Home Brew GPS

Home Brew GPS

I have seen lots of postings about after-market GPS systems, both installed and portable, and decided to post my solution.

I have used PDA’s for years and find they can be extremely versatile.

PARTS NEEDED:

PDA - I use the Palm T5. I tried using a LifeDrive but find that the BT connection times out when I use it to go online with my Verizon e815. The screen is large and bright enough to see as long as it is not in direct sunlight.

MAPPING SOFTWARE - I use TomTom software. It provides voice directions, re-routing when you go off-track, and you can easily find POI (including gas stations) on the fly.

HOLDER – I use the suction base holder for the Palm that lets you attach to the windshield or it works really well on the cup holder cover on the center console. It has an 8†flexible stem that allows for easy positioning.

CABLES – You can get a Y power adapter that will charge and power the PDA and the

GPS DEVICE – I use a Holux BT GPS device so I don’t have to have the cable connected to the Palm every time I use it for short trips. You can get on EBay for about $60. I start it on the dashboard so it gets a good view of the sky, and after it locks into the sat signals I can just drop it in the center console and it works fine.

I find this the perfect solution for me. A dedicated GPS unit is just that – a GPS unit. With the PDA I still have all the functionality as before. It can even substitute for an MP3 player in the car. A one-stop solution!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mitchbf @ Sep 20 2006, 03:57 PM) [snapback]322403[/snapback]</div>

Glad it worked so well for you. That was exactly my point! Even if someone has an existing PDA, there are options to upgrade it for GPS use that works just as well, if not better, as the GPS hand-held units that people are buying. And at the same time have all the extra functionality of the PDA.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BobZ @ Sep 28 2006, 06:33 PM) [snapback]325273[/snapback]</div>

My point was that you do not have to BUY a dedicated GPS if you already have a pda.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusenvy @ Sep 28 2006, 06:45 PM) [snapback]325283[/snapback]</div>

OK. I agree with you all.

If you bought the car with the GPS option - use it!
If you want to buy a dedicated GPS unit - by all means, go out and buy it!
If you like printing out directions from Mapquest - go for it!

To make it clear. I did not start this thread to argue the merits of one GPS versus another. or the benefits of tying GPS into the MFD, or which GPS is the best one to use.

If you own a PDA, there exists the ability to use it as a GPS in your car.
Is it the best GPS solution on the market? NO
If you own a PDA and do not want to go out and spend a couple of hundred bucks on a GPS, here is a way to use it as a GPS. When you walk out of the car with the PDA in your pocket it retains all of the functions of the PDA and you have use for it in another application.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusenvy @ Sep 28 2006, 06:45 PM) [snapback]325283[/snapback]</div>

Yes.

It takes about 30 seconds from a cold start for the GPS to lock into the sats. I enter the destination before I walk out to the car, plug it in and as soon as it finds the sats it becomes active. On my setup, it only takes a couple of seconds for it to compute the route. When off-track, it recalculates in about 3 seconds. It's not worth setting it up on a daily basis just to see where I am on the road. I use it when I'm going someplace that I don't know how to get to, or for trips away from home. At a rest stop, or when I get to where I'm going, I don't even bother to turn them off if I'll be back in the car after a couple of hours. (unless I need the PDA for other things) I just take it out of the holder and drop it in the console. The PDA stays bonded with the GPS and I avoid the 30sec cold start.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BobZ @ Sep 28 2006, 06:33 PM) [snapback]325273[/snapback]</div>

I just checked out the specs of the Garmin GVN 52. Appears like it would work great in the Prius as a GPS that integrates with the MFD, but it sounds like it will make a really lousy PDA. (and pretty hard to slip into your pocket or use in a rental car when away on business trips)