I would suggest the end of the era of a cabled GPS device needs a bit more exposure. While personal hand-held navigation units like the Geko and other-like dedicated devices still need serial connections, Bluetooth versions do not. Either the UI device has Bluetooth built in (most smart phones, PDAs and leading PDNs)or you can buy a Bluetooth\USB dongle for $40 for your laptop that will manage up to seven other Bluetooth devices in a LAN diameter of 30-40 meters.
I would suggest you then consider any number of Bluetooth GPS devices. Cost for a 3m RMS static average accuracy statistic with WAAS capable navigation, that is rechargeable, manages up to 20 GPS satellites by massively correlated synchronization, providing 8 hours duration, and 10m Bluetoothed GPS transceiver comes in around $295US ($120 street) for SiRFstarIII GPS-chipped units. For Nokia and other Symbian OS users, a smartphone navigation application like MgMaps.com can give you state-of-the-art personal navigation with on-the-fly access to internet map sources like Google Maps, Yahoo, Open Maps, and others. For $150 and an appropriate smartphone data service, you have an excellent GPS unit plus a personal navigating application able to access worldwide road/image/hybrid backgrounds. And you can also download KML tracks. PDNs and PDAs with like features would cost you as much as $700 with maps delivered on a CD map pack. And if you want to add your mobile personal location Bluetooth GPS to a lap top, just add a Bluetooth USB port - $50. Bluetooth versus USB-serial adapted connection should be, IMHO, the norm. Yes, there is a bit to learn about Bluetooth pairing configurations for security reason as well as allowing more automatic connection to other peripherals within your personal Bluetooth aura. It is getting more easy as time goes by; the apps themselves take care of the Bluetooth connection. MidNight Mapper aka neil http://redhen-iswhere.blogspot.com -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of David Reid Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2006 4:28 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; 'Mapinfo-L' Subject: RE: [MI-L] GeoTracker and Garmin GPSMap76CSx Tony, I'm still using a Garmin 12cx but I'm sure the communication protocols would still be the same. Although I'm not running MI 8.5, I recently received a new laptop and was forced, kicking and screaming to leave Windows 2000 and finally accept Windows XP AND the fact that my new laptop had no serial port either, so I too had to get a USB/serial adapter. At first, I had similar problems but mine manifested by making the pointing device go berserk. I found that XP was recognizing my GPS as some kind of "Microsoft Ball Point" pointing device. I don't recall the exact device name and I just carried my laptop to the truck and tried to find this in Device manager and reproduce the problem but I think what fixed everything else eliminated that issue too. My fix was quite simple and that was to find a usable COM port to assign to my USB adapter/GPS, that was COM 6. You would accomplish this in the Windows Device Manager. Then, just as with a normal serial port connection, open Geotracker Options and select the appropriate COM port you set previously. Just make sure that the version of Geotracker that came on your Mapinfo install disc is version 3.2 or greater. The older versions only recognized COM ports 1-4. As far as the communications protocols, the USB connection is not dependant on those, only the communication between Geotracker and your GPS. I'm running Geotracker 3.2 and the only two protocols available are NMEA 0183 and Trimble TSIP. My Garmin 12cx has two or three NMEA protocols but no Trimble and I presume yours would be the same. You may need to choose different NMEA settings on your GPS until you hit on just the right one. One of the NMEA protocols on my Gar 12, will cause very erratic behavior with Geotracker. Hope this helps, David Reid Colbert County 9-1-1 Colbert County, Alabama -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Tony Baylis Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2006 12:28 AM To: Mapinfo-L Subject: Re: [MI-L] GeoTracker and Garmin GPSMap76CSx Thanks to Mike and Jon for your help but unfortunately I have had no success. All things I had tried except maybe the definitive step through. I shall keep working on it and let everyone know when I work it out. Tony Cummings, Mike wrote: > Check the settings/configuration of your GPS. If I remember correctly, to use a USB connection the GPS should be set to the garmin protocols & not NMEA 0183. > > > ________________________________ > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] on behalf of Tony > Baylis > Sent: Wed 10/18/2006 5:01 PM > To: mapinfo-l@lists.directionsmag.com > Subject: [MI-L] GeoTracker and Garmin GPSMap76CSx > > > > Morning all, > > Interesting rumour Bill...maybe it all got too hard!!! > > My problem is with the GeoTracker shipped with MapInfo V8.5 and > connecting my Garmin GPSMap 76CSx to it for real time tracking in the > field. This is the first time I have tried connecting via GeoTracker > and I keep getting a 'Status is unavailable...' signal in the > GeoTracker dialogue. > > The GPS is connected via USB as the laptop does not have a serial port. > I do have connection to the laptop via another application but > cannot into GeoTracker. > > I have gone through the 'help' file, done the preferences stuff but > with no success. Any assistance would be great. > > Tony > > > Tony Baylis > Resource and Exploration Mapping > Suite 8, 290 Boundary St > Spring Hill QLD 4000 > Ph 3832 1600 > Fax 3832 1603 > Mob 0419 759 131 > Email [EMAIL PROTECTED] > www resexmap.com.au > _______________________________________________ > MapInfo-L mailing list > MapInfo-L@lists.directionsmag.com > http://www.directionsmag.com/mailman/listinfo/mapinfo-l > > -- Tony Baylis Spatial Information Specialist Resource and Exploration Mapping Suite 8, 290 Boundary St Spring Hill QLD 4000 Ph 3832 1600 Fax 3832 1603 Mob 0419 759 131 Email [EMAIL PROTECTED] www resexmap.com.au _______________________________________________ MapInfo-L mailing list MapInfo-L@lists.directionsmag.com http://www.directionsmag.com/mailman/listinfo/mapinfo-l -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. 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