How is a chip tuned
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 4,867
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From: NH
I think some here are getting confused between “Tuner” and “Programmer”, and “choosers”.
In a sense they are all “choosers”. I am no expert at chips and tuning but can explain from my prospective from someone that has developed software programs for operating automated test stations.
A program is nothing more then “inputs and outputs”. You can write programs to be as restrictive as you want or as flexible (many more edit options or variable parameters). There are many programming platforms from high level, like VB Basics, C++ etc, and then low level like hex, and the lowest of them all is actual machine code which is binary, 0’s and 1’s which is the only thing any computer understands. All the other platforms simple translate any program written/developed into machine code (binary, 0’s and 1’s).
With that said it’s highly unlikely any performance shop or business is actually programming to such a low level and are using a platform to do so. Even if they are using a platform for developing a program it is still unlikely any shop or business is programming from scratch. If so they are running a very poor business and are not up with the times.
They are most likely using a base program, at least the better tuning businesses and shops which allow for a much wider and in depth parameters to be chosen.
This is where the difference between a good tuner and an ordinary “chooser” is realized. The tuner with knowledge will be able to use their experience and use a program with much wider parameters to give the inputs and outputs as needed for the most optimum program. Are they actually programming the chip, in a sense, yes they are because most likely the program platform they use will have such wide parameters that they could write a program that if not done properly could cause major damage.
Are they a “chooser” as well, in another sense, yes they are because they are making choices for inputs/outputs within the parameter of the programming platform. You could also call the person that developed the actually program platform itself a “chooser” because that person had to choose what parameter he would allow the end user to make.
In the end basically what happens is you have great tuners who take full advantage of their knowledge of performance and more detailed characteristics for the best optimum
performance package and wider range of parameters of the program they use for inputting their data. Once they are done with that they basically hit a key and the program translates all the inputs into binary code and it is burnt to the chip.
Moral of the story:
Great tuners can make chips specific to a vehicle and any modifications. (much more in depth parameters involved, more optimum performance)
NON – Tuners make chips that will basically go into anything for a certain year and model. (less parameters used, so as to fit a much wider range of vehicles, less optimum performance)
Nobody, to my knowledge, is actually developing programs in house or written software, they are simple using different program platforms and inputting information into it in order to burn the optimum chip.
As far as how much someone pays somebody to do it, it all goes to experience, knowledge and equipment. You are paying for the experience, knowledge and the equipment of the tuner. You’re not paying them for their program skills as much as you’re paying for their overall “know-how”.
Same with a contractor, anyone can do a cement slab for a patio. You can do it yourself and hope it comes out good, you can pay some cheap labor to do it and “hope” it comes out good, or you can pay an experienced contractor to do it right the first time.
In a sense they are all “choosers”. I am no expert at chips and tuning but can explain from my prospective from someone that has developed software programs for operating automated test stations.
A program is nothing more then “inputs and outputs”. You can write programs to be as restrictive as you want or as flexible (many more edit options or variable parameters). There are many programming platforms from high level, like VB Basics, C++ etc, and then low level like hex, and the lowest of them all is actual machine code which is binary, 0’s and 1’s which is the only thing any computer understands. All the other platforms simple translate any program written/developed into machine code (binary, 0’s and 1’s).
With that said it’s highly unlikely any performance shop or business is actually programming to such a low level and are using a platform to do so. Even if they are using a platform for developing a program it is still unlikely any shop or business is programming from scratch. If so they are running a very poor business and are not up with the times.
They are most likely using a base program, at least the better tuning businesses and shops which allow for a much wider and in depth parameters to be chosen.
This is where the difference between a good tuner and an ordinary “chooser” is realized. The tuner with knowledge will be able to use their experience and use a program with much wider parameters to give the inputs and outputs as needed for the most optimum program. Are they actually programming the chip, in a sense, yes they are because most likely the program platform they use will have such wide parameters that they could write a program that if not done properly could cause major damage.
Are they a “chooser” as well, in another sense, yes they are because they are making choices for inputs/outputs within the parameter of the programming platform. You could also call the person that developed the actually program platform itself a “chooser” because that person had to choose what parameter he would allow the end user to make.
In the end basically what happens is you have great tuners who take full advantage of their knowledge of performance and more detailed characteristics for the best optimum
performance package and wider range of parameters of the program they use for inputting their data. Once they are done with that they basically hit a key and the program translates all the inputs into binary code and it is burnt to the chip.
Moral of the story:
Great tuners can make chips specific to a vehicle and any modifications. (much more in depth parameters involved, more optimum performance)
NON – Tuners make chips that will basically go into anything for a certain year and model. (less parameters used, so as to fit a much wider range of vehicles, less optimum performance)
Nobody, to my knowledge, is actually developing programs in house or written software, they are simple using different program platforms and inputting information into it in order to burn the optimum chip.
As far as how much someone pays somebody to do it, it all goes to experience, knowledge and equipment. You are paying for the experience, knowledge and the equipment of the tuner. You’re not paying them for their program skills as much as you’re paying for their overall “know-how”.
Same with a contractor, anyone can do a cement slab for a patio. You can do it yourself and hope it comes out good, you can pay some cheap labor to do it and “hope” it comes out good, or you can pay an experienced contractor to do it right the first time.