latitude & Longitude - Page 2

JakeRich · 12-30-04, 11:40 AM

You've posted it in three different threads. I answered you in this thread. You also sent me a PM with the exact same information. It's not necessary to copy the reviews from this or other sites in your questions. If you stick to ONE thread you'll get a better response because people will follow up on each other's posts and it will all be in one location for you.

Thanks.

SunWon · 12-30-04, 11:52 AM

My vote is the Dell GPS with Outdoor Navigatior. They work well together. Outdoor Navigator comes with free outdoor maps of the whole US. Getting the coordinates inputed is tricky. I had to enter a point and then edit the point with the desired coordinates, not sure if this is the correct way? Maybe someone with Outdoor Navigator could tell us, since I only had the demo. Plan to purchase it next year.

Netropa Corporation said it is up to Dell to upgrade the software.

SunWon

Gizmo0417 · 12-30-04, 12:17 PM

The Outdoor Navigator looks Very nice. I was hearing reports about the Dell GPS that it was a little tricky or difficult to set up. Is this the case still? Getting closer on the software, but still have several questions before making our purchase. As far as the software, we need it to allow us to enter in the long/lat, programmable buttons and able for us to save different locations for future references. However, for the GPS unit itself, it's a bit confusing still since we need to have it reliable and compatible with our Axim 5. If someone could help us with this, we would greatly appreciate it.

SunWon · 12-30-04, 12:38 PM

The Dell Bluetooth GPS was no problem to setup. Although, I have an X50v which supports bluetooth. The X5 is different, better let someone else jump in.

The Outdoor Navigator will save map points in the software, I think. I don't own a copy yet. Another quirk of Outdoor Navigator is the GPS coordinates can only be entered in one specific format. I asked them to support the other formats. Perhaps they will do it if enough people ask them.

SunWon

JakeRich · 12-30-04, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by Gizmo0417

The Outdoor Navigator looks Very nice. I was hearing reports about the Dell GPS that it was a little tricky or difficult to set up. Is this the case still? Getting closer on the software, but still have several questions before making our purchase. As far as the software, we need it to allow us to enter in the long/lat, programmable buttons and able for us to save different locations for future references. However, for the GPS unit itself, it's a bit confusing still since we need to have it reliable and compatible with our Axim 5. If someone could help us with this, we would greatly appreciate it.

Mapopolis seems to be the closest match. It has ability to use Lat/Lon, the buttons are programmable, it has the ability to save your own locations, can use the Contacts list for addresses. It also will let you go off road and kill the "snap to road" function that a lot of packages have. Not all of them allow you to do that. For GPS receivers, any of the CF cards will work in the X5 very well. Haicom, Holux, etc, all have WAAS enabled CF receivers. I would not recommend Serial receivers for you since you indicate you are going to be out of your car and hence away from power supplies. Serial receivers require a power supply and the Axim doesn't provide it. You could go Bluetooth, but then you'd need a BT CF card, which would drive up the cost overall. So, Mapopolis and a CF receiver with WAAS should do it. As I said in another post, contact buygpsnow.com and tell them that's what you need and see what bundle they can put together for you, or you can piecemeal it for yourself.

Gizmo0417 · 12-30-04, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by JakeRich

Mapopolis seems to be the closest match. It has ability to use Lat/Lon, the buttons are programmable, it has the ability to save your own locations, can use the Contacts list for addresses. It also will let you go off road and kill the "snap to road" function that a lot of packages have. Not all of them allow you to do that. For GPS receivers, any of the CF cards will work in the X5 very well. Haicom, Holux, etc, all have WAAS enabled CF receivers. I would not recommend Serial receivers for you since you indicate you are going to be out of your car and hence away from power supplies. Serial receivers require a power supply and the Axim doesn't provide it. You could go Bluetooth, but then you'd need a BT CF card, which would drive up the cost overall. So, Mapopolis and a CF receiver with WAAS should do it. As I said in another post, contact buygpsnow.com and tell them that's what you need and see what bundle they can put together for you, or you can piecemeal it for yourself.

Thank you for the information. I will be having power source but I also don't want to limit myself either. I am calling Buygpsnow with all the specs I'm looking for to ensure I dont take a wrong turn.

Just to see what you mean by coast, how much does a BT CF card cost? Do you have a link to some of them for us? GFlad to hear that Mapopolis buttons are programmable and able to save our locations and utilize the contacts list for address. Awesome. Thanks a million for this information especially for the "snap to road features" I read your site about this. great stuff.

Gizmo0417 · 12-30-04, 01:55 PM

Can someone explain to me what Dell Bluetooth GPS unit is explaining to me when it says: DELL
GPS Navigation System for Dell Axim (requires Bluetooth enabled PDA) http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/p...&page=external

Does this mean I have to purchase additional service to turn this on for my X5?

JakeRich · 12-30-04, 03:59 PM

For the GPS receiver you need a bluetooth receiver in your X5 (the X5 is NOT bluetooth enabled without an add on card). It's not a service, it's a CF card that connects wirelessly to the GPS receiver. So you end up having to buy the BT GPS Receiver, a CF Bluetooth card for the X5 and the mapping software to make it all work. That would be a more expensive solution than just a CF GPS receiver for the X5. BT cards run in the $50-100 range, the BT receiver is another $100 minimum, and software is about $100. A CF card GPS receiver might be about $100, saving you the cost of the BT Card for the X5.

wakebrdrfrk · 12-31-04, 12:31 AM

I have the dell bt gps. And I would like to get a cheap if not free program to be able to geocache with (i.e. put in lat/long coord). Any suggestions?

SunWon · 12-31-04, 01:31 PM

Try Outdoor Navigator ($19.95), comes with free downloads of USGS topo maps for the whole US.

SunWon

kb2zom · 01-01-05, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by wakebrdrfrk

I have the dell bt gps. And I would like to get a cheap if not free program to be able to geocache with (i.e. put in lat/long coord). Any suggestions?

Check out GPS Tuner. I just got my x50v with the SD Pharos GPS unit from dell. The Ostia SW is ok, but it didn't seem to fit the bill for geocaching to me (a newbie to it here btw).

I looked thru several sw packages and settled on GPS Tuner because it reads the .loc and .gpx files available via geocaching.com. I tried Vito Navigator II but was unimpressed with the way it handled the .loc file i fed it - listed only the cryptic names of caches and not descriptions which GPS Tuner did.

Also, GPS Tuner allows use of maps from various sources including .jpg or .gif files you scan yourself after some sort of calibration. Not to mention the documentation and forums were both impressive, and the author responds to issues quickly.

I liked the interface of VITO Nav II, but some of the postings on their forums scared me off. That and the issue of the .loc files and not being able to utilize the .gpx files. (I want the ability to use .gpx because I don't want to carry dupes - I use GPXSonar for field notes/info so want .gpx files.)

I hope my 2 cents here was helpful. BTW, the link for GPX Tuner:

GPS Tuner

Regards!

Gizmo0417 · 01-01-05, 01:00 PM

Thank you for the information. Great stuff! Happy New Year everyone!

v2drinkers · 01-01-05, 01:24 PM

Thank you for changing to something other than my avatar

PS dont forget to thank JakeRich for that GPS Line and link you ripped into your signature. Good Manners cost nothing!

wakebrdrfrk · 01-01-05, 08:08 PM

thanks for the info

SunWon · 01-01-05, 09:32 PM

GPS Tuner looks very nice but does not include maps. I would buy it for $40 if it included topo maps. I just don't have the time to create all of the maps I would like to use, nor the money to but a $200 mapping program.

SunWon