How Might One Make Use Of A Gps?


quadomatic

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This is NOT a suggestion for Pandora hardware - just a question about modding.

There are all sorts of GPS modules out there. How would one probably make use of one for the Pandora? There are probably plenty of programs for Linux of different modules, but I don't really know the details.

Could anyone enlighten me?
 
quadomatic said:
This is NOT a suggestion for Pandora hardware - just a question about modding.

There are all sorts of GPS modules out there. How would one probably make use of one for the Pandora? There are probably plenty of programs for Linux of different modules, but I don't really know the details.

Could anyone enlighten me?
I just checked freshmeat and found a bunch of GPS software. These two caught my eye :

http://www.gpsdrive.de/screenshots/index.shtml
http://roadnav.sourceforge.net/index.php

As for hardware ... This thing looks pretty nifty.
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_i...roducts_id=8703

Better yet, doesn't the Pandora's motherboard have solder pads for a serial port? I'll bet you could build a GPS module right into the Pandora's case!
They certainly come in small packages : http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_i...roducts_id=7951
 
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o wow im more interested in soldering one on the pandora than actually having an ugly thing sticking out of it.
 
polkunus said:
o wow im more interested in soldering one on the pandora than actually having an ugly thing sticking out of it.
Good Luck. Craigx has already stated the case is stuffed. Better off with a BT GPS unit.
 
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Megamixman said:
polkunus said:
o wow im more interested in soldering one on the pandora than actually having an ugly thing sticking out of it.
Good Luck. Craigx has already stated the case is stuffed. Better off with a BT GPS unit.

they left room specifically for modding on the solder pads.
 
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PoisonedV said:
they left room specifically for modding on the solder pads.

The pads are there, but there is precious little space to put components. I don't think there's space anywhere in the base to fit even the quarter-sized radio that VRAndy linked. You might fit it up in the lid somewhere, though you may have to move one of the speakers. Honestly the lid is a better location, since the antenna would have to mount up in there anyway.
PS - Welcome back :)
 
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I figured I would adhere it to the lid somehow and solder it inside...or maybe a bluetooth one would be better. It'd probably cost loads more though. The USB one is $80...can't imagine how much a Bluetooth one would cost.
 
I will probably be building a application to streamline contribution to OSM.

I'm thinking:
  • Track where the GPS is / has been (including import & conversion into GPX files using gpsbabel).
  • Allow upload of GPX files directly to OSM.
  • Show the current map in the background and your current track / any other GPS data semitransparent / in the foreground.
  • Record a live commentary of road names / numbers / other data.
  • Allow geotagging of photos directly from a cameras's SD card and the tracks currently being used.
  • Allow 'name tags' to be typed in, and tag a part of the track, which can then be postprocessed into roads / paths by the mapper.
Essentially, it would turn the pandora into a fantastic source device for mapping, but you would still need JOSM / Merkaartor / Potlatch on a PC afterwards for making the real maps.
 
valhalla said:
And you can keep a bluetooth one in an higher location to get better signals

There is also tangogps, with good quality (but prerendered) maps from openstreetmap.



Tango looks interesting, but I'm a little confused, pardon my newbness. Okay, so a programmer develops tango for the Pandora, would I still need a GPS dongle? How would it all work, exactly? Just break it down for me.

If I need a dongle, do I need to plug it into the Pandora or simply keep it near the Pandora and a program would synch with that dongle, and viola there's my map, or something else?

I'm very new to GPS, so please bear with me.
 
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QUOTE
I will probably be building a application to streamline contribution to OSM.


Sounds cool.

QUOTE
Better off with a BT GPS unit.


+1; then you can also leave the GPS switched on and locked, rather than having to wait for a lock everytime you whip out your Pandora.

In terms of software, take a look at Navit (car navigation, can use Garmin or OSM maps); maemo-mapper could probably be ported and is very cool; other things like location-aware IM, or even games....
 
I'll use the pandora+gps to make maps for OpenStreetMap and so should you. Parag0n, your idea is great.
 
Vince2501 said:
Tango looks interesting, but I'm a little confused, pardon my newbness. Okay, so a programmer develops tango for the Pandora, would I still need a GPS dongle?

Yes. GPS works via radios. You will need a GPS receiver. The receiver, (Which can be a dongle, something you connect to with bluetooth, or even an embeded chip that you've somehow modded into the case of your Pandora.) recieves the signals from the satelites and sends them to your computer.
Once you get those signals into your computer, you still need to do something with them. Hence the need for some software.

Essentially GPS needs special hardware and special software.
QUOTE
If I need a dongle, do I need to plug it into the Pandora or simply keep it near the Pandora and a program would synch with that dongle, and viola there's my map, or something else?

Either or. Either way you're going to need special software if you expect to get more than just a raw lat/long coordinate.

QUOTE
I'm very new to GPS, so please bear with me.

No problem.


QUOTE

The pads are there, but there is precious little space to put components. I don't think there's space anywhere in the base to fit even the quarter-sized radio that VRAndy linked. You might fit it up in the lid somewhere, though you may have to move one of the speakers. Honestly the lid is a better location, since the antenna would have to mount up in there anyway.

That tight, huh? Still, I can hope. The antenna that goes with that chip is shockingly small. I've seen larger grains of rice.
Any idea if there's room in the hinge for a cable running from the RS232 up through the hinge into the lid?
 
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VRAndy said:
That tight, huh? Still, I can hope. The antenna that goes with that chip is shockingly small. I've seen larger grains of rice.
Any idea if there's room in the hinge for a cable running from the RS232 up through the hinge into the lid?

No matter how small the antenna, you'd want it in the lid. Don't forget that the board actually sits in the base "upside down" compared to all the videos we're seeing. You wouldn't want your antenna under the board - you'd get crap for reception.

There should be plenty of room in the hinges for wires, assuming the wires are small enough. 30-32 gauge should do the trick.
 
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Navit does, and maemo-mapper can read out instructions downloaded from Google. I'm sure some of the others do, but I only know about ones which support OSM data (as I live in the UK)
 
I will use te gps from my neo freerunner in this also pretty small machine
 
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