NMEA or SiRF?

[rizza2]

What are the main differences between NMEA and SiRF protocols. Which one should i be using for best results? Thanks.

[lbendlin]

Main difference is that NMEA is clear text (you can understand the text that comes through) and SiRF is binary - you just see garbles. In theory, SiRF therefore has better utilization of the serial communication link (takes less time to download the same amount of information).

Now the GPS update frequency is fixed at 1 second - you cannot get updates every ten milliseconds for example - so the SIRF advantage is rather academic. All depends on the robustness of the serial port listener on your PC or PocketPC. If you use SiRF at high baud rates then your machine can wait faster for the next update...

So using SiRF or NMEA has no influence on the GPS functionality, it only affects the operating system of your Pocket PC or PC, and only mildly.

99% of all users leave it at 4800 NMEA and are perfectly happy with it.
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Lutz

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[MikeB]

I am glad someone else shares my opinion. I generally use all my applications using NMEA, most dont recognise SiRF anyway.

The only other advantage I know of with SiRF is that you can actually program the GPS. This if course can be very dangerous if you are not too sure what you are doing and make a mistake.

Currently NMEA is the most widely supported GPS protocol with all GPS applications suppporting it. So at the risk of being a stick in the mud my recommendation would be to stay with NMEA unless you have a single GPS app that uses SiRF.
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Mike Barrett

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