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Laptop-based GPS

O

orchimaxi

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Lebanon County PA - school near Philly
I am interesting in adding GPS to my Jeep, and believe that the best way for me to do it is with my laptop - the units have more functionality for less price. What I'm looking for is recommendations from those that have laptop GPS - what have you seen, what do you like/dislike, what would you have done differently if you did it again? I'll be custom fabricating a laptop mount for my XJ as soon as I'm back in the country, or building a super-cheap carputer out of old scavenged parts. Any and all input accepted!
 
Delorme makes a nice one. The latest one uses a USB port (my old one uses a serial port & batteries) and is quite small. You are right, you can do a lot with them, but not while you are driving. I now use a Garmin i5 and really like it. Problem with it is you can not enter longitude/latitude coordinates, you can only tell it street addresses. (not the most useful for off roading)
I actually like both of them, but most of the time its just easier to stick the thing on the windshield and go; instead of booting up a computer, plugging everything in, etc, etc.
 
I have a rs232 serial Deluo that I use. Along with a program GPSDrive. If I were to get another gps receiver it would include WAAS for in town use.

http://www.deluoelectronics.com/customer/all_products.php

Don't just shop for price. Look for cold start and warm start. This will affect satalite aquisition.

One of the things that you can do is get a hand held GPS and a cord to connect it to your laptop. Some have software that you can get to program the hand held for waypoints and maps.
 
What software do you find has the best features? I'm pretty tech-savvy, so I'm not intimidated by complicated programs, I'd rather have full functionality. Do you have your GPS tabs mounted externally? Do you feel that they are weatherproof, reliable, and have good reception?
 
Would a less-expensive handheld unit be able to be plugged into my laptop and use the software on the laptop to give it more functionality? As in, use the handheld for random things and the ability to have a walkabout, but to still have access to full-blown features through the laptop.
 
I know it would kinda be more intrusive than you're probably looking for, but I've seen some pretty nice units that guys have made car PC's work for them. They hook up their GPS to it, wireless internet, DVD's, MP3's, all the good stuff for about the price of a cheap laptop. If you're not worried about a bit of work, it'd say it's something to look into....I know I have.....its just a matter of time and money for me before one appears in the Jeep overnight!

Stolen from another site.....

* Play Digital Audio & Video
* DVD Video Playback
* GPS Navigation
* Cell phone integration
* Wireless Internet & E-Mail Capabilities
* Video recording
* Rock Cams (cameras behind the front wheels to see where to place tires when rock crawling)
* Run Any Windows XP Application
* OBD2 Vehicle Diagnostics Support

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=102090&highlight=lcd+screen

http://gallery.jackshakes.com/index.php?cat=2
jeeputer0057_1.JPG

jeeputer0108_1.JPG

jeeputer0031.jpg

dash1.jpg

newdash1.jpg
 
If you've got a Windows Mobile-based device, the Pharos line of GPS devices might be of interest to you. They do receivers that either plug into the device via Compact Flash or that work over Bluetooth and supply software with them that does turn-by-turn with voice prompts, etc. I've used this in a friend's KJ a couple of times, and am pretty impressed with its abilities. Nice and compact, too, so easy to mount in an XJ. I'm planning on picking up the Bluetooth version to use with my MDA.
 
I run a laptop with TOPO software. I have used an old Garmin GPS12 for input or now use OEM gps sensors that are small and rugged. I designed them into a product I developed so that is what I opted for.
 
Old_man, is that National Geopgrahic TOPO! or is it just DeLorme?

I've got TOPO! and the 1:24,000 topo maps are great (found in the State series). They kick the pants out of DeLorme TOPO, but there's no route-following for roads - its just a map with overlays you create. Is there a road overlay product for TOPO! now?

I already have a laptop and GPS handheld, so the only concern I have is with software. Mapping trails and waypoints as I drive can be done by just stopping for a moment and typing either on the laptop or the handheld, so its the ability to put my route onto a very good topo map that I like.
 
oziexplorer is great gps mapping program, you can scan and calibrate your own maps into it. we use that in our 24h gps competitions (orienteering?) and safaris to Russia
 
make that one more for delorme , gotta love the turn by turn voice directions .
i just need to make a better mount for my laptop in the xj .

oh and the gps just saved me from a major ticket when i recently went to 33's ,
i wondered why everyone was driving so slow ,speedo was about 15~18 mph off at 70 mph . ( i was really going 90 )
 
Microsoft Streets and Trips with GPS Locator. Tells you your elevation, speed almost exactly. Will automatically account for construction. Haven't figured it out so it will automatically re-route you if you miss a turn. Can get confusing at confusing intersections. All in all good product
 
Another vote for DeLorme's TOPO USA.... it works really slick....
 
I drive truck and use a Garmin GPSMap 60c with Garmin Mapsource City Select on my laptop. Its fantastic for on road excursions, just type in the address and go. For off roading in my jeep I use the same handheld but use Garmin Mapsource Topo. The handheld unit and both programs give you a lot of info other than location. Speed, elevation, heading, distance traveled, elapsed time, time to destination, distance to destination, time to next turn, distance to next turn, average speed, etc. etc. The program also gives you voice prompts if you want. The handheld unit is great by itself. I've used it often for mountain biking and hiking/camping. They have a newer model available now that you can use a media card with for expanded memory.

A good source of info for you would be to check out mp3car.com. They have a forum with tons of info on GPS in a vehicle and on building a computer for in your car.
 
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My brother has one of the cheaper garmin models and he's happy with it. I don't know how well they hold up from personal experience though. My 60c has been submerged a couple of times while it was still under warranty. I wanted to test it. It never got a drop in the battery compartment and no moisture ever showed up under the screen. Its been dropped quite a few times and never cracked or malfuntioned at all. Some of the letters are wore off of the bottoms from being pressed so many times but the buttons still work like new.
It is kinda pricey but I figured if I'm going to spend a couple hundred on a GPS unit I might as well spend a little more for one with a decent screen and more memory.
 
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