No serial port
Mon, 01/19/2009 - 9:22pm
 |
 16 years
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I have recently had to upgrade my desktop and laptop computers and neither of them have a serial port. This is not a big deal for the Nuvi260 but I now find that I cannot connect my trusty GPS76S to either system. I use the 76S for fishing trips and it also has the neat feature of accurately correcting the computers system clock which for some reason the Nuvi does not.
I have Googled “serial to USB connectors” and have come up with quite a list of options. Have any of our members had to go the connector route or is there a simpler way?
Don’t tell me to get rid of the 76s, we go back a long way
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Nope, that's the way you have to do it.
Be sure that you get (and load) the drivers for the Serial to USB connector.
USB Hubs
With the serial to USB devices - don't use it on a USB hub - for best results, use a USB port directly on the computer itself.
*Keith* MacBook Pro *wifi iPad(2012) w/BadElf GPS & iPhone6 + Navigon*
Clock
it also has the neat feature of accurately correcting the computers system clock which for some reason the Nuvi does not.
BP,
If your operating system is Windows, the clock is automatically set weekly by connecting (via Internet) to an atomic clock. You can update the time anytime you choose. Double click on the clock (lower right) then choose the "Internet time" tab. No GPS connected needed.
Nuvi 760 & 660, Streetpilot, GPS III, GPS 10X
Clock
If you're a stickler for accuracy, GPS time is currently 15 seconds ahead UTC, so the Internet is a better choice.
Tom
Just a word of caution
Not all serial devices work with the serial-usb adapters. It would be helpful if any folks have actually used the adapter with the 76S and could verify it will work.
Installing a serial port card in the desktop is not difficult if it comes to that, I just did it this week. I have an older UPS backup power supply that would not work with the adapter, but works fine with the serial port card.
mine is dead on, no 15 second difference
If you're a stickler for accuracy, GPS time is currently 15 seconds ahead UTC, so the Internet is a better choice.
Have you actually checked this and seen a difference? I ask because I've checked my nuvi 250 against both radio time standards using UTC (WWV and CHU) and Internet based time servers, and there is no 15 second difference, the nuvi agrees with Universal Coordinated Time. I have to assume that the GPS is coded to display standard time rather than gps time (which didn't allow for leap seconds) to avoid this problem.
I've Seen it
I've seen it on two different models in the past, but perhaps yours, and newer models, are the exception. Good to know.
Tom
XP takes about any
XP takes about any USB-Serial adapter. Vista is crankier, so specify to whomever you decide to buy from that you have Vista.
One small headache is that even XP many times won't find the driver, Vista as well, and I've had to Google the USB adapter for the correct driver, then manually steer to "Use a specific location" instead of assuming that the automatic search will find it.
Great replies
Thanks for all the helpful replies; this board never ceases to amaze me. I didn’t even know about the “internet time” feature built into Windows (was it there in Windows 2000?)or the fact that I would need drivers just for a cable connection. It just goes to show what a wealth of knowledge we have available here.
As drb 52 said, has anyone actually gone this route? Some of the adaptors are $60, some only $18, I would hate to make an expensive mistake. I was mainly thinking of connecting to the laptop, hence the choice of cable/small adapter. The 76S was used as a receiver in conjunction with “Streets and Trips” on the old laptop (BN...beforeNuvi) but the rats nest of cables was a bit of putting if you had a passenger.
The memory on the 76S is quite limited so I have to use Mapquest to store and install the various sections of maps, tracks and waypoints, depending on where I will be fishing. I will have to take the plunge before the start of the new season.
Nuvi2797LMT (2) Nuvi260,Ford Sync3 Navigation. Captain Cook was a Yorkshire man too.
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Thanks for all the helpful replies; this board never ceases to amaze me. I didn’t even know about the “internet time” feature built into Windows (was it there in Windows 2000?)or the fact that I would need drivers just for a cable connection. It just goes to show what a wealth of knowledge we have available here.
As drb 52 said, has anyone actually gone this route? Some of the adaptors are $60, some only $18, I would hate to make an expensive mistake. I was mainly thinking of connecting to the laptop, hence the choice of cable/small adapter. The 76S was used as a receiver in conjunction with “Streets and Trips” on the old laptop (BN...beforeNuvi) but the rats nest of cables was a bit of putting if you had a passenger.
The memory on the 76S is quite limited so I have to use Mapquest to store and install the various sections of maps, tracks and waypoints, depending on where I will be fishing. I will have to take the plunge before the start of the new season.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=312051...
$34.99.
Frank DriveSmart55 37.322760, -79.511267
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I used one with my old Meridian Marine. And LOTS of people on the Groundspeak forums have used them on a variety of GPS units.
No need to by an expensive one. Just be careful if you decide to get one on eBay.
....
get a pci or usb one from newegg for $10
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812203...
GPS Models : 60CSX w/2GB Kingston (stolen), 32GB Samsung INNOV8 with Garmin Mobile XT(8GB), NUVI 760 w/16GB PSF16GSDHC6 (DIED in 30 days), V (died), Nokia N8 with Garmin Mobile XT(48GB), Blackberry Torch with Google Maps.
W32time
I didn’t even know about the “internet time” feature built into Windows (was it there in Windows 2000?)
Win2k has time synchronization built in, but I don't think it's enabled by default. Here's an article on how to configure W32time (the windows time sync app):
http://www.netadmintools.com/art313.html
Not created equal
I have recently had to upgrade my desktop and laptop computers and neither of them have a serial port. This is not a big deal for the Nuvi260 but I now find that I cannot connect my trusty GPS76S to either system. I use the 76S for fishing trips and it also has the neat feature of accurately correcting the computers system clock which for some reason the Nuvi does not.
I have Googled “serial to USB connectors” and have come up with quite a list of options. Have any of our members had to go the connector route or is there a simpler way?
Don’t tell me to get rid of the 76s, we go back a long way
Not all of the serial to USB are created equal either. A friend went through one or two adapters that he couldn't get to work before buying a Belkin that he has had no problems with. I am also using a Belkin on a Foretrex 101 that I haven't had any problems with.
Anytime you have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability you'll get it wrong.
Careful with Vista
XP takes about any USB-Serial adapter. Vista is crankier, so specify to whomever you decide to buy from that you have Vista.
One small headache is that even XP many times won't find the driver, Vista as well, and I've had to Google the USB adapter for the correct driver, then manually steer to "Use a specific location" instead of assuming that the automatic search will find it.
I have two of these USB to serial adapters. Both work great under Windows XP. I have only tried one under Vista which resulted in the dreaded Blue Screen of Death. Both of them are based on the Prolific 2303 chipset. Some research revealed that this chipset IS NOT Vista compatible even though you can find Vista drivers for it. Those drivers will crash the system. My solution has been to run a VMWare virtual machine running XP and connect inside of that, thus by-passing Vista at a base level. This also works for USB hardware for which there are no Vista drivers.
Anyway, Buyer Beware. Make sure the PACKAGING says that its Vista compatible if you have Vista and do not believe a sales rep.
Tell me about it! I got an
Tell me about it! I got an adapter for my niece who has a Vista machine, she found a driver and the PC said it was fine, yet there never was success on it ever working. I traded her with an older adapter of mine and took her new one home and installed it on my XP...works fine. It was a prolofic driver, Vista is a bear.