bought one last year from rhinda also got the sensor test lead kit, makes life alot easier. Also have a mefi1 so i cheaped out with the basic scanner.

So here is the deal you spend about 300 bucks more for the latest greatest Diacom in which keep in mind can scan all Merc outboards. One weekend go boating, Bring your latest greatest scan tool with you - hang out at the docks and draw a crowd scanning your engine and tell everyone this darn thing can actually check the hours of run times and at what rpms thru out the whole rpm ranges. Plus I can check history for faults and current faults .Alot of boaters really like to know if there running hours are actual per their hour meter and or tach display.. I bet you get about 10 other boaters who you do not even know to pay 50 bucks to completely scan their engine while you are there. You almost paid for your scanner in one afternoon. Just saying.

I did that back in the 90's when I bought my Merc DDT and man let me tell you it was hit plus I passed out business cards but have never done it again.

I think I scanned almost 20 engines during that weekend. Plus I got to learn the DDT better at that timeframe inside and out. Marine EFI back in the 90's really had no where the info of today plus the scanning capabilities.

Just noticed yesterday that the old version of the TechMate/Mercruiser labeled scan tool is no longer in production and has been replaced by the TechMate Pro marine scan tool.
http://www.rinda.com/marine/mtspec.htm

Just another end of an era.... Going from installing programmed chips to the motherboard to simple downloads to get the latest updates.

Dam! And they also brought up the price for the new one. $600 plus 94006 adaptor (for 555 ECM) plus shipping.

No more $300 option unless you find one on ebay like I did a few years ago

So, you recommend this over the Diacom Software? I have an older version of Diacom that works only works on Windows XP and was thinking of upgrading.

I recommend the Techmate pro why is because I can see it / read it running down the lake - I Velcro it to my arm and rip up some water kind of playing and testing at the sametime.

Anyways I have both the Techmate Pro and software / Laptop and I have 2 Merc DDT's and Merc CDS but I do this for a living - 99.9 % on OSO do not do this for a living. With that said you have to pick what is best for you.

Can you read hrs/rpm with the tech pro??

yes but not carb apps all marine efi / mpi. and only Merc outboards EFI and Merc racing EFI / MPI

The tech mate pro hand held is more current, more indepth scan tool that diacom sells more so than the their (Diacom) software / laptop version. Many do not know this. The negs with the hand held is you can not see the whole page parameters like on a laptop. Its a lot of scrolling with the hand held.

Are you able to program with diacom? For that kind of money you should be able to mess with the different tables. I'm half tempted to just buy megasquirt for both engines.. I'm a car guy so tuning DFI is second nature to me.

No.
You can buy MEFIBurn OBD Diagnostics for engines with MEFI ECM's.
Only a few people can modify the PCM555's on newer engines.