Using a GPS Receiver in the Car

[SAHIR.KITTUR]

Need advise on a E71.
Which application can be used for maps without using the GPRS ?

[NetfreakBombay]

For E71/N95/N82/N97 and similar, following would work without GPRS:

1. Nokia Maps (Maps from Natvteq, Nokia owns Navteq)
2. Garmin Mobile XT (Maps from Natvteq or Mapmyindia)
3. Miero ViaGPS (Maps by Mapmyindia)
4. Destinator (Maps by Navteq, sold by Satguide)
5. Mgmaps (Google/Yahoo/Opensetreet maps but NO navigation)

Other than MapMyIndia, ALL use Map data from Navteq so UI is the only difference.

[Digital Vampire]

I wanted to check whether anyone has succeeded in running Mireo ViaGPS on their Windows laptop/UMPC's?
I'm talking about running the PC edition of Mireo ViaGPS 3.0 loaded with MMI maps on a laptop/UMPC so that it could be used as the Nav engine for the carPC.

The ViaGPS application is stable if I don't do any routing to a destination, i.e., If I just leave it running without any destination, the application accurately tracks the car location on the map. But if I add a route/destination and start driving, the application crashes within 50 meters.

I've tried everything possible including trying it on different laptops/UMPC/OS (Win2k, XP, Vista and Win7) and using different GPS's (2 types of USB, Bluetooth, Simulated GPS) but for some damned reason, as soon as the car moves, the application crashes once routing is enabled.

Have anyone really succeeded in getting the PC edition of Mireo ViaGPS 3.0 to work as intended?

Or

Are there any other PC Navigation software that can load maps from MapMyIndia?

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by NetfreakBombay

For E71/N95/N82/N97 and similar, following would work without GPRS:

1. Nokia Maps (Maps from Natvteq, Nokia owns Navteq)
2. Garmin Mobile XT (Maps from Natvteq or Mapmyindia)
3. Miero ViaGPS (Maps by Mapmyindia)

...

MMI maps don't work on Garmin - different format. You must be referring to the original map source (company) that MMI gets its maps from.

Is there a version of Mireo ViaGPS that works on N82? I didn't find that anywhere. On the other hand, Route66 does - has decent maps.

[NetfreakBombay]

MMI sells maps in Garmin format as well. Costs approx 7k.

Link : MapmyIndia Navigator - India's choice in In-car GPS navigation

[neoonwheels]

Had been to Borivali yesterday. Following are the prices:

Nokia E71: 17-19K, N79- 15-17K
Asus: P535 - Discontinued, P320 - 11K, P527-13K
Acer: X960 - 22K
HTC: P3450 - 12-15K

Overall I did not find Asus available with any of the shops. I went to Indraprastha in Borivali W. Visited almost 40 shops, Asus first hand was not available anywhere. Also I found all shops in this mall suspicious. They tell you price and then tell you it is 2nd hand and all that. Then for them box pack means: 2nd hand with box.

Can anybody from Mumbai tell me where can I find company 1st hand mobiles? I am planning to go to Lamington Road next time I visit.

[cnaganathan]

I have a Motorola A1600 that has GPS function. This uses an inbuilt GPS receiver (that can directly communicate with Satellites) as a well as aGPS (assisted GPS that would use GPRS) - the former is lifetime free while the latter would need a GPRS subscription.

I have so far used it only on the normal GPS mode. Reception is pretty good if I leave it on the dash - locates up to 13 satellites. Initial connectivity is not very fast but ok. I haven't figured out how to save routes or if I can export them.

Here are functions available in GPS section of this phone that I have tried out:

1. Supports GPS and aGPS
2. Uses MMI maps - free download of updates for lifetime
3. locate, download and save favorite locations
4. Turn by turn voice assist
5. Three route options - shortest, quickest and paedestrian
6. supports definition of upto 5 points through which the route has to be taken or which have to be avoided.
7. Saving current location / a crosshair location

This phone cost 11k under exchange of my old Nokia 6238.

[HappyWheels]

Originally Posted by cnaganathan

...This uses an inbuilt GPS receiver (that can directly communicate with Satellites) as a well as aGPS (assisted GPS that would use GPRS) - the former is lifetime free while the latter would need a GPRS subscription...

You can negate this by, if the phone supports Wi-Fi or can connect to internet thru the provided data cable, by download directly from the net and not pay for GPRS.

I do this; each time I get the AGPS data expiry message, I connect to net and download.

[cnaganathan]

Originally Posted by HappyWheels

You can negate this by, if the phone supports Wi-Fi or can connect to internet thru the provided data cable, by download directly from the net and not pay for GPRS.

I do this; each time I get the AGPS data expiry message, I connect to net and download.

I do not use aGPS mode at all coz the GPS mode works great though it takes a little time to scan for Satellites and connect initially.

[whitemm550]

Originally Posted by mdsaab

For Nokia you can use map loader, this will load the maps onto your memory. You can choose from different countries, India is there too. Then you will not require an internet connection to use Nokia maps.

get the Mapmy india Lx 130, its amazing with good road details,
check out their web sit at MapmyIndia.com Online maps, GPS Navigation, Driving Directions, Local Search

[NetfreakBombay]

Originally Posted by cnaganathan

I have a Motorola A1600 that has GPS function. This uses an inbuilt GPS receiver (that can directly communicate with Satellites) as a well as aGPS (assisted GPS that would use GPRS) - the former is lifetime free while the latter would need a GPRS subscription.

If GPRS is not available, AGPS would switch to manual GPS scan. Only downside would be slightly longer time for initial fix.

Cell phones have an optimization that uses last knows GPS location to spped up fix if AGPS fails.

Originally Posted by HappyWheels

You can negate this by, if the phone supports Wi-Fi or can connect to internet thru the provided data cable, by download directly from the net and not pay for GPRS.

AGPS is not related to Map data in any way. It would not be used to download Map data from net.

It is used just to speed up initial GPS fix. For that it needs to upload current base station ID. That tell the location in ~2 km radius.

GPS now needs to scan for only those satellites that would be visible from this aprox location.

[tsk1979]

AGPS is useful if you have shut down your GPS for more than 4 hours.
For example overnight.
Every time you start your GPS chip, it needs to know where is what satellite. First location it tries is last known locations. Normally after a few hours, last known location is not known, so it starts hunting for satellites.
This can take upto 10 minutes in urban settings(called cold fix).
AGPS downloads the satellite position data, also called "Ephemeris" data so you get same initial fix time as a "hot fix", i.e 5-10 seconds.
The new SIRF chipset has something called Instafix, which downloads the data for weeks into its memory. So even if you start after 2 days, the fix is quick.

Another way to speed up signal acquisition on cold fix is use an active antenna. But not all cellphones have this antenna port(infact its only found on PNDs). I use the Glisson antenna, and my cold fix timings are near a minute

[NetfreakBombay]

Cell phones do the same thing. I.e. cache Ephemeris.

In Nokia, there is specific C API to clear sat location data.

[HappyWheels]

Originally Posted by cnaganathan

I do not use aGPS mode at all coz the GPS mode works great though it takes a little time to scan for Satellites and connect initially.

I never knew this was possible, ie, switching AGPS on & off.

As NetFreakBombay and TSK1979 have noted below, the AGPS system is just to store the current co-ordinates of the satellites. And this will expire in 6 days, since the satellites would have moved too far away from the stored co-ordinates that were downloaded.

So, AGPS, in layman's term can be said to be an index to the satellites position, for a given period.

Originally Posted by NetfreakBombay

... AGPS is not related to Map data in any way. It would not be used to download Map data from net...

Originally Posted by tsk1979

... AGPS downloads the satellite position data, also called "Ephemeris" data so you get same initial fix time as a "hot fix", i.e 5-10 seconds...

Yes, TSK. I have the SIRFIII chipset and get a fix under 2 minutes, even when I move country. This means that the AGPS information was totally worthless. But with AGPS updated, the fixes are within seconds.

Originally Posted by tsk1979

...The new SIRF chipset has something called Instafix, which downloads the data for weeks into its memory. So even if you start after 2 days, the fix is quick...

[neoonwheels]

Guys,

I have Motorola A1200 which does not have GPS. I did not get Asus phone anywhere in Mumbai - Borivali and the HTC available phones were all > 15K. As a fix on my budget, I am thinking of going for bluetooth GPS receiver and pair it with my A1200. mgmaps works in offline mode which is a boost for people like me who don't want to use GPRS.

Can anybody suggest me good and affordable bluetooth gps receiver? Also anybody used such gps with mgmaps?