Oziexplorer and laptops

Neptune I run my Garmin through my Toshiba laptop with Ozi. No problems at all. Have the connection leads and connect via the USB hub. You will need power leads for your GPS and Laptop.

Other option is to get an EeePC and a GPS mouse all up less than the cost of a laptop.

I use both laptops depending on where I'm going and have them sitting on a shelf behind the seat. No issues with vibration at all.

Not worth getting a COM port adaptor for your GPS. May as well buy a GPS mouse that runs off the USB port - they cost about $55 from memory. Keep the GPS as a backup/handheld etc

Hard Drives ???? I've used laptops for the past 8 years on very corrugated roads and haven't had a problem, but I mount mine in its own padded pocket. I also used to use Velcro to mount a laptop on a carpeted board, and the velcro absorbs shock.

I use my Garmin 60csx with my HP Special Edition laptop using the USB port, with no problems. I sit the lap top on one of those hard plastic trays with the cushion under it (normally used for TV dinners on your lap)... No problems at all. As others have said, don't even bother trying to use a serial adapter.

No need for a 9 pin serial connection with the 60Csx as it will do moving map on Oziexplorer via USB.

Whilst not all laptops have serial ports as standard these days, there are still quite a few that do. Business level machines in the Toshiba and Dell range will tend to have them in certain models. etc

Andrew

Don't bother with Serial I tried it and it was a lot of mucking around. Ended up with a USB GPS mouse for very cheap and it works really well. My laptop lived under the drivers seat and the carpet under there is pretty soft and I have never had a drama.

Not sure why all the negative feed back on the USB / Com port adapter

I have a laptop and a Magellan using the adapter with no issues...but yes the adpater is similar price to the the little GPS USb mouse thingy

No one has mentioned a Blue tooth GPS receiver. I find this to be a good solution (less cables to clutter up things - the one have the battery will last all day)

Most modern laptops, PDA etc.. will connect via blue tooth

Hi Neptune
Like all of the above. Once you start using it, you will ask yourself why you did not get the set up before now.

As your Garmin Map 60 CSx uses USB to power and send data to the notebook (I have 3 Garmin GSP units, one also being the 60 CSx), the GPS will connect to the notebook with the supplied USB power lead that come with the GPS and once Ozi is started and you start on Moving map, bingo you will see where in this great country you may be.

You can purchase any notebook, as they will all come, usually with a minimum of 3 UBS ports.The only thing that you should purchase is an inverter to convert your 12v DC Power into 240v AC to power the notebook without the main battery of the notebook going flat, and a car mounting kit for the GPS.

All the best and you will enjoy your new purchase.

Cheers

Stephen

Thanks everyone for your informative replies. Much wiser now.

Hi Neptune,

All good advice above, but I will add that I have never had a problem with a hard drive (touch wood...). I have used 3 different laptops now over many years, have travelled the worst of corrugations and always have my system writing a log file to the hard drive as I travel.

I reckon laptop drives are very robust and able to take a fair amount of punishment.

Cheers
Gerry

I got a lap top from ebay with built in bluetooth -- $300 2 gig Pentium has everything i need and more ( dvd burner blah blah blah) then got a Blutooth solar powered receiver (20 channel) off ebay HK for about $60 sits on the dash board of the nissan with velcro and i have not had to charge it for over a year as the little built in solar panel does it for me

GPS receiver hooks up in about 1 min rain hail or shine on cold start up

some people feel the need to go out and buy a brand new laptop for 3 k... my question is why ?? unless you intend on using it for business and high end usage , its not needed to waste such money - chances are if your going to use it for camping it may get dirty , scratched , dropped , bumped around your car - so why not just buy a cheap throw away that will last a few years....

Boc

I've just bought an eeePC 900A, it's a little beauty. Has anyone found a good 12 volt car adapter for this unit? there's some on eBay etc but it would be good to hear from someone who has used these successfully. I'd like to avoid the inverter method if I can.
cheers
Luke2