruptions.
Before we have run OpCom to see the firmware version of the interface. Now Let's do it with
Vaux-com, practically identical to Vaux-com but with some difference.
Previously, when installing Vaux-com, a shortcut had to be created on the desktop and in the
programs menu to be able to run it.

If you double click on this shortcut with the left mouse button, you will get the following
message:

Adminrights required!!! Which means, administrator permissions required.

To run Vaux-com, we click on the shortcut with the right mouse button and select the "Run as
administrator" option, and it starts showing the main window, as you can see, very similar to
Opcom.

By pressing the SETTINGS button and then TEST INTERFACE, as with Opcom, it verifies that
there is communication with the interface and shows us the firmware version.

Let's see the Vaux-com screens. This program is updated to 2014 vehicles, however Opcom is
updated to 2010.

If we press the DIAGNOSTICS button we get the following screen to choose the year of the
vehicle:
If we select, for example, 2014, we get all the vehicle models for which Vaux-com can access
the control units.
If we select, for example, Astra J, we get 5 blocks that contain the control units that can be
accessed:
1. VEHICLE (Vehicle)
2. ENGINE
3. TRANSMISSION (Transmission)
4. CHASSIS (Chassis)
5. BODY

1. VEHICLE (Vehicle)
By entering this option you can select 3 options:
Car Identification
Quick Vehicle DTC Information
Detail Vehicle DTC Information

In Car Identification it doesn't come in because I'm offline, but in the next two look what
screen appears:

It is a very interesting screen, it connects with all the control modules, shows the status and
error codes of each one, without a doubt very interesting. As you can see, now it shows status
No Communication because I am offline, they are only the interface connected to the
computer but not to the vehicle.
ENGINE
19 types of engines (Astra J) can be selected, from the A13 DTE to the A 20 NTF. Once ours is
selected, it connects with the ECU and a new screen appears with information from the ECU
and buttons with functionalities that can be performed. Since I have not yet connected to the
vehicle, it tells me that I have no connection to the ECU.

Unfortunately the latest B 16 DTL and B 16 DTH engine (1.6 cdti) is not yet included in Vaux-
com.
TRANSMISSION (Transmission)
If we select this option, only the transmission control module can be selected, I understand
that it is for automatic transmissions.

CHASSIS (Chassis)
These are the control modules that can be selected here:

BODY
And these are the control modules that can be selected in this option:

Although in this version, the new 1.6 cdti engine is not supported, other control modules
are identical to previous models, so I will see what comes out.
The first thing to do is start the computer and connect the OPCOM interface using the USB
cable.
Then we connect the interface to the vehicle's ODB2 connector, start Vaux-com and put
the car's ignition key in position 1. Since it is the first time, I have done it with the engine
stopped.
If Windows did not recognize the interface and therefore Vaux-com could not
communicate with it, due to being incorrectly connected, incorrectly installed driver, etc.
You will not be able to enter the DIAGNOSTICS part, and you will get a message informing
you that the Opcom interface cannot be found.

The first thing to check is the ECU's that can be accessed from Vaux-com. To do this, press
the DIAGNOSTICS button, select the year of the vehicle, in my case 2014 + CHOSE BUTTON,
and then Astra J + CHOSE BUTTON, then VEHICLE + CHOSE BUTTON and QUICK VEHICLE
DTC INFORMATION + CHOSE BUTTON. Vaux-com starts trying to connect with the ECUs it
has programmed, giving the following result in my case:

As you can see, it has a connection with 10 Control Units, which are indicated with the
word "Present" and as you can see, the Parking Assist Control Module signals an error.
I enter the Control Module that signals the error through the BODY Menu, and this screen
appears describing the error:

Parking assist sensor left front side component installed incorrectly:

A bad connection? I don't know, but at the moment I don't give it importance because the
parking sensors work well. I haven't deleted it because I'm about to undergo the first
inspection at the workshop and that way I'll see if they tell me something or act crazy. I
think it must have been a specific error.
As it is the first day, I have focused on the Instruments Cluster Control Module, which is
accessed from the BODY menu, displaying this screen indicating that the connection has
occurred correctly:

Then I press the Measuring Blocks button and the following screens appear:
As you can see, it is already showing us a series of measurements, some of which are very
interesting. By the way, the Tank Sensor value that gives a value of 100% is correct,
because I just filled the tank, hehe.
And by clicking on the PROGRAMING button, the most interesting thing comes. The values
that, in theory, we can activate, if the vehicle has the corresponding elements, simply
changing the values from "NOT PRESENT" to "PRESENT", so that they are displayed on the
on-board computer screen. Some interesting ones that the car does not have activated,
such as battery voltage or coolant temperature.

At the moment I haven't tried it, but soon I know that I won't resist the temptation. Here
are the functionalities that can be activated with the PROGRAMING button:
And another by the way, use the Vaux-com software instead of Opcom, it is updated to
2014, Opcom to 2010.
After messing around with Vaux-com, close the program, put the ignition key in position 0
and you can now disconnect the vehicle interface. It is very important to do this properly.
Now that I've had another bit of time, I've taken another look at Vaux-com connected to
the vehicle and programmed it so that I can see the battery voltage and coolant
temperature on the computer screen:

At the moment only that, I have not seen any use in other parameters that can be
activated. But the process has been simple:

Connect to the Instruments Cluster ECU, change these values to "Present" and press the
Programming button.