Help!: Garmin to iPaq cable

[larrydj]

I just received my GEQ36 Ipaq 3670 to Garmin E cable (minutes ago). I set my Garmin eTrex Legend to NMEA in/OUT. However, as soon as I plug the cable between them, my iPaq goes nuts. The speaker pings repetitvely, the INBOX program is initiated, and the "wait" circle flashes on and off. The speaker also makes some other bizarre noises. The iPaq becomes uncontrollable. This only happens when the both ends of the cable are plugged in, if the cable is merely plugged into the iPaq (nothing on the other hand), there is no effect. I'm concerned that I could be damaging my iPaq.



So, what do I do?

[Pc-Mobile]

We received your email and I'll answer you here as well.



We have not come across this before.

Have you installed anything that uses the serial port (like a keyboard)?

If you have, REMOVE (uninstall/disable) it and try again.



If it is not the case, try another Ipaq, if you have access to one, and see if it does the same thing.



If connecting the Ipaq side does not do anything, connecting the GPS is very unlikely to damge the Ipaq, whether the cable is faulty or not.



If you do not want to try, we can send you a replacement. If it does the same thing, you can then start thinking some else is doing it.




_________________
Pc-Mobile
http://pc-mobile.net/gps.htm

[larrydj]

Thanks.



I did have a Targus Stowawy keyboard driver installed. I de-installed it, and now everything works perfectly!!!



I want to let anyone viewing this forum know, that I received a reply back from PC-Mobile in VERY short order (an hour maybe? I forget, and on a weekend!) once I had posted this problem and sent them an email. The keyboard driver suggestion was exactly the issue- I assume that the data from the Garmin was initiating the Stowaway's INBOX hot key and who knows what else.



I deleted the driver and all is well. If I was dependent on the keyboard, I'd probably see if there was a workaround, but I haven't used the keyboard in months, so I'm not worrying about that. Now to play with my new toy...



Good job PC-mobile!



Larry

[Dave]

Larry, this happens with any GPS receiver that you plug into the bottom sync port of the Pocket PC. Which keyboard are you using ? I have a Targus Stowaway keyboard, and what I do rather than delete/uninstall the driver, there's a Stowaway icon on the START menu. Go into this, unselect the HOTSYNC option (this is the main problem as when you plug something in to the sync port it tries to auto-run the driver and start communicating), but also unselect the DISABLE option. What you then have to do is when you want to use the keyboard, go back and enable them. It's a pain, but it's way of design in the Pocket PC.



I still forget sometimes when I plug my GPS into the iPAQ because I'll start getting the ActiveSync chime, and then an ActiveSync window appears on screen, and that reminds me I've forgotten to disable the keyboard.

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