Cheapest GPS possible? - Page 2

JackMan · 01-10-2006, 01:07 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by dagnasty

Decent? What's wrong with the cheaper ones? The more expensive ones are better at certain things, but doesn't the cheaper ones do the job of pulling coords just fine? In what situations are they not so great?

For what their worth, get any gps with SIRF III. It all comes down to if you want it to work. The newer ones with SIRF III will get more sat locks to give you a better location ID. Basically, a few years ago, these were very expensive, but just buy one for $75 and get exactly what you want. If you spend the minimal, you might be able to get by, but for $75 you'd get exactly what you want. Streets and Trips is a good option in my opinion aswell. Even if M$ is getting richer!

dagnasty · 01-10-2006, 01:16 AM

ok. Can anyone tell me any bad things about the 50 dollar ebay one? I want to hear some bad experiences.

JackMan · 01-10-2006, 01:49 AM

I can't give any bad experiences! But I can tell you of one time when I was out flying testing the bu-353 in the piper cherokee, and all of a sudden I was surrounded by snow clouds! So I had to fly back at about 600 feet above ground level, I could barely see but the bu-353 knew exactly where I was.

That weather would have been pretty scary if I didn't have the gps as a backup from my maps. So there is the exact opposite of a "bad experience" lol. But this current model never misses a beat and knows exactly where you are. When I think of a good gps, I think of one that shows where you are at all times. If you want one that shows where you are, get a newer one.. if you want one that shows where you are roughly, get an older one

In all honesty, if you're just using it in your car, a cheaper model should work fine. Some poeple have had trouble getting signals in cities with tall buildings blocking out signals. But if you're just trying to get the cheapest possible solution, a bu-303 sounds like a damn good option. I've heard very good things. But for 25 more dollars, you can just get a bu-353 with sirf III...

Then use it anywhere

Bugbyte · 01-10-2006, 02:50 AM

Cheaper than GPS and reliable too.:-)

xBrady · 01-10-2006, 02:52 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Bugbyte

Cheaper than GPS and reliable too.:-)

A real man uses the stars.

JackMan · 01-10-2006, 10:14 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by xBrady

A real man uses the stars.

Didn't indian's use the moon?

Scouse Monkey · 01-10-2006, 11:24 AM

personally i have a sextant mounted to my bonnet (hood). No worries with glare making it hard to read!

here are some more ideas for you: http://www.mat.uc.pt/~helios/Mestre/...0/H61iflan.htm

lez · 01-10-2006, 12:16 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by kuo

The gm-210 i have on my rear shelf under glass with defroster and radio antenna built in. I usually get 5 or 6 sats. With the bu-303 i could only get 2. The bu-303 works fine under the front windshield though.

Funny that I get more sats with it the front than the back, and I get even more under the sunroof, which has a metal mesh in it!

lez · 01-10-2006, 12:22 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Spaghetti

Works great - I get 11 sats with it just sitting in the house. Personally I'd pay a little bit more to get something decent

You get 11 sats and want something better ???

I dont know of any gps that works indoors unless held to the window, unless your house is on top of a mountain with a 'sky roof' of glass!

So far after trying different ones of friends, the tomtom bluetooth ones are good, but the gps receiver in the S3 neo is brilliant, but often loses lock at high speed for a few seconds, not found a way to connect it to the pc yet.

The ventura BT gps I had (handheld lcd like a garmin) would lose lock and the only way to get it back was to stop the car for 10 seconds of so, like at the lights, useless on a motorway....

Spaghetti · 01-10-2006, 01:49 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by lez

You get 11 sats and want something better ???

I dont know of any gps that works indoors unless held to the window, unless your house is on top of a mountain with a 'sky roof' of glass!

So far after trying different ones of friends, the tomtom bluetooth ones are good, but the gps receiver in the S3 neo is brilliant, but often loses lock at high speed for a few seconds, not found a way to connect it to the pc yet.

The ventura BT gps I had (handheld lcd like a garmin) would lose lock and the only way to get it back was to stop the car for 10 seconds of so, like at the lights, useless on a motorway....

No you fool!! I'm saying, he should pay that little bit more to get something better - like a Holux!

Yeah 11 sats - it's about a metre or two from the window under a tiled roof, loft, loft contents, you get the picture....

I'd personally avoid Bluetooth anyway - last thing you want is to lose a BT connection during directions

evandude · 01-10-2006, 01:58 PM

If you're looking for a decent GPS receiver for around $50 I might be able to part with my BU-303 for somewhere in that price range.
This is the one:
http://www.mp3car.com/store/product_...roducts_id=137
As has been said already, it's sirf star II, not the newest and greatest, but it works a whole lot better than the cheapo, no-brand Ebay special GPS unit I had previously.
Lots of people on here have experience with them. I'm one of the people who'd rather spend a bit more for the sirf star III, but didn't follow the mp3car forums enough to know they were only like a month from coming out when I bought my receiver.

lez · 01-10-2006, 02:01 PM

most of these terminate in a 6 pin mini din, are the connections all the same or is it model dependent?

zapwizard · 01-11-2006, 11:23 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by evandude

If you're looking for a decent GPS receiver for around $50 I might be able to part with my BU-303 for somewhere in that price range.
This is the one:
http://www.mp3car.com/store/product_...roducts_id=137

I know for many USB units it doesn't matter, but do you know if the BU-303 works on a Mac Mini?

I have seen this model listed on eBay as compatible with the mini:
http://www.globalsat.com.tw/english/...id=21&p_id=116

dagnasty · 01-11-2006, 11:37 AM

But do the cheap 50 dollar receivers do the job just fine? I'm talking with it on the dash or the roof. (even if I have to waterproof it)

Bryan Greer · 01-11-2006, 12:41 PM

Hey Zapwizard,

In answer to your question about a MAC understanding a BU-303 GPS receiver, just about all GPS units use the NEMA 0183 standard to communicate and I am pretty sure the 303 does as well. Whatever software package you are using for your MAC should read the USB port or serial, (depending on where you are plugging in), and provided the software can interpret the NEMA standard, you should have no trouble. Most MAC software adheres to standards for most ports save that of network connections where they tried to supercede the standards so they could enhance networking, (still works with standard ethernet though).

email me if you are still having a problem getting the 303 to work.

cheers

/b