Gps With Laptop In Vehicle

[+arcticcatmatt]

I just purchased everything necessary to run my GPS into my laptop in the truck for geocaching. It was getting very hard to read my Garmin Emap 1.75" wide screen while going down the road. Hopefully now I can get close to the cache, unplug the emap and take it with me.

 

The only thing I am not sure of is if I have the software to run it. The only gps software I have is MAPSOURCE from garmin and EasyGPS from online.

 

Any help any of you could offer would be great. I don't have any friends that are into this or anything so you are all my only resource. Got pics of your mobile set up? What program do you all use that updates your postion live on the map on the laptop screen? Thanks!!!!!

[JDMC]

Mapsource will show your position on its map on your computer.

USAPhotoMaps will also do the same.

[+hogrod]

another option would be to get microsoft streets and trips 2005, is pretty cheap if you get it without a gps receiver(you donot need you can use your gps/data cable for a connection)

[+aktaion]

on the garmin site you can dowload for free the program nroute, put this on your laptop together with any mapsource program (e.g. metroguide 5, not 6 or higer, these do not work)

I have done this myself. I use a laptop in my car also. Even a voice tells you wat to do!

 

ronald

[+arcticcatmatt]

wow this is going to be cool! I like that voice from the laptop thing. I can't wait! Now all I need to do is figure out what size inverter I need to run the laptop. There is one here locally for 15$ that is 70 watt. I bet thats all a laptop needs.

[TComMaster]

70 Watts is probably not enough for your laptop. Look on the power box for your laptop, the one between your laptop and the wall socket. It will say "Output:" and "Input:" The Input is the one you are looking for. Mine says "100-240V ~2.5A. Since I am using 115V input I will use that number in the calculation below.

 

Volts X Amps = Watts

 

115 X 2.5 = 287.5 Watts

 

Wal-Mart carries a 300 Watt Inverter. That would be the minimum for me.

 

Most of your electronics have a label showing Input MAX Volts and Amps.

[peter]

I also use my eMap together with nRoute and MetroGuide-USA (v4.01) maps. My laptop runs fine on a 110W inverter but I agree you should check what the power supply indicates. nRoute should work with any of the various MapSource maps, but it's best to have one that supports the auto-routing feature so it can give you voice prompts, automatic recalculation if you get off the route, etc.

[+arcticcatmatt]

I have the newest mapsource.. I wil check my numbers tonight.

 

I can't wait for my windshield mount and my data/power cable to get in. I will also get mobile net on my phone and the cable for that. I will be a geocaching god. j/k

 

Peter, you got a picture of your emap set up?

 

I thought I was the only person using an old emap. I had one a long time ago and lost it while snowmobiling so I got on ebay and got another one. I love this gps!

My bro has merdian gold magellan and I like my emap better still.

 

Thanks for all of the above also.. I will keep ya posted for sure! as soon as I figure out why the dink on ebay is charging me to ship BOTH items when they are coming in the same box...

[+tnfishdaddy]

I am wanting to do the same with my Legend and laptop. I have metroguide installed on both. I tried hooking them up the other day and driving and couldn't get it to work. Do I need this download nroute to make it work?

[+Team Dougherty]

I use this program for Micro$ofts MapPoint. http://www.techgt.com/AGPS. It enhances the built in GPS support. It will talk on windows XP, for 2000 you will have to download the speech pak from Micro$oft.

 

 

Paul

[+Miragee]

wow this is going to be cool! I like that voice from the laptop thing. I can't wait! Now all I need to do is figure out what size inverter I need to run the laptop. There is one here locally for 15$ that is 70 watt. I bet thats all a laptop needs.

I got a 300 watt inverter at Fry's Electronics for $30.00. It works for my laptop, and for my battery recharger as well.

[+wandrr]

For years, we have used an eMap, MS Streets and Trips, and a laptop for all our navigation. We are full-time RVers, so we navigate a lot. The setup is indispensable. If we ever have to go back to paper maps, we will be lost (quite literally)

 

You might want to consider a laptop stand. Have a look at http://www.ram-mount.com/ . They have a zillion possible configurations to hold anything from a cellphone to an enormous laptop.

[+Byron & Anne]

wow this is going to be cool! I like that voice from the laptop thing. I can't wait! Now all I need to do is figure out what size inverter I need to run the laptop. There is one here locally for 15$ that is 70 watt. I bet thats all a laptop needs.

Most laptops use between 65 and 80 Watts. Mine needs 70 watts and I use a 75 watt inverter.

[TComMaster]

Older Laptops generally use less than 80 Watts but newer laptops use more. Keep in mind that the power supply for your laptop (not the inverter) is only around 50% efficient. For example

 

Specs on a Power supply for Dell Laptops:

 

Input: AC

100 - 240V at 1.5A equals 150 Watts MAX

 

Output: DC

20V at 3.5A equals 70 Watts MAX

 

Make sure you find out the Input power if you underpower the power supply it may work but over a period of 3 months you will find your battery not lasting as long, your power supply may wear out quicker, and your inverter may fail.

 

Besides we are talking about $20 to $30 difference in price, Better safe than sorry.

[+spud67]

I have a small 75 watt inverter for use with my laptop while on the road but when I connect the laptop (running on the inverter) and my Legend (running on the DC power cable) the connection is constantly lost on the nRoute or Metroguide software. I feel there is a noise problem or ground loop between the power adaptor for the GPS and the inverter on the two DC power outlets in my truck.

I wish this would work so I don't have any batteries in use during my travels. If I disconnect either one of teh power sources, inverter or the power cable on the GPS, everything works really well and there is never a connection loss problem on nRoute or Metroguide. Any ideas on the problem, could it be a noise problem with both power adaptors connected?

Edited May 26, 2005 by spud67

[bug and snake]

Almost certainly a ground loop. The way around it would be to disconnect the signal return at one end thus leaving the return path to flow through the PS ground. Now, that is the theory and the chances that you can get at the necessary core in your cable are slight. There are other ways to work on this but all require access to the cable cores. NOT a fun thing to do on these small multicore cables. I would accept that I have to use batteries and get a bundle of rechargables for the GPS.....

[+arcticcatmatt]

I can't get pictures to upload here..

 

I got my gps and laptop working in my truck!!! Its awesome! went from a 1.5 inch screen to a 15 inch color screen!

 

Here is a picture of my setup (I blured the screen on the laptop)

 

http://www.snowmobilefanatics.com/forum/at...ent.asp?id=9143

[+Cheminer Will]

So, my question is: If you have a 300 watt inverter and your laptop only uses 80 watts, is that ok? If so, I guess getting the higher watt inverter would give you the most options for its use?

[+Kllr Wolf]

A 300 watt inverter is a lot more than your average laptop needs. For most laptops a 150 watt inverter is enough. If you are like me however, I use a 300 watt inverter for my laptop and a usb hub. I cant run anything much more power hungery as it would be too much and caseu the inverter to shut down. A good inverter will have a safety circuit built in to it (besides the basic fuse) to keep it form being overloaded and causing problems for it or the equipment plugged into it.

[+arcticcatmatt]

mine is a 17 dollar 100 watt max 85 watt continous... enough for the laptop and maybe speakers. I got it becuase it was small (see pic) and cheap.

[+Stonedust]

I have traveled for about eight years with a laptop, and a Garmin hooked up. Since I often wander, and just as often get lost, it has been great.

 

And, from time to time fun.....I was coming down from Northern Maine yesterday oon the turnpike, and came into a attended tollboth. The lady noticed the laptop, and the map on the screen and said something along the line of ....."So, you know exactly where you are ?"

"Yep, I replied, I been wandering here in Vermont for a week, and never lost once. "

There was a ten second pause before she laughed, and told me to get moving."

 

I use a little Walmart purchased 300 watt inverter. I usually run the gps off alkaline batteries, since I often get out of the truck, and go wandering geocaching and prospecting. A gaggle of alkalines is pretty cheap at Sam's these days, and I don't have to disconnect the additional power cord to the gps.

[+IV_Warrior]

I use my laptop for navigation for work. My service territory is the entire state of PA, so I get to use it a good bit.

 

My setup:

 

Laptop (obviously)

DC power cord for laptop (no need for an invertor, just to have the laptop cord convert it back to DC, just at a different voltage)

Delorme Street Atlas 2005

Delorme Earthmate USB GPS

 

I'm thinking about getting (or probably making) a laptop mount, to keep it a bit more secure in it's location.

 

A couple things I like about Delorme Street Atlas.

1) On screen turns are a big, easily readable font

2) Has voice naviation, too. You can just listen for turns instead of having to keep glancing at the screen

3) Automatic re-routing if you miss a turn, or for what-ever reason can't or don't want ot go the way the software was saying to go.

4) The "Draw" feature allows you to add missing roads to the maps. or finish incomplete or "broken roads", and the user created roads are routeable.

5) Easy to import waypoint files full of caches

 

Street Atlas also recognizes some input voice commands, so if you have a microphone hooked to your computer, you can talk to the program to get it to do certain functions. I haven't used this, so I don't know exactly what all it can do.

 

The nice thing about the Earthmate, being USB there's no need for "trial and error" to find a usb-serial adapter that'll work reliably if your laptop is USB only. Also, it gets it's power from the USB port, so no batteries needed, either.

 

*Street Atlas with the Earthmate is also about $30 cheaper than M$ Streets and Trips with their GPS, at least when I saw them both in Circuit City yesterday ($99 and $129 respectively, I believe were the prices)

[+arcticcatmatt]

awesome, where did you get the dc power cord from? Your right, its sorta stupid to go from DC .. to AC.. then back to DC..

 

I have a dell inspirion (don't know if you have the same thing or not)

 

Where are the pics of everyones mobile setups? Lets see them

[+badinfluence]

I do this all the time.

 

Works great - I use the SportTrack Map, laptop combo and it works fine. I just drop the GPS in the back window and away I go - never have any tracking problems at all.

 

You think people look funny while talking on a cell phone and drinking coffee - you should really see the look on their faces when your looking at a laptop!!!

 

Jonathan

[+roveron]

I've been using Delorme Street Atlas and Topo USA for about 5 years or so. I made a laptop mount for my Land Rover and it's works very nicely. I use the laptop plus the Delorme Earthmate GPS receiver to get close to my destination, then Magellean GPS the rest of the way.

Reviews generally seem to favor SA of S&T.

 

Best Buy, Fry Electronics, and I expect others, has the Street Atlas 2005 and eartmate receiver bundle for $69 after $10 rebate this week. Or just SA 2005 for $39 or $49 (I can't remember which).

For laptop power, I use a targus adaptor...something like this, looks like they don't make my exact one anymore:

http://www.targus.com/us/product_details.asp?sku=APP20US

 

Cheers

Edited June 8, 2005 by roveron

[HokieBird]

Ok - let me ask a dumb question. What's the interface between the GPSr and the laptop? What is the output of the GPSr and what is the input to the laptop (USB?)?

Are these special cables?

[vagabond]

My Gateway doesnt have a serial port so to hook up my maggy gold I need the serial to usb adaptor to go with the magellan cable.

If I had a newer gps that was usb then it would be a straight hook up.

Older laptops may or may not have a serial port. It all depends on the laptop and gps.

[+roveron]

The older delorme Tripmate used a serial connection. The newer Earthmates both use USB. One of the Earthmates can also interface with a delorme bluetooth powerpack it slips in to so it can use wireless. They also have the Bluelogger GPSr that uses bluetooth.

[hangfire77]

Hello guys, I have been looking into getting a GPS unit. I do not geocache right now but it looks interesting. What I am looking for is something to use in the truck. I pull a 30' camper and am planning a trip to Florida, Michigan and the Grand Canyon in the next year. I believe a GPS would be very handy. I have a laptop and have read some posts on types of laptop GPS units there are. Best Buy has an Earthmate for $129 and Microsoft one for $129 also. Has anyone had a bad problem with either one? Also if you guys know do I have to buy a separate GPS unit? I believe I do not with the Earthmate but it looks like I need it with the Microsoft one. I am not in a position to buy a $300 GPS unit and buy the software for city streets. I have the room in the truck for a laptop. I just want a good kit.

 

Thanks

[+IV_Warrior]

Hello guys, I have been looking into getting a GPS unit. I do not geocache right now but it looks interesting. What I am looking for is something to use in the truck. I pull a 30' camper and am planning a trip to Florida, Michigan and the Grand Canyon in the next year. I believe a GPS would be very handy. I have a laptop and have read some posts on types of laptop GPS units there are. Best Buy has an Earthmate for $129 and Microsoft one for $129 also. Has anyone had a bad problem with either one? Also if you guys know do I have to buy a separate GPS unit? I believe I do not with the Earthmate but it looks like I need it with the Microsoft one. I am not in a position to buy a $300 GPS unit and buy the software for city streets. I have the room in the truck for a laptop. I just want a good kit.

 

Thanks

Shop around, I saw the Earthmate for $99 recently, I think it was Circuit City. Both the Earthmate and the M$ deal are "mouse" units. They don't have an interface, and need to be used in conjunction with a laptop and mapping software.

 

I've used both Streets&Trips (with a stand alone GPS) and Delorme's Street Atlas/Earthmate combo and I prefer the Delorme software to Streets&Trips, so the Street Atlas/Earthmate combination would be my recommendation.

[hangfire77]

OK Thanks, Do I still need to buy the software separate?. I know it comes with a receiver. and some software. But do I still need to buy a "street" map also?

 

Thanks

[+IV_Warrior]

OK Thanks, Do I still need to buy the software separate?. I know it comes with a receiver. and some software. But do I still need to buy a "street" map also?

 

Thanks

If you get the Earthmate, it comes with the Street Atlas software that you need. Once you get the Street Atlas software (the maps) installed, use the "netlink" tab and make sure you dowload any available updates. They're software updates, not map data, but you still want to update for a bug fix or two.

 

Of course, if you get it now, it'll come with SA2005, and SA2006 will likely be coming out in a couple months, and you'll likely want to upgrade.