Connecting Garmin to USB

[cpedw]

I have a Garmin 152 with NMEA0183 interface. For a long time, I've used a serial link to tidy up waypoints on a PC using Easy GPS. The PC is now fading so it's time to upgrade to a PC that only has USB.

Will one of these these for <£2 be adequate or do I need this or similar this for £20?

Will it just plug together (there's a 9 pin plug on my adapter cable)?

Thanks,
Derek

 

[Skipper_Christoph]

Can't see a big difference between the two.
OTOH why not use a NMEA0183 to USB converter like this one
http://www.actisense.com/products/nmea-0183/usg1.html

Christoph

 

[Fantasie 19]

I have a Garmin 152 with NMEA0183 interface. For a long time, I've used a serial link to tidy up waypoints on a PC using Easy GPS. The PC is now fading so it's time to upgrade to a PC that only has USB.

Will one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USB-to-Se...verter-Cable-Lead-Wire-9-Pin-UK-/130969048724 for <£2 be adequate or do I need this or similar http://uk.farnell.com/ftdi/us232r-100/adapter-cable-usb-to-rs232-100cm/dp/1329310 for £20?

Will it just plug together (there's a 9 pin plug on my adapter cable)?

Thanks,
Derek

For my Garmin 52 I think I just Googled the the Garmin model and put USB convertor on the end - got something similar to this (scroll down to the "people also bought bit" and it has the USB convertor):

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Garmin-interface-cable-serial-connector/dp/B00005B8M4

Note.. the adaptor cable RS232 <=> USB will almost certainly have a driver disk....

 

[AngusMcDoon]

OTOH why not use a NMEA0183 to USB converter like this one

Because it costs 40 times the price is one good reason. Old Garmin devices usually use signal and ground for their NMEA-0183 rather than Data+ and Data-, so a RS-232 converter is fine.

 

[NickRobinson]

I have a Garmin 152 with NMEA0183 interface. For a long time, I've used a serial link to tidy up waypoints on a PC using Easy GPS. The PC is now fading so it's time to upgrade to a PC that only has USB.

Will one of these these for <£2 be adequate or do I need this or similar this for £20?

Will it just plug together (there's a 9 pin plug on my adapter cable)?

Thanks,
Derek

That's the one I bought for my G128 . A bit rf noise but works fine (after some headscratching)

To import export routes as well as using the Garmin position on the PC there are some tricks you need which aren't in either manual....

Nick

 

[GHA]

I have a Garmin 152 with NMEA0183 interface. For a long time, I've used a serial link to tidy up waypoints on a PC using Easy GPS. The PC is now fading so it's time to upgrade to a PC that only has USB.

Will one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USB-to-Se...verter-Cable-Lead-Wire-9-Pin-UK-/130969048724 for <£2 be adequate or do I need this or similar http://uk.farnell.com/ftdi/us232r-100/adapter-cable-usb-to-rs232-100cm/dp/1329310 for £20?

Will it just plug together (there's a 9 pin plug on my adapter cable)?

Thanks,
Derek

The second one has a ftdi chip in it, first cheap one is almost certainly a prolific, the prolific drivers can really annoy some operating systems, win 7 in particular I think. Ftdi is much better behaved, I'd spend the money.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Ftdi is much better behaved, I'd spend the money.

The FTDI one is made from Scottish girders and drinks Irn Bru.

 

[GHA]

The FTDI one is made from Scottish girders and drinks Irn Bru.

Arrre yooos messin wie ma data!!!

Those prolific ones are deeply annoying when you wake up a laptop from hibernate with opencpn running and have to mess about the get the com back up again. Grr.

 

[nigelmercier]

FTDI USB to Serial RS232 Adapter

The second one has a ftdi chip in it, first cheap one is almost certainly a prolific...

Avoid the cheap ones like the plague, I have tried several off these, all cause crashes.

I recommend this USB to RS232 adaptor...

With a single serial port: http://amzn.to/1cEOL4h
Or a with a dual serial port: http://amzn.to/1ccP1fG

 

[cpedw]

Well I went for Fanatasie's suggestion http://www.amazon.co.uk/USB-RS232-Converter-Cable/dp/B00077DJIQ/ref=pd_bxgy_ce_text_y and it worked straight out of the box with Easy GPS, Windows 7 and a Garmin 130 and 152H. Absolutely spot-on.

There was a mini CD in the envelope but it was broken on arrival. It seems I don't need it though.

Thanks for the observations.

Derek

ps Where can I buy a new laptop with windows 7? They all seem to be 8 or 8.1

 

[Fantasie 19]

ps Where can I buy a new laptop with windows 7? They all seem to be 8 or 8.1

You're running out of options but I found these

http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/s...perating+system|Microsoft+Windows+7+Starter|1

..of which this was best bet...

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5073829.htm

I'm sure there's others to be had if you look hard enough.... I know where you're coming from though....

 

[david_bagshaw]

Another vote for the ftdi one. very stable with win 7.

 

[Boreades]

Another vote for the ftdi one. very stable with win 7.

Last year I bought a couple of the FTDI usb to rs232 bare cable adaptors. Fool that I am, I didn't get the job finished last year, I've lost my notes, and now I'm dithering over how to connect the bare ends. So any hands-on experience will be gratefully received!

This is to connect to an old Garmin GPSMap76, which is already feeding GPS data to a Radio Ocean RO4800 (I think it's like a Standard Horizon). Phew, I did at least get that bit right.

But the bare ends of the FTDI adapter have six wires. Which seems like four more than I need (I hope). Is it safe for me just to share the Data +ve from the Garmin to the FTDI's yellow cable (Asynchronous Data input) , and the Garmin ground to the FTDI black cable (Device ground supply pin)? And just isolate the remain four wires?

As the Garmin ground connects to the boat's 12V -ve, some some reason I'm feeling a lack of confidence about connecting that to the FTDI. If the RO4800 is successfully displaying GPS data, should I still be worried?

 

[Amulet]

I have made this RSR232 to USB work on many computers with many adaptors. My experience with the "Prolific" ones is that they are infuriatingly flakey. Mostly I have been able to get them to work, but then some change in the setup, or a new computer and they fail. I recently followed Nigel's advice and bought the two port one he links to. This enables me to feed both GPS and AIS in through one USB socket, and it has NEVER failed. Dunno what plug your Garmin has on it. Mine has the round four pin. All you need to connect to get the signal from your GPS is ground to ground and the data-out to data-in. I made the attached crib sheet when I was working out how to do it, but it might actually make it seem more complicated than it really is. (While black is almost always used for ground and red for +ve, I've seen sundry colours for the data in and data out.)

 

[nigelmercier]

.. I recently followed Nigel's advice and bought the two port one he links to. This enables me to feed both GPS and AIS in through one USB socket, and it has NEVER failed...

Thanks for the recommendation, here are the details again:

With a single serial port: http://amzn.to/1cEOL4h
Or a with a dual serial port: http://amzn.to/1ccP1fG

 

[gonad]

i ended up having win 8 removed and getting win 7 installed extra £85