PCMCIA to RS232 adapters with Street Atlas or VMSpc

[judway]

Has anyone used or tried to use a PCMCIA to serial adapter with their laptop to connect to Street Atlas or VMSps? This should be an alternate to using the Serial to USB adapters. I am having trouble.

Wayne

 

[Steve CDN]

Wayne,

Do you mean you are trouble after trying to use a PCMCIA to serial adapter?  I used the Delorme version of the USB to serial adapter with their own drivers and it worked fine; however a friend of mine bought an off the shelf usb to serail adapter and SA would not recognize it.

What problems did you experience in your trial?

 

[Tom]

Wayne

I've seen issues with the RS232/USB adapter arrangement. For whatever reason, I have to go through a ritual every morning for it to work. It appears to be an issue with port assignment/identification &/or creates conflicts. Sometimes the PC thinks the GPS is a mouse, with interesting results. Sometimes it causes the PC to shut down.

 

[Ned]

If the PC thinks the USB/serial adapter is a mouse, there is a fix for that.  I had the same problem.  Open the device manager and look for a strange device (I think it's a Microsoft pointing device of some kind) under Mice and Pointing Devices.  You may have to turn on Show Hidden Devices on the View menu.  Disable, not uninstall, it.

I'm using two USB/serial adapters, one from Bafo and one Radio Shack, and the only problem I have is I have to unplug and replug one of them occasionally if it isn't recognized by the program.

 

[Tom]

Thanks Ned. The "thinking it's a mouse" issue is the smallest/less frequent part of the problem. Most times the PC either doesn't recognize the GPS or whatever conflict there is reboots the PC and causes a virtual memory dump (can't recall the exact terminology). I go through this dance with the PC, adapter and GPS every morning, but the "right" sequence varies from day to day (aka a craps shoot). By the time I have it working, Chris is way down the road asking me which way to turn.

This is so irritating that I've temporarily quit using the GPS/PC combination and use SPIII for directions (not my preferred option). I've also been looking for a USB GPS receiver.

 

[Ned]

Tom,

Have you checked the manufactures web site for later drivers for the adapter?  I had BSOD problems too until I updated my drivers.  I haven't seen a BSOD since.

The DeLorme GPS receiver is USB, I believe.

 

[judway]

All

Thanks for the replies.

I have very little trouble getting both programs to work with the cheap Chinese Store serial to USB adapters.

I wanted to use a PCMCIA adapter (no USB) to supply the RS232 interface. I purchased a StarTech unit. Can't get it to work. Earlier versions of the card had compatibility issues with TI chipsets which I have. StarTech assures me the new card I have does not have these problems. I downloaded a serial test program and wired a test connector as required. Everything appears to pass the test. The Street Atlas and VMSpc programs still do not work.

Has anyone tried using the PCMCIA to Serial card in this way?

Wayne

 

[Tom]

Have you checked the manufactures web site for later drivers for the adapter?
The DeLorme GPS receiver is USB, I believe.

Looking for drver upates is way too clever for me.

Yes, the current DeLorme GPS is USB, but is boxed with the software, which I already have. I've bid for a number of USB receivers on eBay with the older software, thinking I'd just throw away the s/w, but have been outbid every time.

When I recently replaced the power cable on the SPII I bought one with NMEA out, and I have a RS232 plug. Just haven't got around to soldering the wire to the plug.

Ya knows I do things the hard way.

 

[blueblood]

This a little off thread but has anyone tried the Bluetood GPS. Delorme calls it Blue Logger or some such thing and I have seen others. It seems a neat way to eliminate wires from laptop to GPS.

 

[Ned]

Tom,

Here's a note from the http://www.delorme.com/earthmatelt20/default.asp web page.

NOTE: If you already own Street Atlas USA 2005, Topo USA 5.0, and/or Street Atlas USA 2005 Plus DVD software and want to use any of them with the new Earthmate GPS LT-20, you can purchase the receiver by itself. Call 1-800-561-5105. Your order will ship in late May.

 

[Tom]

Thanks Ned. Just yesterday I received a flyer from DeLorme advertising the pair, but it didn't mention the receiver on its own. But the price for the pair is the same price as they're offering the receiver alone for.

 

[Ned]

But the price for the pair is the same price as they're offering the receiver alone for.

Not much of a bargain then.

 

[Tom]

Seeing the comment on the web site, I thought I might wait a while to see if they change the price.