GPS receiver

Looking at both autoroute and map point, each has the option to connect a gps receiver to enable navigation using a laptop.

I thought initially that i could use my TT510 as the receiver ;but this is not the case, it requires a separate gps receiver.

Your feedback on this method, types of receivers, compatibility issues and overall comments from those that have used their laptop this way would be appreciated.

Regards

 

Technology is on your side, for once. The output from all GPSs is a strict standard so almost anything cheap off ebay with a serial connection should do nicely. You might also manage it wirelessly with a bluetooth GPS dongle as long as your laptop has bluetooth.

Problem: How to power the GPS. I've a little Garmin that lasts a day on a set of batteries, bit of a pain even if they are rechargeables.

 

Hi

I use Autoroute 2007 with a Haicom H1 204e serial GPS receiver plugged into the USB port.

download Prolific USB-Serial Bridge software driver to create a virtual USB port.

I've also used it on the Mac with Route 66

Jim

 

I just bought a cheapo of e-bay with a USB conection:thumb:
self powering from the USB works a treat

 

Thanks for the response Brian My laptop doesn't have bluetooth and was looking at this one ;but this is a usb connection ? what do you think? would autoroute 2007 and map point reconise usb or would i need serial to usb adapters.

Regards

 

Just a thought ..

before you shell out for a GPS receiver I much prefer using TT for route directions..

Autoroute is great for planning, storing POIs etc but I don't like the routing instructions.. and if you go off route it doesn't re route.. you won't get lost but you will need to stop and find your own way back to the route .. it's also more difficult to operate a lappy than TT and I don't like a lappy sitting on the dash.. it vibrates and it's hard to see in bright light..

However, if you have a co pilot who can use the lappy and give instructions ... great, but it's a BIG IF

 

Thanks Jim

I agree would need a big sucker for the lappy

actually it would be my co-pilot that would be using it, the planning side especially mappoint offers more options than sat navs do.

I'll have a look at co-pilot

Regards

 

As Scotjimland says technology is your advantage. There is a GPS interconnection standard. Unfortunately it has not been updated since the late 1990's when USB ports did not exist... You can try Scotjimlands suggestion or GPSGate both of which will redirect the signals from a USB port to a logical serial port.

Be aware that Autoroute is frozen at 2007 uses Navtech 2005 maps or Ordnance Survey 2005 Maps. Mappoint 2009 is more uptodate using Navtech 2008, TeleAtlas 2008 and Ordnance Survey 2008 maps but costs over £200.

There are alternatives such as Infomap Navigator ( http://www.directions.ltd.uk ) which has a trucking capability. Navigator 9 uses TeleAtlas and Ordnance Survey maps.

FYI, TomTom owns TeleAtlas.

There is a post on on the RVOC club which covers this area so I will not repeat here.

Adam

 

I use the system described here:
The Silk Route Motorcaravan Network. by Stephen Stewart of the Silk Route Motorcaravan Club basically an ASUS Eee laptop with PC Navigator and:

The second piece of hardware you will need is a GPS receiver. Whilst it may be possible to use an existing Garmin or Magellan GPS with a serial-to-USB adaptor it is a lot simpler and neater to invest in a USB GPS "mouse" (they are only called a GPS "mouse" because they look a lot like a computer mouse and these look a bit like a real mouse).
You can pay anywhere from about £20 UKP to around £70 UKP for a GPS mouse. Modern receivers are far more sensitive than the older ones and are faster to first fix (i.e. they start-up more quickly). Some are more waterproof than others, this will be important if you intend to mount the receiver outside.
I used a Navibe USB GPS Receiver with a high sensitivity SiRF Star III Chipset (GM720). Yours for just £9.99 UKP on eBay but with a £14.99 shipping cost from Hong Kong. So the real cost is £25 UKP (say 34 Euros).

Check Ebay for possible sources - the speed can make a difference as explained.

If you want to use a laptop routing system PV Navigator operates just like a conventional TomTom or Garmin but has the flexibility of being on your laptop for POIs etc. Navigator will refer to an Excel Spreadsheet for POIs (it already has a lot of campsites on the database) so if you change the spreadsheet there's no need to reload the POI's.


Keith

 

thanks for the info, not really intending to spend a lot on this exercise, I have both AR 2007 and MS MP EU 2009 and am aware that there will be no more updates for AR2007.
As i understand there is a conforatory reference, that i'll need to checkout before i buy, as you say if it doesn't work i can use jims solution. will check out RVOC

Regards

Hi Keith thanks for your imput

Some interesting info The PV Navigator sounds interesting, do you have a link? I have loads of Excel spread sheet poi's.

Regards

 

Here you are:

Directions Ltd. - Laptop Navigation


Keith

 

I'm 99% certain there will be no problem. What happens is you load a driver off CD which creates a "phantom" serial port on your computer.

I've used these a lot and the only GotchYa is they sometimes appear as COM6 and some old programs only allow COM1 to COM4. Slim chance and normally it can be changed to suit the software needing COM1..4

One reason I've never used this for real is just the logistics of mounting a laptop where it can be seen.

 

Thanks for the link, will check it out

Thanks for the info Brian, laptops are only practical if you have a co pilot ;but was thinking that with the info available from map point you would have the best of both worlds.

Regards

 

I'm not convinced that is the case, even a small one is quite a lump to have balanced on their knee.

I've an old Libretto here, size of a VHS cassette --- Hmmmmm I wonder

 

You do not need to balance the laptop on your knee or have a co-driver. For those who have a Netbook there is a automotive mount which costs £20. Full size laptop mounts are more expensive and more complex but there are cheap items on ebay.

Check Universal NetBook Car kits | Universal NetBook Car Mounting Solutions for their netbook mounts.

Adam

 

Take care though. The police can do you if you obstruct too much of the windscreen. I personally think a netbook suckered to the screen might be pushing your luck. All depends on how bad the cop's wife's headaches are.

 

If your 'van is a modern one with air bags I would suggest you leave the lappie in the back!

Should your passenger (navigator) be holding the lappie on their knees they would suffer very seious injury should the air bag deploy. Also in the event of an accident or even heavy braking 2 or 3kg of electronics could become a very nasty missile.

I take a laptop with me and often plan a route on it but then transfer it to the sat nav before setting off.

With the price of sat navs so cheap now it is not worth the risks of having an untethered bit of kit either on someones knee or obstructing the windscreen.

 

i've gotta agree with the 'dont drive with a laptop on your co pilots lap' thing,

i was going to do that years ago before satnavs became affordable, but i couldent get the gps mouse to communicate with my laptop, thankfull as it turned out, as the trip to scotland we were going on, and planned to have sam with the laptop on her knee relaying the routing instructions ended 3 miles from home, when we both got distracted and ended up hitting stationary traffic,

we were thrown forwards very slightly, van dosent have airbags, but if there was 5 kilos of laptop free to fly about, things could have been a lot different, it would have hit the screen then bounced back into sams face,
if there was an air bag then it would have propelled the laptop into at great force.

the smart car on the other hand has airbags all over it, and when i fitted the sat nav holder i spent a while studying their locations and protectories, and found a few places the sat nav would go but would end up becoming an unguided rocket propelled missile in the event of airbag deployment,

 

OK ordering one of these today this one see how it performs, probable start off using both lappy and satnav.

As for the safety issue suppose anything in the motor home thats loose is a potential missile should there be an accident. Don't think the one's that are suckered to the windscreen are are practical and would, somewhat reduce the vision of the driver; however there are several laptop/bracket type clamps available, and providing its positioned suitably i can't see there being a safety issue.

Regards

 

Good luck,
now you will have two things arguing with each other as they usually disagree on the route....

Seriously, I did try this, I had Jan using Autoroute 07 and I used TT.. we would plot the route and set off... but invariable I would take a turn as advised by TT and Jan would inform me we were going the wrong way ..according to Autoroute oh: .. so it led to more arguments than I had with Jane on TT alone.. so I gave up on it .. :Sad: