GPS III Pilot & USB

[bcfc]

Has anyone connected a GPS III to their PC via the USB port?

I have the Garmin cable with the 9-pin serial connector and have also have a USB serial adapter. However, the Jeppesen database updates and Navbox only want to connect via COM ports.

My new laptop only has serial ports on the docking station, which sits in the office.

Cheers
-bcfc

[S-Works]

Same problem with all the GArmin units. The unit requires a voltage on one of the pins to allow you to reflash the EEPROM and the USB adaptor is not capable of doing it (the USB port in native mode is). The serial adaptor is actually a "PDA" adaptor and so only works on a limited range of devices.

Garmin have addressed the problem on the new 296 and that comes with a USB cable as standard.

I have had to keep an old PC around with a serial port just for doing updates as all of my laptops and PC are legacy free and only have USB ports!

[Hersham Boy]

Oh, sh*t... I'm about to have the same issue, having ordered Flightstar to make the programming of waypoints and routes easier!

That said, bose-x, I have one laptop that will read from and write to my GPS196 frmo MapSource using a PDA adapter. The one that won't is because it has assigned the adapter to COM5 and MapSource doesn't seem to want to look any higher than COM4...

I'll have to dust off my old desktop as well I guess!

[Boing_737]

Hersham Boy,
If you have Windoze 2000 or XP, you can change the com port assigned to the physical interface. To do this, right click on my computer (on the desktop). Select properties, and then the hardware tab. Click the device manager button.

A window will open with a list of all the hardware types on your PC. Click the + by the side of Ports (COM & LPT). Double click the com port you are having trouble with. Yet another window will open.

In the new window, select the Port Settings tab, and click the Advanced button. At the bottom of yet another window, there will be a drop down box called COM Port Number. You can assign the com port number you want here.

It seems to take effect straight away on my PC.

Cheers:ok:

[S-Works]

But generally speaking it still wont allow you to write the EEPROM as the adaptors do not supply enough voltage.

I have not come accross a USB to serial adaptor yet that will work. If someone has one that works for waypoints and database updates then pleeeeeeease let me have the part number cos I want one!!

[bcfc]

Cheers, bose-x :ok:

Wish I'd asked before I shelled out for the UBS serial adapter :O

[Hersham Boy]

Well, I CAN confirm that mine works for updating waypoints and routes... I've not used it to transfer mapsets (I use the automotive kit with my GPS196 that requires add-on detailed mapsets) as the transfer is limited to 9600bd so they take HOURS! I use the USB datacard programmer for this instead...

Mine is marketed as a PDA adapter... it's a Belkin F5U109. Was about £30 from Dabs.com, I think...

Belkin PDA adpater (http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=&Product_Id=91042)

Was reco'd by another PPRuNer on the 'Pooter Issues thread, so I can't take finder's credit!

Good luck!
Hersh

[S-Works]

I have the same adaptor and it does not work on database and software updates.

[yawningdog]

Am I missing something, can't you just use a PCMCIA to SERIAL Adapter?

Like this :

http://www.provantage.com/buy-22085352-quatech-serial-mobile-parallel-computing-shopping.htm

[S-Works]

Nope, none of the adaptors I have tried to date provide the required voltage to reprogramme the EEPROM. This is a problem identified by Garmin and not just pure incompetance on my part.

They have developed native USB support for the 296 but admit that trying to use anything other than a "real" serial port has problems.

[yakker]

I have no problem with usb to serial convertor transferring updates from laptop to Garmin 295.

[IO540]

I use a USB-serial converter (win2k) to load up the Skymap 2 with no problems. It's RS232 interface outputs -8V to +8V; some might do -5V to +5V but the same can be said for most built-in serial ports these days. Most RS232 interface chips are in this sort of range; only the old desktop PCs tended to output more than that.

Does the Garmin really use the RS232 signals to program something directly?? If you are referring to loading a flight plan into the unit via an RS232 port, that should work.

If there is an incompatibility it could be elsewhere; e.g. the PC app is not a native win32 app and most USB-232 converters only support win32 apps.

[Hersham Boy]

Bose-x... I'm thinking there is something else different between our set-ups in that case... I updated the database on my 196 over the weekend using this very kit. Pas de probleme.

I'm running WinXP on an HP nx7010, if that's useful/relevant...

[S-Works]

Curious, I tried this on both my laptops and the desktop with the same results each time. I called Garmin for support and they told me that it was a recognised problem and that they were working on it.

I have tried it again this morning and it still does not work. I can transfer waypoints without a problem but not do a database or software update it just fails. plug the cable into the serial port and it works without problem!!

I am at a loss to understand why.