Develop Bugs

TomTom Car kit for ppc and extension antenna for TomTom gps

Happy New Year everyone! Has anyone tried the carkit which is available from TomTom (€69.00)? http://www.tomtom.nl/products/products.php?ID=214&Language=1 It doesn't specify any particular model, it also says it can charge the gps too.
I drive a double-decker Rock & Roll sleeper bus, my XDA II is working fine in my car with both TomTom bt gps And my Jabra 200 but even if I mount & power the gps receiver in the upstairs window of my bus I'm not convinced that it will perform well in the narrow streets with tall buildings. TomTom say that there is an optional extension antenna, but where can I find one? :wink:
Thanks

XDAII (1.72.WWE); Parrot CK3000 (ver. 3.11); Bluetooth GPS?

Hi,
I have the following.
XDAII (ROM 1.72.WWE)
Parrot CK3000 (to be installed)
Would like to buy:
Bluetooth GPS/ Wired GPS .
Can you help me in solving some issues/question
1) The software for the Parrot CK3000 is the 3.11. It seems that to update it to the new firmware 3.13 will need to send the unit in France (grrrrrr!!!). You think I need to update the unit ?
(I would prefer to install the unit knowing before if it will work, since it cost money to mount the unit in the car)
2) Using a Bluetooth GPS versus wired GPS. Is it really better a Bluetooth system?
I mean, you will need to charge the Bluetooth GPS once in a while, which means cables in the car anyway, no?
Do not really understand the usage of a bluetooth objects that needs to be charged (I do not need it outside the car)
3) The configuration as in the subject does it work smoothly? For which GPS
Thanks for your time and regards.
Claudio.

Claudio,
1) I'm afraid that I don't know the difference between firmware v3.11 and v3.13. Maybe you can find this out from the Parrott web site or by asking them? I can only tell you that v3.13 works OK for me.
You shouldn't have to ship the unit back to France, but according to their web site, you will have to buy an adaptor unit to connect o your unit, to allow you to apply a firmware upgrade that you download from their web site.
Maybe if you can find a forum of Parrot users in your area, you could borrow or rent an upgrade unit from someone nearby...
2) With regard to the choice between wired and wireless GPS - there are pros and cons to each.
The bluetooth GPS can easily be swapped between cars, so if, like me, you occasionally use hire cars for work, you can readily swap the unit between them.
I also have a wired GPS unit and because I hate seeing wires, I have plumbed all the wiring out of sight behind the dashboard. The wired unit works just great and, as you say, it means that there's always power to the GPS unit and to the PDA.
The best I get is 4 - 5 hours from a full charge and on my last business trip the unit went flat. SO yes - its a pain to have to keep recharging the PDA and BT GPS unit when you get out of the car.
I have just ordered a wired GPS connector for my PDA, so that I can plumb in my wired receiver and use it via the power unit in the car.
But - I also have Memory Map software for rambling and walking - and for that you can't have a hard wired GPS receiver unless you want to carry around a big battery too! So if you want to use the unit outside the car or expect to be regularly swapping between cars, bluetooth is the most flexible option...
3) Either unit works smoothly and it all works smoothly with the Parrot car kit. I just need to soft-reset about twice a week when the auto-bonding stops working for some reason between the Parrot and the PDA....
I'm using TomTom Navigator 3, with the important v3.03 upgrade, TomTom's own bluetooth GPS receiver and I also use a Leadtek 9532 wired receiver & power supply cable which I sourced from Linda at www.tdc.co.uk (and I can highly recommend them...)

Wired TOMTOM GPS receiver.

I am contemplating on getting a wired TOMTOM GPS receiver.
I read a few posts ago that a wired one would be better than bluetooth if you want to use a bleutooth headseat and a bluetooth receiver at the same time. The call disconnects?
Anyways, I just wanted to verify this before I buy the wired TOMTOM receiver from ebay.
Also, I need to know how it will connect to the XDA IIs. The websites say its SERIAL port. How do you connect a serial port to the XDA?
Also need advice on GPS as well. I have the TOMTOM 5 software and all the maps installed on the SD card. All I need is a device now.
SHould I go for bluetooth?
Should I go for wired GPS?
Which is the best brand of GPS receivers?
Would I face any problems if I operate bleutooth headseat and gps receiver at the same time?
Thank.s

No replies? Guys come on.. you must know something. TOMTOM gurus all over.

Wired GPS
Alitech
I have a wired receiver, not a TOMTOM one but one I got from Expansys. It works fine and I imagine the setup is the same as when I setup TOMTOM I had to select TOMTOM Wired receiver.
My collegue has a bluetooth receiver and I tested it outo n my phone. It worked fine but took a while to boot up (the receiver, not the phone)
The benefit that I find from the wired receiver is that it charges the phone as well. I use a bluetooth headset occasionally but due to the issues with the in-call volume going I tend to use a wired handsfree (but I'm about to upgrade the ROM to the imate one if I can find it)
Connecting to the serial port on the XDA - use the power supply port and ensure that you turn off your infrared port. this then allows you to use the COM1 port on the phone (having the IR active means that it uses the COM1 instead).
I found the receiver from Expansys fine to use and quite cheap. It has a quick warmup time and, like I said, charges the phone at the same time. My collegue with the bluetooth one can't charge the phone and the gps at the same time.
Hope this helps. My phone is the SPV M2000 btw.

So which is the best wired GPS for the XDA IIs ?

problems with wired
I have just got a wired gps for tomtom5 and i can't connect it to my spv m2000.
I have switched off ir beam done hard resets and so on but still it doesn't work. So be a little careful...other people seem to have had no trouble but something is causing trouble

Tom Tom GPS's
I bought the wired GPS with with the software from TomTom, and it works perfectly.
I also got bored and managed to wire up my XDAIIs to my Road Angel via the same RJ port as the TT wired GPS uses.
Plus, when I'm in other peoples cars, I have a generic BT GPS.
They all work as good as one another.

Ok once again, a lot of confusions.
Which is the best GPS receiver? Which one should we go for. Something that will work with the XDA IIs and fit into the charging and sync port.
Models and makes ?

Go for Wired
I currently use and XDA IIi with a wired GPS Receiver, You can purchase a good cradle at http://www.pdamods.com/products.asp?cat=23 which enables you to charge the handset and power the GPS receiver through the cradle, the GPS receiver connects via a RJ socket in the cradle. You have the option to buy the cradle and the receiver as a package for around £85 which comes complete with various mounting options. Personally i went for specialized mounting bracket called a safety clip which is completely non destructive and is available from www.brodit.com. Hope this helps.

Ok.. now I got it. So a good option would be going for a tomtom mount.
Upon research, I found this one.
http://www.pdamods.com/proddetail.asp?prod=A11XDA2SMNT&cat=23
It has the option to buy a FUZION GPS receiver with it.
I think I will go ahead and order it.
Will I need another mount of some sort? I believe the tomtom cradle is already a mount with various mounting options.

FYI: I use this:
- Rikaline GPS-6010-X5 (approx. € 70)
- Brodit active holder (approx € 60)
The holder will both charge the pda and the gps reciever. Quality of the reciever is very good.
Also FYI: I do have a bluetooth carkit from Parrot. You will find out that bluetooth on this pda means trouble, probably also with the GPS.

Can you provide any urls for these products.
cant find the broadit holder on the website.

I have the TOMTOM BT
I have no problems with my XDAIIs .... but i also dont use a BT headset ! i just use speakerphone !
I love the BT, i can take it from car to car and mountain bike
I have the xda charging on a usb car lighter socket and 1 charge of the gps lasts 4 hours - enough for my journeys ... but a car charger for this is only 6quid anyway and i can mount it in the boot!
i agree the BT is crap on this device, but i hope a rom will fix it.
Rich

I'm using a Holux GPS cradle with an Orange SPV M2000. Has some issues when you first buy it but if you look for my input on the thread you'll see how I got around it and I now use it daily in my own car and also hire cars without issue. Wouldn't say i'd recommend it wholeheartedly but if the advantages are suitable for you and you're prepared to mod it a bit it might work for you. http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/modul...opic&t=13307&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

Thanks for the comment. Seems like an interesting product.
Does anyone know where I can buy the Brodit Active Cradle For GPS for the XDA IIs?

What GPS unit should I get with IIi and TomTom 5

Scuse the Noobie question!
Quite like the idea of the solar powered GPS units, as I will be moving the setup from car to car, are these just a gimmick though?

I've got a TomTom 5 Bluetooth GPS which I bought for £105 from eBay. It works, but at times can be tempremental, and sometimes it doesn't work at all.

Globalsat BT-338 SiRF star III Bluetooth GPS Receiver
http://www.buygpsnow.com/item.aspx?itemid=428

Any standard wired gps receiver will have a built in charger for phone and gps, easily transferred as long as you have a mount in each car, look at Haicom or tomtom wired gps.

Thanks for the replies!
Can I ask a couple more mega newbie questions?
Do I need a unit with a speaker built in or can the XDA have a speaker built in?
Do international purchases work with UK bluetooth?
I need to get a memory card to download TomTom onto, what is the best type to get and a reasonably priced place to get them from?
Also wanted to use my XDA IIi as an MP3 player, am I right in presuming once connected to the GPS, I couldn't connect it to the radio for playing tracks?

Non BT gps receiver & mount

Hi After searching for days now I've finally succumbed to asking for help! I'm looking for a non-bluetooth (the bt ones give me a headache) gps reciever to connect to an XDA2 running Tomtom nav 6. I'd like to use it in the car so a powered mount would be great, but I also want to use it out of the car with Memory Map so it has to work without power too! Am I looking for something that just doesn't exist? What do people think is the best quality/ value car mount? I bougt a powered gps mount from PDAMods, but its crap, the speaker is quieter than the XDAs!, the mount falls off etc.
Thanks for any help, SM

Dude, I feel you're pain. However I don't think you're going to manage it. If you had a CF slot you could have a CF GPS unit.
I use MM too, and what I've found is by using a HolOx BT321 (the copy, not the infamous one) it has an aerial socket so you can use it out walking or in the car.
In the car you attach it to the aerial and out walking or whatever then have it in your backpack top pocket or something. I'm sure you can be resourceful
It doesn't need to be in the open, it can "see" the satellites through plastic. It manages through my works file and a thick wad of tachographs' on my dash so should be ok
Good luck

As for the mount, I went and got a Brodit one. GPS for less, I think, in Wolverhampton did a decent deal. It's lasted me for over 6 months now which on my ardous lifestyle is quite long

Cheers for that.

Right, well, I've had a chance to test this theory. If you mount the GPS or aerial high up, ie on the top of your backpack or something then it will get enough coverage.
However, to be honest, it might be worth waiting until you can upgrade to a PDA with built in GPS, such as the Tytn 2. But that's not always feasible, so we'll try and help you in whatever path you choose.
Are you in the UK? I am, and use software such as Navigon Navigator 5, Memory Map and GPS Dash on the PDA, and it works quite well. I am sure there is other software, but for the time being this seems to cope with me quite well.
If you have any other issues, then you know we'll try and help if we can
Cheers, Elwyn