HOLUX GR 236 and Nikon D200

fake · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 12, 2006 Posts: 3

Hello,
I've just recently purchased a Nikon D200, specifically because it has GPS capability.

Does the GR-236 actually output serial (RS-232) data? I see there is a mini-usb connector on it, and there's mention of serial, but I need to know for sure if there's TX and RX on there to attach to a homemade level shifter.

Thanks.

mikealder · Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2006 11:30 am Post subject:

Yes it will provide data via the mini USB connector as well as via Bluetooth, you will need an addaptor lead though, you cannot simply use any mini USB, contact the supplier as they list a 1,5M RS232 data cable as one of the Optional extras for the 236 (great receiver by the way) - Mike

fake · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 12, 2006 Posts: 3

Thanks. I understand what you're saying - I guess the question is, then, does the cable you mentioned just contain wires or does it have some kind of circuitry in it?

If it has circuitry, the device is pretty much useless to me. If it's straight wires, I'll be building my own serial-TTL level shifting cable anyway, so I wouldn't need to buy their cable.

I chatted with tech support this morning but the guy I was talking to asked me to ask back later. Going to do that now.

fake · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 12, 2006 Posts: 3

After discussing it with tech support, it seems that the mini-USB port on the unit does, indeed, output true RS232 serial data.

Skippy · Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2006 5:10 pm Post subject:

fake is correct. The connector is a Mini USB type socket but it outputs RS232 data, it does NOT use the USB protocol. The Holux cable has a RS232 to USB dongle in it which the PC recognises and the Holux driver on the PC creates a virtual COM port. Confused

So it goes Holux GPS - RS232 - RS232 to USB Convertor dongle in the cable - PC - USB to COM port driver - COM port aware application on the PC.

In theory, you should be able to just take the RS232 from the Mini-USB connector on the GPS and feed it into your camera, though I have never done it.

Yeah, it's kind of confusing.
_________________
Gone fishing!

Skippy · Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2006 5:12 pm Post subject:

One more thing, you can charge up your Holux from any standard USB port on a PC so the power part of the Mini-USB connector is standard. It's just that the data pins are RS232 not USB.
_________________
Gone fishing!

AllyCat · Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2006 12:21 pm Post subject:

Hi fake,

Yes, the Holux 236 does output (and receive) serial data, but it is not strictly "RS232". Firstly, the levels are CMOS/TTL (i.e. about 0v and 3v), but more importantly they are INVERTED relative to RS232 signals.

Similarly, you will need to check whether the Nikon uses "Real RS232" or CMOS/TTL levels and polarity. You can buy the Mini USB plugs from Maplin's, or you might be lucky and find complete cables (as I did) in Poundland Smile

.

Cheers, Alan.
_________________
Garmin GPS72H/76/60/45, Etrex H, Mapsource v6.5.
Acer N50,HP114,Loox N560,Dell x50,CF/SD cards to 4/32GB.
RoyalTek,Holux236,Navman B10 & Copilot(Globalsat) BT GPS,TomTom5/6.
Memory Map (v5.4.2 & v5.1.3 OS & Euro), GPS gate,OSGPSconverter.

	PocketGPS
	Web