Registered: Sep 2000
Location:
Posts: 18

Does anybody have ANY information on the HandyGPS for the Visor? People seem to be reading these messages, but don't resond. Please respond.

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tc.

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 61

I don't know anything about the HandyGPS, but I am working on hooking up a M315 to my visor


[Edited by wilderf on 01-02-2001 at 02:52 PM]

Registered: Jun 2000
Location: Corpus Christi, Texas, USA
Posts: 181

quote:

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Originally posted by ASPGuy
Does anybody have ANY information on the HandyGPS for the Visor? People seem to be reading these messages, but don't resond. Please respond.

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Registered: Sep 2000
Location:
Posts: 18

Thanks all.

Thanks guys. I am just VERY excited about the possibility of the HandyGPS and REALLY hope that it will work with Quo Vadis. I am sure it will, but I just want to buy one now and want to know if others are having any difficulty getting one, (order date to delivery date).

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tc.

Registered: Aug 2000
Location:
Posts: 38

Don't count on it

ASPGuy,
If you did the search on HandyGPS you should have gotten a lot of info on people's experience with it, both good and bad. I only know of a few people, from this board, that actually got units to use (including myself). I would say at least half of the units did not work as advertised, or at all. That was right about when Nexian stopped shipping. I gather that they are having some sort of component problem considering some units worked so well and others so poorly. I would recommend reading the following threads:
http://discussion.visorcentral.com/...p?threadid=5597
http://discussion.visorcentral.com/...p?threadid=5599

About being able to use it with Quo Vadis I would REALLY not count on that. Early on, they said that it would output in NMEA standard format, however, that statement has been removed. Apparently they are using some sort of proprietary format. This means no other software besides UbiGo, unless the developer specifically adds the functionality (not out of the question for Quo Vadis I guess).

That is my 2 cents,
Ryan

Registered: Sep 2000
Location:
Posts: 18

Thanks, Ryan. This is news to me. At best, I am finding Nexian's site to be EXTREAMLY unclear and vague at best. Also thanks for the threads.

Tim.

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tc.

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Hermosa Beach, CA
Posts: 222

aspguy, originally, a long long time ago, handygps was suppose to be coupled with quo vadis and be the ultimate in gps-visor solutions. well, times have changed. handygps decided to go with a non-NMEA proprietary format and use their own mapping software, ubigo, which, by the way, still has similarities to quo vadis but not nearly the same functionalities. i think marcosoft created a slim down cheaper version of quo vadis for handygps and named it ubigo.

anyway, i was one of the early owners of the handygps and have since returned it. i tried to have it exchanged because it didn't work for me (kept locking up my visor) but it seems that nexian/navicom are having problems with the units and have stopped shipping them. they don't expect to start until late this month or early october so i asked for a refund.

since then, i have moved on to greener pastures. i recently bought a garmin etrex (for a low low price of $109 on the internet) and the etrex pc cable and have asked a fellow VC member to send me a hotsync cable that will help me connect the etrex to my visor. if you can wait, you can purchase the markspace cable when it comes out; it should allow you to connect your visor to a gps unit also.

i also looked into mapping software for my visor and have decided on quo vadis also. the main reason for my decision was that i could run it off my 8mb flash module where i can store A LOT of maps. the reason it can do this is also a slight disadvantage to the software -- it doesn't allow you to record or mark waypoints on the map. a minor inconvenience for me but a big disadvantage to others.

i've been toying around with the etrex and simply put, i love it. small, light, easy to use, and inexpensive. it can acquire a lock on 4 satellites very quickly (on average, about 2 minutes for a cold start and only about 30 seconds for a warm start). it can even hold a lock sitting on the passenger seat of my car and even inside my apartment (i'm on the top floor). i now have a rugged waterproof (1 meter of water for 30 seconds) gps unit for hiking/camping and a mapping interface (visor) for driving around. i couldn't imagine lugging my handygps and visor around while hiking/camping.

anyway, i am anxiously (hint hint) waiting for my cable so that i can complete this link and be in visor-gps heaven.

[Edited by Nhatman on 09-14-2000 at 04:15 PM]

Registered: Sep 2000
Location:
Posts: 18

GREAT REVIEW! Thanks!

Nhatman, now THIS is the kind of review I was looking for. I develop Web-sites for a living. And if a Web site is outdated, you lost me as a customer (HINT HINT Navicom!). Thank you so much for your review. I would VERY MUCH like to know what this etrec thing is, what it looks like, it's specs, and how to hook it up to my Visor Deluxe too. Sounds like you are having someone "Jerry-rig" it for you. What do I have to do to get what you have? As stated, I already own Quo Vadis, now I want a reliable GPS for directions while in the car and traveling.

I understand that the Geode will be coming out, but $250.? Why so much? Gee whiz! Your comments are appreciated and again, I hope to hear from you regarding the hardware in question and how I can get it. Thanks!

__________________
tc.

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Hermosa Beach, CA
Posts: 222

aspguys, i was in you position also and a lot of people here at visorcentral has helped me out. i'm just trying to do that same for others.

as for the garmin etrex, you can visit the official garmin website at http://www.garmin.com for all the information you need. if you are interested, you should be able to get the garmin for about $110 on the internet and about $119 in retail stores. there are several "hidden" costs associated with doing the garmin/visor combo deal.

the gps (garmin or otherwise) will put you back around $110, the mapping software for your visor will be around $30 and above, depending on which software you go with, a pc-interface (serial) cable for your gps will go for about $30, and then the visor hotsync serial cable will go for about the same ($30)if you go for the mark/space cable (which aren't available yet).

some have made their own visor hotsync serial cables and put a garmin-type plug on the other end to directly connect their visor to their gps. you'd probably be better off doing a search in these discussion threads.

i, however, bought a garmin pc-interface cable cigarette adapter combo so i could have it connected to my visor and power it off my car's cig lighter at the same time. besides, the pc-interface cable itself is $30 and i found the cable/cig adptr combo for $40, only $10 more.

that way, with the hotsync serial cable, i could use it separately for other serial devices that i may want to connect to my visor later, and with the separate garmin/serial cable, i could use it to update the garmin software.

i should receive my hotsync cable very soon and i will give you more details on how i have everything hooked up and how everything is working for me.

by the way, the geode is $250 because it's not just a gps unit for the visor; their website has good info on what it will do.

again, this particular setup was the right one for me and my needs; some people would prefer a single unit (visor and module) for the form factor. your needs will dictate what is best for you and only you can decide what works best with you and your wallet. but in the meantime, i'm happy to have been of any help to you and others.