DC230 woes

Cappie · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 14, 2004 Posts: 3

I've got a DC230 from techworldsg (ebay, but the same Jason Wong from Dconnex). I used it for half a year without any issues, but at some point I forgot to switch it off and the battery was drained completely.

As from that moment, I don't get any satellite lock anymore; the Bluetooth connection behaves weird (on-off) if I initiate the connection from my PDA OR laptop. Sometimes the DC230 initiates the connection and it stays up. However, It doesn't seem to be able to receive any data (as shown by my bluetooth manager).

Upon the DC230 initiated connection I seem to be able to connect via GPS viewer on my Ipaq (I get the: Done... message after entering a command) but the system does not really seem to respond.

SirfDemo does not even like the darn thing anymore; the BlueTooth connection (alas, no datacable here) with my laptop switches on-off every 2 seconds.

anyone any clue? or perhaps even a solution?
_________________
I feel lost without my GPS.....

RByarlay · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 21, 2005 Posts: 4

Well, if it makes you feel better I'm having the same problem with my DC-230 Sad

.

Like you I ran the battery down (left it on) and after charging the battery back up the problem started.

The problem is I can connect to the Bluetooth, but when I try to connect to the GPS in DeLorme Street Atlas 2004 Handheld it kicks the bluetooth connection off and tries to find the receiver (which it doesn't find). I've tried resetting my iPAQ 2210, powering on and off the receiver. Even did a full reset of the the PDA with no luck.

I also can not get the receiver to track any Sat's (red light does not start flashing). I'm getting to wonder if it might be the same problem that the Holux GR-230 users had.

Did you find a solution?

Does anybody else have a solution?

BTW knowing someone else has the same problem doesn’t really make me feel better. Would like to get it fixed.

Cheers.

Roger

althevet · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 23, 2005 Posts: 1

Ive got exactly the same problem, have tried everything i can think of except buying a new gps unit. fed up.

Dave · Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2005 11:20 am Post subject:

It sounds to me you've all at some point switched the GPS from NMEA to SiRF and changed the baud rate whilst switching which will render the GPS useless in receiving sats and talking via Bluetooth. This may have been done manually or via a program you've used.

Running a battery flat won't give these problems because all it will do is return to factory reset.

You will need to drain the battery for approx 12 daysa not charge it, this includes leaving it powered on so that the capacitor can be drained, and then perform a full charge. This should then give it a factory reset and reset the GPS to NMEA 4800.

RByarlay · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 21, 2005 Posts: 4

Dave,

Welllll, I ran the battery down for one week and then charge it back up. That didn't work. Sad

I then ran the battery down for over 2 weeks and charge it up. Didn't work either. Crying or Very sad

I purchased a data cable for a Holux GR-230 (one with the Prolific USB to Serial chip) and I cannot seem to get it to connect to the PC. :x

I down loaded WinFast Navigator for PC. Installed it. When I hook the DConnex DC230 up and hit connect up pops the Data Source Setup asking for COM port, Baud Rate, NEMA or SiRF, and no matter what Baud Rate I try to connect at I get nothing.

Making sure it was not the cable I hooked my Holux GR-230 to it and wa-la receiving data.

I'm beginning to believe that the DConnex DC230 has lost it's firmware or something on that order.

Does anybody have any suggestions??? I’m open for any and all.

Just as a friendly suggestion for everyone out there with the DConnex DC230, do not let your DConnex Bluetooth GPS mouse battery run down. You might be having the same problem that I and a few others are having.

R

strangely · Occasional Visitor Joined: Apr 01, 2005 Posts: 5

Well i have had the same problem with 2 seperate DC-103's also (should have learnt the first time)

I cant believe this cant be fixed somehow and i refuse to buy another despite how well it worked prior to this.

Anyone had any luck trying to get them returned either to the seller or get in touch with Dconex support?

gloc · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 27, 2004 Posts: 5

My problem is similar to this.

I can make a connection fine, and bond with my 2210 running TT3 and GPS drivers 2.06 (&2.07 in the past) but after I have run TT3 for about 5-10 minutes the data on the TT3 screen stops as if the GPS position has stopped. If I go to GPS status and then deselect the tick for GPS and re-tick and reconnect the BT connection I get accurate updated positional information.

When looking at the GPS status screens the data is frozen ie position, numbers being tracked and the strength of the signals but the position is not being updated.

I have tried reinstalled TT3, GPS 2.06 & 2.07 but to no avail.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Gareth
www.imagesoflife.co.uk

gloc · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 27, 2004 Posts: 5

Poor style I know, but just found the answer elsewhere on this site, many thanks

Gareth

Cappie · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 14, 2004 Posts: 3

polecatpete · Occasional Visitor Joined: Apr 24, 2005 Posts: 11

Sorry for the simple questions but sadly, my DC-230 has suffered the same fate Sad

Does the factory reset really work? How do you perform the reset? and finally! Where do I buy a data cable from?

Your help is very much appreciated

polecatpete · Occasional Visitor Joined: Apr 24, 2005 Posts: 11

Ok, I spoke to a very helpful chap at Holux today. I explained that I forgot to turn it off over the weekend and after a quick charge, discovered it no longer works! - He advised me to charge the unit for a full 16 hours and then switch on and position either outside or in clear view of the sky. After around 45mins it should come back to life. If that doesn't work, then last resort would be to buy the data cable and d/l the software to manually configure the unit.

Aparantly this is a common fault with the unit. Once the battery goes completely flat, it loses it's settings and basically performs a full reset. Also, It's no use to charge until the light goes off. You need to give it a full 16 hour charge as it requires a lot more power than normal to restart itself.

Hope this helps anyone in the same position. I'm charging as we speak so hopefully it will work!

strangely · Occasional Visitor Joined: Apr 01, 2005 Posts: 5

I'd just like to some support from Dconnex with this! I'm fed up now and am going to buy another make that provides some decent support.

polecatpete · Occasional Visitor Joined: Apr 24, 2005 Posts: 11

I know the feeling... I gave up with Dconnex and called Holux instead. I know it's a bit cheeky but if you lift the lid, they are identical models!

If it's any help, the chap at Holux said that the 231 and the soon to be released 236 don't suffer the same issues... Not the point I guess but...

CTHindi · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 27, 2005 Posts: 33

I have probably the same problem with palmone branced GR-230.

I too left it on and now it connectc with bluetooth but the orange light does not come on. On bluetooth log on Palm I see it connected but that's it.

Polcatpete

I would be trying the reset. Did that work for you?

polecatpete · Occasional Visitor Joined: Apr 24, 2005 Posts: 11

Hi CTHindi, I tried the reset in the week but it didn't work. I left it charging for 24hours and then set it up outside on the garden table for 3 hours but no change. I know I can get it going if I get the data cable but not sure whether to spend money on that or put it towards a new unit...

Good luck though, let me know how you get on...

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