[plug] GPS and maps

[Bernd Felsche]

"Timothy White" <weirdit at gmail.com> wrote:
>On 4/21/07, Bernd Felsche <bernie at innovative.iinet.net.au> wrote:
>> "Timothy White" <weirdit at gmail.com> wrote:

>> >> I connected to my TomTom GPS using a Bluetooth USB dongle that made
>> >> it look just like a wired serial (which is, after all that bluetooth
>> >> does; remove the copper between the devices).

>> >> Other than confirming that I'm receiving NMEA sentences, I've not
>> >> done anything substantial (yet).

>> >Hmmm. Any tips for connecting to the TomTom via Bluetooth? I have a

>> RTFM :-)

>> >Linux laptop with Bluetooth, and we have a TomTom Go 500 in the car.
>> >It would be awesome to be able to extract the GPS info!

>> Pair it like any other Bluetooth device and you should be abel to
>> open the corresponding virtual serial port to see the NMEA
>> sentences. Interpreting the sentences is best left to software. :-)

>Ok. I've been playing around with this all afternoon. Or at least trying to.

>Being rather new to Bluetooth, the most I've got to work is some stuff
>with my phone, remote control for media players (xmms) and file
>transfers.

>I assume your using the normal TomTom software, and not the open
>TomTom stuff?  I tried hciattach and rfcomm, but without any luck.
>Care to enlighten me?

I think you're making an assumption about the TomTom GPS receiver.
Mine has no screen. Precisely one button to turn it on. Maps and
navigation software are on the PDA (Treo 650 in my case).

AFAICT, you can't buy them in Australia (except from overseas
dealers).

The fact that it needs bluetooth to be useful to anything reading
its NMEA sentences meant fewer potential connectivity problems.
-- 
/"\ Bernd Felsche - Innovative Reckoning, Perth, Western Australia
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