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#61
August 29th 04, 02:10 AM
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Mxsmanic wrote:
Ron Hunter writes: A serial port still? Sigh. This GPS owner will NOT buy another one until they abandon this artifact of a previous century! Why abandon it? It's adequate to the task and it's the most compatible interface around. Not at all. 90% of the problems people reported with communications before USB and Ethernet became common were caused by incorrect serial port connections, or setup. It's a SLOW and cumbersome method, and requires power cycling to connect and disconnect. It's fine for connecting a keyboard, but I wouldn't deal with it again for all the tea in China. I certainly won't buy another GPS receiver until they ditch the ancient interface. 
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#62
August 29th 04, 02:13 AM
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Mxsmanic wrote:
Jeremy Nixon writes: Compatible with what? If I bought a GPS receiver with a serial port, I wouldn't be able to plug it into *any* computer I own without some kind of adapter. Then the fault is in your computer, not the GPS receiver. Serial ports are probably the most common types of hardware computer-to-computer interface in the world, (although Ethernet must be pretty common by now, too). No, I really want a nice GPS unit, but a serial port totally disqualifies a unit from consideration. Does running on old-fashioned AA batteries disqualify it as well? After all, they were invented more than five years ago, so they can't be of any use today. Do you have to turn off your computer to change the batteries in your GPS? Does it require a cable with a special connector (not at ALL standard from computer to computer) on each end? Does it require you configure the GPS for that particular flavor of battery from that manufacturer, and for that software? Not a good analogy at all.
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#63
August 29th 04, 02:15 AM
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#64
August 29th 04, 03:11 AM
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Ron Hunter writes:
Do you have to turn off your computer to change the batteries in your GPS? No, but I do have to turn off the GPS (I think). Does it require a cable with a special connector (not at ALL standard from computer to computer) on each end? The connectors are standard but a cable with the correct one at each end isn't. Does it require you configure the GPS for that particular flavor of battery from that manufacturer, and for that software? No. Not a good analogy at all. I agree. I'm not even sure what sort of analogy you're trying to draw. -- Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.
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#65
August 29th 04, 03:12 AM
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Ron Hunter writes:
Did I suggest they should remove the serial interface? I suggest that if a GPS manufacturer wants me to connect my computer to the GPS and transfer megabytes of information, then 115kbps isn't going to hack it, even if I didn't mind shutting the computer down to connect, and then disconnect the GPS (which I DO mind). Why do you need to transfer megabytes of information? How many GPS units are in use by people who own personal computers vs how many consumer units are in use for those other purposes. It doesn't make sense. Neither does transferring megabytes between the PC and the GPS. -- Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.
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#66
August 29th 04, 03:14 AM
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Ron Hunter writes:
Not at all. 90% of the problems people reported with communications before USB and Ethernet became common were caused by incorrect serial port connections, or setup. Now they are caused by Ethernet and USB connections. The more things change, the more they remain the same. It's a SLOW and cumbersome method, and requires power cycling to connect and disconnect. My PCs don't have to be cycled to connect or disconnect a serial port. Serial ports are not fast, but in this case there isn't much data to transfer. It's fine for connecting a keyboard, but I wouldn't deal with it again for all the tea in China. As long as _I_ can keep it when I want or need it, that's fine with me. I certainly won't buy another GPS receiver until they ditch the ancient interface. Careful, their stock prices may plummet! -- Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.
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#67
August 29th 04, 10:14 AM
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Mxsmanic wrote:
Ron Hunter writes: Do you have to turn off your computer to change the batteries in your GPS? No, but I do have to turn off the GPS (I think). Does it require a cable with a special connector (not at ALL standard from computer to computer) on each end? The connectors are standard but a cable with the correct one at each end isn't. Does it require you configure the GPS for that particular flavor of battery from that manufacturer, and for that software? No. Not a good analogy at all. I agree. I'm not even sure what sort of analogy you're trying to draw. I'm not drawing one. The analogy of batteries to serial connections was a bad one. The connection on the Magellan 315 is ANYTHING but standard. I attempted to use it once, but couldn't decipher the software so I am not sure if the serial port was correctly configured, or not. The software was an example of software written by people who knew exactly how the system worked, but weren't ABOUT to let the user in on their secret. I discarded the idea of loading localized databases after a few tries. I love the GPS, and enjoyed using it on vacation this year (Alaskan Cruise), and would love to have one with the moving map, but the idea of trying to load several megabytes of data to it over a serial connection is just NOT something I would undertake.
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#68
August 29th 04, 10:17 AM
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Mxsmanic wrote:
Ron Hunter writes: Did I suggest they should remove the serial interface? I suggest that if a GPS manufacturer wants me to connect my computer to the GPS and transfer megabytes of information, then 115kbps isn't going to hack it, even if I didn't mind shutting the computer down to connect, and then disconnect the GPS (which I DO mind). Why do you need to transfer megabytes of information? How many GPS units are in use by people who own personal computers vs how many consumer units are in use for those other purposes. It doesn't make sense. Neither does transferring megabytes between the PC and the GPS. Of course it does. Many of the newer GPS receivers have moving map displays with information for much of the US, but will limited detail. Software exists to load database information from localized areas that will show every road, service station, post office, etc. in any local area, or even for other countries. These data bases can be several megabytes in size. Loading through a serial cable at the 'standard' load speed of 9600bps would be like trying to bail the Alantic Ocean with a teacup.
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#69
August 29th 04, 10:18 AM
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Mxsmanic wrote:
Ron Hunter writes: Not at all. 90% of the problems people reported with communications before USB and Ethernet became common were caused by incorrect serial port connections, or setup. Now they are caused by Ethernet and USB connections. The more things change, the more they remain the same. It's a SLOW and cumbersome method, and requires power cycling to connect and disconnect. My PCs don't have to be cycled to connect or disconnect a serial port. Serial ports are not fast, but in this case there isn't much data to transfer. It's fine for connecting a keyboard, but I wouldn't deal with it again for all the tea in China. As long as _I_ can keep it when I want or need it, that's fine with me. I certainly won't buy another GPS receiver until they ditch the ancient interface. Careful, their stock prices may plummet! I doubt it, but then I suspect I am not the ONLY one who feels this way. I have heard others express the same opinion.
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#70
August 29th 04, 10:19 AM
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