Solar powered GPS for bike tour?



<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> [email protected] wrote:
>
> >There have been a couple of comments about battery life in this thread.
> > After thinking about it, I get at least 25 hours out of a set of
> >batteries. Some one mentioned 14 hours, but that's the monochrome
> >unit, not my color unit
>
> Do you think its worth getting the color unit since its
> likely to use battery power up faster?

Yes. New color model is much better than old B/W model.
Larger memory, longer battery life, faster i/f (USB vs RS232).
Probably the only drawback is the cost.
 
> Do you think its worth getting the color unit

Yes.
1. The color unit uses the updated chipset, so it has much longer
battery live
2. The color unit uses the updated chipset, so it provides much fast
screen redraws
3. The color screen is much easier to comprehend at a glance
4. The battery compartment does a much better job at holding things
tight so that the unit doesn't switch off on bumpy roads
5. More memory
6. USB transfers are MUCH faster (when loading maps this is a huge
difference)
 
"yk" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Yes. New color model is much better than old B/W model.
>Larger memory, longer battery life, faster i/f (USB vs RS232).
>Probably the only drawback is the cost.

Amazing

I would have thought a color display would have meant
LESS battery life
 
[email protected] wrote:

>> Do you think its worth getting the color unit
>
>Yes.
>1. The color unit uses the updated chipset, so it has much longer
>battery live
>2. The color unit uses the updated chipset, so it provides much fast
>screen redraws
>3. The color screen is much easier to comprehend at a glance
>4. The battery compartment does a much better job at holding things
>tight so that the unit doesn't switch off on bumpy roads
>5. More memory
>6. USB transfers are MUCH faster (when loading maps this is a huge
>difference)

Greta info!!

Thanks so much
 
Bruce Graham <[email protected]> wrote:

>BTW - I think that monochrome is best for the GPS on the bike. Sunlight
>just makes the mono display brighter.

Is the sunlight beating down all day on eTrex display
hard on that LCD display?
 
On Wed, 31 Aug 2005 14:57:36 -0500, [email protected] wrote:

>"peter" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>So I went back to my rubberband mount. I place a piece of foam over my
>>stem held in place with a couple rubberbands.
>
>Does this give the eTrex god shock resistance?

Dear M.,

Only atheists worry about god shock resistance.

Carl Fogel
 
On Wed, 31 Aug 2005 14:56:26 -0500, [email protected] wrote:

>Bruce Graham <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>BTW - I think that monochrome is best for the GPS on the bike. Sunlight
>>just makes the mono display brighter.
>
>Is the sunlight beating down all day on eTrex display
>hard on that LCD display?

Dear M.,

Only in summer. In winter, the sunlight beats more softly.

Carl Fogel
 
On Wed, 31 Aug 2005 14:55:25 -0500, [email protected] wrote:

>[email protected] wrote:
>
>>> Do you think its worth getting the color unit
>>
>>Yes.
>>1. The color unit uses the updated chipset, so it has much longer
>>battery live
>>2. The color unit uses the updated chipset, so it provides much fast
>>screen redraws
>>3. The color screen is much easier to comprehend at a glance
>>4. The battery compartment does a much better job at holding things
>>tight so that the unit doesn't switch off on bumpy roads
>>5. More memory
>>6. USB transfers are MUCH faster (when loading maps this is a huge
>>difference)
>
>Greta info!!
>
>Thanks so much

Dear M.,

The info that you seek is here:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001256/

Carl Fogel
 
On Wed, 31 Aug 2005 14:56:26 -0500, [email protected] wrote:

>Is the sunlight beating down all day on eTrex display
>hard on that LCD display?

LCDs do fade from UV light and heat, so yes, it might impact display life.
But are you buying this gadget to use or to put in a display cabinet?
However long it lasts is however long it lasts, you can't coddle it to the
point of unusability.

Jasper
 
On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 16:18:23 -0500, [email protected] wrote:

>First off what's the best GPS for bike touring? Id want
>some maps inside the unit. So that leaves out the Geko
>models and Forerunner, correct?

the "best" model will be one that allows you to upload the maps you
wish, and not be limited to a base map.

>And... its my understanding that GPS units eat up
>batteries so is there any that are sun powered?

that may or may not be the case. many modern GPS units get 20+ hours
out of a set of AA batteries. If you use it as a sextant, turning it
on once in awhile to get a fix rather than for navigation, the
batteries last a very long time. instead of a sun powered GPS, have
you considered a solar panel charging solution, such as a backpack?

>Also.... what abt using a separate GPS receiver and
>Pocket PC or PDA? I'm assuming that's not nearly as
>robust as an all in one Garmin for outdoor use.
>Correct?

Yes, but not only that. you won't like the battery life of a PDA,
especially one that is running Bluetooth to talk with the GPS. You
can get many PDA GPS solutions where the GPS is a CF card device (I
own this one: http://www.leadtek.com/gps/gps_9534_1.html). remember,
seperate devices require seperate power supplies and subsequent
recharging.

what it comes down to is the fact that is hard to beat an optimized
handheld GPS unit for that kind of application. if you are going to
spend the money, its my opinion that you should get a good one.
Garmin makes cycling specific products, such as this one:
http://www.garmin.com/products/edge305/

I have been a professional user of GPS since 1994.


Michael J. Klein & Asian Castings Consortium
[email protected]
Yangmei Jen (Hukou), Taoyuan Hsien, Taiwan, ROC
Please replace mousepotato with asiancastings
---------------------------------------------
 
Michael wrote:
> the "best" model will be one that allows you to upload the maps you
> wish, and not be limited to a base map.
....
> if you are going to
> spend the money, its my opinion that you should get a good one.
> Garmin makes cycling specific products, such as this one:
> http://www.garmin.com/products /edge305/

After emphasizing that the best model would give you detailed maps, why
do you recommend the 305 which has no maps at all, neither detailed nor
basemap? Plus that model has a built-in (non-user-replaceable) Li+
cell that only runs for 12 hours which would certainly be limiting on
double century rides and tours. And my experience is that as Li+ cells
age the capacity is likely to eventually decrease.

Although not made specifically for cycling, I'd consider the Garmin
VistaC or the 60c/cs, to be far more versatile and useful for the
bicycling I do than the two 'cycling specific' Edge models.
 
On Tue, 06 Sep 2005 13:30:43 +0800, Michael J. Klein
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Yes, but not only that. you won't like the battery life of a PDA,
>especially one that is running Bluetooth to talk with the GPS. You
>can get many PDA GPS solutions where the GPS is a CF card device (I
>own this one: http://www.leadtek.com/gps/gps_9534_1.html). remember,
>seperate devices require seperate power supplies and subsequent
>recharging.

The problem with CF card GPSes is that the antenna sticks out the back
like a mofo and the whole assembly becomes fairly fragile. And it affects
battery life at least as much as the bluetooth. Separately charging the
GPS mouse isn't so much of a much, if you're going home.

There are now a lot of off-brand pocketPCs that have GPS built-in, though,
manufactured mainly for the car-nav-system-on-a-stick crowd, you can
usually buy 'em with car-oriented nav software for about the same as a
regular similar spec ppc and bt mouse.

PPCs at the moment -- at least in the higher end class -- seem to be
fairly similar to each other, but you can have one of several things:
built-in GPS, built-in GSM/GPRS phone functions, VGA-res screen. Never
more than one of the above, AFAIK. Which sucks cause I want it all, plus
decent battery life and low weight :)


Jasper
 
"peter" <[email protected]> wrote:

>After emphasizing that the best model would give you detailed maps, why
>do you recommend the 305 which has no maps at all, neither detailed nor
>basemap? Plus that model has a built-in (non-user-replaceable) Li+
>cell that only runs for 12 hours which would certainly be limiting on
>double century rides and tours. And my experience is that as Li+ cells
>age the capacity is likely to eventually decrease.

Yep I was puzzled why he recommended the 305 myself!
No maps at all and no way to pop in new batteries

Maybe he will jump in and explain why?

>Although not made specifically for cycling, I'd consider the Garmin
>VistaC or the 60c/cs, to be far more versatile and useful for the
>bicycling I do than the two 'cycling specific' Edge models.

I'm leaning towards a good VistaC.

Isn't it a bit smaller than the 60c/cs?
 
On Tue, 06 Sep 2005 15:41:26 -0500, [email protected] wrote:

>"peter" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>After emphasizing that the best model would give you detailed maps, why
>>do you recommend the 305 which has no maps at all, neither detailed nor
>>basemap? Plus that model has a built-in (non-user-replaceable) Li+
>>cell that only runs for 12 hours which would certainly be limiting on
>>double century rides and tours. And my experience is that as Li+ cells
>>age the capacity is likely to eventually decrease.
>
>Yep I was puzzled why he recommended the 305 myself!
>No maps at all and no way to pop in new batteries
>
>Maybe he will jump in and explain why?

easy - i mistakenly thought it had mapping capability.

>>Although not made specifically for cycling, I'd consider the Garmin
>>VistaC or the 60c/cs, to be far more versatile and useful for the
>>bicycling I do than the two 'cycling specific' Edge models.
>
>I'm leaning towards a good VistaC.
>
>Isn't it a bit smaller than the 60c/cs?

the Visita is the one that I like. i have a Vista story to tell but
the ending is bloody (LCD leaking). its bad.

Michael J. Klein & Asian Castings Consortium
[email protected]
Yangmei Jen (Hukou), Taoyuan Hsien, Taiwan, ROC
Please replace mousepotato with asiancastings
---------------------------------------------
 
On Tue, 06 Sep 2005 10:36:40 GMT, Jasper Janssen <[email protected]>
wrote:

>On Tue, 06 Sep 2005 13:30:43 +0800, Michael J. Klein
><[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>Yes, but not only that. you won't like the battery life of a PDA,
>>especially one that is running Bluetooth to talk with the GPS. You
>>can get many PDA GPS solutions where the GPS is a CF card device (I
>>own this one: http://www.leadtek.com/gps/gps_9534_1.html). remember,
>>seperate devices require seperate power supplies and subsequent
>>recharging.
>
>The problem with CF card GPSes is that the antenna sticks out the back
>like a mofo and the whole assembly becomes fairly fragile. And it affects
>battery life at least as much as the bluetooth. Separately charging the
>GPS mouse isn't so much of a much, if you're going home.
>
>There are now a lot of off-brand pocketPCs that have GPS built-in, though,
>manufactured mainly for the car-nav-system-on-a-stick crowd, you can
>usually buy 'em with car-oriented nav software for about the same as a
>regular similar spec ppc and bt mouse.
>
>PPCs at the moment -- at least in the higher end class -- seem to be
>fairly similar to each other, but you can have one of several things:
>built-in GPS, built-in GSM/GPRS phone functions, VGA-res screen. Never
>more than one of the above, AFAIK. Which sucks cause I want it all, plus
>decent battery life and low weight :)

Jasper, what is your take on the GPS watches? Have you had a chance
to play with any of them?

Michael J. Klein & Asian Castings Consortium
[email protected]
Yangmei Jen (Hukou), Taoyuan Hsien, Taiwan, ROC
Please replace mousepotato with asiancastings
---------------------------------------------
 
On Wed, 07 Sep 2005 12:40:12 +0800, Michael J. Klein
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Jasper, what is your take on the GPS watches? Have you had a chance
>to play with any of them?

GPS Watches? Haven't even heard of them yet.

Jasper
 
Michael wrote:
> what is your take on the GPS watches? Have you had a chance
> to play with any of them?

I've seen the Casio and Suunto. Nice toys, but I don't really see the
point. The screens are too small and the battery capacity too limited
to be of much use for the functions I want from a GPS (including map
display and continuous track logging).
 
> i mistakenly thought...

Wow, a real, live human on a news group. Wonders never cease.

> Visita is the one that I like

I looked closely between the Vista C and the Legend C.
- I didn't need the compass to work when standing still
- Battery life was quite a bit shorter in the Vista

I have since found that when riding a bike, my GPS has a great view of
the sky and gets fabulous reception, and thus it's altitude is good to
(easily) less than 20 feet. I doubt the Vista's barametric altimiter
is going to do a lot better than that for me. Now, granted, I'm in
Salt Lake City, and there's a lot of open space here to ride in. If I
were in a city with tall buildings and such, it might not be nearly as
good. I correct my GPS altitudes with TopoFusion and DEM's after the
fact, so I'm quite sure that my Legend is getting good altitude data.
Now, when I'm hiking in the mountians, the altitude data isn't nearly
as good, but that wasn't the highest priority for my purchase.

The one down side about the Legend vs. the Vista is that the vista
software includes the display of the elevation profile. I'd very much
like my Legend to do that. It could, but Garmin's seen to it to
reserve that feature for the higher priced unit.

On the subject of Garmin... I get frustrated with them because they're
so close to having really great units. They do have really good ones,
but the feature sets are just downright odd mixes. I'd really like a
15 minute conversation with a product manager there to define the
(very) minor changes it would take to deliver a fabulous unit. But
that's probably another thread.
 
On 7 Sep 2005 08:01:41 -0700, [email protected] wrote:

>> i mistakenly thought...
>
>Wow, a real, live human on a news group. Wonders never cease.

will they never....

<stuff snipped>
lots of head nodding while reading your post.

>The one down side about the Legend vs. the Vista is that the vista
>software includes the display of the elevation profile. I'd very much
>like my Legend to do that. It could, but Garmin's seen to it to
>reserve that feature for the higher priced unit.

very true.

>On the subject of Garmin... I get frustrated with them because they're
>so close to having really great units. They do have really good ones,
>but the feature sets are just downright odd mixes. I'd really like a
>15 minute conversation with a product manager there to define the
>(very) minor changes it would take to deliver a fabulous unit. But
>that's probably another thread.

i did have such a conversation and got them to make some changes to
the software for the GPS 45 way back when. Garmin has treated me
right over the years, replacing at least 3 units under warranty.

Taiwan has so many GPS products that its hard to keep up with what's
currently available. One of the coolest hand-held units made here is
made by Holux. The also make stuff like a handlebar mount for bikes
http://www.holux.com.tw/Temp web/BH-500.html
and some very unique models, including a color model with a speaker
for spoken turn directions (yes, in a handheld). I think I'm going to
check them out at the Taipei Electronics Show coming up next month.
All the new cars here have DVD players with in-dash displays (which
change to the rear facing camera when backing up) and options for
street level GPS mapping. Most taxis have live TV programs you can
watch on the displays mounted in the read of the front head rests.

Michael J. Klein & Asian Castings Consortium
[email protected]
Yangmei Jen (Hukou), Taoyuan Hsien, Taiwan, ROC
Please replace mousepotato with asiancastings
---------------------------------------------
 
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