Pharos 535v NO!

[falcone]

They say no experiment is a failure if you learn something. And I learned that the Pharos 535v is not a good choice for this game. Though it might be possible to eventually get it to work, it should be possible to get it to work. But with the almost total lack of useful documentation, and the similar lack of useful answers from their tech support folks (they did answer the phones reasonably quickly, they just did not have the answers) I finally gave up on it. The software seemed to run, but it could never find a satalite. Other software found satalites, but gave bogus numbers for lat and lon (not even the right format).

What I did learn was;

1. Despite initial protestations from Pharos that any upgrades to the operating system (like the required upgrade to .Net compact frames 2.0) would violate, and void, the warrantee, you can indeed upgrade it, and if you do a cold start the system reboots from it’s firmware so there is no way they would even know you had done it.

2. There is a bit of software called “Port Splitter” that is a free download that seems to help this unit in allowing the GPS to talk to software.

3. For some reason the GPS shows up on Com4, but I had to have the “Port Splitter” look for it at Com8, and tell the software it was on Com9

4. The unit comes with absolutely no software that allows you to even see if the GPS is even there (if you can find the 535x version, it is supposed to have something).

5. The Microsoft “Streets” 2005 software, which was the only GPS software available on the shelf in my area is not worth carting home even if they gave it to you for free.

So, there you go.