Gps and xp pro problem

NotchbackVW · 05-17-2004, 09:38 AM

I have a serious problem with my GPS reciever. It is a Fortuna Rs232 reciever http://www.pocketgps.co.uk/fortuna-u2-gps.php
used to work very well and would get lock almost instantly, that was when I was running an old version of XP home since upgrading to XP Pro (a copy which someone has integrated SP1 among other things into) it dont work, you get the NMEA strings coming down but it wont lock.
I have sent it back to the suppliers twice now stupidly as originally i didnt twig that I had changed the OS around the same time I got problems. The guy has tested on various programes with in 98 and it gets 8 sats in 20 secs every time.
Can anyone suggest what to try before I set about downgrading my OS again and inevitably causing other problems!!
Thanks for any suggestions.

mp3oplecarrier · 05-17-2004, 09:49 AM

I have had a similar problem with my garmin gps 25 with xp pro, which now I think of it did not happen on my old win 98 setup. The problem I have is that if I power the gps (it is a bare circuit board only gps engine) from the pc's 5v rail then the data seems to be corrupted. I found that if I put a switch in the line and only powered up the gps when the pc was up and running it worked ok. The new carpc has a seperate high current 5v supply for the gps and DVD Rom.

Hope this helps

NotchbackVW · 05-17-2004, 10:12 AM

i am assumming you reciever is USB? mine is serial, and it makes no difference if i plug it in after or before pc is booted still same result.

mp3oplecarrier · 05-17-2004, 12:49 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by NotchbackVW

i am assumming you reciever is USB? mine is serial, and it makes no difference if i plug it in after or before pc is booted still same result.

No mine is serial, and as xp deals with serial in a strange way thats why I thought the data might be corrupted, I noticed this when I tried using a serial character lcd but gave that up because of garbage being sent to it when the pc starts

NotchbackVW · 05-17-2004, 06:29 PM

right, i see. Could you explain exactly what you suggest I try to try and eliminate the problem, bearing in mind i dont really want to chop up my reciever as its not the recievers fault its bill gates'! Does the fact that the problem is still there if I plug it in agian after pcs booted mean that I am not suffering same problem as you? or is it not that simple? What are your thoughts?

Thanks for your help.

mp3oplecarrier · 05-17-2004, 07:15 PM

I'm not sure if it's the same problem, but when I had that trouble if I plugged the GPS in with the pc on it would freeze, just applying power worked fine. Can you try plugging power in seperately, I assume it does'nt draw power from the serial port?

Have you tried plugging in to another system running xp pro?

Laidback · 05-18-2004, 05:06 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by NotchbackVW

I have a serious problem with my GPS reciever. It is a Fortuna Rs232 reciever http://www.pocketgps.co.uk/fortuna-u2-gps.php
used to work very well and would get lock almost instantly, that was when I was running an old version of XP home since upgrading to XP Pro (a copy which someone has integrated SP1 among other things into) it dont work, you get the NMEA strings coming down but it wont lock.
I have sent it back to the suppliers twice now stupidly as originally i didnt twig that I had changed the OS around the same time I got problems. The guy has tested on various programes with in 98 and it gets 8 sats in 20 secs every time.
Can anyone suggest what to try before I set about downgrading my OS again and inevitably causing other problems!!
Thanks for any suggestions.

You checked the com port settings, didn't you? Do the NMEA strings look correct?

NotchbackVW · 05-18-2004, 09:06 AM

yes checked the com port settings, as much as made sure they were all exactly the same as the reciever states is best. The NMEA strings look ok! um they just have what i asssume is the default longtitude and latitude and 0 sats.
I tried it on a great little prog called visual gps
free from www.visualgps.net worth getting for anyone with GPS
and it shows all the sats and tracks them fine, but the signal strength one each one is zero!
Very weird.... any mre help? anyone?

Laidback · 05-18-2004, 09:33 AM

Hmm, visualgps only decodes certain strings...can it save them to a file? I know visualgpsxp does, maybe you could do that and upload the file so people could look to check the strings?

NotchbackVW · 05-18-2004, 11:22 AM

yeah you can save it to a file, can do that from infomap too.
Will do so when i get it back if you think anyone will be able to decifer whats happening from them. In fact i have a couple of hours worth on my desktop at home will post it here tonight.
Thanks

edit: cant find it must have deleted for some dumb reason. will do it again when i get hardware back, tommorrow hopefully.

Falken · 05-19-2004, 11:11 AM

It's probably obvious but did you install the XP version of the USB-Serial bridge?
Although to be honest I can't see why the O/S should be affecting the ability of the GPS to lock. Provided it is getting power it will lock with the pc being turned on.

Doug

NotchbackVW · 05-19-2004, 11:28 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Falken

It's probably obvious but did you install the XP version of the USB-Serial bridge?
Although to be honest I can't see why the O/S should be affecting the ability of the GPS to lock. Provided it is getting power it will lock with the pc being turned on.

Doug

um not obvious to me

whats that?
its a serial reciever... do i need this?

NotchbackVW · 05-19-2004, 11:33 AM

related question, as I just got my reciver back from supplyer today and want to get it working!!!
Looks like my easiest solution (fingers crossed) will be to go back to my copy of XP home. [Which is annying as hell]

Can I 'upgrade' to my copy 'XP home' bearing in mind its now on 'XP Pro' without any problems. I dont see why this shouldnt be a problem but I dont know as much as some people.

NotchbackVW · 05-27-2004, 09:05 AM

OK, last week had to do clean install to put my old version of XP home on, and this seemed to do the trick.
However dodnt get sat lock with reciver inside car, have to have it bang in middle of roof on outside to get a decent lock that holds!! I assume this is bad! Do you think it is a crap reciever or I just got a dodgy one. I mean should i ask for replacment or mony back.
Also should my glass be making this much difference. Litterally can hold it out the door and get 5 sats instantly, bring it inside under windscreen, still with view of sky and they drop like flies to zero! My car was made in 1972, could the glass be different? I know it may be toughned rather then laminated, would this make a differnce???