VisorCentral.com (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/index.php)
- Visor & Deluxe (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/forumdisplay.php?forumid=1)
-- Connecting a GPS? (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/showthread.php?threadid=52)

I have a Garmin GPS III which can be connected to the Palm IIIx etc. The GPS III uses a serial connector and with an adapter can be connected directly to the Palms. Will this be possible to do with the Visor?

from what i understand, no; but this is because the visor actually converts the signals that would be serial to usb in some hardware/software combination. thus, the serial docking bay probebly has to convert it back from usb, and as such the pins are not straight serial. you may be able to get the serial back out, but it sounds like one of those digital>analog>digital things; it might lose somethign somewhere and not work


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On the other hand, Marcosoft, makers of QuoVadis, announced a GPS Springboard. I rather like the idea of a single unit with both maps and GPS receiver.

-Mic
President, SFPUG


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The visor's connector on the bottom has both USB and simple serial bus according to the developers manual. There is no conversion from USB to simple serial (at least not externally).

The basic serial functions on the Visor SHOULD be able to communicate w/ the GPS III or any other external GPS, since GPS's utilize the NMEA 0183 standard which does not require any sort of flow control, only TxD and RxD. The big question is will the Visor fully support PalmOS's serial stack. If the answer is yes, then the GPS will work. As for the physical connection, we'll have to wait for someone to make a clip-on adapter, or utilize the serial docking station, but this will be bulky.

As for QuoVadis, it is not as rich in features as some standalone GPS systems, such as the new Garmin E-Map Deluxe, which will sell for $299 in October.

[This message has been edited by amjohns (edited 09-21-1999).]