Installing Shadow Dash without Play Store?

[T3Bunny]

I am looking to trade my Autel Maxidas DS708 up to the Maxidas Mini. The Mini is an android tablet. But without rooting it, Google Play isn't available. The rooted version I saw was, jumpy. Could just be crappy video... But "could be" worries me a bit. It is a large jump in price....

But main question is, can I install Shadow Dash without Google play or rooting the tablet? I am actually pretty happy with the DS708 for the short time I have had it. But I really want to get a "complete diagnostics package" with Tuner Studio or Shadow Dash installed on my scanner of choice.

The DS708 runs Windows CE. If I could get Tuner Studio working on this, and sort out data coms, it might be the more interesting choice. The Bluetooth on the Mini and the way the Mini is setup though makes it a much simpler hurdle to get over.

[old guy]

I have never seen an Android device that required rooting to have the PlayStore. It is installed along with all the other Google apps when Android is installed to the device.
What version of Android are they running on this unit?
Rooting a device should have no effect on the performance. It is basically like having administrator rights on a Windows OS.
Have you looked at Torque OBD for Android? With this app and a cheap Elm 327 blueooth adaptor you can have a pretty robust diagonistic tool on any Android phone or tablet.

[T3Bunny]

The Autel Maxidas DS708, and the Autel Maxisys Mini MS905 are serious professional scanners. As such, Autel decided they needed their "os" locked down. The Maxidas DS708 I currently have. It is sitting on my workbench at the moment waiting for me to start playing with it. I wanted to make sure I was happy with it as a "normal" OBD2 scanner first. It is MUCH faster than the shop's garbage OTC Pegasys. But it is not as fast as the newer Mini. For most of what I need, speed is critical. I only make .10 for a simple code check... So if it takes me 3-5 minutes just to boot and get to a scan, it isn't worth getting out of the toolbox.

And that is why I do not like the ELM27 scanners I have used. Their software is, well crap usually. For a curiosity, or a home user, they are fine. For a serious backyard mechanic, maybe. But in my experience they fall very short for a professional user looking for more. And in my case, the serious DS708, may not be enough either. I need quick, and I need to be able to do service resets, on top of normal usage. Now, I actually have a Launch Bluetooth adapter (similar to an ELM27 one) that stays in my bag and connects to my tablet or phone. It is okay, but to slow for day to day usage. It works in a pinch though. I have Tourque, but never got it to work. I think that adapter was a bad one.

Another issue is durability in an automotive environment. I do NOT like dragging my tablet or phone out and using with gloves in a nasty shop environment. Plus I can't find ANY rugged cases for my Tablet, a Fujitsu Stylistic...

To be effective, I HAVE to have access to a professional grade and durable OBD2 scanner. So with this need in mind, I want t be able to use it with my MegaSquirt software and hardware. I currently have the DS708. It runs on a locked down Windows CE Platform. It may have too many hurdles to jump to get it to play with MS. I will pursue this in another post.
So back to the original issue:

Is it possible to install Shadow Dash manually without the Google Play store?

If not really feasible, then I will be taking a closer look at the Launch line of Pro scanners running Android. Their OS is not locked down. I just like the "professionalism" of the Autel lineup a bit more.

I have never seen an Android device that required rooting to have the PlayStore. It is installed along with all the other Google apps when Android is installed to the device.

I have seen this before on some cheaper Chinese systems. I have a crappy tablet I picked up for $20 from Goodwill that has no google play store, or any way to install it. I have used this as my "hacking testbed" for the above issue, but no success with any sort of manual installs off the SD card.

What version of Android are they running on this unit?

I found a post on rooting the Autel that said it was on 4.0.3, but that is a year old post too. Let me say that while I am tech savy and good at following directions, I have never rooted anything before, or had a need to. Okay, I jailbroke my old iphone that I think was done with a root thingy, but I followed directions too.

I MUCH prefer the look and feel of the Autel devices over the Launch. Used both. Own both. Access to a second Launch Scanner too one of the other Techs has. Don't like it much, other than it is stupid fast to scan something (also a much more basic scanner).

[LT401Vette]

Yes you can install Shadow Dash without the Play store, that is preferred. Just download it from here:
http://tunerstudio.com/index.php/downloads

[T3Bunny]

Okay thank you Phil, that worked nicely! I decided on the Autel MaxiSys Mini MS905 and it was delivered to the shop Thursday. I made the 40 mile round trip during my vacation, just to go pick it up!

Sent an email to tech support via EFIAnalitics though. Had a small issue with registration. Namely, where do I dig it out of? To clarify I have already paid at least once via Google Play, and I seem to remember long time back directly from the EFI site. But that could just be the rest of the softwares packages I registered.

Lets see what wins out, my impatience to get it running, or your guys superman response times! I may just go buy another registration right off the EFI site so I can get it FULLY running in the morning...

On to part 2!

Edit for more information:
So the whole registration thingy.... There was no simple way around the Google Play registration, other than just buying a new registration directly from EFIAnalytics. Sure, if my device was rooted and or had Google play installed, this would be simple and automatic. Over the years I have lost my registrations for their other softwares a couple times. And they always have come through for me quickly, Phil especially! The $10 re-registration fee was well worth it!

Besides, I am sure I have asked more than $20 worth of silly questions over the years...

And as mentioned in the update on the second thread, I now have ShadowDash fully working, fully registered on my Autel Maxisys WITHOUT rooting it!