[gps-talkusers] Re: Earthmate USB cable
- From: "Scott E Ford" <w8sef@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 2 Sep 2005 08:37:42 -0400
Hello Everyone,
I have to agree with Mike. I have been using my Bluetooth earth
mate since March. I have never had it encounter interference, in fact I
even have a wireless network in my home and nether one interfere with one
another. When I mentioned that I had my blue logger say that it was not
connected was in a park. I have only had that happen three different times.
I have worked around computers a long time. When something that happens
only three times and lasts only seconds that is not an issue. In fact I
actually think that I am getting more information as to how things are
working. Now to address them damn wires on the BN. I did a GPS weekend
last weekend. at camp "T". Between batteries and cables I thought pairing
with the PK was a cake walk. I actually have more difficulty getting my
darn blue logger turned on or off. Then I do pairing it. This is starting
to get long. Later.
Scott
-----Original Message-----
From: gps-talkusers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:gps-talkusers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Michael May
Sent: Friday, September 02, 2005 12:56 AM
To: gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: Earthmate USB cable
One of the reasons many companies stayed away from USB, not just HumanWare,
is the fact that different drivers have to be loaded that are specific to
each device. Since the PK or mPower cannot load the Earthmate software, one
has to bank on a generic driver working.
There is no call for drivers for Bluetooth.
At the end of the day, I believe the benefits of the wireless Bluetooth
technology far outweigh the inconvenience and relative fragility of wires.
Mike
At 09:15 PM 9/1/2005, you wrote:
>Hello, Charles,
>Well, it is kind of discouraging to hear that. I thought the ability
>to supply power to small things was one of USB's attractive features.
>And now, of course, the Bluetooth feature is showing its true worth in
>many cases by being reluctant to work anywhere nearly as well as a
>direct connection. I guess that is what you get when you have too much
>confidence in one new and unproven technology and try to re-invent the
>wheel. The whole thing is much too restrictive when you consider the
>price. It is gratifying that the M-Power has at one standard USB port,
>which means to me that someone suddenly realized the error of his ways.
>So, if the PK users want to revert back to the tried-and-true USB, they
>are going to have to shell out another wheelborrow full of money for a
>trade-in to the M-power. Oh, well. I don't suppose a retro-fit to the
>PK would be possible? I know that all this is not your fault. There
>was very little warning that Bluetooth would create problems in a
>mobile and noisy environment. Also, there was undoubtedly some concern
>for the life of the PK battery. If it has to run a GPS receiver, the
>battery might be sucked dry in a lot less time, since it is known that
>those GPS chip-sets are heavy drinkers of power.
>
>Dick Myers
>
>(8):[(8)
>
>
>From: Charles La Pierre <lapierre@xxxxxxxxx>
>Reply-To: gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>To: gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: Earthmate USB cable
>Date: Thu, 01 Sep 2005 19:26:49 -0700
>
>Hello everyone,
>
>I just want to clarify, a USB GPS receiver does not work with either
>the mPower or the PK. The PK's USB port is non-powered I.e. its a
>slave only USB port. The mPower has both master (I.e. powered) and
>slave USB ports, but since I only received my mPower just before we
>released the GPS product I could not get working the GPS receiver on
>the master USB port on the mPower. Maybe in a future release of the
>GPS software will this be an option for the mPower, but since the pk's
>USB port is not a master a USB solution on the PK is not possible.
>
>Our main goal on both the PK and on the mPower was to get bluetooth
>working and have a wireless solution, so having a USB solution as well
>was a lower priority.
>
>Charles.
>
>At 06:25 PM 9/1/2005, you wrote:
>
>>Hello, Mary Ellen,
>>I ordered my Earthmate from DeLorme, and it came packed with the USB
cable.
>>If your PK has a USB port, chances it is a standard port, the flat
>>4-wire jack. The Earthmate receiver end of the cable has the proper
>>connector for fitting directly into the Earthmate GPS receiver without
>>the need for the battery pack.
>>
>>Walk in sunshine
>>
>>Dick
>>(8):[(8)
>>
>>
>>From: " Mary Ellen Earls" <meearls@xxxxxxx>
>>Reply-To: gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>To: <gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>>Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: Multiple repeat, BT 338 fine
>>Date: Thu, 1 Sep 2005 17:41:20 -0700
>>
>>Yes that makes sense but as of right now, I know of no cable to fit
>>the pk for the earthmate, otherwise I would use it.
>>Mary Ellen Earls
>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Myers"
>><dkmyers28@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>>To: <gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>>Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2005 5:05 PM
>>Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: Multiple repeat, BT 338 fine
>>
>>
>>>Hello, Mary Ellen,
>>>I guess it is easy for those wireless GPS receivers to get confused.
>>>The satellite signals are just fine in most cases, but the Bluetooth
>>>wireless connection may be getting a bit offset by automatic door
>>>openers, radio-controlled signal lights, and police speed detectors,
>>>all which use the same kinds of signals. I use the USB cable on my
>>>Earthmate, and have never had a problem with dropout. I like the
>>>Earthmate receiver. Now, if only they could get their software
>>>problems fixed........
>>>
>>>Walk in sunshine
>>>
>>>Dick Myers
>>>
>>>(8):[(8)
>>>
>>>
>>>From: " Mary Ellen Earls" <meearls@xxxxxxx>
>>>Reply-To: gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>To: <gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>>>Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: Multiple repeat, BT 338 fine
>>>Date: Thu, 1 Sep 2005 09:15:46 -0700
>>>
>>>Mike, then maybe heaven forbid we need to look into going to a wired
>>>receiver with the pk.
>>>I have noticed one thing and that is that it has been extremely
>>>difficult to get the blue logger set up with the mpower.
>>>
>>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael May"
>>><mikemay@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>>>To: <gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>>>Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2005 8:31 AM
>>>Subject: [gps-talkusers] Multiple repeat, BT 338 fine
>>>
>>>
>>>>Vicky,
>>>>
>>>>Weather should have little impact on GPS reception.
>>>>
>>>>I have been testing the BT339 and Holux and will soon also have a
>>>>Fortuna Slim to test. For our UK friends who have tried that
>>>>receiver, it runs at 38.4 baud so that is why it won't work with the
>>>>BrailleNote PK. The standard for receivers is 4800 baud. We may add
>>>>a 38.4 selection if it appears that more than this one receiver are
>>>>going that route.
>>>>
>>>>One thing to check with these new receivers is their connectivity. I
>>>>have experienced more drop outs than with the Blue Logger or Garmin
>>>>receivers. By this I mean that the new receivers I am testing
>>>>completely disconnect and the PK says Bluetooth not detected or
>>>>sometimes they just flick to no detection for a second and then
>>>>reconnect. You can always press G to see the receiver status and
>>>>with these new receivers, I would do that frequently to test the
>>>>connectivity.
>>>>
>>>>Mike
>>>>
>>>>At 05:50 AM 9/1/2005, you wrote:
>>>>>Hi All,
>>>>>
>>>>>Well, when I tried the BT 338 receiver this morning, it worked just
>>>>>fine with the multiple repeat commands. So, who knows. Either I
>>>>>was doing something wrong before, or the number of satellites and
>>>>>weather conditions made the difference. For, the last time I tried
>>>>>with the BT 338 when it didn't work, I normally got 4 or 5
>>>>>satellites and it was cloudy, while I got between 8 and 10
>>>>>satellites today and it was sunny.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>
>Charles M. La Pierre CTO
>Sendero Group, LLC
>
>Lat. 37 15' 25" N Lon: 121 53' 04" W
>
>
Michael G. May
CEO Sendero Group
Developers and distributors of BrailleNote GPS Distributing BrailleNote,
VoiceNote, Miniguide, The Tissot Silen-T tactile watch, Talks cell phone
software and the ID Mate, bar code reader
MikeMay@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.SenderoGroup.com
(1-888-757-6810, Fax (530) 757-6830, Mobile (530) 304-0007 Sendero Group,
LLC
1118 Maple Lane, Davis, CA 95616-1723, USA
Latitude, 38 33 9.239 North
Longitude, 121 45 40.145 West
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