+4 Badgers Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 My apologies if this has already been asked before and I'm simply too lazy to search.......... Have just bought an Etrex Legend and have been entering co-ords manually. Have downloaded EasyGPS to get started on downloading, but when I connect the supplied cable to the available serial ports on my PC absolutely nothing happens! It seems my PC can't detect the Legend! Running WinXP and only have 2 serial ports available. Is it worthwhile getting a serial to USB converter? Would this solve the problem? Any assistance would be gratefully received!!! Link to comment
+Learned Gerbil Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 Serial devices only work if the speed and protocol settings are the same for both devices. The usual problem is that the speed (baud rate) differs. If one is at 4800 or 9600 the other needs to be the same. Both the software and GPSr will have menus for you to set this stuff. Link to comment
Red Squadron Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 Hi, I am using a Legend and i bought a serial to USB converter and it works just fine. You sometimes have to change the baud rate and serial port number, this is available from within your programs on the PC. This is how I changed mine. Go to START CONTROL PANEL SYSTEM HARDWARE DEVICE MANAGER PORTS Right Click COM PORTS PROPERTIES PORT SETTINGS ADVANCED If you go to each of these in turn as I have suggested then you will be able to choose your Com Port. Link to comment
+The Blorenges Posted June 10, 2006 Share Posted June 10, 2006 I take it you have gone into EasyGPS settings and told it there is a GPS connected? Windows won't auto detect anything on the serial ports. In EasyGPS you can select different models and connection method (serial or USB). Edit-Preferences-My GPS Receivers- Add GPS? Chris Link to comment
+4 Badgers Posted June 10, 2006 Author Share Posted June 10, 2006 Thank you all for your comments and tips, but I'm still having no joy. I've changed the baud settings on my PC COM ports both to 4800 and the Garmin is set to 'Garmin' as serial data format, but nothing's happening. I was trying to update the Garmin software and thought I'd try the 'autodetect' feature, but am still having no luck. Have checked Garmin's support area, but to be honest it all sounds very complicated! Yours frustratedly.................. Link to comment
+dino-irl Posted June 10, 2006 Share Posted June 10, 2006 Have you tried a different computer? Or altetrnatively try a different GPS (if possible) on the same computer. The problem may lie with one or the other and that could identify which one Link to comment
lakeuk Posted June 10, 2006 Share Posted June 10, 2006 On mine I've got it set to Garmin eTrex Legend on Com2 and the Speed is greyed out at 9600 In Device Manager on the Windows Control Panel Com2 has the following settings Bit per second- 128000 Data bits- 8 Parity- None Stop bits- 1 Flow control- None Link to comment
+Mr Nibbler Posted June 10, 2006 Share Posted June 10, 2006 I had real problems getting mine connected when I first got it. I discovered that my XDA connection was hogging the port (despite the fact it's usb, not serial like the legend). Disconnected XDA and bob was my mother's sibling. You may have a similar issue. Link to comment
+4 Badgers Posted June 10, 2006 Author Share Posted June 10, 2006 Have you tried a different computer? Or altetrnatively try a different GPS (if possible) on the same computer. The problem may lie with one or the other and that could identify which one Hmmmm - would like to try this, but only have one PC and one GPSr! Am now wondering if I could smuggle it in to work and give it a try on PC there.......... Link to comment
+4 Badgers Posted June 10, 2006 Author Share Posted June 10, 2006 I had real problems getting mine connected when I first got it. I discovered that my XDA connection was hogging the port (despite the fact it's usb, not serial like the legend). Disconnected XDA and bob was my mother's sibling. You may have a similar issue. And an XDA is...............? Link to comment
+4 Badgers Posted June 10, 2006 Author Share Posted June 10, 2006 Sorry folks, I don't mean to be flippant. Am just a bit miffed that I can't get the GPS connected......... Link to comment
+tteggod trackers Posted June 10, 2006 Share Posted June 10, 2006 (edited) got your mail!!!! i'l reply here first! have to say scrathing my head here too. i use a usb to seriel adaptor and never had a problem. i wonder if its worth uninstalling easy gps and see if it detects the legend.i'm emailing you an idea too.!!! Edited June 10, 2006 by tteggod trackers Link to comment
oddsock Posted June 10, 2006 Share Posted June 10, 2006 Silly question,but have you tried a serial mouse to see if the com port is working? also the cable may be faulty. have you installed mapsource trip and waypoint manager ?? Dave Link to comment
+4 Badgers Posted June 11, 2006 Author Share Posted June 11, 2006 Silly question,but have you tried a serial mouse to see if the com port is working? also the cable may be faulty. have you installed mapsource trip and waypoint manager ?? Dave Good point about the serial mouse - will see what I can do there. But I don't have a copy of mapsource - is this a must? I thought it was just an add-on Link to comment
+macroderma Posted June 11, 2006 Share Posted June 11, 2006 Silly question,but have you tried a serial mouse to see if the com port is working? also the cable may be faulty. have you installed mapsource trip and waypoint manager ?? Dave Good point about the serial mouse - will see what I can do there. But I don't have a copy of mapsource - is this a must? I thought it was just an add-on When I had this problem it emerged that it was Memory-Map that was hogging the serial port As long as I used Mapsource separately there was no problem - are you sure you have no other software running that uses the serial port? As to using Mapsource, it is just one application that you can use to download waypoints. AFAIK Easy Gps has similar functionality Link to comment
+4 Badgers Posted June 11, 2006 Author Share Posted June 11, 2006 When I had this problem it emerged that it was Memory-Map that was hogging the serial port As long as I used Mapsource separately there was no problem - are you sure you have no other software running that uses the serial port? As to using Mapsource, it is just one application that you can use to download waypoints. AFAIK Easy Gps has similar functionality Aha!!!! Good point! I have HotSync Manager hogging COM1. And since my Palm's no longer attached / in use, then maybe I should look to remove this. Thanks macroderma - hopefully this will work. Link to comment
+Gralorn Posted June 11, 2006 Share Posted June 11, 2006 I also have similar problems as my hotsync clashes with my download to legend and I have to take off hotsync, which I do not really want to as i load the legend every week, but use my Palm quite often with support from hotsync. Link to comment
+4 Badgers Posted June 11, 2006 Author Share Posted June 11, 2006 I also have similar problems as my hotsync clashes with my download to legend and I have to take off hotsync, which I do not really want to as i load the legend every week, but use my Palm quite often with support from hotsync. The weird thing is, I no longer have my Palm connected to this PC, yet can see no way of uninstalling Palm, HotSync or anything else associated with it........... Link to comment
+macroderma Posted June 11, 2006 Share Posted June 11, 2006 I also have similar problems as my hotsync clashes with my download to legend and I have to take off hotsync, which I do not really want to as i load the legend every week, but use my Palm quite often with support from hotsync. The weird thing is, I no longer have my Palm connected to this PC, yet can see no way of uninstalling Palm, HotSync or anything else associated with it........... You presumably have some form of Palm application (to back up the PDA, load new software etc) There should be a hotsync menu option, if you access that and select the 'setup' option you should get options for hotsysnc - like always available, available when the desktop is running or start manually If you select one of the latter 2 you should stop hotsync running unless you want it to. I think it is a right click option from the hotsync icon in the system tray as well Link to comment
+John Stead Posted June 11, 2006 Share Posted June 11, 2006 The weird thing is, I no longer have my Palm connected to this PC, yet can see no way of uninstalling Palm, HotSync or anything else associated with it........... Have you tried the "Remove Program" option in Control Panel and located Hotsync from there. Link to comment
+Boardslider Posted June 12, 2006 Share Posted June 12, 2006 The weird thing is, I no longer have my Palm connected to this PC, yet can see no way of uninstalling Palm, HotSync or anything else associated with it........... Have you tried the "Remove Program" option in Control Panel and located Hotsync from there. Often re-running the installation program will give you an option to remove the program. The other comments about the Windows com port settings could be a red herring - I think that sets a maximum working speed, you need to configure port speed in GSAK and the Etrex. But here is my top tip for the day: go to http://juice.altiris.com/svs and download yourself a copy of software virtualisation solution (free for personal use). With this you can virtualise the installation of hardware hogging software and then turn it off as if it never existed when you don't need it - or need to use some conflicting application. I now use this for all of the stuff that a) shouldn't be on my work laptop; hogs hardware or hooks the system e.g. Nokia PC suite c) stuff that installs a load of system tray stuff or lots of registry start up e.g. real player. and have the benifit of a practically clean machine with fast boot ups and less hangs and issues. Link to comment
+4 Badgers Posted June 12, 2006 Author Share Posted June 12, 2006 The weird thing is, I no longer have my Palm connected to this PC, yet can see no way of uninstalling Palm, HotSync or anything else associated with it........... Have you tried the "Remove Program" option in Control Panel and located Hotsync from there. Hmmmm, have now located the Program (I was viewing by name and suddenyl noticed it was displaying only programs beginning with 'A') and uninstalled it........ Software Virtualisation sounds a bit drastic to me! Tteggod Trackers visited this evening and all works fine on his laptop. So I guess I need to purchase a serial to USB converter and take it from there...... Link to comment
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