Google Earth GPS Tracking Solution

moahdib · 11-15-2005, 06:13 AM

After some searching i came upon this great tool called nmeaGE (NMEA for Google Earth).

Website with some info:
http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showflat....&Number=121471

Download LInk: http://www.geocross.org/nmeage/nmeag..._installer.msi (latest release v 1.02)

California Traffic (CALTRANS) download link: http://dev.keyhole.com/traffic/CalTrans.kml

The program connects to your GPS and writes a google kml file every second or so with heading, range, tilt, and location. Edit the Configuration of nmeaGE as I've done.

Go to Google Earth and go to Add -> New Network Link and edit it as such on my configuration screen, pointing to the kml file you specified in nmeage.

You can also make your own icon. As you can see I love my TL too much.

Turn your GPS on and get ready for the most awesome GPS navigation experience

Best of all, provided you have a decent internet connecion, it's free!

I made a quick n dirty CF 1.5 skin for Google Earth + NMEAGE.

download : click here

It embeds both GE and NMEAGE so you can send keystrokes to change tilt and zoom. The forward and back don't do anything for now but the play, next and previous song should work with CF.

Motoko · 11-15-2005, 07:23 AM

so would a GPRS connection suffice?

schpanky · 11-15-2005, 10:50 AM

woah! This is awesome!

rebelleader · 11-15-2005, 10:52 AM

I think this might need a good deal of bandwidth. Google earth seems to run much slower over my WiFi than it does over my wired network.

lerandell · 11-15-2005, 11:23 AM

It should use cached data. but it you drive into an area you have not browsed through google earth and you have no internet connection in the car your outa luck.

BTW this is really cool. I am gonna try it out.

rebelleader · 11-15-2005, 09:29 PM

I forgot about the cache. This does indeed seem like a really cool idea.

schpanky · 11-16-2005, 10:13 AM

So basically, no internet... no information?
If that's the case, how is this meant to be used?

lostreception · 11-16-2005, 11:34 AM

why dont you create a spoof program that runs circles of your current lon lat area and caches all the maps the logic might be tough but if you used a triangulation type algorythym and then started at say 100 miles out and worked your way in leave your computer run for a few days (mostlikely) and try to cache as much as you need

actually as long as GE isnt too anal about snapping you into a road an even simpled program would suffice

pip · 11-16-2005, 11:41 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by schpanky

So basically, no internet... no information?
If that's the case, how is this meant to be used?

One of those verizon wifi broadband doodads? Unless you have a fast wireless connection this isn't much use.

mercury7 · 11-16-2005, 11:57 AM

Quote:

So basically, no internet... no information?
If that's the case, how is this meant to be used?

Most people can't use it now, but in the next few years, wireless will be getting a lot less expenisve. New technologies such as ClearWire, Cell Network internet, and WiMax are just emerging. Google 'em if you want to know more about them.

Wiredwrx · 11-16-2005, 12:27 PM

You can also check out www.whereismygps.net, or search for it here on the forums.

Michael

lerandell · 11-16-2005, 01:11 PM

guys, you do not need an Internet connection while driving. all you have to do is: while you are at home or at a place where you have an Internet connection view the area you are going to be driving in, say Dallas for instance, zoom in and scroll around. google will cache in the map data on your hard drive and make it available to you if no Internet connection is available.
Where the problem shows up is if I wanted to take a trip, say to Houston, and I have not browsed the maps to Houston on in Houston I would then need GPRS or EDGE or some means of Internet.

Like rebelleader said about the bandwidth, I dont think GPRS will cut it. I will try to test it this afternoon.

Wiredwrx · 11-16-2005, 01:18 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by lerandell

guys, you do not need an Internet connection while driving. all you have to do is: while you are at home or at a place where you have an Internet connection view the area you are going to be driving in, say Dallas for instance, zoom in and scroll around. google will cache in the map data on your hard drive and make it available to you if no Internet connection is available.
Where the problem shows up is if I wanted to take a trip, say to Houston, and I have not browsed the maps to Houston on in Houston I would then need GPRS or EDGE or some means of Internet.

Like rebelleader said about the bandwidth, I dont think GPRS will cut it. I will try to test it this afternoon.

O.K., how far in must I zoom and do I have to make any changes to my IE to get the maps to cache?

Michael

lerandell · 11-16-2005, 01:35 PM

Google earth cashes the info for you. try this. find your house or something of intrest. zoom in as far as it will let you.
close google earth. remove your internet connection. then start Google earth again. you will see it try to log into the map server but you will get an error.

then zoom down to your hosue again.

Marvin Hlavac · 11-17-2005, 09:55 AM

My slow GPRS connection is just fine. Internet speed surprisingly doesn't seem to be an issue ;-)