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Updating My 315


Docapi

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I am tryig to update my GPS 315 to the newest software.

 

I made a data cable following the direstions I found on here.

 

Connected everything up, set the baud rate to 4800. When I started the update .exe it found the receiver right away, and the program started up. The receiver said something about "update mode enabled" or similar.

 

The update program started flashing between "create file" and "delete file" (I think that's what it was, it was going too fast to be sure).

 

Then it stopped at "Erase Begin", and hasn't moved since. The currnt file bar is at 0 and not moving. I also noticed that the receiver has shut off.

 

I did it twice now, and the same thing happened both times. I have about 2/3 power in the batteries, so that isn't the problem.

 

It has been sitting like that for about 15 minutes now.

 

Any Idea what is wrong? Or is this normal?

 

Thanks!

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I have an old Magellan 315, but have never tried updating the firmware because I don't have a cable,, yet

 

I made a data cable following the direstions I found on here

 

You mean there are instructions on how to MAKE a cable? Cool! Where??!?

 

All I've ever wanted to do was to upgrade the firmware of my 315, so I wasn't keen on paying $'s for a cable just for that one use :laughing:

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Hey thanks a LOT for the instructions on creating a data cable for my 315! You know. it really makes me wonder why companies charge SO MUCH MONEY for such a SIMPLE cable! I mean, sometimes a datacable can cost $30-40 maybe more. WHY? There isn't any complex circuitry in the design.. I suppose the manufacturers just think they have a captive audience whom have no choice than to pony up big bucks for a simple wire. It's a good thing there are inventive people in the world that can figure these things out!

 

Are data cables for other brand/model GPSr's as easy to make? I would suppose even one with a USB interface must have a similar schematic to figure out.

 

Also I'm happy to hear you resolved your problem, what was it then?

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I am actually pretty embarassed.

 

I cut my little board to make the connector, and drilled the hole in it for the wires.

 

Then, I held the board up and put the wires through the board from the back just like the picture showed.

 

Thing is, I did it just like the picture, when I turned the board over and hooked it to the 315, all the wires were now backwards.

 

The really embarrasing part is that I figured that out right away, I realised the data in and data out wires were backwrds, and switched them around so they were right.

 

But, I didnt think about the ground wire. DOH!

 

After 6 hours of banging my head against the wall, I rechecked my wiring and realised I had the ground connected to the external power input.

Edited by doc_api
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I have been involved in making printed circuit boards. The number of times I did exactly what you did and got everything backwards is too great to mention. Talk about embarassing!!!!

Note: It became evident during these ridiculously stupid adventures that electrons are greyish-blue, travel in a fairly well organised cloud and escape with vigour when the power is applied with the wrong polarity! Some people refer to escaping electrons as smoke, but I know better! :lol:

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I have been involved in making printed circuit boards. The number of times I did exactly what you did and got everything backwards is too great to mention. Talk about embarassing!!!!

Note: It became evident during these ridiculously stupid adventures that electrons are greyish-blue, travel in a fairly well organised cloud and escape with vigour when the power is applied with the wrong polarity! Some people refer to escaping electrons as smoke, but I know better! B)

That's funny . . . B)

 

Now I know what that stinky blue cloud was when I turned on the power to a wall switch I installed in my house . . . :o

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Jefem24,

 

Here is the link for ya.

 

Magellan 315 Update link

 

Azaruk,

When I was making game cameras we called that the "magic dust" B)

 

Once that magic dust gets out, nothing seems to work any more. I would always try to catch it and put it back in, but it seems that once it gets out there just isn't anything you can do about it.

Edited by Docapi
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Ok I finally got around trying out the instructions and "made" a data cable for my 315. It worked out GREAT for updating the firmware from the original 1.01 to the latest (& I imagine last) 3.15.

 

After the firmware update I then thought I might as well see also if the cable would also provide the NMEA location feed to my Microsoft Streets&Trips software. So far I haven't been able to make this connection work :laughing: I get an error message stating there is no signal being detected... I tried both com ports & no luck.

 

Is the wiring schematic for a NMEA feed cable the same as for the Data cable, for the Magellan 315?

 

Tkx

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Ok I finally got around trying out the instructions and "made" a data cable for my 315. It worked out GREAT for updating the firmware from the original 1.01 to the latest (& I imagine last) 3.15.

 

After the firmware update I then thought I might as well see also if the cable would also provide the NMEA location feed to my Microsoft Streets&Trips software. So far I haven't been able to make this connection work  :laughing:  I get an error message stating there is no signal being detected... I tried both com ports & no luck.

 

Is the wiring schematic for a NMEA feed cable the same as for the Data cable, for the Magellan 315?

 

Tkx

I didn't have any problem getting my 315 to work with Streets and Trips using the Magellan data cable. My 315 is out on loan to a newbie cacher at the moment so can't verify the settings but I recall I did have to get the correct NMEA setting and baud rate in the 315 set up menu before it would work. And you do need to have a fix before it would transmit.

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I thought the 315 had to actually be moving to transmit data. Maybe that was my old firmware. I will have to check mine and update it. I used to put it in simulate mode to do setup and testing. Caution! Simulate mode will erase your tracks, so if you have tracks in it you want to save, download them with something first. EasyGPS is free and I think it will download tracks.

 

John

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Thanks for the info guys! I think I had a position fix when trying to get the S&T to aquire a position. Also I chose the "2.1..." NMEA option as suggested in the S&T help (says to use something > 2.0?) and my COM ports were set at 9600baud originally so I chose that on the GPSr as well. Correct?

 

I'll try out some other settings tonight. Yesterday I spent almost an hour trying to get the NMEA interface to work, and that's why I was starting to wonder if perhaps the wiring schematic was different for the NMEA feed.

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Well the DUMB THING ain't behaving itself B)

 

As mentioned, my homemade data cable worked just fine for updating the firmware on my Magellan 315, but I am just NOT able to get MS S&T to recognize the unit. Also GSAK can't seem to find my 315 either.. I'm really wondering if the data cable is complete in it's design. Here is what the cable layout looks like:

 

conex_raton_gps2.jpg

 

I keep wondering what the 4th "unused" pin is used for? Does anyone know? Could someone with a storebought 315 cable verify this homemade design is complete?

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I am no expert, but I do know the + voltage line is necessary for data to be received from the GPSr. The Magellan lead I have works in both directions but I have no way of testing the line outs. I note that the manual reference to line outs is for a scenario where the GPSr is recieving data from a DGPS device.

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I keep wondering what the 4th "unused" pin is used for? Does anyone know? Could someone with a storebought 315 cable verify this homemade design is complete?

I checked my Meridian cable (which is the same as the 315 but mine is out on loan at the moment). Looks like you have it right. Only pins 2,3 and 5 on the serial connection are connected. The 4th one is only used when you have the combination serial connection and 12v cig lighter adaptor and is just for external power. If GSAK won't recognize it then there is a problem - I had no problem getting GSAK to communicate with my 315.

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My 315 communicates with Gsak just fine with my homemade cable set up just like the picture.

 

I checked my GSAK settings, and I am set at

 

Brand: Magellan

 

Communications port: Com1

 

Port speed: 9600

 

maximum waypoinst for GPS: 500

 

I also have the Baud Rate in the 315 set up to 9600

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I made one of those cables from the old mouse tail and it worked fine for me when using EasyGPS and GSAK. My settings are also: Magellan, Com 1, 9600 baud, 500 max waypoints. Keep in mind that the 315 doesn't seem to work at it's max setting of 19200 baud (Why I don't know). Test your connection using EasyGPS and have it identify your GPS, if it does that then your connections are good, else you keep messing with it tillit works. I eventualy broke down and bought a car data power cord and have it hooked to my computer and a car battery trickle charger so I can mess around with the GPS and not have it drain the batteries in minutes searching for a Sat lock.

 

Your pinout is correct as that is the exact site I used. Could you have damaged something when you had the wires switched originally. Try resetting the GPS unit and that might rectify things.

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Another thing to check is if you have a PDA that is using a serial port. I found that my PDA will take over the serial port and not allow the 315 to communicate.

 

If you have a palm, check the settings on your hotsync program and make sure that "serial port" is unchecked in the connections list.

 

I have no idea about ppc.

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I have just updated my 315. First I tried doing it from my laptop, using a USB-serial adapter and Magellan's factory cable. No luck, it found the GPS but could not proceed to updating it. Then I tried it from a computer with a native RS232 port and it worked. Note that everything else (Oziexplorer, GSAK) work with the USB adapter just fine, it's just the update that wouldn't work.

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