Haicom HI-204E... opinions please

v_2 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 17, 2005 Posts: 1

Hi, I'm new to all this and was just hoping to get a bit of adivce from anyone.

I have got Toshiba e330 and I'm looking for a decent GPS receiver. I don't really want to pay much more than £60.

I have found the following on eBay:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4668&item=5760504587&rd=1

Which is a Haicom HI-204E receiver. Is this any good? I heard the chipset (Evermore) is not great?? How come?

Thanks for your time

v_2

CHR15 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 18, 2005 Posts: 26

Im probably not of too much use to you here, but I have just started to dabble in all this GPS craze.

I bought the same receiver you are looking at from the same seller about a week ago.
It was delivered immediately by first class post so you can be assured the seller is genuine.

I bought it to go with a Compaq Presario Laptop.
The drivers installed with no problems and the device is recognised with no issues when plugged into the USB port of my laptop.

I did have to shift a Com port down through Device Manager when I first plugged it in but with hindsight I could have got around this without doing so. I was too eager to get going.

The receiver has to be on my windowsil to get a fix. I have read people using GPS Receivers indoors but this is not the case with this one. The receiver must be in plane view of the sky.

The supplied software is adequate to get a feel of whats going on. I did breathe a sigh of relief when I first ran it and saw the NMEA Data churning out quite happily.

I haven't got any infomap software but I am using Autoroute 2004. The device was a cinch to set up and again a relief to see the map dive straight down to my current location whenI checked Track Position.

Unfortunatley I haven't been on any long journeys but I did stick the receiver to the front dash of my Mondeo (with heated screen). I got and almost instant fix from Seven Sats.

I set off on a journey around Plymouth for around an hour and didn't lose fix once. The individual satellite signals came and went but there was so many available it never lost the fix.

Autoroute doesn't indicate speed unfortunately. I was hoping to check my speedo speed against GPS speed. Autoroute only displays position and time.

The supplied software does, however indicate speed, but I couldn't get it to display in the little box.

I have only had it a few days and have not had much of a chance to try it out properly (i need someone else to drive whilst I tinker with it!). Hopefully it's a simple setting/ box to tick to get the speed up.
If you go ahead and buy one and get it working please post back in case I still haven't found it!

I also read about the evermore chipset (afer I had bought it!) so I had a concern but from what I can tell at this early stage Im not too bothered.

I just cant wait until two weeks time when I drive from Plymouth to Aberdeen!!

I hope this has been of some use to you.

Chris

Niko · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 18, 2005 Posts: 6

I've just got a Haicom 204E USB/Navigator4 bundle from Maplin. It all installed OK, apart from the thing being detected as a ball point mouse by XP home. But this is a known issue Sad

. It worked OK, once I had set COM4 to 4800 etc. However the next day the 204E wasn't recognised when plugged in and the install new hardware wizard started, installing the USB/serial bridge on COM5, because COM4 was already in use. Rolling Eyes

I had to do a system restore to get rid of both and start again. Can anybody help me please. I don't know where to look to find what is already on COM4 when I need to.
Niko

CHR15 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 18, 2005 Posts: 26

just out of interest, how much was it from Maplin?

As for your problems.

Did you plug the device intothe SAME USB port the second time you connected it?

The Found New Hardware will appear each time you connect to a different port. I moved it form one to another through all four ports. It only does it the first time, from then on it should be fine.

I was extecting the Ball point issue you describe but it didn't happen on my system (XP with SP2). It was fine.

The software Ihave used has not had a problem with Com Ports, whichever it goes on, they all seem available (withth eHaicom Utility, Autoroute 2004 and QuakeMap).
I will try to f ind a decent Com Port utility, there must be one (ReMapPro 2.4 perhaps)

Niko · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 18, 2005 Posts: 6

CHRI5,
It was £89.97 including VAT. Maplins ref is A57BH, and it is in their current sale. The Navigator4 was with GB maps which seem very up to date.
Thanks for the USB port tip.. I was using a different one, and will reinstall and try using the same one. My laptop only has two, sods law again!!
If this all works OK, I want to include a handheld of some sort, as Navigator 4 can also be loaded onto a winCe machine if it is connected at the time you install on the laptop, and should be a lot more convenient to use in the car. Any suggestions? Do they have USB ports? I'll let you know how I get on with the ports problem.
I toosaw the the chipset reliablity reports. Only time will tell.
Cheers
Nik

Niko · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 18, 2005 Posts: 6

CHRI5,
Your tip on using the same USB port works for me as well. Many thanks. I'm off to buy the European maps for Nav4 on the strength of this. I'll contact Maplin tech support as well.

Cheers
Niko

ikkyo · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 05, 2005 Posts: 2

Would be very interested to know if the origional poster ever got the e330/Haicom 204 combination working. I have the exact same combination and am about to throw the whole lot in the bin in desperation. I have the flashing light on the GPS so it seems all ok at that end but there seems to be no comminication between the GPS and the e330. I have tried many software resets, drivers from Haicom, Haicom test utilities etc but there is nothing to indicate comms between the two devices.

Can anybody help before the whole lot goes in the bin?

TIA
Regards
Paul

Niko · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 18, 2005 Posts: 6

Paul
I don't know whether this will help, but here goes.
When I first installed the 204 and Navigator 4.3 on my laptop, they didnt communicate either.
I had to find out which Com port the 204 was installed on, via control panel, and then transfer that info to the map software via its setup page. I also needed to set up the baud rate/speed, 4800, and the protocol, NMIE or something, there as well. Then I had to turn on GPS tracking in the programl. I need to do the latter every time I use it, but I think there is a default somewhere to change to make it automatic. Now it works.
I've just got back from a week in S.E. Spain, where I used the above to navigate round tiny roads up in the mountains. Big skys there, so we got 12 satellites regularly, never get more than 8 in the UK.
Good Luck.
Nik

_51mon_ · Occasional Visitor Joined: Oct 04, 2005 Posts: 2

changing the COM port would be a good next step, but, as above, I cannot get the reciever to be recognised by the PC itself. Everytime I connect (tried a number of different Dell's with different soft builds...) but everytime get the "USB-Serial Controller" pop-up...!!!

AAAARGHHHHHHHHHHHHH

CAN ANYONE HELP? I KNOW THIS IS A SILLY PROBLEM, BUT A PROBLEM NONE-THE-LESS!!!

Sorry, slightly irate at this stage!

Cheers for any suggestions.

S

Niko · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 18, 2005 Posts: 6

Simon
I'm not quite clear at which stage the receiver and the computer are not talking.
You need to install the receiver driver, note which com port is used, then install the mapping software and tell it on which comport the receiver is to be found.
Which one of these two isn't working?.
I found instructions for installing the driver cunningly hidden on the CD in a little pdf file. The printed "get you going" leaflet referred just to the mapping software and didn't mention drivers. Of course I got nowhere fast (pun intended) as well.
Sorry I've just spotted your question. I've been out in the wilds photographing fungus for a few days. The GPS is still working, so the reliability problem hasn't affected me yet.

Nik 8)

_51mon_ · Occasional Visitor Joined: Oct 04, 2005 Posts: 2

hi there,

have managed to install the software - fine - no probs there.

try to connect USB device - HA! - no luck at all. - no driver in sight. have searched web for anything relevant, again, no luck at all. tried various web remedies, such as removing all traces, just connecting cable, no reciever, still asks for the driver...

yet, have just connected an INFORAD reciever. Guess what:

Connects first time!!! Amazing!

Oh well, any info on the Haicom device still appreciated.

Cheers

S

Niko · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 18, 2005 Posts: 6

Simon
You definitely need to install a USB driver for the Haicom 204. It is probably on your mapping software CD, or on a CD that came with the 204. I have got Navigator4 Europe, and the required drivers are on the CD1 under USB drivers. Scour your CDs in Windows Explorer. You will likely find it.
Nik

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