Garmin, google earth and grlevel3 question!

jshields

hey everyone- thanks for your time and help(hopefully!) i am wanting to use my garmin nuvi255w as a gps unit in conjunction with mapping software. i read somewhere that google earth can be a good software to use. i have downloaded google earth and found the options for connecting a gps unit to it. when i connect my usb cable from the gps to my computer, my garmin screen just says garmin on it and i have no options to do anything with the screen of the garmin. it seems like the unit is just charging. any ideas around this or is this ok/normal? when i do try to start up the gps in google earth, it says importing data then i get a error message that says "could not load file usb" "parse error at line 614 column 1" "not well formed invalid token". i click ok on that error message and i get another message that says, cannot find the device garmin, please restart the device, check the connections and try again". whats going on?!! also on my grlevel3 do i just go to file gps and start? will an icon automatically show up on the radar for my location then? thanks for any help or suggestions. if i have to do a different setup i will, but thought i would try this first since i already had the garmin and google earth is free:D
 
And for Google Earth to work you have to have a constant internet connection as the maps are not on your hard drive but rather it pulls them from the Google servers. Since most data plans are limited now (Verizon's to 5 gig/mo) it might end up costing more money than buying mapping software and a NMEA compliant USB puck.

In fact, I just bought Microsoft Street and Trips with a USB puck for $22.99 from Amazon.com. It works just as well as my Globalsat BU-353. Here is the link where you can buy it.
 
The USB cable might very well be for charging only. I had to get a special USB cable to connect my Holux GPS to my laptop via the USB, as a normal USB cable would only charge the device. If you can get the cable, try running the GPS with GpsGate:
http://franson.com/gpsgate/
It will output the NMEA format for you on additional COM ports.
 
hey wes- i was just checking out your suggestion. does the usb puck come with the software? i couldn't tell from the description of the software. i'm not tech savvy so would i use that to still connect my garmin to my computer or is this a gps usb puck that comes with the software and i wouldn't use the garmin then? it sounds like my type of garmin could be the problem. i saw the 2010 version says it comes with gps locator but of course that software is much more expensive, thanks!

nevermind i found the 2008 software for sale that says with gps, so i think i answered my question!


Wes Carter said:
And for Google Earth to work you have to have a constant internet connection as the maps are not on your hard drive but rather it pulls them from the Google servers. Since most data plans are limited now (Verizon's to 5 gig/mo) it might end up costing more money than buying mapping software and a NMEA compliant USB puck.

In fact, I just bought Microsoft Street and Trips with a USB puck for $22.99 from Amazon.com. It works just as well as my Globalsat BU-353. Here is the link where you can buy it.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
how about using the gps feature on grlevel3? what do i need to do to use that feature? thanks again!
 
From reading the various threads and such, I've pretty much decided myself that the KISS method is to get a BU353 (or similar) and GPSgate (if you need GPS for more than one thing). It isn't the bargin basement way, but with it being the tried and true method, it seems to be the way to go.
 
Jason Foster said:
From reading the various threads and such, I've pretty much decided myself that the KISS method is to get a BU353 (or similar) and GPSgate (if you need GPS for more than one thing). It isn't the bargin basement way, but with it being the tried and true method, it seems to be the way to go.
Click to expand...

I downloaded GPSGate this evening and couldn't get it to work properly. It was unable to detect my DeLorme LT-40 puck. I'm using Windows 7, and the GPSGate only claims to be compatible with Vista, at the latest. Has anyone experienced difficulty using GPSGate with Windows 7?
 
Bob Hartig said:
I downloaded GPSGate this evening and couldn't get it to work properly. It was unable to detect my DeLorme LT-40 puck. I'm using Windows 7, and the GPSGate only claims to be compatible with Vista, at the latest. Has anyone experienced difficulty using GPSGate with Windows 7?
Click to expand...

I'm running GpsGate without hitch on Windows 7 64-bit. From a quick bit of research on the web it looks like that Delorme LT-40 requires the serial emulator to produce the NMEA output needed by GpsGate and other applications. However, you're out of luck if you are running Windows 7 64-bit as the emulator isn't supported on that platform. I'm not sure about the 32-bit version. You're best bet is to shell out $40 for a more compliant GPS like the ones mentioned in this thread and others.
 
Yea that how I run it Skip. Got a great deal on the LT-40 so I have to use the delorme emulator to output NEMA. I'll probably be ordering a different puck later on but I've been using delorme for years with good success. Hard for me to change haha.
 
Thanks for your input, Skip. After giving up on GPSGate last night, I figured that I'd try the DeLorme emulator. I should have done so from the start, but I just had it in my head that it wouldn't work with Windows 7. With the 32-bit OS, though, it works fine, so I guess I'm set. I may look into the BU343 and GPSGate anyway, since the combo is affordable and it sounds like the Franson is a better product than the DeLorme emulator.
 
Hey guys,

I also have a Garmin nuvi255 and plan to run gps in GRlevel3. If I'm reading it right all I need is to get GPSgate and they should all work together?

Also, since connecting the gps to the computer would take the usb output of the garmin, would it still charge through the computer?

If I did that setup, would I also be able to use the garmin normally?

TIA!
 
Hey guys,

I also have a Garmin nuvi255 and plan to run gps in GRlevel3. If I'm reading it right all I need is to get GPSgate and they should all work together? This will be on a 64 bit windows 7 laptop.

Also, since connecting the gps to the computer would take the usb output of the garmin, would it still charge through the computer?

If I did that setup, would I also be able to use the garmin normally?

TIA!
 
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