USB-serial adaptor NMEA woes

magnusmurphy · #1 (**permalink**) 09-28-2003

Hi

I''m busy setting up an electronic navigation system. I''m having trouble with the following:

When setting my Garmin map76 interface to NMEA and connecting the serial to USB connection, the computer goes bananas. All sorts of windows open up and the curser runs around like it''s crazy. I have to get a NMEA interface to get the Garmin to talk to the Nobeltec VNS v7.

However, when I set the interface to GARMIN to connect the gps to my bluechart (garmin chart), it works beautifully, through the same serial to USB adaptor.

My computer is a Toshiba 1.6GHZ P4 with XPpro and no serial port.

Any ideas??

M Murphy

russ325 · #2 (**permalink**) 09-30-2003

Yikes - this sounds all too familar! I had the same problem (my computer was a Toshiba with XP Home). My "solution" was to plug the serial port in as the LAST thing I did - started all the other software *first*. I was running The Captain software for navigation, a Garmin GPS.. If you find a better solution please let me know too!

Russ

magnusmurphy · #3 (**permalink**) 09-30-2003

Hi Russ

I think you are right! It seems that when I have VNS (visual navigation suite) "search" for the gps and only after it found it then change the GPS setting to NMEA, then it behaves and works. It almost seems that if the VNS isn''t "locked" onto the gps that the incoming data completely scrambles the computer''s brain. It just creates havoc and eventually crashes it. With VNS suite running it seems not to happen. I hope this problem will not crop up in the middle of a tricky passage!

THanks

Magnus Murphy

wiley586 · #4 (**permalink**) 10-25-2003

What you are seeing is XP mistaking your GPS for a mouse at startup. You can fix this several ways (besides attaching the mouse after startup). You can disable the bogus mouse (or pointing device or pen) entry in the hardware profile. Or, you can turn off fastdetect, which is better, but somewhat more involved. If that''s unclear, let me know and I''ll dig up the instructions and post them. In any event, it is only known to happen at startup.

Glen Wilson
My NMEA Repeater display program
is available at:
www.worldwidewiley.com

magnusmurphy · #5 (**permalink**) 10-26-2003

Hi

Thanks for the advice. Are you saying if I just startup the computer without the mouse that the problem won''t happen?

unfortunately my GPS is on my boat and I won''t be able to test this for a while. If you would be willing to post the fastdetect disabling instructions (hopefully temporary!) I''d appreciate it so I can test when next at the boat.

Thanks

Magnus