REVIEW COMMENTS: SysOnChip CF Plus GPS

Dave · Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2003 6:43 am Post subject:

Most of the CF Plus's on eBay seemed to be sold off cheaply because of the old firmware. Yes you can change the firmware, only by sending it back to SysOnChip, but I suspect if it's a rebranded card, they won't want to know about it.

tsunami6RR · Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2003 3:15 pm Post subject:

Hi Dave,

I must commend you on your article for the Syson GPS CF Plus. Because of your reviews and recommendation, I purchased the unit from the USA from SDG Systems. SDG was great, offered excellent advice and a 3 day fast delivery to Canada (ordered Monday night and received Friday AM).

http://www.sdgsystems.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=1_25&products_id=58

I am using the Syson with my e740 with Pocket S&T and in my IBM T22 notebook with S&T.

The only issue is the GPS refresh frequency that is controlled by S&T and not a issue with Syson. I found a utility which shortens the refresh on my S&T in my notebook from a software default of 5 seconds to 1; hence, zero lag time.

For my Pocket S&T, the software refreshes at a frequency of 10 to 15 seconds. I can see this software issue causing some of the lag since I would have travelled 10-15 seconds further from my last sat fix. I am still searching for a utility to quicken the S&T sat tracking and refresh and most likely replace this mediocre software with something of real value such as Fugawi NavSys.

I am a experienced GPS user and realize that the US military satellites can never give 100% pin-point accuracy. Even with my dedicated GPS, Garmin eTrex Vista, and the military GPS, there will always be an error of margin with your fix and moving sat co-ords. I have experienced anywhere from 20 meters to 5 meters on my Garmin. My Syson is just as accurate, if not better, than my dedicated Garmin unit. The significant improvement over my dedicated GPS is the SysOn TTFF on a cold start. In a vehicle or outside in the open space, the SysOn beats the Garmin everytime in acquiring a first sat signal lock. In addition, the SysOn always acquires a signal when inside a building and within 15-20 feet from a window. The Garmin, well it nevers seems to lock on to anything whatsoever.

Thanks again for the review and recommendation. Purchasing the Syson GPS based on your review was a positive addition to my PDA and definitely recommend the unit to anyone looking for an improved and attractive (slim and not bulky) CF formfactor with performance.

cheers...edward...

Dave · Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2003 4:30 pm Post subject:

Thanks Edward for the great comments and it's great to see you're finding the SOC CF Plus just as good as I have. We have a couple of other CF GPS Receivers in review, but none stack up to the SOC CF Plus. The SOC CF Plus really in my opinion is like the Emtac BT GPS in the Bluetooth GPS world, a real great performer. I know some have experienced problems, and I've just recently heard of problems with Dell which SOC are investigating.

How do you like the Vista ? I have a GPSMap76S, I've used and reviewed the Vista and found it a great little GPS, I did find the screen a little small though.

Noony · Lifetime Member Joined: Oct 13, 2003 Posts: 135

Dave,

I'll offer my thanks also (I did send you an email but never got a reply). It was your review that led me to look into these some more. A group of us did a bulk deal and we are all very happy. We all have different types of PDA's and software, it must be more than luck that so many people are getting on well with these devices.

As an experienced GPS addict I have used many types of CF GPS receivers, and I have to agree with Edward that we should always consider the built in error of any GPS signal.

With a little tweaking of software we can normally ensure bl**dy good performance. Is it just me or does everyone still get amazed watching that arrow on the screen go under a bridge, over a railway line, or next to a lake just at the right moment when you are driving. How did we live without these things?

tsunami6RR · Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2003 6:03 pm Post subject:

tsunami6RR · Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2003 6:14 pm Post subject:

tsunami6RR · Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2003 6:17 pm Post subject:

bobrob · Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2003 11:49 pm Post subject: SysOnGPS by another name

G'day,
I was surprised to see my SysOnGPS with another name in the December 2003 issue of PC Pro mag just out. On p87 it's a Teletype GPS Worldnavigator. Unfortunately it's bundled with a poorly performing program and given a poor rating, and at UKP405 inc Vat is a mite expensive!

Dave's comment above about ebay units is a worry as mine came that way. If the offer to test is still on Dave, you can try mine while I'm waiting for a new release of a program due soon. Wink

cheers
_________________
bobrob

SteveF48 · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2003 9:33 am Post subject: Sysonchip CF GPS

I've had mine two weeks now and am blown away, it's amazing.
I have some issues with software, but the GPS is fast and accurate. I tried Geocaching and it put me less than 6 feet away from the cache.
No Lag to speak of in town or on the motorway, except when TTN get confused. e.g. by parallel, or nearly parallel roads.

My software issues are:
1) TomTom Navigator 2.24 has an entry for SysOnChip GPS CF Plus in both lists (hardware and port), but only seems to work with NMEA 4800. This is irritating, but not a major issue. GPS Dashboard and other software work OK. The GPS control (driver) is 2.06, so maybe upgrading to 2.08 will fix this.
2) What use is the Log facility? It has video type controls, but they don't appear to do anything.
3) The navigator screen locked up at the beginning of a long (c320 miles) route, so I missed a turn. My own fault, I should have used my brain instead of relying on technology Happy

Dave · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2003 10:58 am Post subject:

That's good to hear!

1) Don't hold me to this, but I think 2.08 works. Although I may have been using NMEA 4800 as I tend to use the raw drivers in testing most of the time.

2) Log facility is to be able to hit the record button, record a journey, then stop the log. You can then play it back later and watch TTN2 drive the route.

3) This has been known to happen in previous versions of TTN2, when calculating or re-calculating, where the route just keeps counting roads, but I haven't seen it lock up before.

SteveF48 · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2003 11:31 am Post subject: Sysonchip CF GPS

Maybe the lag is processor related. I use a Pocket Loox, which runs at 400mhz, maybe those experiencing lag have slower cpus?
I've recorded several journeys, but playback doesn't work. As I said no big deal, I could always use another utility and it may work with 2.08.
TTN2 locked up the Loox a few times, but seems to have settled down.
My biggest gripe is TTN2's place selection. Like one of your other readers, I once looked up an airfield and it took ages before TTN2 would stop showing just airfields.

SteveF48 · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2003 5:35 pm Post subject: SysOnChip CF GPS Plus

I've managed to persuade the TomTom GPS Control to talk to the Syson directly. i.e. Not using bog-standard NMEA.
I used the GPSTweak utility to send a command to the Syson telling it to change to SIRF 57600bps.
I don't think it will make any difference to the results, but it has solved the mystery. I think that the GPS probably comes from the factory in SIRF mode and my fiddling changed it to NMEA.

SteveF48

Does anyone have a reliable method for switching the unit from Sirf 57600 to NMEA 4800 and back?
I've used GPSTweak, but it isn't reliable. At present I'm stuck in Sirf mode, which is an irritation, as most software can't use it.
The software Sysonchip supplied with the unit doesn't seem to do anything (Maybe it too only works in NMEA mode?).

Dave · Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2003 1:37 pm Post subject:

You are right, GPSTweak isn't reliable. The best way really is to use WinFast Navigator in the Leadtek section on our downloads page. This is reliable and works very well with all GPS Receivers.

You do have to be careful with receivers as not all allow all baud rates, and particularly the same baud rates in NMEA as they do in SiRF or vice versa.

DABurleigh · Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2003 10:57 pm Post subject:

>Also please note that there has been a problem found with using the SysOnChip CF plus card on Dell Axim's. We do not have any Axim's to test the card on, but from what we understand the problem is on the newer Dell Axim X3's running Windows Mobile 2003. .... We are awaiting confirmation and a fix from SysOnChip regarding this problem.<

I didn't think the Axim X3 HAD a CF port!

Dave

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