Baud Rate Limit of Garmin Mobile PC

Hi all,

Does anyone know if the Baud rate limit has gone on the latest version of Garmin Mobile PC? When I had 5.00.30 (which i still use), I was unable to use my iTrek M7 GPS receiver at 5hz through the USB. I had to resort to bluetooth. Just wondering if that limitation has gone on the latest version of GMPC.

Or if i must still use the Bluetooth (I have a problem where the iTrek's Bluetooth sets my car alarm off!)

hanks

Nrgizerbunny

GMPC 5.00.60 will not find an iTrek M7 in USB mode. I assume this means it does not support 115,200 bps. I tested with iGuidance to ensure the iTrek was working.

Terry

that's an interesting issue. Perhaps the least expensive solution would be to use Franson GPS Gate. It would let you use your i.Trek in USB mode even with software that doesn't support such high baud rate.

I have had issues with GMPC at baud rates above 4800bps over a serial port. There doesn't seem to be any way to set the baud rate in GMPC.

GMPC will support up to 38,400 bps but not 115,200 bps. There is no setting within GMPC to control this.

Higher speeds such as MTK GPS units over USB can be used in conjunction with GPS Gate to overcome this.

Terry

Terry, on this basis, do you know why people are having to use GPSGate on Viliv S5's? The GPS on the Viliv is on COM1: at 9600bps - this sounds like it should be well within GMPC's range based on your comment. Is there a particular reason why GMPC can't recognize the Viliv's GPS?

My own copy of GMPC is (I guess) a week or so away, so you can see I have a kind of vested interest in knowing this...

I don't think you should have to use GPS Gate with a Viliv S5 and Mobile PC. I have seen at least one post on another forum saying Mobile PC will work directly with the internal GPS. Unfortunately, not having such a device, I can't confirm it.

I do have an ASUS R2h UMPC with an internal GPS that will work with every program except Mobile PC though. I have never tracked that one down so I am not going to say yes or no. Try it and let us know! You have nothing to lose.

Terry

Because Microsoft Mappoint and Microsoft Streets&Trips will only use a GPS signal at 4800bps so they need something to do the bit rate conversion.

I haven't seen anyone attempt to use Mobile PC on the S5 yet so I'm not aware of any problems. Not saying there aren't any, just that the only specific issues with it so far were people trying to run Streets&Trips or Mappoint on it or people with no GPS software trying to figure out how to see if the internal GPS receiver was working before they bought nav software for it.

...ken...

There is some confusing information regarding using Mobile PC on the Viliv s5 on the pocketables forum
http://forum.pocketables.net/forumdisplay.php?f=93.
It seems the only person who got it working directly was using an old version of Mobile PC.

As I mentioned, the Asus UMPC I have worked with GMPC only up to version 5.00.10. Anything later requires GPS Gate. It seems as Garmin improved the Bluetooth interface, they reduced the flexibility of the serial interface. I suspect you will need GPS Gate but am really interested in your findings. Personally, I foung the internal GPS in the UMPC was too much of a hassle and rely exclusively on Bluetooth GPS units. Mobile PC is great with those and flexibility of placement provides other advantages. Of course, GMPC will work with USB GPS units also.

Terry

After a fairly frustrating morning (although not half as frustrating as it would have been if I hadn't had this forum as a resource), I've got this sorted out. It's basically a combination of bad design choices by Viliv and idiotic software from Garmin. I'll start a new thread going over the detail.