Database Develop

How good is GPS on XDA IIi compared with external units?

I've just sold my last car which had built-in PCM sat nav. I'd like to get sat nav for my new car but can't decide whether to get a GPS cradle for my XDA, a TomTom 3/5/700 or change the car's head unit for a power-screen DVD sat nav system.
My XDA IIi is relatively stable but it does crash periodically, can be slow to run stuff, sometimes freezes when I'm answering calls and basically seems to struggle with any sort of complex processing. I'm a bit woried that it may therefore be a bit crap at running 3d maps. Has anyone any experience of using these versus built in car systems or the TomTom units?
I've never updated the firmware etc so would also be interested if this improves reliability/speed etc.
Between the TomTom and SatNav head unit is the only real difference the screen size and convenience of not having an external box?
Thanks in advance for any help, Jonathan

I've just got Tom tom for my XdaIIi, with a bluetooth GPS reciver bought on E-bay. I've found it slightly unstable, however my friend with a IIs said it sorted itself out after a short time of using it. I recomend it, however I donot have experience of the other systems, so I would not be able to say which one is better. I personally like having everything in one place.

Can Brodit car clip be used in portrait orientation?

Hello,
I am think about buying this Brodit Clip for my Ameo: http://www.brodit.com/productinformation.jsp?anr=971743&sortiment=null , however I want to use the Ameo in the portrait mode (not landscape as shown in the pictures). Does anyone have this Clip and can confirm whether that is possible or not?
Greetings,
Andreas

stupiddog said:
Hello,
I am think about buying this Brodit Clip for my Ameo: http://www.brodit.com/productinformation.jsp?anr=971743&sortiment=null , however I want to use the Ameo in the portrait mode (not landscape as shown in the pictures). Does anyone have this Clip and can confirm whether that is possible or not?
Greetings,
Andreas
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, it can turned to Portrait orientation. Although, the keyboard would be useless in Portrait mode. But, yes, it will work well in portrait or Landscape mode.
I love this device holder by the way. It works great.

Yes, the holder is really great, and it does work in both modes (portrait/landscape). Keep in mind however that GPS performance is really poorer when the device is in portrait mode, as the GPS antenna is facing sideways in that mode.

If you know, exactly where is the GPS antenna located? I'm having *very* poor performance from the GPS unit. It works maybe 1 time out of 20 (the other 19 give me a "Weak GPS Signal" error.
I'm using another of their clips - model 968739 - it also spins to portrait nicely. Quality is excellent, and service (through proclipusa.com) is excellent.
I also like how the mounts come in 2 parts - 1 part to connect to whatever phone/device you have, and 1 part to connect to whatever car you have.

polstein said:
If you know, exactly where is the GPS antenna located? I'm having *very* poor performance from the GPS unit. It works maybe 1 time out of 20 (the other 19 give me a "Weak GPS Signal" error.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I looked at the Athena Service Manual, and to me it looks like the GPS antenna is next to the GSM/UMTS antenna, under the top plastic cover with the "3.0 MEGA PIXELS" text written on it.
There is also an extra connector for an external GPS antenna from HTC like this one: http://www.expansys.de/p.aspx?i=151575. Of course, you can alreays connect a Bluetooth GPS receiver.

TYTN II, worth to buy?

Hello everybody,
I have a question, maybe somebody can help me here?
I am using an Artemis and consider to buy a TYTN2. Is it worth to change? I know, this is a strange question but maybe somebody had a Artemis before and is now using a TYTN2.
I guess iGO will work on the TYTN2 as well, is somebody using this SW?
Thanx in advance,
Ralf

If you look at GPS, yes, unnlike the P3600 Trinity, you are ok with the Tytn II GPS: it has a working quick GPS program. According to GPSPassion.com, the GPS quality is significantly improved, equivalent to the SirfIII (which you have in Artemis). The unit is slightly fatter and heavier though. You also have no FM radio. I like the one-hand navigation possible through the jog wheel on the side and the ok button on the side, which opens the windows menu when pressed. The tilt is nice when you keep the unit on your office linked to the PC, because it's not lying flat on the desk, you can see on it very well. Also when you use it as an alarm clock near your bed. Last but not least: WM6 without overclocking...

funny that you visit a Kaiser/TyTN II forum and ask that question
iGO do work on the device ... it's basically the OS that you should referred to when dealing with SW
I use it without any problem ... infact, I preferred it over TomTom !!!

yes i know, sorry for that
i think i will go for the tytn2, i was just looking for opinions and for the confirmation that iGO is working without problems. i need iGO for eastern europe, tomtom is here not very strong in map availability
thanx to all
ralf

If the weight is not an issue for you
If you can survive to the lack of VGA screen for surfing...
Then go and buy one
It's all great !

First post - THB Bury problem

Hi,
This is my first post so please be easy on me
I am an ICT Engineer and I am having problems with one of my customers HTC Kaiser (re-badged as Orange TyTN II).
He has an THB Bury cradle. The Kaiser has TomTom installed (Orginal disc version 6 navigator), but when the phone is docked in the cradle it goes to Cra Kit profilr and he gets no sound from TomTom.
I have changed the profile, but still no sound from TomTom. I have checked the cradle it it works fine apart no sound for sat nav.
I have searched for hours on loads of forums to find a fix for this i.e. new ROM from Orange or patch from THB, but can't find anything.
Has anyone else had this problem and is there a fix i.e. registry alternation.

Is there anything within the TomTom settings for this.
It might be that this is the way it will work, afterall you do not want the TomTom coming out over the audio of the telephone call.

Thanks for the reply.
We used to use the Orange SPV M2000 (HTC BlueAngel) with TomTom using the same hands free kit (different cradle obviously) and never had a problem. The sat nav audio would work as normal, but when a call came in the sat nav would cut out until the call had finished.
I have have been through the TomTom settings (very limited) and cannot see anyway of changing the audio on it.
It seems more like a HTC Kaiser problem rather than TomTom or the cradle, because it worked fine with a BlueAngle.

Just found this on a THB Bury re-sellers site: -
"Please note: When the Phone is put into the cradle, the Phone will immediately go into car kit profile, which means the external speaker will be disabled [loss of sound for the Sat Nav directions]"
Is the registry hack to stop this happening?

Have you tried using the tomtom and checking there is audio working ok without putting it in the cradle?

Yep. TomTom works absolutly fine out of the cradle. I have even bought a new cradle to check if the original cradle was defect, but still no sound.
To summarise: -
TomTom audio working fine out of THB Bury HFK
TomTom stops working when in THB Bury HFK (enters Car Kit Profle)

Could you not move the handsfree cradle to maybe a vent mount solution so that when you are in the car you can view the TomTom directions instead of hearing them?
Personally I would find yor situation ideal as I hate SatNav voice commands and prefer to navigate from the map.

I got a response from THB Bury about this problem:
"Dear Alistair, many thanks for your enquiry regarding our Bury product range.
The Navigationcommand didn´t run over the carkit, because the Navigationsoftware got no software for muting.
Best regards
Dean Taylor
--Bury-Infoline-- "
Not really what I needed so.....
Does anyone know either how to doctor the USB connector so that it doesn't cause the phone to switch to 'car mode' OR a registry/software fix which stops the TnTY/Stellar from muting its internal speaker when in 'Car' mode?
Failing that I need a new car kit which, holds the phone, charges it, provides hands free phone service, allows TT6 audio instructions through and doesn't blow the USB port. Just like the THB Bury 'Universal' kit should do.
Any recommendations? Alistair

TMC-receiver (BT) for HD2?

Hi,
Does anybody know about a working bluetooth TMC-receiver for Leo? I need only TMC but I'm not really sure what I should buy. Maybe anybody of you has a working one - please tell me which one.
Big THX in advance!

de Wolfe said:
Hi,
Does anybody know about a working bluetooth TMC-receiver for Leo? I need only TMC but I'm not really sure what I should buy. Maybe anybody of you has a working one - please tell me which one.
Big THX in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HI, it´s possible to use the inside radio to recive tmc signal. But only with the cableheadset.

Is it already possible also with HD2? Last time I tried (3 days ago) hyperGPS was not suitable for HD2.

No, it is not yet possible to do so... I am waiting for this too...

De Wolfe: check gns-gmbh.com/index.php?id=80

GNS TrafficBox Plus FM9BT-C or its identical clone Navilock NL-324BTR (comes a little cheaper). Tested with HD2 + Navigon 7.3.6 and 7.4.0 PDA.
No HyperGPS/proprietary TMC yet.

I've tried Hypergps with my HD2 with no success
The starnge think is that Igo8 discovered TMC when Hypergps was set to port com 7 and GNS protocol. Unfortunately there was no way for me to set the correct FM frequency for RDS

TMC working with external BT GPS/TMC receivers
I got my new HTC HD2 a week ago. Igo8 runs exceptionally fast. I wanted to still use TMC data as well as I have paid for it (naviextras) and am used to it on my Pocket PC's (ipaq 3970, 5450, 5550 and 4700). I tried the HyperGPS route with the headset lead (you definitely need to plug a lead in to act as FM aerial). The only way I get TMC information working is to use either the GNS BT GPS/TMC receiver (GNS5843) or the Royaltek (RTG1001). I can either use internal GPS of HD2 (port 4 baud rate 57600) and get TMC from the BT GPS on port 2 at baud rate 57600. Port 2 seems to be the only option you get when you add (pair) the BT GPS devices and pick an external GPS port. I intend to generally use the internal GPS, but when in the car and going some distance or in bad weather if necessary will switch on the GNS 5843 go to igo8 setting/TMC pick GNS (protocol) port 2 and baud rate of 57600 (even though the manual says 38400). I get the message TMC Hardware detected and off It goes searching for RDS signals of the FM transmissions and extracts the TMC codes to integrate with your map and route. I have my GPS/TMC device semi permanently in the car (using velcro pads) by the windscreen or sun roof to get a better view of the sky for the satellites and the aerial suckered to the top of the windscreen so as not to have the FM signal blocked by the metal of the car's metal frame. Be aware that if you have a car with the 'athermic' windscreens that this will weaken all radio signals to your device (satellite, mobile & FM/RDS).
I better mention that I am in Northamptonshire in England in UK. You need to be in area that is covered by TMC carrying radio stations (non BBC), example are Classic FM and leicester sound, Heart FM, etc. etc..

Dear Mr de Wolfe
I use the "GNS TrafficBox FM9BT-C - Bluetooth TMC / TMCPro Empfänger mit KFZ zu USB Adapter" wich is a bloetooth tmc-module built in a car-charger.
It works pretty good, signal is ok with the short antenna and is very good with the cable-antenna. The charger is strong enough for the HD2 (wich is mentioned as problem in the comments of the website)
I got it from here: "http://www.pdamax.de/?art_nr=gn-003"
Greetings from Bavaria
esociarius

I can confirm the gns 5843 working. but i do have, after activating bluetooth, to connect the com2 manually. only activating bluetooth does not do the trick. the gns unit is paired but com2 does not connect. so igo does not find the tmc signal.
after manually connecting com 2 it works like a charm.
little annoyance and would like to find solution for it. if anyone knows.

example of sys.txt tmc setting for HTC HD2
I think you can get around this by adding some text to the sys.txt file under title of TMC and you state com port. Port 2 in our case.
[tmc]
port="" - comma separated port name and port number pairs for ex. "COM,1,COM,2,COM,3"
source="" - if it is not specified then the program tries to autodetect or the possible strings are
gns
royaltek
amaryllo
samsung
opentmc1
opentmc2
ngalik
eten
harman
gps_source= - 0 if the GPS and TMC receivers communicate on different ports, 1 if they share one port (for ex. GNS 5843 or Royaltek RTG1001)
But then it will always look for the BT GPS unit. Personally I prefer to switch the TMC section on only if I think I need to when in the car on a longer journey. So I use HD2's internal GPS (port 4) and external TMC (port 2 from GNS5843) Like I went to London on Friday (100miles away). Only in the centre of Canary wharf did the signal become confused. This would be because of the tall, close, glass and steel buildings making multipath GPS signals and only a small and narrow view of the sky immediately above. That is the situation when you put your BT GPS receiver at the sunroof glass looking straight up at sky instead of forward at the buildings blocking the signals from orbit.
Were you using your GNS GPS/TMC device for both signals or just the TMC? The above should cure your problem if you only use the GPS/TMC BT device on port 2.

I am using the internal GPS and bluetooth only for TMC. never had a prolem with lack of sattelite signal of the internal GPS in my car, so have no reason to use it other way.

I agree that the internal GPS receiver in the HD2 is very very powerful (sensitive). I get all 12 windows full of GPS signal even in the middle of my house and accuracy listed as 'high'. But I was just giving an insight to the worse case scenario I had the other day was in the middle of Canary Wharf because of the tall buildings . it would be the only place in the UK with the worst conditions for satellite reception.
The ideal and cheapest solution, for everyone, will be the solution for HyperGPS to work on HD2 with the 3.5mm aerial/headset lead plugged in. I even get a good FM signal through the 3.5mm to 3.5mm lead to connect HD2 to the audio input to the car system. If someone gets or sees the HyperGPS working on the HD2 for igo8 do please let us know. Thanks! in advance.
P.S. by the way ....where is this web site based? I just put this on at 1856 yet it displays at 0656. This site would therefore be ½ way around the world...... Ah! I just noticed there is the pm after it.

Just got my Navilock NL-324BTR. Paid just over £50 from Amazon.de. All is working well. The only niggle I have is that when iGO8 opens, it asks me to confirm the port that I want to use. If I do not select the port then hit "select" in time, the option screen disappears and it does not start.
Anyone any solutions?

To get that screen back you either just tap the BT button to get to that screen again or minimize Igo8 and tap start then Bluetooth then select your device. (I have moved the BT icon to the top (tap and hold) of the HD2 screen.

tomtom
Does anyone know whether there are any workarounds to use any of these tmc receivers with tomtom on the hd2. If not, can someone who used both tomtom and recent Igo give a short pros and cons of the two? I used Igo about 3-4 years ago and I did not like it plus I became used to tomtom.

what is reception quality of gns trafficbox tmc receiver?
Hi,
i am topaz (HTC touch diamond 2) owner and can use hypergps, however i find fm reception of topaz builtin tuner quite poor for tmc needs. In my citroen c5 (worst car for all sort of signals due to its athermic windscreen), tmc reception is poor. I have experimented with various antennas connected to extusb connector, however no real success.
I tried to get magnetic mount fm antena for car roof, but there isnt any available?!
Out of desperation i am now conisdering GNS traffic box (to many $$$...). As i understand there are two versions: lighter plug and external antenna version (both BT). I would buy one of these, and lighter plug seems practical, however i am afraid, that it would have poor recepetion due to athermic windscreen.
tomi

Hi tomi,
I have the GNS for the lighter-plug. The reception in my car (Ford Mondeo) is excellent with the long antenna and not bad with the short antenna - but in your case: I would buy the internal module, which is connected to the antenna of the car-radio, though you cannot take it out of your car.
Best regards
esociarius

Hi mihaid,
I have Tomtom on my second device, but I think there is no possibility to connect a tmc-module to tomtom - they want to sell their own tmc over internet-connection. This was one of the reasons, why I went back to Navigon, which works great on the hd2 (though the Navigon-support is poor).
Best regards
esociarius

For those with athermic front windscreens, place your BT GPS or TMC devices on the rear parcel shelf or attach to a sun/moon roof if you have one. An alternative position if you are a bit DIY is to place under the plastic in the aquarium between the bonnet and windscreen (usually has the windscreen wiper parts there too, needs power and insulation/ water proofing provided) tuck aerial along windscreen rubber).