Holux GR-230 BT Problem fixed

Dave · Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2003 7:37 am Post subject: Holux GR-230 BT Problem fixed

As many of you know prior to the release of the Holux GR-230 review I discovered a BT bug in the Holux GR-230 which stopped you switching the protocol on the GPS from NMEA to SiRF at the same time as changing the baud rate. This rendered the GPS in a state that you couldn't then connect to the GPS (ever). After speaking with Holux extensively and showing them how this is happening, Holux Taiwan have now come up with a fix. It involves both a firmware update and a hardware tweak that needs to be carried out by Holux. The good news is that anyone purchasing a Holux GR-230 from Holux UK will now get one from the fixed batch of receivers. I have spoken with Holux about replacement of earlier GR-230's and that if you are experiencing problems with an earlier model, they will fix this for you, but it will mean sending the GPS back to Holux and being without it for a while. If you do by accident lose control to the GPS, you can purchase a data cable from Holux which will allow you to connect it to a PC and switch it back manually. If anyone has been holding off purchasing a Holux GR-230 because of this problem we highlighted, there's now no need to do so!

DinAlt · Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2003 2:20 pm Post subject:

Hi,

I've just ordered one of these (it's in transit as I type- how can I tell if mine has been modified ? Also as mine is being shipped in from singapore will Holux-UK still carry out the modifications if required ?)

Bit of a case of bad timing on my part - also ordered a powed mount from seidio 1 week before they upgrade the mount to allow wired gps... oh well

DinAlt

Dave · Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2003 4:48 pm Post subject:

The only way I know of to check if it's a new one is to try and break it, and I wouldn't suggest doing that unless you really want to know.

moorsranger · Occasional Visitor Joined: Oct 27, 2003 Posts: 12

Having now abandoned my Rikaline X7 for a Holux 230 I dont really want to break mine! I received it this morning ad it's just charging for the first time. When I connect it via BT to the ipaq and run gpsviewer what should I do in terms of configuring the baud rate etc, and what SHOULDN'T I do? For use in the car should it be NMEA or SiRF - I dont want lag like I experienced with my Rikaline XTrak device, as I missed too many turnings! Got a good deal from ebay - the 230, all the charging adapters (mains and car) and an external antenna for £82 + p&p! Anyone want a Rikaline X7?!! Wink

Dave · Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2003 3:10 pm Post subject:

The default baud rate is 9600 in NMEA and there's no reason to change this, but if you do decide to change it, you need to make sure that when you switch it to SiRF that you don't alter the baud rate to something else. If you do and you have an original batch of GR-230's then you will lose the GPS.

All GPS Receivers can experience lag/latency/positional errors because GPS is not 100% accurate, but the GR-230 is not an XTrac Receiver, so you will not experience any extra over regular GPS.

harm · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 21, 2003 Posts: 2

I've had the same problem with the GR-230, that it lost its internal connection because i played with the Sirf and NMEA including the baud settings at the same time. Just a manner of not reading the manual and the issues on the internet wich is always my problem, when buying a new toy. Wink

But after draining the battery for a good week, the connection was restored again and the 230 workes like a charme.

other not working solutions tried:
Trying to make a new datacable Serial to mini-usb (not working), why not is confusing me (is the datacable from Holux so different?) Confused

Another question is how can I upgrade my GR-230 with the new fix?

Dave · Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2003 3:13 pm Post subject:

We tried draining the battery for 7 days (partly due to the delay of the review), but it didn't reset the GPS to factory default, so you may have a slightly newer version of the firmware.

Upgrading the firmware will require sending it back to Holux, and if you want the protocol switching bug resolved, it will probably be swapped out as a hardware tweak is also required.

tc_discoz · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 21, 2003 Posts: 9

Unfortunately I just seem to have this problem as well.
Is it, that you are still able to perform a bluetooth connection, but don't get any gps data anymore ? Also no gps fix is being achieved.

Could you please post your serial-numbers to doublecheck if mine is build before are after yours (mine is 3110009xx).

What I don't get: Why is the serial connection able to connect to the GR 230 while Bluetooth isn't - though I can connect via BT properly ??

Thanks for your input,

TC

Dave · Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2003 6:55 pm Post subject:

Serial numbers won't help unless someone knows they have a fixed version, you would be better off contacting Holux.

tc_discoz · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 21, 2003 Posts: 9

Dave, when using the datacable - which baudrate/protocol did you choose to successfully reconnect again ?
Is there a tool that you recommand - somewhere I read the SirfDemo wouldn't work with GR 230.

Thanks,

TC

Dave · Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2003 12:27 am Post subject:

I used WinFast Navigator on the PC (under the Leadtek section on our downloads page). From what I recall I just connected on the COM port that the USB data cable was showing under in WinXP and then used NMEA 9600 (which is the default). I had to switch it a couple of times, the first time it didn't seem to want to switch, but the second or third time I disconnected and reconnected it was back okay. Once you've tried switching, disconnect the GPS, power cycle the GPS and then try connecting via BT from the Pocket PC.

tc_discoz · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 21, 2003 Posts: 9

Thank you so much for your input, Dave.

Still, I am not totally sure if I got you right.
What exactly do you mean with 'switch a couple of times' ? Did you turn off and on the device - or did you switch the baud-rate of the NMEA protocol ?

I somehow have diffuculties to understand the difference between accessing the GPS unit via Bluetooth and USB. If I am right, the problem seems to be, that the Bluetooth speed is 38,400 and the GPS talks at something else (due to a protocol and speed switch at once).
Is the goal to set the GPS (via USB) to the speed of the Bluetooth, i.e. 38,400 ?

Couldn't the communication between USB and GPS also get broken if I configure something wrong - or does the USB-data cable connect directly to the GPS ?

Thanks in advance,

Martin

Dave · Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2003 7:36 am Post subject:

I successfully connected to the receiver via the cable, and switched it back to NMEA 9600. Then disconnected the cable, power cycled the GPS and it didn't work, so I tried this 2 or 3 times before it did work. Connecting via the cable wasn't an issue, but it seemed to take a while to switch it to NMEA 9600.

No connection between USB and GPS cannot be broken. Basically you are looking at two connections. The Bluetooth and the GPS, the way I understand it (and explained by Holux) is that the PDA initiates the connection over Bluetooth to the GPS, this when connected should become transparent (which it does) until you change the baud rate.

Think of the PDA to Bluetooth module inside GR-230 (the link) as A
There is then a further link between the Bluetooth module and the GPS itself (within the GPS) as B

Link B is running internally at 9600 baud, Link A can run at any baud rate. When you switch the protocol from NMEA to SiRF and the baud rate at the same time, you are switching Link B. However, the bluetooth module hasn't changed it's speed to match at the link B and is still running at 9600 consequently ignoring all the data coming out of the GPS. The link A between the PDA and the bluetooth module is still running because you can attach to it and request the services available etc.

Basically the fix is to make sure that when you switch protocol and baud rate that the Bluetooth module inside the GPS also needs to change it's baud rate to match the GPS itself so that Link B is running at the same speeds at both ends of the connection. This comes in both a physical hardware tweak and also a newer firmware release.

Confusing, huh ? But Holux aren't the first to be hit with this problem, Emtac and GlobalSat have also had this problem.

Silencer · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 24, 2003 Posts: 3

Hi!
I have a sligtly different problem.
While using the PowerLoc software, my device switched to SiRF (Im guessing) because the only way i can get any GPS data now is switching to SiRF in the PowerLoc program. Other GPS programs that use NMEA do not work anymore.
I am using IPAQ 5455. Any ideas?
I did not loose the link to the device. just the protocol.
And i do not have a data cable also...

Thanks in advace anyone.

Dave · Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 11:40 pm Post subject:

You should be able to switch it back by downloading and running WinFast Navigator and once connecting under the correct SiRF baud rate it's running under with Destinator, you can then use the COMMAND option, goto NMEA and switch back to NMEA, but make sure you also set the BAUD RATE to the same as you are currently running under SiRF otherwise you'll break the GPS.

So if you are running SiRF 57600, switch to NMEA 57600 then OK, once you're happy under the VIEW | DEVELOPMENT screen that you are receiving data, go back into COMMAND and on the NMEA tab again, change the baud rate to 9600 (default Holux use) and this should get you back to how it was.

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