Bob Zambenini
Well-known member
If I try MS Streets and Trips will my Delorme USB GPS receiver work or do I have to get their antenna receiver hardware device? I have the latest DelLorme receiver with USB connection.
MS Streets and Trips
- Thread starter Bob Zambenini
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Karl
Moderator Emeritus
Hi Bob,
From what MS says here: http://www.microsoft.com/streets/ProductDetails.aspx?pid=002 (look at 'system requirements') it will work with a NMEA 2.0 or better device; no brand specified or excluded. It does, however, say that it must use COMM PORT 20 or less. As your device is USB and USB doesn't operate using comm ports, I doubt that it will function at all. It's hard to believe that an MS product of this type would not support USB, but I'm just reading from their songbook. Heck, in a couple of years(?) no one will know what a comm port is or was. Go figure :-\
From what MS says here: http://www.microsoft.com/streets/ProductDetails.aspx?pid=002 (look at 'system requirements') it will work with a NMEA 2.0 or better device; no brand specified or excluded. It does, however, say that it must use COMM PORT 20 or less. As your device is USB and USB doesn't operate using comm ports, I doubt that it will function at all. It's hard to believe that an MS product of this type would not support USB, but I'm just reading from their songbook. Heck, in a couple of years(?) no one will know what a comm port is or was. Go figure :-\
Tom
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LOL Karl, while I was looking at notebooks in a store yesterday I mentioned to the young guy "helping" me that my first notebook weighed 16 pounds, had two floppy drives, and no hard drive. The kid thought it was hilarious that any notebook would have floppy drives. At that point I wasn't going to tell him they were state of the art for the time and took 720K floppies, whereas drives on most other PCs of the time took 360K floppies. I did, however, tell him I was in heaven when I got my first 10MB hard drive, and he again thouht this was incredulous. At that point Chris said something like "you're shoiwng your age now" and I muttered something about feeling like a dinosaur.
BTW none of the notebooks in the store had a RS232 port.
BTW none of the notebooks in the store had a RS232 port.
Karl
Moderator Emeritus
Tom,
Not surprising that they didn't have the RS-232. My first computer was an IBM 5150 with 16k memory (a separate board which you populated with 4k x 1-bit chips - total of 36(8 + 1 for parity for each 4k), 2-720kb. floppies, no h.d.(10mb would have cost around $600) and a 12" green on black monitor. Had an 8086 and a 8087 math co-processor (wow!). Internet hook-up was thru a Hayes 1200 baud modem. Later I added a color card and color monitor for all of 16 colors! It had a Talk about dinosaurs. Ned had a few real antiques too, which I'm sure he would be happy to tell you about.
Not surprising that they didn't have the RS-232. My first computer was an IBM 5150 with 16k memory (a separate board which you populated with 4k x 1-bit chips - total of 36(8 + 1 for parity for each 4k), 2-720kb. floppies, no h.d.(10mb would have cost around $600) and a 12" green on black monitor. Had an 8086 and a 8087 math co-processor (wow!). Internet hook-up was thru a Hayes 1200 baud modem. Later I added a color card and color monitor for all of 16 colors! It had a Talk about dinosaurs. Ned had a few real antiques too, which I'm sure he would be happy to tell you about.
Tom
Administrator
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A yes, the green screen monitor. I finally junked mine along with my Apple IIE just a couple of years ago. Almost every closet in the house and the garage had a different generation computer or peripheral. Still have the luggable Apple though and the TI travelmate notebook that weighs only 2 lbs. But neither will run any of today's applications 
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
A USB-to-serial adapter will simulate a COM port. Whether that simulated port will work with a GPS depends on how intimate the GPS device driver gets with the hardware. If the device driver stays at the level of interface that MS recommends, a simulated COM port looks exactly like a real one and has a port number well under the 20 that S&T specifies. If not, ???
Tom
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I've had mixed results using my Garmin etrex with a USB/serial adapter when using SA. Some mornings it takes several minutes to get them to talk, other mornings Chris is 30 miles down the road asking me which way to turn, and yet other mornings they won't talk to each other. Haven't really figured out where the flickelness is occurring though. (Might be me )
)
Karl
Moderator Emeritus
Bob,
Update on system req'ts for Streets and Trips. Acording to Pharos http://mstreets.pharosgps.com/ who mfg's the GPS for MS, the software WILL work with a NMEA 0183 Ver 2.0 or later USB device. You kinda, sorta have to play with the computer to see which port the GPS units maps to, then set the S&T software accordingly. Thought it worth noting that Pharos has an optional USB cable for their unit that sells for - get this - $49.95! Propietary? Maybe, but that's still a hunk of money for 4 wires.
If someone has info on accuracy and timeliness of road construction updates and/or capability to upload/download maps, routes, waypoints etc. to/from Garmin units, that would be helpful - please post.
Update on system req'ts for Streets and Trips. Acording to Pharos http://mstreets.pharosgps.com/ who mfg's the GPS for MS, the software WILL work with a NMEA 0183 Ver 2.0 or later USB device. You kinda, sorta have to play with the computer to see which port the GPS units maps to, then set the S&T software accordingly. Thought it worth noting that Pharos has an optional USB cable for their unit that sells for - get this - $49.95! Propietary? Maybe, but that's still a hunk of money for 4 wires.
If someone has info on accuracy and timeliness of road construction updates and/or capability to upload/download maps, routes, waypoints etc. to/from Garmin units, that would be helpful - please post.
Karl
Moderator Emeritus
You're right Gary,
Only problem with that is the serial port is so much slower than USB 2.0 and it says that each city map is about 1MB large, so it could take some time. But I guess we needn't be in that much of a hurry anyway.
Only problem with that is the serial port is so much slower than USB 2.0 and it says that each city map is about 1MB large, so it could take some time. But I guess we needn't be in that much of a hurry anyway.
J
jscuzz
Guest
Just picked up S&T 2005 at Costco for $5.00 after rebate and in-store discount. New version includes a heading and speed indicator for GPS view and GPS tracks function.
And I paid $93.00 for S&A 2005 Plus 8 months ago!
And I paid $93.00 for S&A 2005 Plus 8 months ago!
Ron
Moderator Emeritus
BruceinFL said:Jeff/Washington said:
That's an outrage....Bill Gates should be shot for charging $5 for software. ;D
Especially when it is more accurate than Delorme product that costs $93. ;D ;D
Karl
Moderator Emeritus
For 5 bucks?? Who's got a Costco nearby that's willing to send one to me? Wal-Mart is charging $21.95.
J
jscuzz
Guest
Karl:
I'd be glad to but it's one per customer.
The in-store rebate portion was 10 bucks but the $20.00 rebate is available on the Costco website http://www.costco.com/Common/Search.aspx?whse=&topnav=&search=streets and trips which brings the price down to $14.99 if you really want a copy.
Ron
Moderator Emeritus
Thats a bummer. ;D
Len and Jo
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$5!!! If S&T 2005 is going for $5 at Costco I might get it. Last time I looked (2-3 weeks ago) it still was at the high price of $15 after rebates. On the other hand since my better half does the navigating with S&T while I drive ..... can the vehicle speed feature in 2005 be turned OFF. I already get "enough" directions!!!
Len and Jo
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Well, I had to have the S&T 2005 update from my present 2003 ver. Our Costco DID NOT have it for $5. It is as it was last month $35 with a $20 rebate (so it costs $15). For $5 it would have been "free" but for $15 it is still a good deal so I got it.
I checked out two location errors I knew of in the '03 release.
1) the west end of the P.E.I. Confederation Bridge is now in the correct location. It was off about 1 mile (1.6km ;D).
2) Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio has now moved about 5 miles to its real location.
We will see how it works in the van on our next trip.
Progress continues..........
I checked out two location errors I knew of in the '03 release.
1) the west end of the P.E.I. Confederation Bridge is now in the correct location. It was off about 1 mile (1.6km ;D).
2) Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio has now moved about 5 miles to its real location.
We will see how it works in the van on our next trip.
Progress continues..........
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
You can usually find a copy on eBay for around $15 too. For that price you get the OEM package, a legitimate Microsoft CD in a paper sleeve but no fancy box or printed installation instructions.
