GPS USB Dongle ???

Former Member over 11 years ago

BaseCamp 4.2.5 Win7

Is the a way to connect a USB GPS "dongle" (such as GlobalSat BU353S4) to my laptop and use the large screen on the laptop as a GPS? . . . . . . :confused:

I love my SP 2720 but I have a new "co-pilot" who want a larger screen like I can get with MS Street & Trips.

0 Former Member over 11 years ago

I am confused. . . :confused: . . I did a search for Google Maps with GPS Tracker. If I put it on my laptop, do I need to have Internet connection as I travel from place to place or does the Google map "update" from the GPS signal? Other than a laptop, the Google map software, and a GPS "antenna" what else do I need?

0 stuartmw over 11 years ago

I did a search for Google Maps with GPS Tracker. If I put it on my laptop, do I need to have Internet connection as I travel from place to place or does the Google map "update" from the GPS signal?

You'd need an internet connection. Google Maps/Earth download the images (maps) over the internet. That works fir phones/tablets that have a cell connection. For a laptop you'd need it to have a cell connection.

0 Former Member over 11 years ago

My first GPS system was a Delorme Tripmate connected to a laptop.

Mine was a DeLorme Earthmate connected to my Macintosh Powerbook back in 2000. :cool:

I don't think there's any market for Windows or Mac navigation software today. We have watched the number of programs dwindle to almost nothing. If you're interested in this kind of thing however, this is where you should be: http://www.laptopgpsworld.com

I think you have it backwards about MobilePC Stuart. The Nuvi was introduced in 2005 and MobilePC didn't come along until 2008. Of course that is just the commercial release; who knows what Garmin was using internally before that?

I wrote about my initial impressions of MobilePC here: http://forums.gpsreview.net/discussion/23202 and a more detailed thread about my usage here: http://www.laptopgpsworld.com/5090-garmin-mobile-pc-hp-slate-homebrew-car-mount

But I have removed the tablet from my car now, it was all just more trouble than it was worth. ;)

-Boyd

0 stuartmw over 11 years ago

Mine was a DeLorme Earthmate connected to my Macintosh Powerbook back in 2000. :cool:

I've got you beat by 3 years :) I bought the Tripmate in 1997. I already had the laptop.

0 stuartmw over 11 years ago

I wrote about my initial impressions of MobilePC here:

Nice review. Thanks for the link.

0 Former Member over 11 years ago

It'd been discontinued.

Yes, I know that..... That is why I said it is difficult to setup. There are lots of people that do use it for in car navigation.

0 Former Member over 11 years ago

Here is a bit on how to convert a modern mat to the old style that nRoute understands:

The program nRoute from Garmin has some issues with several new maps. Sometimes map layers are displaced, for instance water bodies wouldn't be visible. This is caused by the TYP file. The remedy is to uninstall the converted map (not the original!), and to convert again with the option "Don't use TYP file" checked. Converting again without uninstalling first doesn't solve the problem.

You can find the rest and the MapReverseConverter here: http://www.javawa.nl/cne2009_multilang.html
You can find a link to nRoute here: http://www.javawa.nl/nroute.html => click on http://www.gawisp.com/perry/nroute/

I've tested nRoute with my Zumo 550, that goes well.