[danyro]

Some inside pictures of the "new" a3 icom.









Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ap90500]

Is this official product? It still uses ethernet? Do you have pictures of the case?

[gbyleveldt]

There are a few skew components on that board. Looks like it was assembled by hand?

[phuongnt]

It looks like A3 name come from Chinese friend?

[ap90500]

Yes, few components misaligned, not very high quality. I have seen same kind of assembly in Shenzehn Zeus Technology ICOM A2, at least these units were total crap.

[danyro]

@ap - it was bought from chinese aliexpress - i think it is just a "facelift" of A2 and thats all.

yes, it is still using ethernet as connection to laptop.
the case is different than a1/a2.

look here: http://www.carsets.co.uk/wholesale/bmw-i...-tool.html
no advertise purpose. i hope not to break some forum rules.

[B1257]

Picked up icom a3 but still some minor issues - it it still getting hot when it is intensively used. Sent from my SM-T320 using Tapatalk

I wrote in the A2 picture thread that I reworked an A2 with a heatsink which is cooling both chips. I will provide a PDF of the rework. CPU und Layer 2 Swtich are the same components like in the A2 head.

As I mentioned both chips are without any heatsink near the temp. specs in the datasheet MICREL at 25° room temp after 15 Min runnig has a operating temp about 53°, CPU has about 64°. Max temps in datasheet is 70°.

On a hot summer day and a longer coding it could run into a temp problem.

After my rework I made new temp tests, idle connected on a MS41 more than 5 hours, case temps about 40-41°. (Outside on the A2 case. In my rework the heatsink is touching both chips and has also contact to the case. So the complete heat dissipation is much more better and uses the the case too)


Regards,
B1257

[jal1234]

Picked up icom a3 but still some minor issues - it it still getting hot when it is intensively used. Sent from my SM-T320 using Tapatalk

I wrote in the A2 picture thread that I reworked an A2 with a heatsink which is cooling both chips. I will provide a PDF of the rework. CPU und Layer 2 Swtich are the same components like in the A2 head.

As I mentioned both chips are without any heatsink near the temp. specs in the datasheet MICREL at 25° room temp after 15 Min runnig has a operating temp about 53°, CPU has about 64°. Max temps in datasheet is 70°.

On a hot summer day and a longer coding it could run into a temp problem.

After my rework I made new temp tests, idle connected on a MS41 more than 5 hours, case temps about 40-41°. (Outside on the A2 case. In my rework the heatsink is touching both chips and has also contact to the case. So the complete heat dissipation is much more better and uses the the case too)


Regards,
B1257

I am interested in seeing your drawings. My A2 came with a heatsink, but only the larger chip has a heatsink pad on it between it and the heatsink. How did you get the heatsink to contact the outer case? What heatsink pads did you use?

[B1257]

I am interested in seeing your drawings. My A2 came with a heatsink, but only the larger chip has a heatsink pad on it between it and the heatsink. How did you get the heatsink to contact the outer case? What heatsink pads did you use?

Sorry for my delay, take a look here beginning from post 17.

Here you can find a PDF about my heatsink dimension and the corresponding sketup file.

I used the two original pads together with the developed heatsink. The heatsink high is made to touch the A2 case near exactly and because of the two pads is has a slightly pressure to the case. You can vary it with a plastic washer. Between the heatsink and the A2 case there is thermal compound. Now the whole A2 case is working as a second heatsink.

As you can see in the picture starting from post 17 the max temp. after 5 hours working is about 40.5°C.

I will provide an installation tutorial with pictures, be patient.

Regards,
B1257

[CATAHA]

It's not real A3 from post #11
Most diagnostic equipment is moving to WiFi/fiber_optics i have not seen both or one on it list of inputs for such.!!!
So it's safe to conclude that this unit is a China MADE VCI Device and been branded/sold as BMW VCI but not as Attentic ACTI BMW ICOM A3

Also one other method of confirmation (as in math formula confirmation)
WHERE IS MIB PLUG ???
Answer N/A
Once again it's safe to ReConfirm it's NOT and ICOM A3 !!!

Also third way top reconfirm would be
Engineers are moving away from D9 D12 D25 ETC .... connections, for easy of implementation too either USB or better plugs
Once again i reconfirmed that IT IS A EMULATION OF ACTIA BMW ICOM