Upgrading

[+tedwin]

I'm tempted to buy one of the Garmins on offer at Tesco, will the Garmin usb talk to my Ipaq usb as they are both regarded as devices by a PC.

Tedwin

[+keehotee]

Only if you can find and buy the cable to connect them both together.

For example, my webcam and my card reader are both recognised as devices by my pc - but there's no way they're going to do anything if I connect them together....

[+Amberel]

I think it's unlikely to work even if you could find a cable, the software won't be written to handle it. Sorry .

 

Rgds, Andy

[+keehotee]

Not strictly true.

I used to use my Geko cabled to my ipaq......but as I pointed out above, you'll need to obtain a cable that'll marry your pda to the gps.

If you change the gps output to NMEA, most pda software that uses a gps will use it (Memory Map, BeeLine, TomTom etc)

[+NickandAliandEliza]

I think it's unlikely to work even if you could find a cable, the software won't be written to handle it. Sorry .

 

Rgds, Andy

 

Mine did with a cable from e-bay.

[+Amberel]

Not strictly true.

I used to use my Geko cabled to my ipaq......but as I pointed out above, you'll need to obtain a cable that'll marry your pda to the gps.

If you change the gps output to NMEA, most pda software that uses a gps will use it (Memory Map, BeeLine, TomTom etc)

Was that over USB or using an RS232 serial connection?

 

Rgds, Andy

[+keehotee]

Not strictly true.

I used to use my Geko cabled to my ipaq......but as I pointed out above, you'll need to obtain a cable that'll marry your pda to the gps.

If you change the gps output to NMEA, most pda software that uses a gps will use it (Memory Map, BeeLine, TomTom etc)

Was that over USB or using an RS232 serial connection?

 

Rgds, Andy

 

That was using the interface on the Geko to the only port on the ipaq.... so neither

 

Edited to add.... looks like serial - got mine here http://www.lynks.co.uk/pda.html

Edited January 10, 2009 by keehotee

[+Amberel]

Not strictly true.

I used to use my Geko cabled to my ipaq......but as I pointed out above, you'll need to obtain a cable that'll marry your pda to the gps.

If you change the gps output to NMEA, most pda software that uses a gps will use it (Memory Map, BeeLine, TomTom etc)

Was that over USB or using an RS232 serial connection?

 

Rgds, Andy

 

That was using the interface on the Geko to the only port on the ipaq.... so neither

 

Edited to add.... looks like serial - got mine here http://www.lynks.co.uk/pda.html

That's why yours worked. The original poster asked about USB, and that's far less likely to work.

 

Rgds, Andy

[+keehotee]

Not strictly true.

I used to use my Geko cabled to my ipaq......but as I pointed out above, you'll need to obtain a cable that'll marry your pda to the gps.

If you change the gps output to NMEA, most pda software that uses a gps will use it (Memory Map, BeeLine, TomTom etc)

Was that over USB or using an RS232 serial connection?

 

Rgds, Andy

 

That was using the interface on the Geko to the only port on the ipaq.... so neither

 

Edited to add.... looks like serial - got mine here http://www.lynks.co.uk/pda.html

That's why yours worked. The original poster asked about USB, and that's far less likely to work.

 

Rgds, Andy

 

Might have to use one of these then..... USB 1.1 Host Adapter CF Card

Probably better to spend far less and get a bt gps instead......

[+JeremyR]

That's why yours worked. The original poster asked about USB, and that's far less likely to work.

I reckon it almost definitely can be done but it might be expensive and technically very challenging.

 

You'll need either a USB cable with the appropriately shaped jacks on each end (presumably both micro?) or an ordinary one and the appropriate converter (middle one on this page?) The complicated bit will be getting the PDA to listen to the GPS. Memory Map *might* do it if you set the GPS output to NMEA as suggested (ask the company).

 

However, Garmin's comms protocols are all open allowing anyone to write software which interfaces with Garmin GPS units. Assuming the the PDA's OS allows software developers to access the USB interface (that's gonna be what the whole thing hinges on) then it will be possible to write software for the PDA, which connects to any Garmin USB-compatable GPS unit.

 

Obviously this would be pretty extreme for a one off thing and whether to do it or not depends how badly you want to connect the two devices. If you're one of those people who does things like try and run Linux on a toaster then go for it . At the end of the day though, it would almost certainly be cheaper and definitely a hell of a lot easier to just buy a Bluetooth GPS for your PDA. I'm just pointing out that technically, it's entirely possible to get a GPS and a PDA talking, so long as the PDA allows software running on it to access the USB port.

 

(edit to fix typos)

Edited January 11, 2009 by JeremyR

[+Amberel]

That's why yours worked. The original poster asked about USB, and that's far less likely to work.

I reckon it almost definitely can be done but it might be expensive and technically very challenging.

 

You'll need either a USB cable with the appropriately shaped jacks on each end (presumably both micro?) or an ordinary one and the appropriate converter (middle one on this page?) The complicated bit will be getting the PDA to listen to the GPS. Memory Map *might* do it if you set the GPS output to NMEA as suggested (ask the company).

 

However, Garmin's comms protocols are all open allowing anyone to write software which interfaces with Garmin GPS units. Assuming the the PDA's OS allows software developers to access the USB interface (that's gonna be what the whole thing hinges on) then it will be possible to write software for the PDA, which connects to any Garmin USB-compatable GPS unit.

 

Obviously this would be pretty extreme for a one off thing and whether to do it or not depends how badly you want to connect the two devices. If you're one of those people who does things like try and run Linux on a toaster then go for it . At the end of the day though, it would almost certainly be cheaper and definitely a hell of a lot easier to just buy a Bluetooth GPS for your PDA. I'm just pointing out that technically, it's entirely possible to get a GPS and a PDA talking, so long as the PDA allows software running on it to access the USB port.

It's nothing like as easy as that . The problem is that USB expects one end to be a host and the other end to be a device. 1) The chips at each end have to capable of supporting whatever mode you are trying to use them in. Some chips can only do one or the other, some can do both. 2) the low level software on the device (usually called a driver) has to support the mode you are trying to use them in. Even if the chip supports it, it's quite likely the software doesn't - that function is required so infrequently that most manufacturers don't bother. 3) The application software has to support it. This is the one you have most chance with. Any software that has its roots in RS232 comms will likely have supported it at that point. Whether they continue to support it when the interface is USB is open to question - they probably don't, but they might.

 

But the trouble is, for it to work, you need the support to be there at all three levels. So, it is technically possible, but in practice rather rare.

 

Rgds, Andy

Edited January 11, 2009 by Amberel

[+tedwin]

Thanks for all the advice. I use the old yellow Etrex, so I think I'll just upgrade to the H version then I'll still have the serial connection to my Ipaq. I need this when I go on holiday as I take waypoints and tracks for walks and cacheing, far more than the gps itself will hold.

Tedwin

[+JeremyR]

But the trouble is, for it to work, you need the support to be there at all three levels. So, it is technically possible, but in practice rather rare.

Writing (or paying someone to write) a custom driver + an application to sit on top of it was exactly what I was thinking of. But as I said, "expensive and technically very challenging."

 

I was just pointing out that it is possible, if almost entirely pointless given the availablility of BT GPS adaptors unless you're looking for a technical challenge to while away the cold winters nights