Garmin GPS - Alternatives to MS Streets & Trips

Author

Alternatives to MS Streets & Trips

emanon

2006-02-19, 5:48 pm

I just got a Vista Cx and found my Streets and Trips does not work with this
GPS. My program only recognizes Serial Com ports and the Vista Cx uses USB
to connect to the PC. Before I give any more money to Microsoft, which
Garmin product will provide similar functionality: street routing,
restaurants, motels / hotels and other points of interest? North American
coverage only is OK as that's where my travel is.

Colin Wilson

2006-02-19, 5:48 pm

> I just got a Vista Cx and found my Streets and Trips does not work with this
> GPS. My program only recognizes Serial Com ports and the Vista Cx uses USB
> to connect to the PC.

There`s a small app called GPSGate that reads the data from the USB
and converts it to a fake serial port - i`ve tried it with my GPS18
and Streets & Trips and it worked ok.

http://franson.com/gpsgate/

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Phil Wheeler

2006-02-19, 5:48 pm

emanon wrote:
> I just got a Vista Cx and found my Streets and Trips does not work with this
> GPS. My program only recognizes Serial Com ports and the Vista Cx uses USB
> to connect to the PC. Before I give any more money to Microsoft, which
> Garmin product will provide similar functionality: street routing,
> restaurants, motels / hotels and other points of interest? North American
> coverage only is OK as that's where my travel is.
>
>

I believe the 60Cx et al do have serial port connectors in a standalone
4-pin power-serial connector on the back. Yes, I just verified from
looking at a manual: The 60Cx, and I assume others in the series, do
have both usb and RS-232 connectivity.

The earlier Legend, Vista, etc. had RS-232 but no USB. But the Cx
models apparently have USB but no RS-232.

So if you "just got" your new unit .. and PC interface with S&T is
essential, I would see about exchanging it for a 60Cx (more money,
larger but hotter SiRF receiver) or one of the earlier units in the
eTrex line (no usb, smaller memory, RS-232 port).

BTW .. in this case I would not blame Microsoft. Until recently all
GPSRs had RS-232 interfaces. Deletion of this in the Vista Cx, etc. is
surprising .. though for loading large map memory the usb is essential,
and perhaps the designers just ran out of real estate on such a small unit.

Phil

Jack Erbes

2006-02-19, 5:48 pm

emanon wrote:

> I just got a Vista Cx and found my Streets and Trips does not work with this
> GPS. My program only recognizes Serial Com ports and the Vista Cx uses USB
> to connect to the PC.
<snip>

M$S&T looks for NMEA data on COM port.

NMEA data comes out of the GPS receiver on a RS-232 serial port, if it
is to be found on a PC it will be on a COM port. The COM port can be a
hardware port or a virtual port created as a result of a RS-232 serial
to USB adapter.

As far as I can tell the Vista Cx does not have a NMEA output so there
is no COM port with NMEA data on it for M$S&T to find. That is not an
issue with or the fault of Micro$oft.

The GpsGate software (trial version available) will do a USB to serial
conversion for Garmins and create a virtual COM port, M$S&T can then get
the NMEA data there.

You can look in the Device Manager for the virtual COM port but the
M$S&T software is pretty good at finding it.

Jack

--
Jack Erbes in Ellsworth, Maine, USA - jackerbes at adelphia dot net
(also receiving email at jacker at midmaine.com)

Phil Wheeler

2006-02-19, 5:48 pm

Colin Wilson wrote:
>
>
> There`s a small app called GPSGate that reads the data from the USB
> and converts it to a fake serial port - i`ve tried it with my GPS18
> and Streets & Trips and it worked ok.
>
> http://franson.com/gpsgate/
>

Thanks for that info, Colin. No need for it now, but a goodie to file away.

Phil

emanon

2006-02-19, 5:48 pm

"Phil Wheeler" <w6tuh-ng7@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:2__Jf.12634$Ou1.6213@tornado.socal.rr.com...
> emanon wrote:
this[color=darkred]
USB[color=darkred]
American[color=darkr
ed]
>
>
> I believe the 60Cx et al do have serial port connectors in a standalone
> 4-pin power-serial connector on the back. Yes, I just verified from
> looking at a manual: The 60Cx, and I assume others in the series, do
> have both usb and RS-232 connectivity.
>
> The earlier Legend, Vista, etc. had RS-232 but no USB. But the Cx
> models apparently have USB but no RS-232.
>
> So if you "just got" your new unit .. and PC interface with S&T is
> essential, I would see about exchanging it for a 60Cx (more money,
> larger but hotter SiRF receiver) or one of the earlier units in the
> eTrex line (no usb, smaller memory, RS-232 port).
>
> BTW .. in this case I would not blame Microsoft. Until recently all
> GPSRs had RS-232 interfaces. Deletion of this in the Vista Cx, etc. is
> surprising .. though for loading large map memory the usb is essential,
> and perhaps the designers just ran out of real estate on such a small
unit.
>
> Phil

Thanks to all who gave advice on this.

Uh, Phil. . . the lawyer for the divorce will cost a lot more than the
difference between the 60Cx and my Vista Cx :-{)} While I'm sure it is a
better GPS, that is way out my budget. As it is, I had to reach deep into my
personal cash stash to get what I did. Since my edition of Streets and trips
is going on five years old, I can justify replacing that a lot easier than
getting a different GPS. A new mapping program is also less cash outlay than
the difference between the two units we're talking about.

I like Colin's suggestion, but I want to do more research.

Maybe I asked the question poorly: I was looking for software alternatives
to Streets and Trips.

Again, thanks to everyone for the help.

John Masterson

2006-02-21, 5:49 pm

Take a look at NRoute from Garmin. You already have the receiver and
Mapsource program and maps. Nroute is a free download, will interface with
Garmin products and works better than SandT, in my opinion.

John Masterson
Austin, Texas, USA

"emanon" <emanon@erehwon.com> wrote in message
news:6_mdnTzTMf0c- WXenZ2dnUVZ_s6dnZ2d@
adelphia.com...
>I just got a Vista Cx and found my Streets and Trips does not work with
>this
> GPS. My program only recognizes Serial Com ports and the Vista Cx uses USB
> to connect to the PC. Before I give any more money to Microsoft, which
> Garmin product will provide similar functionality: street routing,
> restaurants, motels / hotels and other points of interest? North American
> coverage only is OK as that's where my travel is.
>
>

emanon

2006-02-22, 11:48 pm

"John Masterson" <jmasterson@austin.rr.com> wrote in message
news:kXGKf.20352$Ob5.19863@tornado.texas.rr.com...
> Take a look at NRoute from Garmin. You already have the receiver and
> Mapsource program and maps. Nroute is a free download, will interface with
> Garmin products and works better than SandT, in my opinion.
>
> John Masterson
> Austin, Texas, USA

Thanks, John, I'll give that a try. and see how it works for me.

>
> "emanon" <emanon@erehwon.com> wrote in message
> news:6_mdnTzTMf0c- WXenZ2dnUVZ_s6dnZ2d@
adelphia.com...
USB[color=darkred]
American[color=darkr
ed]
>
>

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