But to my knowledge, any EMS that uses the stock ecu in any way, shape, or form is piggy backing on that stock ecu, thus, making it a piggy back system.... its not a full standalone such as an AEM, Haltech, FAST, or something of that nature....

 

+1....

 

truthfully hondata cant be considered either

a piggy back system alters input to a stock ecu to gain or loose something (vafc) or alters the output of a stock ecu to gain or loose something (EFI PMS).

a stand alone replaces the whole ecu (haltech,motec,aem,apexi power fc etc..)

a hondata reburns new fuel and ignition maps onto roms that are inserted into a stock socketed ecu which is technically niether stand alone nor piggy back since its not a brand new ecu nor altering output values or input values. all of the original fuel and ignition maps are gone and replaced with the new burnt ones.

the benefit of using hondata over a stand alone is honda's ec's have redundant processors for mutiple tasks and the system retains that ability. not to mention unlike a stand alone it doesnt have to use the aux outputs like a stand alone to control vtec or or secondary intake runner support etc...