I have seen only one or two threads here about remote start systems..

Just wanna to share something I have recently done to both of my Infiniti's

Just to go back in the past - I did have a Fortin Evo-NIST1 installed on my 2008 G35.. I was not happy about it since once you start your car from OEM remote you cannot unlock the doors with the same remote. Which is really defeats the purpose of buying this system, but it was already installed.

I was looking for the system which again will utilize OEM remote and maybe something more.

This is system by Firstech that allows you to control your doors and engine from your smartphone. Installation is simple and requires less hard wiring than Fortin system. Just plug and play. Only one wire needs to be hardwired to the push-to-start button.

If anyone interested I can go into more details.

Cheers

I've been eyeing the Fortin system that others here have installed from the HowTo but this intrigues me. If you don't mind sharing more info, it would be appreciated.

Илья,
there are two different options - one just a remote start and the other one is alarm/remote start

Main difference is that with an alarm option you have a capability of getting notifications on your smartphone if alarm was triggered and trigger point. Also you can track GPS location of your car with this system.

System consists of two modules:
FT-DC2-AS (with alarm) / FT-DC2-S (just a remote start module)
and
DroneMobile DR3400 (or DR5400 which is LTE capable and works slightly faster)

You will also need a T-harness from i-DATALINK - model number ADS-THR-NI5

Once installed you can unlock/lock your doors or start your car from anywhere you have cell signal. And of course you can start your car by pressing 3X lock on your OEM remote.

The only "bad" part of the using your smartphone - it's a subscription based service - $60/year for basic service (no GPS tracking) or $120 year for premium plan (rates based on annual prepayment)

The parts listed by hagani are older models, they have FT-DC3-s now and 5400 for the drone. Probably a few new features but not too sure. Ilya, he has Compustar set up, fortin utilize EVO NIST-1 or aka EVO-ALL. Fortin also has their T harness so its plug and play minus wiring a few wires: parking, horn, hood and probably door. It's really pretty straight forward. Hardest part is crawling underneath the steering wheel and t tap or solder the wires. Not much space to work with but with the harness and really only 4 wires to connect, its not too bad.

I have done fortin on many other cars, it is def cheaper and less keys to have in your pocket. But it adds up when you want the same features as the compustar. Furthermore, the 2 way and extender is no way near close to the compustar's RF kits. Extra 3500 ft is only .66 miles and their 2 way are pretty basic. Compustar has 1 mile or 3 miles on their kits.
The remote also tells you the battery voltage, lock/unlock, time and temp in car, etc.. If you don't care about range and 2 way, then fortin is the way to go. You would also need a programmer which is going to cost a little extra same with Compustar. It's to flash the module to the vehicle.

For about $200 more, I think it's worth the upgrade to Compustar for more features and security. I have had my remote go off and I ran out on multiple occasions where people hit my car either with their door or just plain rear ending me. I got paid for both incidents. Plus their shock and tilt sensor are pretty sick.

Also, Hagani, when you remote start your car and open door, your car doesn't shut off right?

The parts listed by hagani are older models, they have FT-DC3-s now and 5400 for the drone. Probably a few new features but not too sure.

I did mention new Drone DR5400 in the post, I have DR5400 but the only difference between 3400 and 5400 is that with 3400 you have a lag between pushing the button on your smartphone to start the car and actual start of the engine - anywhere between 15-30 seconds - and 5400 is little bit faster since its has LTE capability. Probably 5-10 seconds. Just a faster 2-way communication. Not sure if it worth paying more for 5400 but I did

As far as FT-DC3-s I believe the main difference is that this model for vehicles with high and low current draw and all late Infiniti models with push-to-start button are low current draw. Other than that I don't see any difference.

http://compustar.idatalink.com/search/s ... le_id=8428

Initially I bought a kit - FT-DC2-AS (with alarm) and DR3400 on eBay for $200 (which is really cheap) and then during the installation I traded in my DR3400 with my installer for DR5400 for an additional $50. Installation cost $95 (just plain 1 hour labor). Plus I bought T-harness ADS-THR-NI5 from BestBuy for $30 plus tax (installers charge $69 for it)

The whole system cost me under $400 installed on each car and the only reason I have them installed is the warranty and the fact that it has to be flashed. Otherwise it's not difficult DIY.

I had a Fortin EVO previously and there no comparison between them and Compustar

And yes, when I start the car either from phone or OEM remote and unlock the door it doesn't shut off

Oh I probably skipped that part. I got the same T harness from best buy for $31. I think its a price mistake because everybody else has it for $70. I only ask if it shuts off after remote starting it cause saw a video on the FT-DC2 and guy said it shuts off after opening door. Drone is nice but I'm not sure if I want to spend more money every month for X amount of months lol.

Yeah, the Drone itself is not that expensive - you can get DR3400 off the eBay for under $100. And its very simple to add it on. But then subscription rate whats killing it. I think of it as an extra three tanks of gas a year that I purchased and someone else used it

Yeah the subscription is a deal breaker for me personally. I'll probably end up, one of these years (lol), doing the basic fortin system that others have used via the how to guide here (forget the author at the moment).

I recall seeing a suggestion of someone that took a cheap pay-as-you-go phone and wired up the phone's vibration power source to the remote start aux input - presumably via relay. That way, you can call or text your car to start it with minimal "subscription" fees other than whatever the monthly minutes are. This intrigues me, and when I have a little more time and find a cheap wireless phone, I may give it a shot.

mrnix wrote: ↑

Mon Dec 18, 2017 12:52 pm

I recall seeing a suggestion of someone that took a cheap pay-as-you-go phone and wired up the phone's vibration power source to the remote start aux input - presumably via relay. That way, you can call or text your car to start it with minimal "subscription" fees other than whatever the monthly minutes are. This intrigues me, and when I have a little more time and find a cheap wireless phone, I may give it a shot.

And how you will bypass immobilizer with this cheap pay-as-you-go phone?

I don't recall the pay as you go phone necessarily, but I remember someone progammed their starter via relay to work with Alexa lol. Freakin bad a**.

Ilya wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 19, 2017 6:16 am

I don't recall the pay as you go phone necessarily, but I remember someone progammed their starter via relay to work with Alexa lol. Freakin bad a**.

And once again how you will bypass the immobilizer system? Owning a automotive repair shop and being around the cars for a long time I don't see how you possibly can start your car with the cheap cellphone or anything like that. Before you send anything to starter you have to have your ignition 'ON'".. Won't be able to do it without keyfob being present. Unless you going to hide a keyfob inside the car, like old times before immobilizer bypass systems. But then anyone can break into your car and drive away.

I think that's actually what he did. He sacrificed his spare fob to make it work with Alexa.

EDIT: Here is the post: post6759172.html?hilit=alexa#p6730182

NRGM45 wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 23, 2017 4:20 pm

mrnix wrote:
I'd like to think I'm fairly knowledgeable when it comes to tech stuff, but I don't have the slightest idea how you made the Alexa integration work. Can you share the details, or point me in a direction to find out more about it? I have a fire stick with Alexa, but we have not integrated it with anything.

You have to have an extra remote you're willing to "sacrifice" for this purpose that you leave in the house. Ope it up and find the circuit board. Solder two wires in parallel with the button that actives the remote start. Take those wires and plug them in to your "dry contact" Zwave device. The Zwave device activates a relay (on command, from Alexa or your phone's app) that actuates the relay and shorts the wires. When that happens, your car gets remote started. Pretty easy concept.

The way I did it, only works when the spare remote is my house, wired up to a relay. It won't work like the Drone mobile system works, which is anywhere you can get a cell signal. So range is pretty limited. The immobilizer obviously gets bypassed by the learned function in the EVO-ALL which is in the car. The remote just activates that!

IF you were to use a cheap cellphone, you'd have to leave your spare remote in the car. Obviously, that's not very secure. But if you were to use DRONE, who's to say someone won't hack their servers and gain full access to your car that way ? It's in all in how much security you're willing to give up for more convenience.

Mine is actually hooked up to my smartthings hub actually. And I can control that from anywhere... but the car still needs to be in range of the remote which is my house.. LOL

NRGM45 wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 19, 2017 9:22 am

The way I did it, only works when the spare remote is my house, wired up to a relay. It won't work like the Drone mobile system works, which is anywhere you can get a cell signal. So range is pretty limited. The immobilizer obviously gets bypassed by the learned function in the EVO-ALL which is in the car. The remote just activates that!

IF you were to use a cheap cellphone, you'd have to leave your spare remote in the car. Obviously, that's not very secure. But if you were to use DRONE, who's to say someone won't hack their servers and gain full access to your car that way ? It's in all in how much security you're willing to give up for more convenience.

Mine is actually hooked up to my smartthings hub actually. And I can control that from anywhere... but the car still needs to be in range of the remote which is my house.. LOL

Still very awesome. One day I'll need to sit down and figure out my setup...no remote start here yet but plan to do that Fortin system mentioned in the other howtos.

I have the Fortin kit installed in my car, and it has a separate Aux input. (that's how the RF Kit some have mentioned works with the Fortin Unit). I put an old keyless entry receiver in my car, and the remote will start my M37. The cheap cell phone would use this same input, diode isolated.
As far as I know, no one here thinks that you can just start your car with a cheap cell phone or Alexa without installing the Fortin or something similar. The fortin is the first step.

mrnix wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 19, 2017 12:16 pm

I have the Fortin kit installed in my car, and it has a separate Aux input. (that's how the RF Kit some have mentioned works with the Fortin Unit). I put an old keyless entry receiver in my car, and the remote will start my M37. The cheap cell phone would use this same input, diode isolated.
As far as I know, no one here thinks that you can just start your car with a cheap cell phone or Alexa without installing the Fortin or something similar. The fortin is the first step.

That's actually a good idea! Didn't think of that... That way I don't have to sacrifice a remote. Cool!

With that aux input you can probably use a cheap arduino with a GSM kit attached and start the car that way. Get a Ting SIM card in it and pay 6 bucks a month for the service.

Man, lotsa geniuses up in here! Love it lol.

NRGM45 wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 19, 2017 1:52 pm

mrnix wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 19, 2017 12:16 pm

I have the Fortin kit installed in my car, and it has a separate Aux input. (that's how the RF Kit some have mentioned works with the Fortin Unit). I put an old keyless entry receiver in my car, and the remote will start my M37. The cheap cell phone would use this same input, diode isolated.
As far as I know, no one here thinks that you can just start your car with a cheap cell phone or Alexa without installing the Fortin or something similar. The fortin is the first step.

That's actually a good idea! Didn't think of that... That way I don't have to sacrifice a remote. Cool!

With that aux input you can probably use a cheap arduino with a GSM kit attached and start the car that way. Get a Ting SIM card in it and pay 6 bucks a month for the service.

thanks. not my idea. I'd give credit if I could recall who gave the original suggestion. If I'm not mistaken, all the aux input needs is 12v ground, which could easily come from just about any switch or device, via relay. The cheap cell phone is just a conduit to push a button inside of the car. I figured that's a lot cheaper than messing around with these single purpose subscription based services, assuming the phone/service can be had inexpensively. My other plan is to try the Zwave relay for Alexa integration and solder leads to the keyless entry remote. just have to find the time.

I found Evo Start has a smartphone app that has no fees, but it only has coverage in Qubec?

Last weekend I added one of these to my car. I powered it with +12v, and wired the NO to ground and the COM to black/yellow wire from the Fortin module, and I can remote start my car with my phone or Alexa - as long as I'm within my home wifi range.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071G ... UTF8&psc=1

for $15, I highly recommend it. Still working the kinks out on an IFTT/Stringify program to make sure my garage is open before starting, but so far so good.