Help - Newbie with e740 - recommendations?

cannibal869 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Apr 07, 2005 Posts: 5

Hi everyone,

I'm totally new to the GPS thing. I have a Toshiba e740 (courtesy of work) which I actually don't use all that much anymore, so I wanted to turn it into a GPS module. What I'm looking for are economical solutions...

I want a mouse-type GPS to be used primarily in-car with a Y-connector so I can power the e740 at the same time. It would be nice if I could just plug it directly into the sync port.. I'm looking at the Pharos system mainly cause it's cheap, but I've read reviews that the software kinda sucks and the maps aren't all that accurate. I've also looked at the SpaceMachine PocketMap navigator, but again, there were some lukewarm reviews.

Can this receiver be used easily with other software (i.e. TomTom, CoPilot, etc.)??? Second question - does it really matter what receiver I get (in terms of being able to work with different programs)?? Is it easy to switch from one navigation program to another???

What other antennas do you guys recommend - I'd like to stay somewhere around the $100 price point (for the antenna) and please keep in mind that I'll be using this primarily in New York and San Francisco (please excuse my American barbarism and ignorance Wink

)

Also, as for software, are there any frontrunners? Is there a list of preferred programs somewhere? I read the reviews and comparison articles, but again, I've never used a GPS before on a pocket pc, so I don't really know what to expect...

Thank you everyone for any advice or recommendations!
-Chris

lbendlin · Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2005 8:36 pm Post subject:

Unfortunately the e740 is not a good Pocket PC for navigation. You need a special adapter cable to connect it to a serial GPS receiver, for example here

http://www.expansys-usa.com/product.asp?code=111144

Once you have the receiver connected and working this will allow you to use pretty much any navigation software. OnCourse, CoPilot, Mapopolis, TomTom, PrymeNav etc etc.
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Lutz

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cannibal869 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Apr 07, 2005 Posts: 5

If I just buy the antenna (assuming I already have TomTom), what connector do I want? Is it serial connector??

cannibal869 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Apr 07, 2005 Posts: 5

Has anyone heard of the AQMAX-300 antenna??

Found a cheapo auction here:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=5765984722&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT

Don't see any reviews on it yet... It does however have the PS2 adapter into the serial cable that can work with my e740...

I guess I could always just go with the Holux 211 also and do a USB->PS2->serial adapter??

Again, any help at all would be most appreciated...
-C

lbendlin · Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 4:36 am Post subject:

You cannot simply use any USB>PS/2 cable. It has to be a very special cable, and it probably also requires a driver. Having said that, the ebay offering seems to include that special cable. The receiver seems to be ok.
_________________
Lutz

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