Related
Hi!
I am still unsure if I should get a bluetooth GPS or a wired one.
The wired ones are about half the price of the bluetooth at the moment.
I wonder how the USB GPS are powered? Do they need a seperate battery or do they get their power from the XDA over USB?
Can I put my XDA in the cig-lighter for power and the GPS in the XDA without needing any additional batteries?
Thanks for help!
Dominik
You cant use a usb gps with your xda, you will need a serial gps, I have been involved with gps navigation for pda's for some time now. I cannot see that a bluetooth gps has any advantage over a wired system if it is for use only in the car, the xda needs to be powered for anything other than short journeys so it is still wired even if you use bluetooth. I am about to sell my xda2 as bluetooth was the main reason for getting it however I think my xda1 with 64 meg ram and 256 sd card does all I want it to, I will be using a dirt cheap digitraveler gps which I can also use with any other computer with a serial port, if no serial exists on the laptop I can use a usb to serial adaptor. Having said all that, if the person uses the gps away from the car then bluetooth is a bonus as the gps is self powered, but so is the digitraveler, though larger and heavier it runs on 3 x aaa batteries and could be used away from the vehicle. Its different strokes for different folks so buy what suits your needs. By the way the Fortuna GPSmart and the Holux gr-230 can be used as a wired gps using a cheap optional cable/charger, or as a wireless bluetooth gps, both run at a fast 38400 and are very good at the task of locking to gps.
GPS
Hi!
I have an XDAII. Do I need a serial or USB GPS for it?
So, with that wired GPS, is the setup stated above possible? Like no batteries in the GPS, connected to the XDAII being charged by the cig-lighter itself?
If not, I would have to charge two devices at the same time during long travels....
Thx
Dominik
You could buy a cheap haicom gps, with all the serial gps kits you get a lead with a lighter plug connected, the same lead powers the gps and the xda/pda. Have a look here and use the drop down box on the haicom ad, choose xda, very cheap, very effective and powers both xda and gps. This is for use in car only. For less than £50. Also you can obtain various leads for it that will allow you to use it with another pda/laptop/pc etc.
http://www.globalpositioningsystems.co.uk/allprods.php?category_id=14
Will it power and work on the XDA II.
Yes, make sure beams in unchecked under settings/connections, in tomtom choose tomtom gps then choose com1.
Ok, I want to use the XDAII in the LandRover for mapping, it is noisy in the truck, I also want to play MP3 WMA files via the car stereo.
I have a Garmin eTrex but am willing to get something dedicated if the price is right.
I want a cradle for the XDAII that will hold it securly,
I want to power/charge the XDAII and GPS
I want to get the audio out of the bottom connector into the front of the stereo (3.5mm socket) for music play back (poss hands free phone too)
I still have various bits of hands free kit from when I used to fix 'carphones' in the early 90's. It would be nice if i can fit a mic in car for voice dial and calls too.
If the info on the tech page is correct on the bottom connector it would appear all is straight forward to do myself, However we all know for the cost of the parts I could by something that would do what i want and more. So what will do it. I am unsure on the XDA to XDAII connection compatability.
Current experiance of produced products is a duel universal mount from memory-map, the GPS fits fine but the XDAII just falls out, not good for £30
Cheers
Hi,
I wish the same thing that you. I would like to use the Xda2 with Land Rover Discovery for mapping together my Garmin 3+.
To do this maybe we have to make a serial and power cable or find someone who can make it.
I think the pinage for xda2 is slightly different than the xda1. In myxda.com they said: "Most accessories are not common to both except for the car charger".
If someone here can help us to know what the correct pinage for xda2 than we can make one.
Or we can buy a serial cable from O2 (I am oredering one now) and check what is the pinage used for it and mix with the car charger adapter.
what do you think about it?
Charger from xda1, serial cable, gps, usb cable (charging problem) all work with xda2, cradle also works but you need to shave a little off the inside or you will mark your xda2. I have an arkon cradle/speaker, 2 usb power jacks, speaker jack with 2.5 to 3.5 converter from xda1, this works with xda2 but the rf break through from the phone to the speaker in the cradle is atrocious, i wish I knew how to fix that problem because when you receive a call you have 10 seconds or more of rf noise before you get to hear or speak to the caller, other than that it is fine and comes with lots of different mounting options.
pinout
When I get chance Ill get my scope on the pins and work it out. Ive had my eTrex working, used the standard serial lead for the XDA2 and the eTrex, just made a null modem adapter to connect between em (info on memory map web site) Works well but you have to dissable beaming as i think they share the same comm port.
I was going to buy the eTrex connector to bare ends from Garmin but it doesn't carry power only data!!! typical. Have thought of getting one of the dedicated GPS units.
So the next best option is to have a cable from the XDA2 to a small box, this will have TX/RX audio, power and data. The box will have a PSU for the XDA and a cigar socket to for the eTrex standard lead. Id rather not chop up the lead as it cost silly money.
Re: pinout
TDIPower said:
So the next best option is to have a cable from the XDA2 to a small box, this will have TX/RX audio, power and data. The box will have a PSU for the XDA and a cigar socket to for the eTrex standard lead.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
...and your price for building these for every owner of an XDA2 (cos we're all going to want one! ) will be....?
Sounds like this would be accessory number 1 for anyone with an XDA2 and a car.
I've also got an eTrex, and I bought a serial/power Y-shaped cable last year for it, so they are available. It has a cigarette lighter plug to provide the power, and a serial output too for my laptop. Let me know if you need details - seems silly to buy a new GPS just because you can't get a combined data/power lead for it. It cost me £24 mail order, IIRC.
XDA connector
I need to find a UK supplier of the XDA connector, this would get the cost down. The easy way would be to buy the in car charger, strip it, mount the charger in the box, replace the cable with one that will do all the connections.
Ill try and play, get it set up and post somthing on here
Craddle for XDAII /MDAII
T-mobile germany sells one for €199, INCLUSIVE of sat nav software and wired mouse
Ready to mount
Re: pinout
Sorry. What is the meaning of PSU?
sublimatica said:
TDIPower said:
So the next best option is to have a cable from the XDA2 to a small box, this will have TX/RX audio, power and data. The box will have a PSU for the XDA and a cigar socket to for the eTrex standard lead.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
...and your price for building these for every owner of an XDA2 (cos we're all going to want one! ) will be....?
Sounds like this would be accessory number 1 for anyone with an XDA2 and a car.
I've also got an eTrex, and I bought a serial/power Y-shaped cable last year for it, so they are available. It has a cigarette lighter plug to provide the power, and a serial output too for my laptop. Let me know if you need details - seems silly to buy a new GPS just because you can't get a combined data/power lead for it. It cost me £24 mail order, IIRC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
PSU
PSU is short for Power Supply Unit. the bit that powers/charges the unit.
Sorry im not used to multi language conversation.
PSU
No problem!
I will learn a little bit every day
I am also currently looking at my options as like you TDIpower, I am trying to use the XDAII in a noisey landy.
I am interested in the parrot ck3000 which according to the blurb connects your phone etc via a bluetooth unit into your stereo unit. I have not looking into all the issues but I assume you would be able to use the phone/navigation and MP3 via this unit through the vehicle speakers to be able to hear whats going on? Mind you when I'm going a full tilt I can hardly hear the speakers either??
I know a couple of others on here have the parrot unit so mybe they could shed some light on this??
Cheers
sdio fm trasnmitor
i do not know if it is exist (sdio fm trasnmitor) but this will be a good solution for this case!
Hey,
Sorry to bring up old posts, but has anyone found a solution for Mount, Power, GPS (etrex) and Audio?
Dave
Have you seen this one ?
http://www.seidioonline.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=BD-SMGF1XDAII
A friend of mine bought one for his iPaq and it's brilliant, just like a cellphone cradle, slide it in, and you are ready to go.
Hi
What you are asking for is available, apart from the sound in the form of the carcomm cradle http://www.totalpda.co.uk/product4738_0.aspx.
According to the connector wiring on this site you should be abale to get sound from the bottom connector, but what the connector page fails to tell you is you only get sound out o fthe bottom connector during in a call, so its no use for MP3 or Navigation sounds. Currently I am using the jack plug which is a real pain to plug in. See http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?p=50643#50643
Re the Parrot CK3000, I have just taken one out of my car as it did not work with the XDA2 if you have installed bluetooth tools. And without bluetooth tools the bluetooth GPS device would not work. Also you cant currently send sound over bluetooth apart from when in a voice call.
If you find a solution to sound from the bottom connector please dont forget to post.
Good luck
JustinP
@justinp: There appears to be A way to get all sound from the bottom connector.
The T-Mobile MDAII Carkit (QTek2020 carkit and the Yeti carkit are the same make) do just that!
Unfortunately I have this (cheaper) XDAII / iMate (Expansys-sold like) carkit wich only give in-call audio via the bottom connector.
There is someting with pin19 and pin9 (I read on the german www.ppc-welt.info forum).
pin19 must be grounded
pin 9 must NOT be connected (it is on some carkits thus messing up proper operation).
Now if someone can verify this!!
:?:
I have the new XDA II car kit that works well if I'm making a call, well well enough, I now need to get the antenna for the kid, I have been to Tottenham Ct. road and have no help from those sad shop keepers.
Who's antenna fits in to the kit and will it work with everyones software.
Help I've never had sat nav before.
Thanks
Most car kits (if not all) don't include a builtin GPS receiver - so an antenna alone would not be enough! You probably need to buy a GPS receiver (most of these have internal antennae) that connects to the socket on your carkit... the one to get will depend on the socket type.
Let us know exactly which car kit you have (e.g. post a link to it) for more information.
Thanks, I have got tthe Tom Tom reciever and it had the same American phone socket that fitted into the car kit and it fired up first time, I am well impressed.
The onoy problem I now have is if Tom Tom is taking me somewhere and I recieve a call it locks up as I end te call (not during) and I have to exit the program and re launch it. A pain when on the motorway.
Thanks
I know it doesn't answer your question, but both this and this appear to be the same issue.
Let us know if you manage to sort it out!
Thanks for the link mate
There seems to be the same probllem with others.
Just got back with a few beers inside me and really ought to sort this thing out tomorrow.
Hic hic
I love you all
Adz Butler
If you want to use Mapping software then you need a GPS receiver. The Emtac Bluetooth GPS works, provided that you install Bluetooth Tools.
Do you want a GPS Receiver that plugs into the SD slot or one that plugs into the connector at the bottom - i.e. a Serial GPS.
Don't buy a GPS Antenna - they are cheaprer - but they are no use to you except to plug in to a GPS receiver to get better signal
Mike
"Most car kits (if not all) don't include a builtin GPS receiver"
This will confuse people - most people think of a "car kit" being for handsfree audio.
I think what you are referring to is a street navigation kit.
mikeaus said:
"Most car kits (if not all) don't include a builtin GPS receiver"
This will confuse people - most people think of a "car kit" being for handsfree audio.
I think what you are referring to is a street navigation kit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Huh? I think you failed to spot the word don't.
I have recently bought a XDA2 copy (SPV-M1000), Have Sat Nav working perfectly and would like to fit a full car kit...
From what I can see on the forums - none seem to work well..
I do not need to power the BT GPS as I have wired that already and it works fine.
At the moment I have a full Sony Ericsson P900 kit installed, can it be modified ie cable from cradle unplugged and a new cradle with xda2 lead plugged in ???
Anyway, I need a good working kit if one is available, I have looked at one supposedly an O2 original kit at £145 plus Delivery & VAT... but I think I have seen on here that it either echoes or blows the radio...
Please HELP
regards Alan - ps great forum, best i've seen so far.......
So far the BEST car kit I've found is from Yeti. See the other thread regarding car kits for details. It is not cheap, around 250 Euros. I have one on the way.
Here's the description from their e-mail:
The carkit you seem to be looking for desperately really does exist! In fact, we’ve already sold large amounts of it, also to overseas customers… The specs listed on the forum by a Dutch contributor are right, only the connection to the carstereo doesn’t come standardly: if your carstereo has a line-in, then a special cable is required (ˆ 40,- ex VAT). If your carstereo has no line-in, then a special connection box (ˆ 55,- ex VAT) is required in addition to the cable.
Once having made the connection with your carstereo, you can listen to the Music files on your PDA in stereo over the carstereo and control the volume on the carstereo as well. As soonj as you answer the phone or place a call yourself, the PDA will mute the music and your voice-call will then sound over the carstereo. Should you be using navigation software on your PDA (the carkit has a connector for a GPSmouse), then all navigation instructions will sound over the music files you’re playing, without muting your carstereo (since that would soon be very annoying when navigating in town!). And ofcourse the PDA will be charged in the carkit.
As you may have seen on our website, the carkit comes standardly with a microphone, external speaker, junction box, connection cables, firm PDA holder and small installation materials. A GSM-antennae (with standard connector) is required, because the PDA’s internal antennae will be switched off in the carkit. Given the fact that quite a few cars already nowadays already have such an antennae, we’ve decide to not include the antennae in the standard package, but sell an inside-on-glass antennae as a ˆ 25,- (ex VAT) option, thus keeping the standard price of the carkit as low as possible.
Do you want the full hands free functionality or would a BT Headset suffice? If it would then the Carcomm XDAII Cradle works well www.carcomm.nl .
I've just bought a Brodit holder and mount for my Beemer Mini and I plan on getting a BT headset sometime in the near future. That's pretty much all I could ask for. Sure I could get one that has the stuff Carlos described, but I will probably be moving on with the XDA products as and when they come out and don't want to have to buy more again and again...or at least not at so hefty a price.
Anthony
Hi
Those who recognise my name will know I recently got a fantastic Brodit holder and charger for my XDA2, but now I'm looking for GPS stuff too.
Does anyone have any suggestions on which is the best (and more importantly value for money) GPS receiver, and also what is the best software? Not that I would encourage such things, but are the "evaluation" versions you can "acquire" off the net any good, do they show you how it works before you then go and buy the real software?
I'm interested in the smaller gps units as I do not like the look of bulky ones.
Cheers
Anthony
Hi
I use the Fortuna Clipon Bluetooth. it is portable and has an 8 hour battery life. The software i use is TomTom 3.
There are plenty of reviews at www.pocketgps.co.uk .
Regards
The Pilgrim
I would definitely recommend any Bluetooth GPS receiver.
Plusses:
- Own power supply (rechargeable battery)
- Less wires inside car (no "Y-cable", but if you want it permanently powered you still need it wired to +12V)
- Can be used outside of car (bevause of battery)
- When constantly powered keeps its fix (this is the best plus for me)
Minus:
- Price
On eBay you might get lucky in buying a cheap one. I bought my DCONNEX DC230, rebadged Holux GR-230, for about 100euro incl shipping there.
I used Belkin BT GPS...
edsub said:
I would definitely recommend any Bluetooth GPS receiver.
Plusses:
- Own power supply (rechargeable battery)
- Less wires inside car (no "Y-cable", but if you want it permanently powered you still need it wired to +12V)
- Can be used outside of car (bevause of battery)
- When constantly powered keeps its fix (this is the best plus for me)
Minus:
- Price
On eBay you might get lucky in buying a cheap one. I bought my DCONNEX DC230, rebadged Holux GR-230, for about 100euro incl shipping there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with "edsub", bluetooth GPS gives you more freedom to move it around. Here in the United States I bought Belkin BT GPS (its a Fortuna Clip-on rebadge) the navigation software is included ((iNav/iGuidance) Version 1.0 US and Canada) very cheap too $170 including shipping. Usually cost $399.99 but when you using coupon 82242, you will get only $140+S/H=$170.00 here in the US. Buy directly from Belkin website (brand new).
For US resident this is a good opportunity to buy BT GPS. I am not sure if Belkin deliver overseas.
If the gps is for car use only I would suggest a cheap wired version such as Haicom hi-203e. Even if you have charged your bluetooth gps in the house you have to remember to take it to the car, if you get it to the car you have to be confident that the battery will last for the duration of the journey, your xda will need to be on charge all the time in the car so I dont see the problem with having a y cable that works off one cigarette socket. The only drawback I can see is when the car has a windscreen that will not allow gps signal through, the length of lead on wired gps wont allow you to place gps in rear window. I have used and tested dozens of different gps/pda combos and that is my 2 pennies worth of advice.
TomTom 3 and a BT Receiver. Couple that with our Safety Camera database and Digitools superb UKPostCode Plug-In and you have a system way better than any other.
And as you have an XDAII you can subscribe to the Traffic Service and have live updates overlayed on your map via GPRS
I hafta agree with Griffog. i have everything he says and i would (excuse the pun) be lost without all that :wink:
I have the Leadtek 9537 BT Receiver and regularly travel round with between 7 - 9 sats.
Bluetooth
I use a TOMTOM BT GPS purchased from ebay £70 and it is fantastic. Absolutely no probs whotsoever. No spaghetti junction on the dashboard and alot can be said for that.
cruisin-thru said:
If the gps is for car use only I would suggest a cheap wired version such as Haicom hi-203e.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a wired GPS antenna and have never tried a BT one, for I have and XDA1 only, but agree with the principle that since you will probably want your XDA powered, a wired solution is fully acceptable.
The model Haicom 203 has been replaced with Haicom 204.
BIG plus for the BT option is to always have a fix, independent whether the MDAII is connected or not. I heard of cases where it can take up to one minute before a GPS mouse has found a new fix.
I solved the battery issue by hooking the BT GPS to a permanent power lead that is put behind the roof-fabric of the car (GPS is located in a bllack box next to the mirror because that is the nly place where there is no heat-resistant layer on the windscreen).
edsub said:
BIG plus for the BT option is to always have a fix, independent whether the MDAII is connected or not. I heard of cases where it can take up to one minute before a GPS mouse has found a new fix.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is correct.
It will matter in the case of a car which will cut power to the cigar plug when the key is off.
It's not the case any more in most of recent cars. It was the case for my previous car where locallisation would take from 20 seconds (normally) to 3-4 minutes in the worth cases (unsure what the reason why but it did some days)!
I have wired the power cable that came with the TOMTOM gps to a USB connector. I then plug this in to my cigarette lighter which has a female connector on it. I also use this to plug my XDA charging cable into should I need it
I got the information I needed to solder all the connections etc from the web! a great little experiment that I helped to teach my son the art of soldering, a couple of sore little blisters later all works perfect.
Bluetooth's certainly good. But if you're a complete cheapskate, I guess the cheapest option is the RadioShack Digitraveler. It's out of production now, but on eBay you can get it for $40 thereabouts if you watch. Comes with its own software, but Mapopolis is so much better that I would advocate getting it. Cheapest software I think is MS ActiveStreets or MapPoint or something. But it too doesn't match up to Mapopolis. My GPS setup is a total of $50.
gps
hi guys
i have been looking for a gps system for ages and i have currently got a global sat sd501. i am running this in partnership with mapopolis and i find its great not too sure on the navigation side yet. but it is really accutate and i think its great with the xda2 you can find a review at the site below
regards kevin beecher
http://www.pocketgps.co.uk/globalsat-sdio-gps-sd501.php
Whilst the GlobaSat SD GPS is superb and very sensitive the big issue with all SD GPS is where do you store the maps?
If you only have the SD slot then you have no other option and if you have a PDa with both CF and SD, why pay the premium for an SD GPS when you can use a CF?
I'm very satisfied with the BT Rikaline 6030 (it is technically the same as the Leadtek 9537, I believe) together with Alturion Pro 5.3 navigation software. The main reason for choosing Bluetooth is that I want to be able to walk around with it, using GPS-supported map-software. With a (replacable) battery with a battery life that lasts for 10-12 hours, the Rikaline suits me fine.
One thing, though. If you regularly are confronted with traffic jams or other traffic nuisances, it might be worth considering to use a GPS device in combination with TMC/RDS and of course the appropriate navigation software (Alturion Pro supports this, I don't know about TomTom). Right now I use the TMC information (via GPRS) that is supplied by Alturion's TMC-server. But that is only limited to the Netherlands & Belgium.
With the combination GPS and TMC/RDS it is possible to avoid traffic jams in all areas where radio stations broadcast traffic info. Up to a few months ago there were only wired and no BT receivers that offered the combination GPS+TMC/RDS, but recently I saw an offer for navigation software (don't recall the name but is was not TomTom or Alturion) including a Bluetooth GPS as well as TMC/RDS receiver.
TomTom also offer a TMC service via GPRS. The BT GPS with TMC you saw was part of the Navigon bundle which we are testing currently.
Dont know if its the same Bt GPS, but Engin (www.engin.nl, Navigation solution by ANWB, the dutch AA) also offers a BT GPS/TMC receiver now. They even claim its modular (so you can buy with or without the TMC module).
Yes that's the same one and the screen shots are identical to Navigon, perhaps this is a rebadged version?