upgrade advice please guys

[gilbates]

at the mo i`m running an old 3630 compaq ipaq , with the Ipaq nav sleeve , i have a nice little bracket in the car it fits to and runs from the cigy lighter socket , on the Pc i`m synced up with the usb cradle

sofware wise i`m running the latest cpl5

i want to upgrade to a moderm version of what i have got , hopefully utilising the same in car bracket that fits the ipaq nav sleeve now

can someone please recomend something for me , i dont need software , just a handheld with a slide on nav sleeve that can be powered off a cigy lighter socket and removed when i leave the car plus a usb cradle for Pc syncing

thank if you can help guys

[Tim Buxton]

The last iPAQ to accept your sleeve is the 555x, which is a couple of years old now, although new ones are still being sold in places. It has a 400Mhz processor, built in Bluetooth and Wifi and 128Mb user memory. It runs WM2003 and there will be no update to SE. The audio output is very poor from the built-in speaker; apparently HP had to reduce its size to fit in all the other stuff. Also, the power to these later iPAQs (38xx on, I think) use an adapter fitted to the standard charger plug, aas power goes through the 22 pin port, which makes the coupling quite flimsy.

So if you want anything newer than the 555x, you'll have to ditch your sleeve, I'm afraid.
_________________
Tim

[DavidW]

Tim gives some very worthwhile advice - on which I'd like to expand from my perspective.


I had been considering an upgrade from my 3970 for some time, but none of the machines up to and including the 5550 really seemed a worthwhile upgrade. Support for the expansion packs ended with the 5150 and 5550 - which are essentially the same machine as the (very unpopular, except in certain corporate niches) 5150 is just the 5550 minus various bits.

Initially I was rather sad about the demise of the expansion packs, as I'd been a heavy PC Card Expansion Pack Plus user, but I came to realise that the way ahead was a smaller, lighter form factor. My deteriorating arms because of my illness were pushing me towards a lighter machine, and I realised that buying another heavy setup (iPAQ with PC Card Expansion Pack Plus is around 450 grams) made no sense.


The 5550 was a popular machine, but it's reached the end of the line and I believe HP have now discontinued manufacture. The form factor of a "traditional shape" 3000 or 5000 series iPAQ plus expansion pack looks very large these days, and I suspect many people that have expansion pack capable machines either don't use an expansion pack, or have a CompactFlash expansion pack. From the 3800 series onwards, all machines had a built in SD slot, which from the 3900 series onwards was SDIO capable, and you had at least the option of built in Bluetooth, which made even fairly sophisticated usage possible without an expansion pack.

These days, you tend to find machines with both SDIO and CompactFlash facilities catering to the market that would previously have gone for expansion packs.


As Tim says, HP have decided not to issue WM2003SE upgrades for any of their existing machines. To be honest, there's not a lot of point in them doing so - I believe all the iPAQs with built in 802.11b "Wi-Fi" have already had updates for WPA support, which is one of the new SE features. VGA support is only relevant to VGA machines - and all the existing iPAQs were QVGA. The only thing SE would give, really, is proper landscape support - which is nice, but hardly essential for many people.


The nearest replacement for the discontinued iPAQ h5550 is the iPAQ hx4700, which I just upgraded to from my old iPAQ h3970 based setup. The h3970 based setup lives on with another family member as a dedicated navigation system.

The hx4700 lacks the 128MB of RAM of the 5550; instead it has 64MB RAM with a large iPAQ File Store of around 80MB. It also lacks the fingerprint security of the 5550 - but I always regarded that as something of a gimmick and feel the built in crypto facilities of the hx4700 are more use to me.

The hx4700 has WM2003SE, a VGA screen, a speaker that's clear enough to use for in-car navigation without external amplification, built in 802.11b and Bluetooth 1.2 - and the form factor is much smaller and lighter than an iPAQ in an expansion pack. The hx4700 speaker is excellent - back in the traditional position, and whilst it may be a touch quieter than my h3970 speaker, it's somehow much clearer. I have no problems using the hx4700 in car without amplification.

The only slight quirk of the hx4700 is the touchpad - personally I like it a lot (once I adjusted the sensitivity up slightly), though I do still find myself sometimes mixing up "up", "down" and "action" sometimes when it's in the mode where it emulates a D pad. These functions are rather close together on the pad. Unfortunately, some people just can't get on with the touchpad.


There are, of course, other excellent options that are not as expensive as the iPAQ h5550 and hx4700 - these include the (likely to be discontinued fairly soon) iPAQ h2210 and the iPAQ hx2000 series that will be available within the next few months.


Tim is correct in saying that HP changed the connector to the current 22 pin type from the 3800 series onwards - you will not find a worthwhile upgrade without changing that part of your setup (probably only a cable or adapter).

I think you have three options:

1. Go for an iPAQ h5550 - accepting that it's a good machine, but expensive, discontinued and beginning to fall behind the leading edge.
   
2. Look for a second hand newer machine - an iPAQ h3970, h5450 or h5550 second hand would all be worthwhile upgrades, especially if they have the Pocket PC 2003 upgrade. If you go for an upgraded machine, make sure you get an official HP upgrade kit with a Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity on the CD - there are machines out there upgraded with beta Pocket PC 2003 ROMs that have various flaws such as broken Bluetooth.
   
3. Accept that the time has come to retire your expansion pack - possibly by selling the setup complete but maybe minus the software. Replace the setup with newer, lighter hardware - possibly using a Bluetooth GPS for flexibility and maximum current and future compatibility.

Much of what you do depends on what else you use the setup for. I use my Pocket PC heavily - for me, features like a VGA screen, built in 802.11b "Wi-Fi" and Bluetooth, and a small, light machine with excellent battery life (the hx4700 has a very large battery for its class - 1800mAh) are worthwhile. However, if you're using the Pocket PC largely for navigation, such an expensive upgrade may not be worthwhile.


Two warnings to end.

Firstly, if you have a copy of CoPilot that is locked to the GPS hardware, as some are, you will need to find out about changing the licence model to something else that will work with a new setup. It may make more sense if you're going to sell the old system to sell it with the software, then buy a complete new setup with new software.

Secondly, if you're buying a new iPAQ, I suggest you read this thread for information on how to ensure you've received an official UK iPAQ rather than an imported one.



David

[gilbates]

I never expected such in depth help guys and i realy appreciate the time taken to type and explain things to me

i`d like to clarify things a little here though if i may be so bold

i have no intention in keeping the Nav expansion pack it has been playing me up for quite a while now and i think its coming to the end of its life plus with the advent of Cpl5 it just hasent got what it takes in processor and memmory , locks being lost , slow locks to start with , and so on

changing from one machine to another with the licence i can deal with , and will sort out no worries

i was only hoping to keep the simple bracket setup i have already in the car which the Ipaq nav sleeve slides onto , that s all not the expansion pack itself

if it has to go because they just dont make that type of fitting on new expansion packs . well so be it , i`l make another , blub blub , it was a good one as well

my usage for a handheld is fairly light , err , very light actually , 90 % navigation , 10% messing around with watching films on the things , using the calculator on odd accasions oh i do need an IR port , most definately , you wouldnt believe how handy they are with some of the stuff i have to do ( dont ask ) and reminders , thats about it

i dont want a bluetooth antena , i drive and passenger in different cars and like the fact that the nav slleve is attached to the handheld

and having a power cable to the handheld only is also a boon , i dont realy want another cable to mess with to power the antena

with all this in mind does anything definate that fits my needs spring to mind

[gilbates]

PLUS

christmas is coming and my good lady is going to foot the bill

[DavidW]

It sounds like you might be a customer for a CompactFlash GPS, maybe with an iPAQ h2210.

For a mount, would a Brodit mount do the job? See the Pocket GPS World review here.



David

[gilbates]

i think your right m8

having looked around at prices the h2210 looks like the most likely contender , a couple of stupid questions though

the cf gps you mention um how does that fit , is there a slot in the handheld itself for it to fit into , or is a sleeve needed

or do i need a nav sleeve like my existing setup that has the slot in the sleeve itself for mem cards and the like , i actualy like the sleeve attached , because i dont carry it anywhere the shape and size dosent bother me

if a cf nav antena is fitted does it need seperate power or does it work from the power of the handheld

stupid questions realy , but only ever having had the 3630 , and to be fair its done me proud , i`m a little limited on my understanding of how things have moved on

also will my memmory card from my 3630 be usable on the 2210 or is that different as well

apologies for stupidness here

[DavidW]

A CompactFlash GPS goes in the CompactFlash slot of the 2210, and is powered from the iPAQ's battery.

You put your maps on an SD card - there's only one CompactFlash slot on the 2210, and it sounds like you'll be using that for a GPS. I suspect your existing setup uses CompactFlash memory - which can't be used with a CompactFlash GPS.



David

[gilbates]

looks like a hp h2210 and syson cf receiver with 256 mb cf card as part of the antena may be coming my way guys

well i havent actualy broke the news to Mrs Gilbates yet or even found the cheapest place to get one yet , but from reading and taking advice , this setup looks the best for me

i like the syson cf with memmory added , neat alternative to adding memory without having to buy an extra SD card for the nav software

thanks all

[Robin2]

Another possibility to consider is the iPAQ 2210 with a Holux CR100 combined cradle and GPS receiver (which includes a very good amplifier/auxiliary speaker). That leaves both card slots on the PDA free for programs, maps etc. The 2210 is reputedly to be replaced before long, but is available at very attractive prices (eg dabs). It's a very solid performer. You could use your existing CoPilot software until you're ready to buy new.
Robin

[gilbates]

hmmm

an interesting point m8 , the cr100 looks damn good as well and takes care of my need for a cradle , allowing me to use my existing CF card which contains my software , one question though and i doubt anyone can answer except dave burrows

the back of the cr100 has a slide connector for attatchment to the sucker mount , i wonder if its the same as the old navman ipaq sleeve slide connectors , if it is that would fit my existing bracket and i would be a very happy chappy indeed

[Robin2]

It's not the same as the bracket on my existing vent mount, which I think was a pretty standard design, with two lugs locating into a pair if holes on the cradle. The mount with my original Holux bundle, which I bought a little over a year ago, and the Brodit cradle which I used until recently, are identical.
The mount on the new CR100 cradle doesn't have the lugs, but only fits the (supplied) windscreen sucker. It works very well, but I can't think why they didn't stick to the standard design! The sucker is fairly easy to remove, and I have decided to remove the whole assembly as a unit when I don't want to leave it in view. Sticking the sucker back on the screen only takes a couple of seconds
Robin

[gilbates]

this is all a bit academic m8 at the mo

there are no h2210`s anywhere with a reasonable price attatched to them , most places have damn well sold out and the few remaining are now putting up there prices

ggrrrrrr

[gilbates]

another stupid question guys

as standard what memmory does the 2210 come with is it 32 mb standard or 64 mb standard

[Robin2]

64
Robin

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