Yes, as I had posted above (as well as others)...a 2008 Viper (and presumably 2009) requires BOTH types of rather expensive scan tools to complete the various jobs.
There are several areas of interest to me that are on the PCI bus and therefore require the use of a DRB III, as noted above...and, the CAN bus areas require EITHER the "old & slow" StarScan, or the newer StarMOBILE coupled to a laptop, OR the NEWER wiTECH VCI Pod also connected to a laptop via wireless or USB cable.
Having spent today speaking with SPX Miller, BrightStar, and wiTECH support, I think that I will solve MY CAN bus communication problems with a wiTECH...newer, faster, easier, cheaper!!!(I am NOT getting the wiTECH Access Gateway as I do not have that need to link several devices...just me, the wiTECH and the Viper).
PLEASE NOTE: If your laptop is running Vista...you may have problems...BUT, since my new CHEAP laptop-for-our-Vipers is a 32 bit Vista (NOT 64 bit) the wiTECH support folks tell me that I will be OK.
One final note from the the company responsible for bringing the above CAN bus instruments to the market: The long rumored "legacy" versions discussed for the 3 CAN bus scan tools mentioned that would have possibly allowed a single tool to operate on CAN and PCI busses DID NOT come into being...thus, one SEEMS to need a CAN bus tool and a PCI bus tool (DRB III) !!!!
THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS IN LIFE !!!!!!
UPDATE: There seems to be a different set of experiences amongst Viper Techs concerning the CAN bus tools. A very busy, well known Tech has NOT been able to access PCI bus module with a StarScan...while some have been successful. This leads me to believe that there could be differences tool to tool (or the programming of same)...or, a familiar available path may be quicker to take when a newer path has a steeper learning curve.
NEWS FLASH from BrightStar...the three CAN bus tools SHOULD BE CAPABLE of reading the J1850 (PCI bus).
My solution...I'm filling out the order forn, starting with the wiTECH, and plan a head to head test!!!
SORRY for creating all of this confusion...but I do feel that we are all obligated to pass on solid, valid, reliable info in this area given the expenses involved!!
Stay tuned.