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History
TurboXS was founded in 1999 by Jermaine Riddick. The company specializes in creating high-quality, application-specific components for various vehicles, including Subaru, Mitsubishi, Mazda, and Hyundai. Since the beginning of the microchip era, the prices of electronic components have continued to drop year after year, but in the late 1990s and early 2000s the cost was still relatively high. To reduce expenses, many companies tried to be creative, and one common tendency was to use or modify video game handhelds as displays for other portable devices. The infamous JN-100 sewing machine for the Game Boy is a great example.
So it should come as no surprise that TurboXS had exactly the same idea with their Data Transfer Engine Console (DTEC). The DTEC is a modular, configurable, universal engine management computer. It provides a fully adjustable in-car system that can monitor exhaust gas temperature (EGT), boost, RPM, air-fuel ratio, and more.
The system uses a proprietary interface that plugs into the existing Game Boy Advance SP’s link port, allowing it to use the Game Boy’s screen and controls as the input and output for the system. Because the system does not require any modification to the GBA itself, you can still use the handheld for everything a Game Boy is normally used for.
Release
The DTEC was released in October 2004 in two models. The barebones DTEC starter kit sold for $229 and was limited to data logging only. The more robust DTEC-BC-PRO (which came with an electronic boost control solenoid as well as MAP and knock sensors) retailed for $550. Of course, you would still need to add a $99 Game Boy Advance SP to complete the kit.
In total 4 configuration were available:
- DTEC Starter – Gauge display / data logging only
- DTEC-FC – Fuel computer
- DTEC-BC (or DTEC-BC-PRO) – Boost controller
- DTEC-FCBC – Combined fuel computer + boost controller
By all accounts, the DTEC was a success. Other boost controllers of the time, such as the Greddy E01, Blitz SBC-id, Apexi AVC-R, or even the HKS EVC V, were all more expensive and offered fewer features.
TurboXS was also floating the idea of making the DTEC compatible with the upcoming Nintendo DS: “We could make it work on the DS. It seems like we could from everything we’ve done on the research. We can make it work on the DS; I don’t know what additional programming [is required] to use both screens. Definitely works on Advance and SP. We need to get one and find out.”
Demise
While the DTEC was a success for what it was, it remained a very niche item, making it extremely rare today. The last unit sold by TurboXS was in 2010. In the end, the Nintendo DS version never saw the light of day. Although TurboXS no longer provides any support for the DTEC, the manual and the latest firmware are still available from their website.