I have one, and it is connected to my phone. It shows up as a bluetooth device. I want to try the GPS feature of google maps. When I select that option it says that it can't communicate with the GPS device. Although the device is connected, I haven't insatlled any drivers on the phone that would handle the GPS data. I assume that GPS support is not built into the phone and that I would need to install something. If I bought a GPS and map solution or Telenav service or something like that, I assume I would get the needed software to get the GPS data and do something with it. Is there a free driver that I can download and get this working?

Has anyone else used a bluetooth GPS and can tell me what you did to get it working?

Thanks,
Rob

I found some info on regitstry edits and adding the comm port. Google maps now says it is connect to a GPS device and tracking. However, it says I am in the pacific ocean off the coast of Africa. Funny part is it looks like at the equator south of europe. I have a feeling that is 0Latitude and 0Longitude. That would indicate to me that it is not getting real data from the GPS. Like the comm port is not really talking to the GPS. Any ideas? This is a DELL Navteq GPS device. A friend of mine has used it with his Axim with good results.
Thanks,
Rob

I have the ALK CoPilot GPS and software and it has worked well for me. I have never needed to set up the GPS in the Bluetooth Settings because the CoPilot software automatically seeks out the GPS and handles the COM ports.

__________________
John

PDAPhoneHome Forum Moderator

Have you ever tried using Google Maps and enabled the GPS tracking in Google Maps? Would you be willing to give it a try? I certainly understand if you don't want to.
I did find a mistake (mine) in the setup and corrected it. I thought that was why I was getting 0, but after correcting, it still doesn't work. It could be that the GPS isn't picking up the satellites correctly. I will play with a couple things later today.
I have not way to confirm what the GPS is ending, so that is a real problem.
Any help is always appreciated.
Thanks,
Rob

Nope, I haven't used Google Maps with it. I may give it a try at some point just for the fun of it... I'll see what I can do.

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John

PDAPhoneHome Forum Moderator

Thanks John.

It started working. Problem was the GPS was not aquiring a satellite signal properly. I was at a window, but not outside. When I went outside at lunch, it started working. Light on the unit also started blinking to tell me it was working. I thought solid green would be right, but it wasn't.

Configure Smartphone for Google Mobile Maps with Bluetooth GPS - htc

if you are going to try one without ever installing a map package, this page will be needed.

If you install a map package on your phone it should setup the comm port properly to work with your device.

Overall this was pretty easy. $50 for a GPS unit and Google Maps is free. Doesn't have every feature available yet, but if you are on a budget, it does work. It will highlight a map with your route. Doesn't seem to have voice commands yet. If you can get your wife (or husband) to give you the voice commands in that sexy voice, you're all set.

LOL! I prefer someone else's sexy voice!

This would be a good add to the FAQ for the Blackjack.

__________________
John

PDAPhoneHome Forum Moderator

I had to give my friend his GPS back. I bought my own and am trying to get it to work. I connected to the new device, but when I add the comm port, it says it can't add com6. I think this is because the other one was com6. I'm trying to figure out what I need to reset in order to get this second device to work.


Any suggestions?

Sounds like you may need to delete the previous pairing and start over with the new GPS.

__________________
John

PDAPhoneHome Forum Moderator

having trouble posting. This is a test

I used these directions to get a bluetooth GPS working.

Configure Smartphone for Google Mobile Maps with Bluetooth GPS - htc

The GPS that I tried this with was a friends. I got it working no problem. I then gave it back to him and got my own.

Now I have a problem. I deleted the original device from the bluetooth setup. I then searched for a new device. When it connected, I gave it the same name as the old device. The registry edits for getting this to work had a fixed name you could use and a fixed CommPort to use. I thought that using the same name would make it slide into the same port and just work properly.

I WAS WRONG!

When I tried to assign a new outgoing port, it will not let me select com6 for the new GPS. It will let me select any other com port. In the registry under GPS Intermediate Driver\Drivers I have the following:

CurrentDriver is set to BT GPS

a folder called BT GPS

under that folder:

CommPort set to COM6:
FriendlyName set to BT GPS
InterfaceType set to COMM

Under GPS Intermediate Driver\Multiplexer\ActiveDevice:

Context set to 305414496
Dll set to GPSID.dll
Flags set to 2
Keep set to 1

I don't know if the number 305414496 refers to the old device or the new one. Is it holding the com port for the old device and not letting it go? Does the dll file keep some old information in it the is making this not work?

Should I delete the GPS Intermediate Driver folder al together and then reboot. Check to make sure that directory is gone, then reinstall the cab file from the instructions I got and try to re-connect?

Are there other places in the registry that are holding COM6 open that I would need to delete in order to open com6 back up.

Would changing the registry entry from com6 to com7 and rebooting and then trying to connect the GPS to com7 work?

If anyone knows about this, please let me know.

Thanks,
Rob

PS. I am doing this on a BlackJack, but don't think that really makes a difference.