Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 30

I was reviewing the messages regarding the HandyGPS, and have been convinced not to buy one.

A lot of people suggest that you can use other stand alone GPS devices attached to your visor. WHERE DO YOU GET THE CABLE FOR THAT?

I would like to use it with my visor and either Delorme's Solus or RandMcnally's Streetfinder. Any info on those two would be much appreciated as well.

Thanks

Jason

Registered: Feb 2000
Location: El Segundo,CA
Posts: 374

I have used the Delorme cable ($50!) connected to my Tripmate using Solus Pro 2.0 and QuoVadis. I prefer QuoVadis.

[Edited by j762538 on 12-01-2000 at 03:12 PM]

__________________
My Treo has more memory than I do.

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 30

What's a tripmate

Do you mean "Earthmate" by Delorme? Their's is the only site I have found that offers an adapter for Visor, but claims it won't be available until Mid December.

Registered: Sep 2000
Location:
Posts: 2

GPS cable for Visor

Greetings,
I have a Garmin eTREX on order. I also have ordered the Visor modem cable from MarkSpace (www.markspace.com). This cable uses power from the Visor, so it will work with the eTREX unit.

The complete setup will look like this:

<GPS>--(9-pin serial cable)--<Gender changer>--(MarkSpace cable)--><--<Visor>

The Garmin cable is available from several sources.

__________________
s. kay

Registered: Feb 2000
Location: El Segundo,CA
Posts: 374

Re: What's a tripmate

quote:

---

Originally posted by jasonp
Do you mean "Earthmate" by Delorme? Their's is the only site I have found that offers an adapter for Visor, but claims it won't be available until Mid December.

---

__________________
My Treo has more memory than I do.

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

just curious, but what advantages would you have to going with the earthmate as oppose to the etrex? the etrex can be used as a great stand-alone unit. the earthmate may be a cheaper solution because it comes with a mapping software, right?

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 30

Connection for Visor to Emap

Anyone ever connected a Visor to the Emap? I just got an Emap, and its great. I would still like to connect it to the visor for road trips.

There has been a great deal of talk about the WaC cable. My question is what's on the other end (opposite the Visor)? Is it just a standard serial connection?

The Emap came with a serial cable to connect to a computer. Does this mean that I only need a serial hotsync cable and gender changer?

Thanks for any help

Jason

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 3

geode

I have a visor deluxe and i am getting a prism all the gps look bad until i saw the geode at geodiscovery.com it looks so good you should all go to that website

Registered: Nov 2000
Location: So California
Posts: 17

My eTrex/Visor story

I am using a Garmin eTrex with my Visor and really like it.

On its own the eTrex is a slick little GPS...esp. for the low price. I got mine from Amazon for $109. The eTrex has a great screen and menu system and is excellent on its own but the combo of the eTrex with a Visor and Quo Vadis software is superb. I also have Solus Pro 2.0 installed and use it for some things, but in general I find that Quo Vadis 2.0 pretty much smokes Solus. Solus is very slow, and the maps are not as accurate as the Quo Vadis 2.0 maps, but the point to point directions are very handy. I use both for different things...everyone's happy ;-)

Now, the million dollar question......what's up with the cable??

I made one from a serial cradle and a Garmin PC sync cable. With some advice from Wayne Chin (aka WaC) I was able to make a adapter to mate the serial cradle and the Garmin cable together. I wanted something to hold me over until I could get a cleaner setup, but it has worked well enough that I could live with it if I had to. The adapter I made does a 2/3 swap, uses a 470 ohm resister with a 9v battery to feed juice to the cradle on pin 8, and the ground to pin 7 on both the GPS and visor sides. See this site here for a low down on how its done..sort of. With the DB9's its just 2-3-7...they show DB25's in the relevant diagram so there is a 5/7 swap.

http://www.pocketaprs.com/visor.html

You can also purchase the special connectors for Garmin eTrex and eMaps from these guys:

http://pfranc.com/projects/g45contr/emap/index.htm

$15 for a pair. I plan on getting some so I can keep my garmin PC cable connected to my PC. One of these on a cable from Wayne would be sweet, but he is not selling cables at the moment. At his website he says:

http://wac.addr.com/ee/visor/visor.html

"I have recently received a few email requests to build more cables for sale. Unfortunately, I am out of the ATL connectors, and do not intend to order any more because of a rather high minimum order requirement from ATL. However, if you can supply me with the ATL connectors, I will be able to build you cables."

It would seem that right now you can make your own like I did, buy one from http://www.markspace.com, or buy WaC a bunch of connectors so he can make us all one ;-)

Hope this is helpfull to some of you looking for GPS setups.

[email protected]

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 30

thanks for the tips

Hey,

thanks for all the tips. I've elected to go with a WaC cable. He's doing a group buy in the buy/sell area.

Check out this link

http://discussion.visorcentral.com/...p?threadid=9936

If you need another cable or two, this is one inexpensive option. He just needs enough interest to meet the minimum requirements for an ATL order.

Thanks again for the help.

Registered: Sep 2000
Location:
Posts: 39

dude, wait for the geode. its gonna be good.

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 30

Geode v. eMap

I thought about waiting for the Geode, but I'm concerned with their consant shuffling of the release date. With other products, I've only experience bad things when that happens.

Plus, with an estimated street cost of $280, I can get a great eMap ($250 for the eMap, PClink cable and 8mb chip for maps) and have the benefit of a stand alone GPS and a GPS with my Visor.

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 6

Geodiscovery Geode

Well, technically with the geode you do get both a visor gps, and a standalone. If you want a gps for your handheld it's pretty safe to say you use your visor everyday, and carry it with you everywhere you go. The geode and visor combined are likely to be both smaller than a stand-alone gps, and more powerful. Once you find the peak of that mountain top you're going to want to know some information about it, right?

As far as release dates, you can look at it two ways: 1. That the company wishes to give the customer the best possible value combined with never before seen capabilities, making both a good reputation for the company and a happy customer; 2. They just can't seem to pull themselves off the bed in the morning. =)

And as far as prices, almost everything in business follows a general rule: The higher the price the higher the quality and dependability behind the product. For me I'd pick the product and capabilities I truly want, not the one with the lowest price.

You make the decision...

Registered: Feb 2000
Location: El Segundo,CA
Posts: 374

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nhatman
just curious, but what advantages would you have to going with the earthmate as oppose to the etrex? the etrex can be used as a great stand-alone unit. the earthmate may be a cheaper solution because it comes with a mapping software, right?

---

__________________
My Treo has more memory than I do.

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 30

Re: Geodiscovery Geode

quote:

---

Originally posted by smuggs2001
Well, technically with the geode you do get both a visor gps, and a standalone.

---

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 15

GPS Real Information

I have found some of the indications in the discussion area that might need further expansion:

1.- GPS modules for PDA's are in a evolution stage. Manufacturer's such as Casio have "put on hold" the release of GPS units for the POCKET PC's ( MS based ) due to signal strenght issues, interface,etc.

2.- Certain GPS modules for Palm III and V are available from Magellan, Rand McNally and are not perfect. These units have interface issues , signal and power issues.

3.- Handspring GPS modules ( Nexian and Geode )only one's known to date , also have the same problems as indicated in 1/2.

The Nexian unit is not perfect and it's mapping software is limited but it is a low cost GPS if someone uses with "knowledge" on it's limitations.

- The unit will pick up signal as long as it has a clear view to the sky. Meaning that if you have it in a car you will need the use of PDA Holder ( the type that has a suction cup ). This will allow the unit to always have a clear path to the signal.
-Give the unit 1-2 minutes to pick up the signal when starting from "cold". The pick up times change even for the E-Trek .
-The software is not interface is pretty simple and maybe others would like an interface similar to a Garmin 3 . Please have in mind the budget invested.

In the case of the GEODE , It seems that people are expecting "the world" from this unit.I would encourage people to review the specs. This unit will behave in the same way as the NEXIAN if you do not give it a clear line of sight and/or enough time from a "cold" start.This unit also will have the difficulty to set in a car due to the dimensions and ackward shape.
For sure the GEODE will be superior than the Nexian, but mainly from the standpoint of external memory cards and a "bit" better interface.

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
Posts: 790

Geode

If you want to know more about the GeoDiscovery solution before it's officially available, go here and see if you can still become a beta tester.

__________________
Jeff

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 6

all speculation

In response to the previous post:
1. I agree that gps systems for pda's are in an evolutionary stage, but does that make every system bad? No. Secondly, and for that matter, gps system in general (stand-alone included) are just being developed and are 'evolutionary' to the public. Previously only military orginizations had the technology to use this.

2. You referred to the Geode saying it had interface, power and signal issues equal to the others, not true. The Geode because of it's first-of-a-kind chipset is the first to solve, or at least greatly reduce, these problems. Yes, it has a long cold startup (about 38 seconds) but when warm has an incredible <8 second seek. And yes, it does work inside a vehicle without having to stick your head out the window or plaster the gps against the window.

All the information is available at the geodiscovery website, and the links to it's partners.

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

eventhough the geode is not out yet, let's not even put it in the same ball park as the handygps. other than the mentioned memory card slots, the geode uses WAAS (up to 2 meter accuracy), has a digital compass, and works with other NMEA-compatible mapping software.

but on another point, just because it becomes a springboard, does that mean we should expect less out of it than from a stand-alone? do you think people would be content with the minijam if the sound quality wasn't as good as a stand-along mp3 player? and if you bring up price as a good selling point for the handygps, let's talk about the $109 eTrex from garmin (for example). granted, the eTrex does not come with a mapping software, but it does have its own LCD screen and i've used it in my apartment (not to mention in my car on the passenger seat).

if manufacturers can't produce a gps springboard that works just as well as a stand-alone in terms of battery consumption, size, signal reception strength, and cost, it's not worth it. if someone made a springboard that worked as well and had the same functionality as an eTrex and charged $150 for it, i would buy it in a heart beat.

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Here
Posts: 213

I would buy a gps springboard at $150 but not higher than that. Geodiscovery looks interesting, but to me it appears to looks big, late, expensive and battery hungry. This is probably a better technology for bluetooth, were the GPS is in your backpack or car and your display is on your visor. But I will wait and see what it looks like before I make a final evaluation.