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DIY car gps?

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  • 02-11-2007 5:34pm
    #1
    shakenbake
    Closed Accounts Posts: 190 ✭✭


    I'm interested in piecing together my own jimmy-rigged in car gps. Possibly with a pda or maybe with a cannobilsed laptop ... or even with one of those car-puter kits.

    The only thing is I can't find too much information on it because it's either a) serious ridiculously easy, or b) I'm crap at using search engines :)

    Can anyone make any recommendations? What PDA's are suitable for this type of thing ... what sort of GPS reciever compatability issues will I run into ... what about software etc ... etc ...

    I could buy one but that's just not enough fun !


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    #2
    CreepingDeath
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,015 ✭✭✭CreepingDeath


    I bought a basic bluetooth GPS device myself, but I'm a senior java engineer and
    can have a good stab at developing a system myself.

    Non-programming types would have to buy a software package plus all the Ireland/Europe maps that go with it.

    Mobile phone batteries run down within an hour when using bluetooth constantly. Unless you get one of those cigarette socket to usb adapters to constantly charge it.
    Laptops... I wouldn't like to leave a laptop in a car on a regular basis... tis begging to be robbed.

    The biggest problem is getting street level map data, there's no "open source" maps down to that level.


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    #3
    JHMEG
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,686 ✭✭✭JHMEG


    Any PDA with a CF slot and a CF GPS receiver. Never mind bluetooth receivers as you will end up with wires and crap strewn around your dash.
    There is no decent satnav software for Windows, so that blows the laptop idea.

    Alternatively one of these works out about 98 euro shipped. Just add a CF card (a tenner) and a copy of Route 66 (legit, of course) and off you go.

    http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.8545


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