[Kde-imaging] Xmas pressies - anyone recommend a good GPS device?

Arnd Baecker arnd.baecker at web.de
Tue Dec 12 13:43:29 CET 2006


On Tue, 12 Dec 2006, Gilles Caulier wrote:

> On Tuesday 12 December 2006 11:41, Colin Guthrie wrote:
> > Hi,
> >
> > Seeing as Gilles has put in some excellent work on the GPS plugin, I'm
> > eager to start GPSing my photos (especially my skiing/boarding holidays
> > etc.).
> >
> > Can anyone recommend a nice, compact, linux friendly GPS device?
> >
> > I don't really know where to begin with GPS on linux support, so figure
> > here is a good place to ask :)
> >
> > Col.
>
> This one :
>
> http://www.dpreview.com/news/0608/06080202sonygpscs1.asp
>
> can be used like a USB mass storage media and of course you can normally get
> GPS track file easily under linux.

Other options might be to go for
- garmin etrex      120 EUR
- garmin geko 201   130 EUR
- garmin GPS 60     175 - 200 EUR

Note that (as far as I know) for the first two one needs
an additional serial cable  (+ seriell to USB converter
if you don't have serial - both together for around 45 EUR).
Battery life times are up to 22, 12, 28 hours.
The geko is the smallest device, and the GPS 60 the largest.

Unfortunately, none of the devices uses a SIRFStar III chipset
which seems to have the highest sensitivity.
(they are supposed to work well also under leaves and other obstacles,
and even inside to some extent ...)
The Garmin * Cx models do have the SIRFStar III
but are more expensive ...

Another interesting device is the Wintec WBT-200
(multi-function Bluetooth GPS data logger), see
http://www.semsons.com/wi3mugpsrebt.html
The chipset is claimed to be similarly good as the SIRFStar III
(see http://www.aximsite.com/articles/link.php?id=348
for a more balanced report)
Concerning linux support I found this:
http://www.makezine.com/blog/archive/2006/06/a_cheaper_cheaper_gps_logger.html

To avoid misunderstandings: I do not (yet) have a GPS,
so all the above just reflects a couple of possibilities I looked at.

Let us hear about your experiences!

Best, Arnd


P.S.: BTW. I just came across devices which can get you 20 cm accuracay,
http://www.trimble.com/geoxh.shtml  (just a bit above $5000 ;-)



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