Woogybugger Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 This may be a silly question, but I am looking into purchasing a laptop and installing the Delorme software. Could I then attach my GPS and track my location on the computer? Quote Link to comment
+webscouter. Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 I use my laptop with ExpertGPS installed. My son loves to watch the track on the photo maps. Quote Link to comment
+Clffhngr Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 I do the same with my laptop. Keep in mind that many laptops do not have a RS232 port and that most GPS require a RS232. If your new laptop has a RS232 then it should be no problem or if your GPS is usb then again it should be no problem. Also you can get cables that will convert RS232 to usb. A final thought, the older versions of Delorme and most current software from other vendors won't use a usb device. I know that Delome has a free upgrade that will look for a gps on usb. What I don't know is if it will work with the version of Delorme that you own. "It's a dull mind that spells a word one way" Quote Link to comment
+Stunod Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 I took a trip from Chicago to southern Texas earlier this month, and used Delorme's Street Atlas 2004 on a laptop w/ GPS attached. Worked great. It does on the fly routing and can even give voice prompts for upcoming turns. I really liked working with it, even though the user interface is a little less than friendly. "Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson Eamus Catuli AC145895 Quote Link to comment
+quakemap Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 Microsoft Streets & Trips has Tools->GPS option for NMEA-compatible devices. Something to try (anybody has experience using it?). Dell laptops still have good old RS-232 port built-in. I found my laptop in the car to be great distraction, and a dangerous thing on the laps of my son (air bag might through it real hard) - so I don't like to use it. Watching the current position on the aerial map is a lot of fun though. It was also a saver on a hike once, when I was looking for a trailhead to a cache - completely obscure without aerial help. Happy trails, http://www.quakemap.com - redefining Easy... Quote Link to comment
+Bloencustoms Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 Check out jottodesk for universal, and vehicle specific laptop mounts. Makes using a laptop in a car/truck a lot safer. Quote Link to comment
vagabond Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 Here's what I'm using Gateway 400VTX, Magellan Gold, MS streets and trips, and a SIIG USB serial cable, and a Wagan 150 watt A/C inverter to power the laptop. Works great All who look are not lost Quote Link to comment
+MidnighToker Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 I don't have a GPS yet, but have Delorme Topo 4 and a laptop. That is one of my requirements for my future GPS, and Delorme has built-in settings for Delorme, Garmin, Magellan, Rockwell, Trimble, Lowrance, and Brunton. Like it was staed earlier though, make sue that you have a serial port on the laptop. If it doesn't have one, you can add one, but that can get messy. Quote Link to comment
+CWL Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 quote:Originally posted by BLEdwardsJ:I am looking into purchasing a laptop and installing the Delorme software. Could I then attach my GPS and track my location on the computer? I do the same thing but, I use Microsoft MapPoint instead. It works great! Been there... Done that... Quote Link to comment
+InspGadget Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 quote:Originally posted by vagabond:Here's what I'm using Gateway 400VTX, Magellan Gold, MS streets and trips, and a SIIG USB serial cable, and a Wagan 150 watt A/C inverter to power the laptop. Works great All who look are not lost Any ideas what I should do. I have a laptop with usb port, plug in my computer but the software does not see a com port, therefore it cannot find the garmin. Have yet to figure out a solution. InspGadget. Quote Link to comment
vagabond Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 I had the same problem with the first usb cord, it came from best buy. Could not get the software to work, picked up the SIIG cord and drivers from Frys and had no problems. Also you might try and locate the latest drivers All who look are not lost Quote Link to comment
+Alan2 Posted September 25, 2003 Share Posted September 25, 2003 quote:Originally posted by BLEdwardsJ:This may be a silly question, but I am looking into purchasing a laptop and installing the Delorme software. Could I then attach my GPS and track my location on the computer? You didn't mentioned what type of GPS you have -mapping or non-mapping. If you have mapping, you might consider getting the GPS mfr's mapping software so you can not only see your position on your laptop, but also upload detailed maps to your GPS, something you cannot do with Delorme or any other third party software. Good luck. Alan Quote Link to comment
+GOT GPS? Posted September 25, 2003 Share Posted September 25, 2003 A friend of Mine was so interrested in my hooking up a cellphone and a GPS to a laptop, that he got his own laptop. My laptop is an IBM Thinkpad 770 with one serial and one USB Port. Just enough of a laptop to get the job done. It has only a 4 gigabyte hard drive. I spent $580 for it and a Lithium ION battery. Great for caching, and I can save some cache pages to it for viewing on the road. ---------------------------------------------------------- Pictures of the insides of my Old GPS V My Home Page about what is GPS Strange Quote Link to comment
+CWL Posted September 25, 2003 Share Posted September 25, 2003 quote:Originally posted by MidnighToker:Make sure that you have a serial port on the laptop. If it doesn't have one, you can add one, but that can get messy. quote:Originally posted by InspGadget:Any ideas what I should do. I have a laptop with usb port, plug in my computer but the software does not see a com port, therefore it cannot find the garmin. Have yet to figure out a solution. You could always use a USB to Serial cable if your laptop doesn't have a serial port. Been there... Done that... Quote Link to comment
surly Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 This isn't a silly question. I have used GPS units and laptops for years. Until the last year I never tried to connect the to. Garmin ledgend that I hook to my laptop and use ethier Delorme or Mapsource software on it depending what I am doing. In the car you can track everymovment for your whole trip. The only problem I had was I only have USB ports on my laptop and the Garmin cord was for a sierel port, problem solved by going to Radio Shac and buying a cheep connector. The other problem was the connector had software to be read by the laptop and was on a floppy, I don't have a floppy on my laptop either. Solved had a friend download it and e-mail it to me. In ending fun and cheap to do. Good luck Quote Link to comment
gm100guy Posted September 27, 2003 Share Posted September 27, 2003 Mapopolis If you want to do tracking, instead of a laptop you can a pda and use the above software and get real time tracking. I bought a cheap palm 105 and hooked up my gps to it for use in the car. gm100guy http://members.rogers.com/gm100guy/cachepage.htm Ontario geocachers http://groups.msn.com/GeocachinginOntario/homepage Quote Link to comment
+InspGadget Posted September 27, 2003 Share Posted September 27, 2003 quote:Originally posted by InspGadget: Any ideas what I should do. I have a laptop with usb port, plug in my computer but the software does not see a com port, therefore it cannot find the garmin. Have yet to figure out a solution. InspGadget. Let me clarify this question. I have the Mapsource software. I want to be able to use that software with my laptop, so when on the road, I can download maps to my Garmin Vista. However, the laptop cannot detect the presence of the Garmin when I hook it up via the serial port. I had this same problem with my desktop and I found the solution to this problem with my desktop computer was to change a setting for the com port. On the laptop, no com port is there, only the lpt port for the printer. I am looking for ideas how to get the laptop to detect the Garmin. Quote Link to comment
billsumrall Posted September 27, 2003 Share Posted September 27, 2003 quote:Originally posted by InspGadget: Any ideas what I should do. I have a laptop with usb port, plug in my computer but the software does not see a com port, therefore it cannot find the garmin. Have yet to figure out a solution. InspGadget. <snip> On the laptop, no com port is there, only the lpt port for the printer. I am looking for ideas how to get the laptop to detect the Garmin. It would seem to me that the BIOS setup would be the first place I'd look to see if indeed the laptop has a serial port, and if so, make sure it has not been disabled. If that checks out O.K., I have no further suggestions. Sorry. Bill Quote Link to comment
+Alan2 Posted September 27, 2003 Share Posted September 27, 2003 DOesn't the laptop have a USB port? If so, you can use a USB to serial cable. ALan Quote Link to comment
+InspGadget Posted September 27, 2003 Share Posted September 27, 2003 I took your suggestion and it worked. Thanks. Radio Shack had the cable. quote:Originally posted by CWL: quote:Originally posted by MidnighToker:Make sure that you have a serial port on the laptop. If it doesn't have one, you can add one, but that can get messy. quote:Originally posted by InspGadget:Any ideas what I should do. I have a laptop with usb port, plug in my computer but the software does not see a com port, therefore it cannot find the garmin. Have yet to figure out a solution. You could always use a http://www.sewelldev.com/usbtoserial.asp?s=overture&k=usb_serial&a=USB_Serial_Adapter if your laptop doesn't have a serial port. http://www.sewelldev.com/Images/USBtoSerial-op.jpg http://img.Groundspeak.com/user/64784_1200.gif http://www.geocities.com/cwlutterloh/geocaching/geocaching.html Quote Link to comment
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