$35 Shipped GPS, but will it work w/ MS S&T, Street Atlas etc?

Nate Sickler · 10-11-2006, 01:32 PM

Will this Navibe SP611 work with MS S&T, Street Atlas. or other GPS software, it has a USB interface - $35 Shipped and it has an LCD so you can take it with you as a standalone device. Any experience with this device?

http://3btech.net/naspspwagpsr.html

JamesBaptista · 10-11-2006, 02:01 PM

It says it uses the NMEA 0183 protocol ant that it can be used as a standard usb gps reciever. But It only supports twelve channels and the lcd won't give you much info. Better spend a liitle more money and get a SIRF III reciever. I got one on ebay for $52 shipped.

Nate Sickler · 10-11-2006, 07:34 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by JamesBaptista

It says it uses the NMEA 0183 protocol ant that it can be used as a standard usb gps reciever. But It only supports twelve channels and the lcd won't give you much info. Better spend a liitle more money and get a SIRF III reciever. I got one on ebay for $52 shipped.

Thanks for the insight. However, what difference will I notice between 12 channel and 16 channel, or NMEA vs SIRF III. I think I read that 95% of GPS recievers are still NMEA. Also, I have the GPS receiver (Pharos, I think) that was bundled with MS Streets and Trips 2005 - I believe it uses NMEA and works just fine (not sure how may channels).

Anyway, would this be a cheap viable GPS reciever or is SIRF III and 16 channel the way to go?

JamesBaptista · 10-12-2006, 08:04 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Nate Sickler

Thanks for the insight. However, what difference will I notice between 12 channel and 16 channel, or NMEA vs SIRF III. I think I read that 95% of GPS recievers are still NMEA. Also, I have the GPS receiver (Pharos, I think) that was bundled with MS Streets and Trips 2005 - I believe it uses NMEA and works just fine (not sure how may channels).

Anyway, would this be a cheap viable GPS reciever or is SIRF III and 16 channel the way to go?

Sorry I didn't make myself clear. Saying that it used thae nmea protolcol, meant that it would probably work with MS Streets and Trips. As far as channels go, I'm not sure how much you'll notice the lack. It might not be enough to worry about. Mine actually has 20 channels. SIRF III, is the name of a chip that is inside your gps. It's supposed to get better signals, in more places, with faster acquisition times etc. Read this: http://www.sirf.com/products-ss3.html. Hope this helps,

James

JonDubya · 10-12-2006, 09:20 AM

I have a Holux GM-210, and it acquires fast (SIRF II), but I did have to use the devcon app to get it to work coming out of hibernate.

Nate Sickler · 10-12-2006, 08:42 PM

Thanks for the info Guys!

GFridrich3 · 10-12-2006, 09:25 PM

You can get a Holux GR-213U for under 40 shipped on eBay if your patient enough waiting for an auction that people arent bidding on. Its what I got, has Sirf III and 16 channel receiver. I even pick up 5-7 satellites from inside my garage, with the door closed, with an upstairs neighbors livingroom over my garage. Its quite good for the price and acquires ultra fast.

Nate Sickler · 10-12-2006, 10:52 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by GFridrich3

You can get a Holux GR-213U for under 40 shipped on eBay if your patient enough waiting for an auction that people arent bidding on. Its what I got, has Sirf III and 16 channel receiver. I even pick up 5-7 satellites from inside my garage, with the door closed, with an upstairs neighbors livingroom over my garage. Its quite good for the price and acquires ultra fast.

Is there any difference between the 213U and a 213, as there are only 5 or 6 213U listed on ebay (~$70 shipped), and alot of 213 listed (~$45 shipped). They look to be the same device.

kireol · 10-15-2006, 07:20 PM

i use a Holux GR 231 on my cell phone (cingular PDA 8125) and it works fast and flawlessly with tomtom. not sure that helps or not. it's 12 sat sirf ii

jay_tu · 10-15-2006, 07:34 PM

if you are looking for an inexpensive solution...

get co pilot navigator 9...

the software comes with the usb mouse.. for about 50 ...

+ its way way way better than MS ST&T

just make sure you have usb 2.0 or it wont work....

coredump4 · 03-13-2007, 08:16 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Nate Sickler

Will this Navibe SP611 work with MS S&T, Street Atlas. or other GPS software, it has a USB interface - $35 Shipped and it has an LCD so you can take it with you as a standalone device. Any experience with this device?

http://3btech.net/naspspwagpsr.html

This model works fine with S&T (or other mapping software) when hooked to a PC via USB. It also can be *powered* by USB, so it doesn't require batteries when being used on a computer. This is handy for long trips, or maybe wardriving.

It is only a 12-channel receiver, and is definitely not as sensitive as the SiRF receivers, but it does OK.

Blacryan · 03-13-2007, 10:28 PM

On a side note, what is the best USB GPS reciever to get? is the bu-353 one of the 'better' ones?

coredump4 · 03-26-2007, 11:47 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Blacryan

On a side note, what is the best USB GPS reciever to get? is the bu-353 one of the 'better' ones?

Just get one with a SiRF Star III chipset. Since the GPS chipset/receiver module make up 99.5% of the device, I don't believe it matters much who makes it. Companies like Holux pretty much just put their names on generic devices and resell them.

gpsuseruk · 04-16-2007, 03:11 PM

hi,
I have just bought a navibe sp611. Sadly i have not managed to get a signal yet...not at all not even for 1 minute. Its just searching all the time.
Has anyone else had this problem? I have taken it out on a walk held it in the open clear sky etc and nothing! brand new from USA..could that be the problem i am using in the UK. It mean for sports so i cant belibe it should be this sensitive.

thanks

M.