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pda system to buy

 
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gazznsam
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Joined: Apr 26, 2007
Posts: 8

PostPosted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 7:30 pm    Post subject: pda system to buy Reply with quote

currently have an old toshiba e740 with a cf card gps card and tomtom 5, it only just runs tomtom5

going to tour the old eastern side of germany and poland and checz republic starting this thuresday.

just got a new laptop as the old un died, and it runs vista of course, which doesnt have active sync, and it seems the mobile sync thingy doesnt support pda's running ppc 2002.

Soooo, seems i need a new pda, i believe the mio range were the best value for money when i last looked having a decent screen and built in gps reciever,

BUT my vehicle is a motorhome which has a large overhang over the windscreen, hence i need an external antenna on the roof to let the gps work, this i have, plugging into the external antenna port on the gps card i gurrently have.

BUT, do these pda's with built in gps recievers have external antenna ports?
the gps card i have now is a sirf 3 one, and it will not get a good signal inside the cab, despite people claiming it will, it will not without the external antenna plugged in.

so a pda with built in gps with no external antenna port for the gps reciever is useless.

any recomendations on a devise to go for that wont break the bank??
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theripper
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Joined: Feb 07, 2006
Posts: 581
Location: Medway Towns, Kent

PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 12:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you opt for a bluetooth reciever(SirfIII)(about £40) with any decent pda you should not need an external aeriel. Mine works indoors with the blinds shut so the overhang should not affect it.
I also have an T-Mobile MDA(HTC Artemis) with built in reciever and that also works indoors but does have an external aeriel socket.
theripper
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robertn
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Joined: Feb 06, 2005
Posts: 564

PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 2:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

First thing is that SiRF III (or any equivilent) should pick up GPS without an expernal antenna, compared to older models such as your one, they have fantastic sensitivity. That said, and external antenna on the roof will always out perfrom one that is tucked away inside.

For Bluetooth, it has the advatage the antenna can go somewhere with a good view of the sky, and the PDA can be mounted anywhere as it won't need to see the sky. Don't forget that the Bluetooth receivers are NOT wireless - they still need power or you have to remember to keep charging the batteries (a pain in the butt). Make sure you get a Bluetooth reciever with an external power connector suitible for you bus (is it 24V?)

Also, it should have a "hard" off/on switch. By that I mean one that is on when the switch is on. Many Bluetooth receivers have a rechargeable battary and can only be turned on by pressing a button on the device - they do not turn themselves on automatically when external power is connected. What you want is one that turns itself on when the ignition starts. Think where the reciever would be mounted and would you be able to reach it from the drivers seat.

Heres my experiance with (admitibly early models) Bluetooth - something like, "start car, start PDA, Start Bluetooth, restart PDA cause Bluetooth wont connect, restart Bluetooth and soft reset PDA, still won't connect - throw whole lot out window and get paper map out of glove box Evil or Very Mad ".
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alix776
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Joined: 03/05/2003 14:45:49
Posts: 3999
Location: leyland lancs ENGLAND

PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 12:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

i use a few gps recivers in my truck including my t-mobile compact3 (htc artimis) and it has no problems at all geting a fix. anything that sirf3 or sirf3 equivelent should be fine in the motorhome with out an external antena
_________________
currently using aponia truck navigation on windows phone. Good bye IOS don't let the door hit you on the way out .

Oh the joys of being a courier.
device Lumia 950 xl
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theripper
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Joined: Feb 07, 2006
Posts: 581
Location: Medway Towns, Kent

PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 10:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

robertn wrote:

Heres my experiance with (admitibly early models) Bluetooth - something like, "start car, start PDA, Start Bluetooth, restart PDA cause Bluetooth wont connect, restart Bluetooth and soft reset PDA, still won't connect - throw whole lot out window and get paper map out of glove box Evil or Very Mad ".


That must have been a long time ago, as for me
1 - Start reciever
2 - Start TomTom, starts bluetooth automatically
3 - Start Car
4 - TomTom has signal enter destination
5 - Drive

All within 30-45 seconds

theripper
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