is there a way to take a compact flash GPS to USB?

**mattress** · 02-01-2005, 09:27 PM

I have a compact flash GPS. It came with an adapter to take it to PCMCIA. It's made for PDA's or Notebooks, it came with drivers for all.

I got a notebook motherboard from compgeeks.com a while back when they were liquidating them. I popped a p4 2.0ghz cpu in it, and it's blazin.

I want to turn this into a carPC, with 5" LCD and all. I want to tie the GPS into it.

Will a USB Compact Flash card reader be able to run this GPS? Is there any other way I would be able to use this GPS in my system?

Thanks for any info!
-Matt

**strohmrs** · 02-01-2005, 11:45 PM

Doubt it. The laptop motherboard didn't have the PCMCIA slot???

**Tidder** · 02-01-2005, 11:49 PM

Originally Posted by strohmrs

Doubt it. The laptop motherboard didn't have the PCMCIA slot???

I bet it has the plug for it, the header or whatever, but the actual slot part was probably not included. They are usually removable from the mobo.

**Tidder** · 02-02-2005, 12:05 AM

I found a PCI to Compact Flash adapter that will run your GPS thingy, but nothing USB that will support...

**mattress** · 02-02-2005, 05:00 PM

Originally Posted by strohmrs

Doubt it. The laptop motherboard didn't have the PCMCIA slot???

there is no pcmcia slot on it, I'll have to check for the headers and see if I could add the slot to it. nice suggestion

**EBFoxbat** · 02-02-2005, 05:03 PM

USB GPS are really cheap.

There are USB --> CF adapters, but I feel like that wouldn't work.

**Scouse Monkey** · 02-02-2005, 05:08 PM

i'd sell the compact flash gps on ebay and get a USB one you can mount in your window.

**mattress** · 02-02-2005, 05:20 PM

well ... my train of thought is this...

in all retail computers, the card readers on the fron of the computer are actually plugged directly into a USB port header on the motherboard. I'm curious to know if this kind of setup would work.

I'll go to circuit city tonight and test it on one of their computers

**Scouse Monkey** · 02-02-2005, 05:27 PM

most of the time those card readers only support storage devices but it is worth a try i guess.

**mattress** · 02-02-2005, 09:05 PM

ok I think i'll do that. Do you have any suggestions on a great USB GPS?

I got this GPS off ebay for under $100. I was originally going to use it between my PDA and my laptop (which both had onboard CF headers, and they both worked fine..)

but since, my PDA has died, and I wanted to build my carputer ... so i'll make the switch