USB Earthmate GPS with TiPowerBook

dafuser

dafuser

Land of Confusion
Has anyone managed to get a DeLorme USB Earthmate GPS working a a TiPowerBook?

I've installed GPSDrive which seems to work fine, but it doesn't see the USB EarthMate GPS device.

When the GPS is plugged into the PowerBook, the light on the GPS flashes a few times and then goes out. Looking in /dev, I don't see any devices that I recognize as a USB device.

The whole thing works fine on my ThinkPad, but I'd really rather use the PowerBook if you know what I mean.

I know DeLorme doesn't have drivers for Mac's, but I'm hoping some clever soul has figured a work around.

Thanks
 
I do beleive it is because the DeLorme GPS products do NOT output NMEA signals, but instead use DeLorme's own propriatary communication method, hence why it only works with DeLorme's software or software designed to accept DeLorme GPS products. I recommend something like the GPS e Series from Navman, which outputs NMEA 0183 version 2.01, GPGGA, GPGSA, GPRMC and GPGSV standard signals. I am curious if you have any mapping/routing software you plan to use with a GPS receiver, since I am looking for software myself to use on my 17" Powerbook.

Nosh
 
Originally posted by Nosh
I do beleive it is because the DeLorme GPS products do NOT output NMEA signals, but instead use DeLorme's own propriatary communication method, hence why it only works with DeLorme's software or software designed to accept DeLorme GPS products. I recommend something like the GPS e Series from Navman, which outputs NMEA 0183 version 2.01, GPGGA, GPGSA, GPRMC and GPGSV standard signals. I am curious if you have any mapping/routing software you plan to use with a GPS receiver, since I am looking for software myself to use on my 17" Powerbook.

Nosh
Click to expand...

The Earthmate does output NMEA signals according to the DeLorme doc's.

"The new NMEA-compliant Earthmate GPS includes a convenient suction cup mount for secure in-vehicle positioning. "

I already have the Earthmate which I use on my ThinkPad. I use the Street Altas 2003 on the ThinkPad without any problems.

I have installed the OS X version of GPSDrive, which downloads maps from Mapblast or Expedia over the internet. It works fine other then it doesn't see the USB powered Earthmate.

If I had a serial port on the TiPowerBook, a USB to serial adapter and KeySpan drivers would fix everything. However; Apple didn't see fit to include a serial port on the TiPowerBooks for some reason.
 
Curious. I had gathered that the Earthmate was not standard compliant. My father owns one with his laptop. It works fine with Street Atlas, but will not function with MS Streets and Trips, which accepts standard NMEA signal.

Nosh
 
Originally posted by Nosh
Curious. I had gathered that the Earthmate was not standard compliant. My father owns one with his laptop. It works fine with Street Atlas, but will not function with MS Streets and Trips, which accepts standard NMEA signal.

Nosh
Click to expand...

According to the Earthmate web page

http://www.delorme.com/earthmate/default.asp

It says it is "NMEA-compliant", but this may apply to the newer models.

I believe it's NMEA compliant since NetStumber on my ThinkPad sees it as a NMEA 0183 device on COM6 running at 4800 bps.
 
If that is indeed the case, then I cannot give you an explanation as to why it does not work. But maybe you could help me out. Where is the Mac OS X verison of GPSDrive? I can only find distro packaged version and source on the homepage for GPS Drive, and i'm not stupid enough to pretend I know how to work with unix.

Nosh
 
Originally posted by Nosh
If that is indeed the case, then I cannot give you an explanation as to why it does not work. But maybe you could help me out. Where is the Mac OS X verison of GPSDrive? I can only find distro packaged version and source on the homepage for GPS Drive, and i'm not stupid enough to pretend I know how to work with unix.

Nosh
Click to expand...
I built it from the source and followed the instructions here:

http://chrissnell.com/gpsdrive/

You can find the source files here as well as the instuctions, but I'm afraid you'll need to brush up on those UNIX skills to build it from source.
 
Nope, i'll pass. Besides, it's rather ugly :) I'll wait (probably forever) for someone to actually put out a mapping application for Mac. DeLorme used to. Route66 does for Europe.

Nosh
 
You know, I went to the trouble of installing GPSDrive. 1.31 was the only version I could get installed, and it wouldnt download any maps from the servers. 1.33 and 2.01 refused to install.

Nosh
 
Originally posted by Nosh
You know, I went to the trouble of installing GPSDrive. 1.31 was the only version I could get installed, and it wouldnt download any maps from the servers. 1.33 and 2.01 refused to install.

Nosh
Click to expand...
I have not had any luck getting GSPDrive to see the USB GPS device. I never see anything in the /dev directory which I can relate to the GPS unit. I don't know if it requires a special driver or what, it just won't work under OS X. I wonder if it would run under VirtualPC?
 
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