Haicom HI 204E and Pocket PC 2003

Charlie999

Hi there today I recieved TomTom2 bundled with the Haicom HI 204E wired GPS thingy. The TomTom software went on OK and all looks OK but the GPS will not work at all. I have an Ipaq HP 5550 with pocket pc 2003 on it. I read somewhere that this will not work with my GPS.

Has anyone got any ideas to help me please.

Regards Charlie

DavidW · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 4:16 pm Post subject:

I can't see any reason why a wired GPS should fail to work with the 5550 - what compatibility problems there were with Pocket PC 2003 related to CompactFlash GPSes.

You must provide external power when using the GPS - it will not work without. In other words, the cigarette lighter plug must be connected.

You must disable any keyboard drivers - they're using the serial port that the GPS is attempting to use.

With an Evermore based GPS (as your HI-204E is), you should choose "NMEA 0183v2 4800" in the TomTom GPS driver. Do not choose "Haicom GPS" - that setting seems to be for SiRF based Haicom products. The lower box in the TomTom GPS driver (I'm talking here about the second tab of the application) should have COM1: in it.

If none of that gets you going, check that the cable you have is for an iPAQ. If things still won't work, try the GPS on the roof of your car for ten to fifteen minutes when stationary - you may have a coated windscreen problem.

David

Charlie999 · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 5:18 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the reply my problem further explained.

Both GPS and the pocket PC are plugged into each other and the fag lighter. There is an LED on the GPS that flashes for a while and then remains lit. I read this as searching and then locked onto enough satelites.

I have had the settings on all I can but will set as you say and then retest on the roof.

As per the keyboard I have never had anything other that the sync cradle in that slot.

When I installed the software I only installed the TOMTOM2 sdisc the software that come with the GPS seemed to be only drivers for a PC. Is that right or may I be missing drivers.

Hope this better explains things and further advice would be brilliant.

Failing this I may send the GPS back and invest a few extra pounds in an bluetooth one. Any views on that would I be wasting money?

Regarsd Charlie

Charlie999 · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 5:45 pm Post subject:

OK have just finished the test and still nothing. If the GPS light flashes then stops does this say that all is OK with the GPS? It does the same on the dash board and on the roof. If the pocket PC shows its charging when plugged in does that tell us that the lead is OK.

My thought now are that it is either something on the software blocking the com port (How do you tell) or an incompatability problem with that GPS and my pocket PC.

Thanks again Charlie

Darren · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 6:01 pm Post subject:

OK, you have TomTom configured to use COM1: and NMEA 0183v2 4800 and you have ticked the box to the left to activate the driver?

Switch to the Status Tab, do you see any dots moving from left to right between the Sat and PDA Icons that indicate communication between TomTom and the GPSR?
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Darren Griffin

DavidW · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 6:08 pm Post subject:

In the TomTom GPS screen, what are you seeing on the first (Status) tab once you've filled things in as Darren and I have said (you do have to tick the box next to the settings - tap it with the stylus if it's unticked)?

The phases in a successful fix are:

scrolling dots between the satellite dish and the Pocket PC icon
a time and date showing above the bars (it might be wrong to start with)
increasingly many grey bars below the time and date with numbers on them (the time and date should correct itself once this begins to happen)
after about a minute (though it can take longer) with at least three grey bars, at least three of your bars should turn red, you should hear a bleep (if you have the sounds enabled) and a position should appear - at this point you have at least a 2D fix.

If you keep watching, you'll probably see more bars appear and turn red. The first time round all this can take ages - as much as 45 minutes is not unknown.

What stage are you getting to?

David

Charlie999 · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 7:22 pm Post subject:

Ok thanks again for the replies.

I have got the blue box ticked and the settings as above. I have nothing happening at all on the status screen it is all greyed out. I know roughly what it should look like as I have enabled it once to simulation. I have not left it 45 minutes but I left it attached when Idrove to work today (About 20 mins ) with no joy. Will go and put it in the car on drive and give it an hour.

When the red light is on continuous is that aquired?

Will report back.

Charlie999 · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 7:34 pm Post subject:

One other thing.

On the GPS screen where you can select the GPS being used there are two slider one by a speaker and the other by an icon of a pocket PC. What should be the settings here? The speaker I think means it bleeps or not but the other is puzzling. One way you see a few ZZZ's on the screen and the other way it shows the TOMTOM logo.

Thanks

Darren · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 7:42 pm Post subject:

If you do not see the dots scrolling then you have no connection and no matter how long you wait this will not change. The slider with the Zzz's prevents the PPC from entering suspend mode when GPS is activated.

Can you try a soft reset and then test again?
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Darren Griffin

Charlie999 · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 7:59 pm Post subject:

Have soft reset it more times than I could shake a stick at. There are no dots moving and the light on the GPS is on constantly (No flashing that stops about 30 40 seconds after plugging in)

Do we think it bost or not compatible. Think I may send it back and get a blootooth one, maybe the GPsmart so I can use it on its own aswell for walking etc.

Anyone had problems with this do you know.

Charlie.

PS Good forum credit to all involved very informative.

Darren · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 8:08 pm Post subject:

I know of no reason why it should not be compatible. It could of course have failed unless you have another PPC on which it still works?
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Darren Griffin

Charlie999 · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 10:29 pm Post subject:

I give in I have now tried the lot. I have removed Tomtom from my pc and then reinstalled it. I have downloaded the updated GPS drivers from the Tomtom site and installed them.

But it still will not work no flashing dots.

Thanks for all your help I will be sending it back and asking for a replacement. Do I have another wired one or go bluetooth?

No doubt if I ge problems you nice people wil be here to help.

Regards Charlie

Darren · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 10:34 pm Post subject:

Of course we will be here should you need us. It does sound like there may be a hardware failure here.

if your primary use is in car then the simplest set-up is a GPS Mouse. If you have any need for use outside of a vehicle then get a Bluetooth receiver.

Let us know how you get on Smile

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Darren Griffin

Charlie999 · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 11:07 pm Post subject:

Is it possible I have the wrong cable? Just read a thread but lost it now where someone was having similar problems with an Ipaq 5450 I think and the problem was his cable. It all looked OK with charging etc.

My cable says "IC-IPQ38-HT For iPAQ 38XX / 39XX Haicom" on the side an I have an iPAQ 5550. Is there another one?

Charlie

Darren · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 9:13 am Post subject:

I'm certain that the 55xx series share the same connector set as the earlier 36, 38 and 39xx series. Do you have a friend with another iPAQ that you could test it on?
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Darren Griffin

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