Iguidance won't see GPS mouse

Skipjacks · 07-10-2007, 05:36 PM

So I installed a new motherboard, but managed to keep my current install of Windows XP.

Everything seems to work okay, except that Iguidance (still using 2.0) doesn't recognize the GPS signal.

The GPS is working and is sending info to the computer because I can use it with Delorme's GPS test software. It shows me that the GPS mouse is working.

With the old motherboard the GPS mouse was very temper mental about being plugged into the 'correct' USB port. It would only recognize it from one specif port. Obviously that port is gone since it's a whole new board.

I remember dealing with this 3 years ago the last time I swapped a motherboard, but I can't remember what the problem was. It had something to do with a serial port emulator that defined one of the USB ports as a virtual serial port or something like that...

But I can't remember the details, or enough to even do a good search on MP3Car.com about it. I kept coming up empty.

Anyone remember this issue?

Marvin Hlavac · 07-10-2007, 05:45 PM

What GPS receiver are you using?

Skipjacks · 07-10-2007, 05:47 PM

It's a delorme. I don't remember what model it was. I put it in a new housing years ago.

Marvin Hlavac · 07-10-2007, 07:58 PM

If you don't have the correct driver software installed, then indeed iGuidance may not see the GPS unit even while DeLorme program is working just fine. There should be a downloadable software for "3rd party programs". Check DeLorme website.

Skipjacks · 07-10-2007, 08:28 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Marvin Hlavac

If you don't have the correct driver software installed, then indeed iGuidance may not see the GPS unit even while DeLorme program is working just fine. There should be a downloadable software for "3rd party programs". Check DeLorme website.

Turns out I needed the Delomre Serial Port Emulator.

It's available on the Delorme website for a free download. Hope this helps the next person who has the problem.

Skipjacks · 07-22-2007, 02:30 PM

Okay the Delorme Serial Port Emulator certainly wasn't the answer.

It kind of works, but not nearly as well as before my motherboard broke.

Before I replaced my motherboard iGuidance saw the USB GPS mouse (Delorme Earthmate) directly from the USB port. No issues. Everything worked fine. It aquired a signal in a few seconds no matter where I was. You get the idea...

Now, with the Serial Port Emulator installed it's okay...but not good by any means.

Here's the problems.

iGuidance 2.0 thinks I'm in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Boston (I live in Maryland) for about 15-20 minutes. Then MAYBE it'll get a lock on a signal and put me where I actually am.

Plus, when using the serial port emulator the automatic switch from teh day to night version of iGuidance doesn't work.

Does anyone know how to make iGuidance 2.0 work directly from the USB mouse without having to have all this additional serial port emulator nonsense?

I find it odd that it wont' just work like it used to because I only changed the motherboard. I didn't re-install Windows or iGuidance or anything like that. All teh software and drivers that were there before are there now.

Please help, someone. This is really annoying.

kizer · 07-23-2007, 03:32 AM

When you look at your device manager in your control panel do you have a bunch of ports? For some odd reason My onboard bluetooth was creating ports like crazy. I was up to like Com port 21 and well Iguidance didn't like it. I ended up disabling the Blue tooth adapter and right mousing on what the time was port 21 and telling it to use port 6. Ever since then my mouse style has been working fine.

Skipjacks · 07-23-2007, 08:35 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by kizer

When you look at your device manager in your control panel do you have a bunch of ports? For some odd reason My onboard bluetooth was creating ports like crazy. I was up to like Com port 21 and well Iguidance didn't like it. I ended up disabling the Blue tooth adapter and right mousing on what the time was port 21 and telling it to use port 6. Ever since then my mouse style has been working fine.

Well I don't have bluetooth, so that's not it. But I could be having a similar problem caused by something else. I'll take a look at that later today.

The worst part is that I had this same problem 2.5 years ago when I first installed the system....and I can't for the life of my remember what the problem was or how to fix it.

But if I recall...it was something to do with the numbering of the com ports. Thanks for the memory jog!

Marvin Hlavac · 07-23-2007, 03:58 PM

Skipjacks, double-check if you selected "NMEA" in Options of the serial emulator by DeLorme. And the chosen com port should be, as Kizer already mentioned, one of the lower ones (below 16).

kizer · 07-23-2007, 04:55 PM

Mine was popping up as 20 and 21 and drove me nuts. Then everytime I turned on Iguidance it would change ports. After I dumped all of the unused ports walla its been on 6 for a while now.

Skipjacks · 07-23-2007, 09:22 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Marvin Hlavac

Skipjacks, double-check if you selected "NMEA" in Options of the serial emulator by DeLorme. And the chosen com port should be, as Kizer already mentioned, one of the lower ones (below 16).

The emulator's settings are right. I just don't like using it at all. I want to bypass it altogether like I had it set up before.

I think the problem comes in with the new motherboard assigning different port numbers to various USB plugs. iGuidance is very temperamental about not switching it's ports around. So when it's hit with a change like that it gets testy.

I haven't had a chance to really mess with the car settings yet. Hopefully I'll get a chance tomorrow.

Skipjacks · 07-24-2007, 08:31 AM

Alright so here's what I came up with...

I brought up the system information and found the Earthmate. But it wasn't assigned to a COM port. It was just listed as a human interface device.

Then when I looked at the drivers they were Microsoft drivers. Is that odd? Are there Delorme drivers specifically for it? I checked all over the Delorme website and all it wants to give me is the serial port emulator which I've already got and that isn't working well.

Marvin Hlavac · 07-24-2007, 03:36 PM

If I understand you correctly, the main issue is that it may take 15 to 20 minutes for the GPS receiver to lock on the satellite signals. That's too long, indeed. It should take a minute or less.

Where is the GPS receiver located? Could you, at least for testing purposes, remove it from the inside of the car, and place it on the roof of your vehicle? Let us know if it starts performing well. If yes, then perhaps the location of the GPS unit inside your car doesn't allow it to have good enough reception. Also, if you are using any USB extension cable, please remove it for this test.

Skipjacks · 07-25-2007, 01:36 PM

The receiver is on the back dash with a clear line of sight of the sky. That's not the problem. It hasn't moved since it was working fine.

Besides, it's not just that it's taking forever to lock, it's that iGuidance won't even recognize the existence of the GPS without first routing it through the Serial Port Emulator. I didn't have to do that with my old motherboard (same brand, different model)

When I go to the Device Manager and look at the COM ports, it's not showing the GPS there at all. It shows up as a USB Human interface Device with a big question mark next to it, but not in the COM ports.

Also it's using the Microsoft drivers. I can't find a Delorme driver for it. Is there a generic GPS mouse driver out there?

The other option for fixing this is changing mapping sofware. I'm running iGuidance 2. IT has a history of being a little testy about where it gets it's GPS signal from.

Does iGuidance 4 take the GPS signal directly from the USP port without raising a fuss? If so maybe I'll just upgrade the software and fix it that way.

Marvin Hlavac · 07-25-2007, 07:00 PM

There needs to be some software to create a virtual com port so iGuidance (and most other programs) can use a USB GPS receiver. If you don't like the one you downloaded, then look for the CD than came with the receiver when you first bough it. There must be the driver on it. With DeLorme USB GPS, if I'm correct, when you start installing it, it should ask you if you plan on using it only with DeLorme software, or if you need it for 3rd party software programs, too. Choose the driver for 3rd party programs.

(All this will work in the new iG4 the same as in your old iG2)