GPS Question - Page 2

Buji · 09-27-2007, 10:04 AM

Some of the smaller convertible and tablet PCs are starting to come down in price. I'm looking at a ruggedized convertible like the panasonic toughbook or an Itronix ruggedized tablet. We're thinking it will be more 'navigator' friendly for the passenger to use, and the driver still has access to the gps in the kenwood head unit (which actually is rather impressive with the live data over xm...)

The monitor in the back still has a vga connector open and we'll probably use that monitor and a wireless kb or something like that if we have to stop and do work on the road, but for 99% of what we need a computer for it will suffice.

I'll probably swap out the drive for a flash array, but we'll see how much that adds to the cost whenever I get around to it.

jage · 09-27-2007, 09:28 PM

ooooooooooo....

Found this on Garmin FAQ under marine... might be something to look into:

Quote:

Question: Can I connect my chartplotter to my big screen display?

Answer:
The display will need a male, serial input connection. The GPS device can only output the screen picture to your display using the audio/video cable which has a female, 9-D pin serial connection.
Last modified on: 06/14/2007

Buji · 10-02-2007, 11:30 AM

9 pin SERIAL? I thought vga had some twisted pairs. Also, why don't they just call it vga?

Jeffrey · 10-02-2007, 03:12 PM

Maybe because VGA is a 15 pin unit? I think! I'm a Mac guy, forgive me for bieng too advanced!

Buji · 10-02-2007, 03:19 PM

Hahah.. that too.. vga is 15 pin format, but I believe only 9 are necessary for actual vga signals.

Scalf77 · 10-02-2007, 06:09 PM

Just for the heck of it..While it has less features there is actually a 9 PIN VGA Pin Out.
Pin Name Dir Description
1 Red > Red Video
2 Green > Green Video
3 Blue > Blue Video
4 Hsync > Horizontal Sync
5 VSync > Vertical Sync
6 RGND -- Red Ground
7 GGND -- Green Ground
8 BGND -- Blue Ground
9 SGND -- Sync Ground

It would be made with a 9 pin DSUB connector, which is the same connector used in the common 9 pin serial cable.

Greg

Velogeo · 10-03-2007, 10:02 AM

Man, it's getting awful geeky around here. Whats next folks posting in Klingon and putting perl haiku in there sig files?

Will the marine GPSs take topo or highway maps?

canyonclan · 10-06-2007, 03:14 PM

Jeffrey,

Check out DeLorme's LT-20 unit. I think that might fit your requirement.

-Jeff

geoffff · 10-06-2007, 03:51 PM

The Delorme LT-20 is a Delorme GPS packaged with Delorme's "Street Atlas USA" software.

I also use "Street Atlas USA" software (2001 version) on my in-car computer, but you can use it with any GPS. I prefer a GPS I can mount outside the vehicle, like the GlobalSat BU-353 I'm currently using.

-- Geoff