Hi! We see you’re using an ad-blocker. We’re fine with that and won’t stop you visiting the site.
But as we’re losing ad-revenue from this then why not make a donation towards website running costs?. Or you could disable your ad-blocker for this site. We think you’ll find our adverts are not overbearing!
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 8:51 am Post subject: Mio Digi Walker P550
Hi!
I've just bought the Mio Digi Walker P550 PDA and TomTom Navigator 5
and its not working.
I think I've configured the Com ports in the Windows side of things, and I've got TomTom saying "No valid GPS signal!" as opposed to "No GPS device".
I've tried pretty much all combinations of the Windows PPC GPS settings, having Windows manage things (it creates a COM port with the number that you choose on the GPS Program port tab) or not, but usually leaving the hardware COM port at COM3.
Mio said that TomTom provided them with very little information for the P550. Their instructions were to set the Windows GPS settings baud rate to 4800, the COM port to 3 (these were correct out of the box). Then, inside TomTom, choose Other NMEA GPS, 4800baud and GPS_COM.
A bit of freeware software I downloaded identified a GPS device on what it called "port 2" which wasn't helpful, but did confirm the baud rate as 4800. This software was called AutoDetectGPS.exe
The best I can get is still "No valid GPS signal" and occasionally there is a blip on one of the bars, and just once, there was latitude and longitude values other than 0.000 but I suspect that was just some sort of randomness, as I hadn't changed anything.
I'm aware it takes a while the first time you initialise a GPS device, but I've been trying for hours hanging out of my office & bedroom windows!
Joined: Jun 13, 2006 Posts: 19 Location: Poole, Dorset
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 9:18 am Post subject:
Hi Phil,
I got my P550 last week, and it does work. I had some trouble working out what gps device to select in tomtom (no documentation on that I could find), but once I selected GPS_COM it started working. I have GPS program port=COM4, h/w port = COM2, baud rate=4800, and manage automatically=off.
I've also installed VisualGPS which does seem to pick up a signal faster than tomtom.
Having said that, last night I found this rather dismaying article: www.gpspassion.com/fr/news.asp?id=613 that suggests the P550 is pretty cr@p gps-wise compared to the P350.
By the way, where/how did you get the info from Mio?
Unfortunately, you're settings aren't working as yet...its stuck to my office window looking for a signal.
Interestingly, TomTom still only offers COM3 as a choice of specific com port (as opposed to the GPS_COM) perhaps suggesting that the GPS device needs to be attached to COM3. Not that it makes ANY difference anyway, as that didn't work either...
indecisive wrote:
Hi Phil,
I've also installed VisualGPS which does seem to pick up a signal faster than tomtom.
I'm looking for a download link as we speak!
indecisive wrote:
Having said that, last night I found this rather dismaying article: www.gpspassion.com/fr/news.asp?id=613 that suggests the P550 is pretty cr@p gps-wise compared to the P350.
Hmm...that isn't great news....
indecisive wrote:
By the way, where/how did you get the info from Mio?
I called them up at 35p/min! (0905-4640010) They were helpful, in a way, but they just didn't help. They offered the token info that TomTom have apparently provided them with, and said I should call them.
I'm going to email asking a few things, one of which is why the manual says absolutely nothing about how the GPS device is "connected" to the PDA. Simply referring you to the mapping software makers is NOT enough!
I really want this to work, and work well, particularly as I got the PDA, all its power supplies, mounting brackets, TomTom software AND a 1GB SD card for £355. I really dont want to have to take it back!
I've also installed VisualGPS which does seem to pick up a signal faster than tomtom.
I've found something called Visual GPS but this is a bit of Windows (ie 98/W2K/XP) software...Are you hooking up to a PC, or am I missing another Pocket PC version somewhere?
Joined: Jun 13, 2006 Posts: 19 Location: Poole, Dorset
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 11:44 am Post subject:
philtimm wrote:
I've found something called Visual GPS but this is a bit of Windows (ie 98/W2K/XP) software...Are you hooking up to a PC, or am I missing another Pocket PC version somewhere?
I've found something called Visual GPS but this is a bit of Windows (ie 98/W2K/XP) software...Are you hooking up to a PC, or am I missing another Pocket PC version somewhere?
Phil
OK, cancel that. I've found it, downloaded it, installed 'n run it, and we are getting a few (3 or 4) bars, one or two up in the 30s, others in the 20s. Are these the signal strength values in db or something?
And given I've got 4, why am I not getting a fix? Aiiiii!
Joined: Jun 13, 2006 Posts: 19 Location: Poole, Dorset
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 12:50 pm Post subject:
if I know what the numbers on the bars mean (probably as you suggest signal strength), but the significant thing seems to be the colour. If some of the bars are blue, then its getting a fix, grey and you aren't. This happens even though some grey bars have larger values than blue ones. I'm running it now and I've got 3-4 blue bars at the extreme left, with it lying on the desk pointed out the window.
I guess its all to do with which satellites are located in the optimum positions. I must bone up on how this all works.
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 3:32 pm Post subject: Mio P550 & TT5 update
OK, well I have managed to get a signal!
I didn't do anything that I hadn't done before. I can now navigate anywhere around the UK, provided I stick to the tops of 5 storey or higher buildings!
Yes, the only place I could actually get a fix on my position was on top of my office in central London.
This does NOT bode well!
I think criticisms of the reception quality of the Mio P550 are well founded.
I think I may have to get a refund and look for something a little more reliable.
Having had my P550 for just over a week just thought I'd add to this post regarding signal problems. So far it's been excellent using Mio Map V2 and Pocket Navigator. I installed TTN 5.21 and that also seems fine apart from the TTFF which seems much greater than the other two programs...sometimes up to 1 minute. I do manage to get a signal in the house no problem and if upstairs it's normally 6-8 satellites. Compared it with my Garmin and the fixes are identical. The only thing I've noticed is that when I tried VISUALGPSce it would show no status bars but only a number of sats in use. It does the same on Pocket Nav and also on TTN 5.21 so wondering if there is some sort of software incompatibility between the SIRF chip and reporting to 3rd party software? I used it for a trip to the Isle of Wight last weekend and it was faultless and keeps a steady fix while in the house. I had set it to the settings already mentioned and they seem to work fine. I did try the MMSIRFsetup utility on the memory map website but this had the effect of removing the internal GPS device altogether and none of the software could `see it`....did a reset and still the same so had to do a `BATT OFF` for 1 minute and then all worked fine again.
Would be interested to hear how many satellites others can see with their P350/P550 to compare so we can find out if there is a problem with some devices or not.
So far I've been impressed but haven't spoke with any P350 owners.
I had a lot of problems setting up my P550/TomTom GPS as well. The documentation is useless. The satellite pickup looks similar to my Garmin Foretrex so far, but I’ve only just got the GPS working. I’ll do some more comparative testing tomorrow.
Got my P550 9 days ago, Seems the battery life is limited, I am constantly recharging it. I cant get a singal in the house and more annoying drove for an hour and a half today without one in the car. I'm not a happy chappy. Talked to GPSforless and they tell me its a TOM TOM problem which will be fixed in a couple of days. Now the guts of the P550 are the same as the P350, yet I cant see anyone complaining about the P350 not working properly. I sent mine back today and asked for it to be replaced with a P350. I have heard many good things about GPSforless and will let you know how I get on.
Posted: Today Post subject: Pocket GPS Advertising
We see you’re using an ad-blocker. We’re fine with that and won’t stop you visiting the site.
Have you considered making a donation towards website running costs?. Or you could disable your ad-blocker for this site. We think you’ll find our adverts are not overbearing!
All times are GMT + 1 Hour Goto page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5Next
Page 1 of 5
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Or you could disable your ad-blocker for this site. We think you’ll find our adverts are not overbearing!
Hi! We see you’re using an ad-blocker. We’re fine with that and won’t stop you visiting the site.
But as we’re losing ad-revenue from this then why not make a donation towards website running costs?. Or you could disable your ad-blocker for this site. We think you’ll find our adverts are not overbearing!
Forum FAQ
Search
Usergroups
Profile
Log in for private messages
Log in
if I know what the numbers on the bars mean (probably as you suggest signal strength), but the significant thing seems to be the colour. If some of the bars are blue, then its getting a fix, grey and you aren't. This happens even though some grey bars have larger values than blue ones. I'm running it now and I've got 3-4 blue bars at the extreme left, with it lying on the desk pointed out the window.
