passdump

I just got a Venture Cx . I am very pleased with it. Its the same as the Legend Cx except less expensive. I got a 1GB micro Sd card at J&R.com for around $14 and I had a USB cable with a mini B plug. I dont plan on buying maps in the imediate future so I didn't need the Map Source program. I can upload any free maps with IMG2GPS. It has great battery life and takes standard AA size batteries. One small thing I slightly got caught on was that the Venture Cx (and Legend Cx) doesn't output NMEA data. So in order to use it with the likes of Microsoft's Streets and Trips you need to buy GPSgate. (Its only around $10.) .Its a small program that creates a virtual com port and translates Garmin's proprietary data into NMEA. (It doesn't work with Garmin's similar free Spanner program) Also I discovered the Venture Cx can be powered by a car charger like Motorola's for the Razor. see here: http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...t&p=2857440 Note: when i say car charger : it doesn't recharge the batteries in the unit in only powers it. One other small thing I like: the VentureCx is bright yellow -easy to find if misplaced out in there in the wilderness!!

Thanks for testing that. At least it will help clarify the issue. Thanks again

As regards the USB power adapter this bit may help: http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...t&p=2857440 As far as I understand a USB cable must adhere to certain standards and one of them is the voltage.

eTrex Venture Cx

Just for what its worth re: Spanner, I tried a different USB port on my computer. No improvement. I also tried installing the Venture Cx driver, Garmin Spanner and xImage on a different computer and the results are the exact same as on the first: Spanner doesn’t find the GPSr, xImage does. As quite a few people believe that Spanner should work with the Venture Cx and having covered most of the driver-not-installed angles and having discounted the faulty computer option I can only assume that Garmin either deliberately or indirectly has disabled the use of Spanner with the Venture Cx either through a firmware update to the GPSr or through a software update to Spanner. Bummer! Actually, wait a minuite. I retract that bit about Garmin disabling Spanner use with the Venture Cx. I just read this http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...t&p=2865051 At least GPSgate should work

Ahh...ok. I think I have it. If there is a conflict between where the map "tells" the GPSr my location is and where the GPSr thinks it is, then the accuracy circle enlarges to cover the conflict area (?) Thanks.

While testing out my GPSr I accidentally stumbled on something. I noticed that when I changed the map using the Map setup page of the GPSr I noticed that the blue accuracy circle also changed! If I used the standard Americas base map that came pre-installed on my VentureCx then the accuracy circle would be in-or-around what the accuracy data field displayed. Fine. If I then enabled the Garmin World base map (originally meant for the iQue 3600 but also works on the Venture Cx) then the accuracy circle would be stuck at around 320 meters, even though the accuracy data field would be way smaller, say 4 or 5 meters. It’s strange that the map loaded should affect, what I would have thought was purely an internal calculation of the GPSr. Especially as the accuracy data field (thankfully) isn’t affected by the loaded map. Weird.

As far as I can make out (from reading posts like here: http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...t&p=2643198 ) the blue circle denotes the GPSr’s accuracy estimate. On my GPSr the radius of the blue accuracy circle is 320 meters but the “accuracy” data field says its 4 meters. Whats going on there then? Why the huge difference between the two estimates?

So is R_S way off track with what he posted?

Go to the Main Menu>Setup>System then press the Menu/Find key and select the Software Version option.

I just remembered, I had Garmin’s xImage program so I installed that and it finds my Venture Cx no problem. Can take a screen shot. I tried Spanner straight after and it’s no go. Just the same error. So it looks like it’s not a driver problem. If what R_S says is correct then the Venture Cx can’t possibly work with spanner (or GPSgate?) Yet the comments left by others here and elsewhere on this forum lead me to believe that there is some way of getting live data from the Venture Cx. This gets more and more puzzling... but whats life without some fun and games! As always, all input is welcome.

No I don't have Mapsource or POI loader. I am gonna get POI loader. Unfortunately I don't have broadband so I'll have to wait until I can get my laptop to a WiFi hotspot. But its a good way of checking if the venture Cx driver is ok. Thanks. Hogrod, just to clarfiy, you have used Spanner with vista CX using a USB port? I am just wondering how that squares up with what R_S said re:"the colour eTrex models do not produce real-time positional output at all" Isn't the Vista Cx an etrex colour model? So if R_S is correct it shouldn't work with Spanner, yeah? or am I over looking something?

I am having a bit of difficulty trying to get Garmin Spanner to find my Venture CX. I have tried various different permutations but without any success. I have been told Spanner should work with the Venture CX and also that it shouldn't! Is there anybody out there successfully using Spanner with a Venture CX or a Legend Cx? I would love to know if it definitively does (or doesn’t) work with the Venture Cx and at least I’d know if I was going down a dead end or not. Thanks See here for my similar post: http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=162338

Thats intriguing. On this post http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...t&p=2531403 a guy was trying the same thing but couldnt get the Venture Cx to work with Spanner but said he could get it to work with GPSgate. I presume if he did get it to work with GPSgate then the VentureCX does produce real-time positional output of some kind? As an aside I reinstalled Spanner and tried it again...no success. I reinstalled the driver for my Venture Cx...no success. After both these attempts I still get the same “error” message from Spanner. I also tried using XP’s Safe Mode but I got nowhere with that. Spanner wouldn’t start for me in Safe Mode. I am going to start a new topic asking has anyone run Spanner specifically with a Venture CX or Legend Cx to try get some clarification. New topic here: http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=163037

Heres a piece about City Navigator V9 with regard to Ireland http://www.geocachingireland.com/index.php...5&Itemid=48

Just to expand a bit on what happens when I try to use Spanner with my VentureCX.In spanner I click on the Find GPS button and then I get this "error" message (if you could call it that): "Some devices were found; however, none have the necessary capabilities. Please make sure your device is connected to the computer and turned on, then try again. You may also need to set the interface on your GPS to 'Garmin' or 'Host'." The GPSr is plugged in to the PC, in the Interface menu the GPSr says it is connected (USB GARMIN DAta Format) One other quirk I noticed is when I plug my GPSr in to the usb port, Windows XP makes the usual "ping" noise and the GPSr stays the same. If I unplug the GPSr and then plug it back in again the GPSr back light will automatically come on and stay on until removed from the PC! You'd think the GPSr back light would come on the first time (if it is meant to come on when attached to a PC) The version of spanner I am using is 2.1.0 On the device manager the GPSr shows up as GARMIN Devices\Garmin USB GPS It says the driver Version is 2.2.1.0 Driver date 08/03/2007 Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thats very interesting. I did install the driver. And I updated the firmware of the Venture Cx to 2.70. I am able to send maps to the GPSr with IMG2GPS and EasyGPS found the Unit. Also I can use the unit in Mass Storage mode. How can you know if the driver is really installed properly? When I have the unit pluged it appears in the Device Manager as Garmin GPS...so I presume it is installed ok. It came in to my mind that maybe garmin decided to stop it working with either the firmware update or a spanner software update. What version of spanner do you have?

Excellent. Thanks for the info.

I know some electronic goods have a large tolerance to voltage variations. Some portable devices can run on both 230volts in Europe and 110volts in USA. However I am sure they have been engineered to cope with the voltage differences. It would be very convenient if I could use my Motorola car charger on my Venture Cx...But i aint gonna be the guinea pig!

The way the FAQ puts it I get the feeling that because its a USB fitting it must comply to a certain standard.. power wise. For example if you plug it in to your PC it gets power. I wonder what kind of voltage comes out from the PC? surely its a standard voltage. I doubt the driver varies the voltage coming from the USB port.

Exactly what was crossing my mind!

I read in a FAQ on the Legend Cx (virtually identical to VentureCx)that it is ok to use the USB power adapter for the Motorola Razor phone with the Legend Cx. Has any one actually done this? The power specs for my Venture Cx say 3volts (2 X1.5 volt) but on the Motorola USB adapter its stated output is 5volts. Would that higher voltage not cause a problem? Legend Cx FAQ: http://www.gpsfaqs.org/faqs/garmin/xseries...ndcx/power.html

There is a forum specifically related to GPS in Ireland. There might be stuff of interest there http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=889

Here are some free topo maps for Ireland. I am new to GPS and geocaching so I haven't been able to try them yet... the sites seem reputable. Oh yeah if you are buying maps for Ireland make sure they are NavTeq V9. Ireland had been poorly mapped before V9 maps. Enjoy you holiday! Free TOPO: http://www.mountainviews.ie/features/gps/G...dPartyMaps.html http://www.mountainviews.ie/features/gps/G...PSDownload.html and http://emeraldisland.free.fr/wikka/wikka.php?wakka=GpsMap NavTeq V9: If you are interested (and have the time) an Irish radio show did a piece on the quality of GPS maping in January 2007. You can check it out here: http://www.rte.ie/radio1/quantum/rams/2007/18january.smil You need real player. Fast forward to 8min 17sec for the bit on GPS maps in Ireland.

I have tried Garmin Spanner and it wont work with the Venture Cx. I'll try GPSgate