View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
TheFifth Occasional Visitor
Joined: Sep 12, 2007 Posts: 4
|
Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 4:27 pm Post subject: Medion GoPal 210 with TT5 - No GPS Signal |
|
|
Hi All,
I've installed TomTom 5 on my GoPal 210 and the software seems to be running fine, however I never seem to get a valid GPS signal.
I have configured TomTom to use 'Other Cable NMEA GPS' and set the GPS baud rate to 4800. I then select 'GPS serial COM2'.
The indication in TomTom changes from 'No GPS Device' to 'No valid GPS signal' so I assume that TomTom has found the GPS receiver OK.
The problem is it never seems to get a valid signal. In the GPS status screen I can see several gray, numbered dots begin to appear on the compass, but they never turn blue and I get no strength indication in the bars.
Anyone have any ideas what might be wrong? The normal navigation software that comes with the 210 seems to pick up satellites without any problems, so I guess the GPS receiver is working. Is the baud rate incorrect?
Any help greatly appreciated! |
|
Back to top |
|
|
TheFifth Occasional Visitor
Joined: Sep 12, 2007 Posts: 4
|
Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 12:07 am Post subject: |
|
|
Just an update...
After leaving the GPS on in my car during a journey, it eventually got a signal after about 15-20 minutes.
Does everyone else find that establishing a valid GPS signal takes a very long time using TomTom 5 on a GoPal 210? |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Border_Collie Pocket GPS Verifier
Joined: Feb 01, 2006 Posts: 2543 Location: Rainham, Kent. England.
|
Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 1:15 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Quote: | After leaving the GPS on in my car during a journey, it eventually got a signal after about 15-20 minutes. |
Wait for a valid GPS signal BEFORE driving off. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
TheFifth Occasional Visitor
Joined: Sep 12, 2007 Posts: 4
|
Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 1:45 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Lost_Property wrote: |
Wait for a valid GPS signal BEFORE driving off. |
I did initially! I left the unit stationary for around 10 minutes before setting off, then after another 15-20 minutes it found a signal.
When I use the navigator software that came with the unit it picks up a signal in around 30 to 90 seconds, so the GPS is working fine. I'm experimenting with the baud rate settings in TomTom to see if this has an effect and will report back. Initially it doesn't seem to but I've not had time to do a full test yet. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Border_Collie Pocket GPS Verifier
Joined: Feb 01, 2006 Posts: 2543 Location: Rainham, Kent. England.
|
Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 2:56 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Quote: | When I use the navigator software that came with the unit it picks up a signal in around 30 to 90 seconds, so the GPS is working fine. | Until recently I was using TTN5 on my Mio P350 and was having to wait, sometimes ages, for a 'lock'. I always assumed it was because of my cars Athermic windscreen but recently changed to iGO 2006+ and I get locks in under 30 seconds. It also now gets a lock indoors where I couldn't with TT.
Same device, same car, so problem appears to be TT on a non TT device.
Oh, and baud rate. Most devices I've come across use 4800 except the Navman Pin 570 which is 9600. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
TheFifth Occasional Visitor
Joined: Sep 12, 2007 Posts: 4
|
Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 12:38 am Post subject: |
|
|
Update after a few tests.
I've set the baud rate to 2400 which seems a little better, although 4800 seems to work too. TT5 still takes ages to pick up a lock, however I have discovered that if I run the built in Navigator software and let that pick up a GPS signal (around 30 seconds), then close navigator and quickly open TomTom, TT5 picks up the signal straight away and holds the lock perfectly from then on. It even reacquires the signal quickly after traveling through a tunnel.
Thanks Lost_Property, It's good to hear it's not only me that's having issues! Letting the Medion software pick up the GPS signal before running TT5 is not a big deal, so I'm happy that this works.
I find the software that came with the GoPal 210 to be a little crappy. It constantly gives incorrect audio instructions and the animated map updates really slowly. I find it's all too easy to take a wrong turn on a complicated junction. TT5 works better and is far more usable, so I'm glad I've got it working at a reasonable level. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Border_Collie Pocket GPS Verifier
Joined: Feb 01, 2006 Posts: 2543 Location: Rainham, Kent. England.
|
Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 1:07 am Post subject: |
|
|
Glad you got it sorted.
Quote: | Same device, same car, so problem appears to be TT on a non TT device. | I should have added, it was getting the initial lock which was the main problem with TT. I found, when experimenting with WinFastCE, I could get a lock quite fast. Closed Winfast and started TT and as you say, everything fine after that.
All the signals are sent every second with the VGA string coming every five. A baud rate of 4800 is fast enough for all the data to be collected. A baud rate of 2400 may 'clip' some of the data and may slow things down slightly. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
DeLorean Lifetime Member
Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 313 Location: United Kingdom
|
Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 2:47 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Did anyone find a fix for the slow TomTom GPS lock issue?
I love using the Medion 210T as a cheap mini TomTom, but the GPS issue is a real pain.
P.S. the Medion works much better through my athermic windscreen than my TomTom ever did |
|
Back to top |
|
|
|
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!
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
|