USB GPS thingy configuration

[Gav Peter]

So I'm on with a carputer project... Have been after doing something like this for ages for memory mapping mainly...

I have acquired one of those Acer Aspire/Revo boxes & made an investment in a few bits from China to compliment it, i.e. 12" touchscreen, wireless keyboard & one of those USB GPS thingys...

Having ascertained the screen worked, rather than face the seemingly protracted claim system, I glued it (in quite a hamfisted manner )back together & set to trying to hook the GPS thingy up...

Nah... No matter what I try, the fnckin thing thinks I'm at an altitude of -63,000 odd metres & travelling at the speed of light... I don't think its upside down but I have ground to a halt on it...

I've got it on a 'COM' & MM will see it but its just nonsensical data at the mo... I know others have had problems with these things...

Anyone got any wisdom to share?

Cheers

 

[Chris]

Gav, give it up, buy a map. Virus free, doesn't need backing up will run without batteries. 36" colour screen

C

 

[Gav Peter]

There you go, off on another meandering load of woffle Mr.J... Maps, paper - you need to get together with that other flat earth thinker on here, Mr 'you'll fall off the edge' Coleman...

Aye, you could be right

Where's all the IT nerds this morning anyway?

 

[24Seven]

Anyone got any wisdom to share?

Cheers

Should of bought a Garmin

 

[Gav Peter]

Should of bought a Garmin

Yada yada yada

I did look at that with the 276c (?) a while back but I think this will serve me better for my plans of trudging around the lanes of the UK - its going to be many years before I get to even consider a trek off these shores...

If I can get the darn thing working that is!!!

C'mon IT nerds, wakey wakey!!!

 

[24Seven]

I just meant a Garmin GPS as the interface, IMO the very best setup is a PC for navigation.

I would be lost without mine

 

[Gav Peter]

Ah, gotcha.

What do you have then Matt? And if you could choose from the current selection of Garmin products, which would you suggest?

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Sorry Gav but I don't 'do' USB GPS mice thingies, too unreliable in my experience. I have an old fasioned Garmin V GPS hooked up to the serial port that 'just works' I do have one of those new fangled jobbies that Gary made us all buy that connects via USB but that's still on test for reliability It's not USB that's unreliable, it's the cheap crap they put in the cheap devices that's the problem.

 

[24Seven]

I have a Garmin 10x Bluetooth GPS but I don't think you can buy them anymore.

The problem with Garmin software is it needs to see a Garmin GPS to work, there is software available to fool the software like GPS Gate but for me it adds another complication which was not worth it with the price of the 10x above.

Memory Map should work with any compatible GPS, so to be fair you're better off persevering IMO

 

[24Seven]

I have an old Gamin 12XL as a backup and this also works.

 

[Gav Peter]

I ordered one up as it was cheap but looks like you get what you pay for in this instance eh?

I don't seem to have a serial port on this pooter though... Half a dozen USB's; an HDMI socket; an e SATA socket; a network socket & the connector for the monitor...

I'm happy to buy the right thing for the job - I just don't seem to know quite what that is at the moment.

I have a Nuvi 660... Could that be used for the job??

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

I have a Nuvi 660... Could that be used for the job??

Doesn't look like it offers any interface for the PC to read GPS data from. Have you run hyperterm or some other terminal program and connected it to the virtual com port your GPS is on to see what data it's sending?

 

[Gav Peter]

I think you're right Jon - not much coming through there... Mapsource has downloaded all my saved locations & I have mapped a route to work but there doesn't seem to be any communications other than that...

Well, unless I can get this puck thing working, looks like I shall be getting a new Garmin toy to play with...

 

[Gary Stockton]

There's a nice bit of software called GPSGate you need to make it work I suspect ... Makes the signal look like a farming data stream ...

Err - Garmin data stream

 

[Gav Peter]

Right, I've had a scout around... A few options are opening up...

1. Found a Garmin GPS 10x bluetooth receiver web for around 90 quid

2. Found a Garmin USB puck type thing for around 70 quid

3. Properly cabled up Garmin system sourced from an dodgy geezer what I knows for a couple of quid for his next fix...

Decisions, decisions...

And now a fourth...

 

[Gav Peter]

I seem to have Franson GPSGate 2.6 on this 'ere pooter already Gary - it seems to be running in the background already but... I be doing sommat wrong

 

[Gary Stockton]

Ok gimme 30 mins to fire mine up and check it out ...

 

[Gav Peter]

Tappety, tappety, tap... No rush...

Cheers Gaz

 

[Gary Stockton]

OK - on the settings pane, ensure the output is set to Virtual COM1 / Garmin Emulator (Generic Device)

then make sure you're mapping sw is looking for a GPS on COM1 - works for Memory Map and MapSource like that for me ...

 

[Gav Peter]

Ok, I have found my way to those bits of gpsgate. I think my problems are starting before that in connecting the damn USB puck & setting it up there...

Do I need to set that up on COM1 in the first place? Hmm, all my meddling has loused the touchscreen up now...