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Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 10:54 pm Post subject: How do I get started?
I'm a complete beginner, so if anyone could point me to a primer, I'd appreciate it. I've read through the FAQ, but it mostly deals with how GPS technology works (that part I understand). I'm looking for
a. What do I need to buy (not brand names - as I can read the reviews).
b. How do I make it work once I've bought it.
I have a Dell Axim x5. Obviously, I'd need to buy a Compact Flash based GPS unit to go with that (thanks for the great reviews). But what else do I need?
I live in the US and would mostly use this in the car. I want to be able to get from one address to another without getting lost.
(P.S. My neighbor has a Magellan Roadmate. I know I won't get that degree of functionality from a PDA based unit, but I also don't know what I can expect.)
Joined: Nov 16, 2004 Posts: 1077 Location: Chester-le-Street & York
Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 8:12 am Post subject: Re: How do I get started?
redbeard wrote:
I have a Dell Axim x5. Obviously, I'd need to buy a Compact Flash based GPS unit to go with that (thanks for the great reviews). But what else do I need?
I live in the US and would mostly use this in the car. I want to be able to get from one address to another without getting lost.
(P.S. My neighbor has a Magellan Roadmate. I know I won't get that degree of functionality from a PDA based unit, but I also don't know what I can expect.)
Why don't you think you'll get that degree of functionality? I'm not familar with the unit in question, but most PDA systems have at least as good a software as the dedicated units, and in some cases much better!
Okay you need three things.
1. GPS Reciever. :
Basic types: Bluetooth, can be put anywhere for a good view of the sky, however it still needs to be charged so that can be fiddly. However you can take it out of the car with you.
Wired: Cheaper than bluetooth and no issues with bluetooth connectivity. Of course means you have trailing wires.
CF/SD: A card to put into your pocketpc, I used to have one of these but found it blocked my view of the road ahead.
2. Hardware: You've got your Dell so you are sorted.
3: Software: The likes of Copilot or TomTom for street routing, or Memory Map for topographical maps.
Are you dead set on getting a CF card? Otherwise you could likely get a bundle from one of the software producers with a bluetooth or wired GPS receiver included, I haven't seen any CF.
Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 3:56 pm Post subject: Re: How do I get started?
MarkHewitt wrote:
Why don't you think you'll get that degree of functionality? I'm not familar with the unit in question, but most PDA systems have at least as good a software as the dedicated units, and in some cases much better!
Like I said, I'm a complete beginner, so I have no idea what a PDA based unit can or cannot do. His unit is supposedly the top of the line with a hard drive, voice navigation, etc., but he paid through the nose for it too. I didn't figure I could get similar funtionality without a similar investment.
MarkHewitt wrote:
Okay you need three things.
...
Thanks for the info. That is the type of thing that I needed to know. Since my Dell doesn't have Bluetooth, that would seem to eliminate that option. I'll have to investigate the wired option. I guess I don't understand what the wire would connect to on my PDA. I assumed that my connector would be tied up with the power cord.
MarkHewitt wrote:
Are you dead set on getting a CF card? Otherwise you could likely get a bundle from one of the software producers with a bluetooth or wired GPS receiver included, I haven't seen any CF.
No. I just figured that was the only way to get a reciever for a PDA that doesn't have Bluetooth. Based on what I'd read, I figured that the reciever would go in the CF slot, the maps would go on the SD card, and I'd have to plug it into a car charger to keep it powered up. Like I said earlier, I don't know where a wired unit would connect.
Except for my neighbors unit, I've never even seen GPS in action, so I don't have any idea what to expect. But he spent over $800 by the time he bought his unit and the mounting hardware, and I can't afford that much.
I've done a little more research, and it is looking more and more like I am limited to a CF unit. Axim's don't have serial ports, and from what I can gather, the wired units all require a serial port.
I have read that there are CF serial port adapters. I may need to look into that too.
Joined: Nov 16, 2004 Posts: 1077 Location: Chester-le-Street & York
Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 2:09 pm Post subject:
I'm not familiar with the dell but if it is anything like my iPaq then it can be charged and receive data through the ports on the bottom of the unit.
Every pocket pc has activesync, which is what runs when you connect your PocketPC to your home PC via the cradle, where do the plugs on the cradle plug in, is it in the bottom? In which case a wired receiver would go in the same place.
I have a wired receiver which uses a TomTom car kit, the receiver plugs into the side of the car kit and both the data and the power are fed through the port on the bottom of the iPaq.
I don't think you are going to need a serial port.
I'm not familiar with the dell but if it is anything like my iPaq then it can be charged and receive data through the ports on the bottom of the unit.
Every pocket pc has activesync, which is what runs when you connect your PocketPC to your home PC via the cradle, where do the plugs on the cradle plug in, is it in the bottom? In which case a wired receiver would go in the same place.
I have a wired receiver which uses a TomTom car kit, the receiver plugs into the side of the car kit and both the data and the power are fed through the port on the bottom of the iPaq.
I don't think you are going to need a serial port.
Now that I knew to look for something else, I found a couple of wired units that do just that. Apparently, they've created a car charger with a head that has a data interface for the GPS reciever.
Ya learn something new every day!
Pocketgps wrote:
I thought that all Axim's came with Bluetooth as standard.
Maybe the new ones (x30 & x50) do, but mine is an x5 and is two years old - no Bluetooth. But the devices that I've found say they are compatible with the x5, so I may give one of them a go after I've had a chance to look around Pocket GPS World for reviews.
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