Real Time Car tracking now working! - Page 2

BigToach · 10-25-2004, 06:05 PM

how much bandwidth is this actually using though? sounds like alot.

Ricky327 · 10-25-2004, 06:31 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Magpie

My plan is to put something more permanent in the car which will be hidden allowing me to see the car position should some thief take my car.

Do you already have something in mind in how to go about doing this plan?

Magpie · 10-26-2004, 02:15 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by BigToach

how much bandwidth is this actually using though? sounds like alot.

While the GPRS connection is active and no-one is monitoring the car from home then the bandwidth is very low. Mainly keep alive data. The GPS data is only transmitted back to my home server when it is being monitored.

As you can select the baud rate of the com port, I tried this at 9600 with no issues. When I stopped my internet link my phone reported around 125k of data sent (which included more than just the GPS data).

Magpie · 10-26-2004, 02:20 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Ricky327

Do you already have something in mind in how to go about doing this plan?

As my PC is already hidden I have 2 choices. Either use a spare phone with GPRS capability and permanently connected via a cable to the USB port. The port will also act as a charger for the phone. My second option is to use a PCcard device as used with laptops, I would need to by an adapter card to work with the Via motherboard.

Either way it should do the trick. I currently have one issue with my setup which is the Bluetooth link. It tends not to like working with hibernation. When it returns it complains about the modem not being available. I'm not sure how to get around this issue yet.

Ricky327 · 10-27-2004, 02:06 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Magpie

As my PC is already hidden I have 2 choices. Either use a spare phone with GPRS capability and permanently connected via a cable to the USB port. The port will also act as a charger for the phone. My second option is to use a PCcard device as used with laptops, I would need to by an adapter card to work with the Via motherboard.

Cool...keep us updated on your project.

hd54321 · 10-27-2004, 02:11 AM

Umm...I'm SURE you thought of this, but here is a reminder. You could always just buy a GPS-tracking solution from Viper/DEI.

Of course, there is a monthly/annual fee, but it is less than what you would pay for an extra cell phone line. The advantage with this system is that it is completely independent of a carputer so all the usual problems won't go along with it.

Viper GPS Tracking Unit

-HD

Ricky327 · 10-27-2004, 02:20 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by hd54321

Umm...I'm SURE you thought of this, but here is a reminder. You could always just buy a GPS-tracking solution from Viper/DEI.

Of course, there is a monthly/annual fee, but it is less than what you would pay for an extra cell phone line. The advantage with this system is that it is completely independent of a carputer so all the usual problems won't go along with it.

Yeah its the monthly fee thats keeping most poeple away from commercially available stuff.

Cant the GPRS phone be called from the landline and the caller pays for the call?

Or is it that data enabled phone must be a pay monthly contract only? or does it depend on the provider...data enabled on pay as you go SIM?

cheerio · 10-27-2004, 02:32 AM

Now that you have a perm connection to your home lan, you could also create a starter inturrupt/kill. so if it does get stolen, you could load a webpage to your home computer, which could send a command to kill the ign. on the car. ;x

hd54321 · 10-27-2004, 03:04 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Ricky327

Yeah its the monthly fee thats keeping most poeple away from commercially available stuff.

Cant the GPRS phone be called from the landline and the caller pays for the call?

Or is it that data enabled phone must be a pay monthly contract only? or does it depend on the provider...data enabled on pay as you go SIM?

Bingo on the last statement - you need to have a SIM card that has GPRS data activated. I'm not 10% sure that pay as you go SIM cards can have GPRS access. That's a good question though.

As an alternative example, for T-Mobile, the cheapest monthly plan is $20 + $5 for GPRS data. $25/month + tax = ~$33/month for a dedicated SIM card with GPRS access. What you would need to do as well is get a phone or a wireless modem (Sony Ericsoon makes a few good ones) with this to make it usable. The costs end up being relatively large.

-HD

Ricky327 · 10-27-2004, 03:15 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by hd54321

Bingo on the last statement - you need to have a SIM card that has GPRS data activated. I'm not 10% sure that pay as you go SIM cards can have GPRS access. That's a good question though.

As an alternative example, for T-Mobile, the cheapest monthly plan is $20 + $5 for GPRS data. $25/month + tax = ~$33/month for a dedicated SIM card with GPRS access. What you would need to do as well is get a phone or a wireless modem (Sony Ericsoon makes a few good ones) with this to make it usable. The costs end up being relatively large.

-HD

Cool...I was just wondering if the tracking device Im working on based on PAYG SIM in a phone without a modem is waste of time or not.

The project was to use a "common" cheap phone as a standalone tracking device...No way Im paying monthly fee

....I shall continue

Magpie · 10-27-2004, 05:08 AM

I tried going the pay as you go sim card route only to be told after I bought it that the GPRS it provides is only good for WAP and not 2 way communications as needed by a computer. So, pay-as-you-go ended for me at that point.