Garmin <span class="highlight">GPS</span> to laptop

Phil
Yes I do believe you should be able too, I have one I use for the older GPS 176C , I got it from Harvey Norman, It's called a USB / SERIAL LAPTOP ADAPTER by Belkin
N10117

Moving Map will not activate in the OziLite version. Ozilite is just a viewing facility. As you're getting geared up with GPS and 'puters- spend the bucks and get the full OziExplorer. (thru ExplorOz of course !!) There are heaps more things to get the most out of your equipment.

you will have to work out which COM port the usb-serial jobbie allocates it could be as high as COM8 or COM9 but it will work

You can save yourself some mulah on these converters. I bought one off Ebay for about half that price.

Regarding com port allocation, you can assign a serial port # within Device Manager.

I had to buy one when I bought a notebook and went to hook up my GPS and realised no com ports on these new pooters ;)

Flux.

Not sure about the converter, but I find this software pretty cool and useful
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It can do moving maps on google earth. If you don't have a 'net connection on the road you can download the google earth stuff (images) into cache before you go by scrolling around the destination region. The google earth cache can be set to 2GB I think which is large enough to hold a very big area. It is somewhat painful to scroll around loading the cache though.

You will need a full working version of Oziexplorer.

Yes, you need the serial/USB converter - hopefully Windows XP will detect it and install it for you.

Problem #1: You will need to turn off the Garmin when you boot the computer because the computer may think the GPS is really a mouse, and the mouse becomes unusable. Sometimes you can get clever and disable this problem, so it no longer bothers you.

Problem #2: To determine the COM port that is now assigned to the converter, go to control panel; system; device manager tab, and see what's listed under COM ports. Chances are that its using com 5 or 6. You then need to enter this into the Oziexplorer software, under files; configuration; com tab

After that its the usual fun in getting the moving maps happening. Once its happening, life is bliss :-)))

I have a garmin etrex summit connected to the laptop with one of those connectors. Used the driver off the cd connected to the cable. Battled with it for hours and hours and could not get it to work. Rang up the cable technical support line and asked me what driver I was using - told them the one supplied with the cable - told me that was the wrong one and I had to download the updated one from the website. Lesson for the novice - check for updated drivers on the internet before using the cd!!

Good luck,

Tom

Hello All

Thanks for your timely replies and advice.

I have now bought a CABAC USB Serial Convertor from Office Works. It came with brief written instructions and a Software CD Driver so I am going to have some fun as soon as I get OziExplorer software.

Cheers
Phil