route 66 + garmin

future-ex-pc-user · August 19, 2003 5:05AM

Has anybody successfully used the following combination?

- Garmin GPS (serial connector)

- Keyspan serial to USB converter

- Route 66 Europe Route 66

I'd be interested if anybody knows of an alternative to use a garmin-gps with some kind of mapping software. Does it work well with virtualPC and win98? I would prefere a mac-alternative.

thanks

placebo · August 19, 2003 8:53AM

I've been wondering the same thing. I think that VPC supports legacy I/O, but I can't be sure. I'd recommend contacting Garmin.

BTW, I have a GPSMap 76, and I'd love to use it with my mac.

aquatic · August 19, 2003 8:19PM

I would also like to know if this works! I also wonder about Route 66 USA 2004. Route 66 sucks ****inshit because it lacks a VAST amount of streets and other detail that DeLorme StreetAtlas 6 from years ago had. Get with the program Route. But overall it's good app. DeLorme's GUI was laughable unless you actually had to use it. You had to mouse up and change the controller to change what the cursor did. On my vacation I just took I discovered Option Shift and Command modify the cursor so your best bet is to have it on Info so you can change it to Plus Minue and the Hand. Now we just need Census 2000 integrated with Route USA 2004. It's great also how it has some of Canada like Montreal. It skimps on detail in rural USA however. It doesn't have my street, DeLorme does. It doesn't have lots of streets in NH or Maine or RI. Lots of detail lacking but I'm sure that will be fixed in the next release.

I am thinking of splurging for a GPS device for my PBG4 12". Does anyone have any recommendations? It would be nice if it's small, good battery, and cheap. No extras, just plugs in and works, with Route 66 and it would be nice if it worked with StreetAtlas 6 in Classic too. Perhaps a small screen for use without being tethered to a computer but not in color or any extras.

future-ex-pc-user · August 20, 2003 5:52AM

I've found a older info on garmin and mac compatibility on their homepage:

"For Macintosh users:

Garmin does not support Macintosh computers at this time and does not have Macintosh software or connectors available. We apologize for any inconvenience this causes you. Information for wiring a Garmin GPS to a DIN-8 connector is provided as a courtesy to Macintosh users. It is possible to run PC-based software on a Macintosh by using a PC emulator program. Macintosh systems normally utilize a female 8-pin DIN-8 port on the back of the computer."

All users:

"You can also interface Garmin GPS units with many other third-party software programs for waypoint management and real-time tracking on a computer. Please be sure, though, that the program has Garmin's communication protocol or a NMEA 0183 interfacing capability. In this scenario, all you will need is the Garmin PC Interface cable."

From the Route 66 homepage:

Route 2004 Mac DVD

"Optional:

- NMEA 0183-compatible GPS receiver (a GPS receiver is not included with the software)"

This should mean that mac-users can use a serial-usb adapter, with any software that supports the NMEA 0183 interfacing capability. It should also work with VirtualPC, but using a mac-native solution would be much better.

Hope this helps, I haven't tried it yet, but I will as soon as I get my hands on an adapter and the software.

future-ex-pc-user · August 20, 2003 6:29AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Placebo

I've been wondering the same thing. I think that VPC supports legacy I/O, but I can't be sure. I'd recommend contacting Garmin.

BTW, I have a GPSMap 76, and I'd love to use it with my mac.

Garmin just said I should contact the store that sold it. :-(

For your GPS it should work:

"JAGUAR!

I am running a Macintosh G4 (dual 1 GHz) and OS-X 10.2.3. I am also using

Virtual PC 6.0.1 with Windows XP Professional to work with a Garmin GPSMap

76S. I purchased an Iogear GUC232A USB-to-serial adapter and downloaded

the latest driver folder from iogear.com. With Windows running, I hooked

up the adapter, followed the Windows New Hardware Wizard that

automatically came up when the USB connection was made, and quickly had a

connection.

By the way, I'm using a USB hub with several other USB

devices.

I downloaded MapSource from the Garmin CD-ROM into Windows and then hooked up the Garmin. I had no problems checking for upgrade GPSMap76S software using the Garmin website or with transferring maps and routes from MapSource running in Windows onto the handheld unit. In fact, I loaded quite a lot, and the download took more than sixteen minutes. I suspect that the slow speed is caused by the serial connection.

I was not running in the background; in fact, I just let the thing sit there and download.

If we Mac users can figure this out, one wonders what the Garmin engineers could come up with if they tried. Also, it would be nice to see Garmin dump the antiquated serial connection and go with, at least, USB or, better yet, Firewire.

---C. Duckworth, Jan 2003"

More info on this site: GPS + MAC

future-ex-pc-user · August 20, 2003 6:44AM

Next link!

This is german but basically means that it works!

"Route66 ist eine hervorragende Routenplanungs-Software für den Mac (auch OS X-native!). Route66 ist in der Lage, Garmin-Geräte in Echtzeit auszulesen, sofern die Verbindung über eine der beschriebenen Methoden in 2.3 erfolgt ist. Diese Kombination wurde von mir mit einem G4 Powerbook unter OS 9 und OS X in mehreren europäischen Ländern getestet ? Fazit: perfekte Navigation auf dem Mac! Die aktuelle Version von Route66 ist "2003-2004", diese ist im August 2003 erschienen.

Tip: Route66 (in der getesteten Version 2001-2002) verhält sich manchmal seltsam, wenn das GPS zwar erkannt wird, aber keine Daten liefert. Das geht soweit, dass Route66 mit drehendem Cursor hängen bleibt. Deshalb zuerst das GPS einschalten, warten bis die Position bestimmt ist und dann am Mac anschließen."

Route66 works with OSX and OS 9 using a Keyspan Serial to USB adapter!

Here is the link.

escher · August 20, 2003 8:30AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Aquatic

I am thinking of splurging for a GPS device for my PBG4 12". Does anyone have any recommendations?

I have relatively little interest in a standalone GPS. Thus I am considering the DeLorme EarthMate GPS receiver. It connects to your laptop via USB and is powered by USB. It doesn't get any more elegant than this. I have no idea whether it will work with Mac software. But I suspect it would work at least with GPSy or any other standards-based GPS app.

Anybody want to try Route 66 with the DeLorme EarthMate? It seems this would be much more elegant than having to deal with a serial-to-USB converter and the corresponding drivers.

Escher

aquatic · August 20, 2003 12:23PM

Good luck trying to get that. Last time I checked it was going to be a year before they started making them again. DeLorme doesn't know what they're doing anymore apparently. Yes no adapter is nice but I already have a Keyspan USB to serial adapter. I too don't really care about standalone functionality at this point but who knows down the road. I don't want to take my PB canoeing or hiking for example. It's small but not that small. Like Escher says, we need a 3 lbs. PowerBook!~

route 66 + garmin

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