using gps as receiver for laptop

[chris32387]

hello everyone i wanted to know if anyone knows how to connect a garmin gps to laptop so that you can use the laptop screen for the navigation, are there any programs that do this. What would be involved to trying to accomplish this

 

[MindoverMaster]

There something wrong with your Garmin's screen? I do not believe there is a way. The PC connection, through USB, only connects with the internal storage.

You'd have to have an android tablet or phone and use their GPS software.

 

[Sheepykins]

agreed, I dont know of any software but theres probably a good reason for that, laptops and computers dont go anywhere

 

[strollin]

Garmin used to have a program available on their website called nRoute that allowed you to use a Garmin GPS with a laptop. You needed to first install Garmin's MapSource software. I doubt nRoute would work with any of Garmin's currently shipping GPS units but I have an older Garmin GPS, a StreetPilot 7200, and it works great with the nRoute software on a laptop.

There are plenty of other ways to use a GPS receiver with a laptop. Check out Delorme's Street Atlas software which can be purchased with or without a GPS receiver. Microsoft has Streets & Trips. This software may not work with your particular GPS but there are plenty of GPS receivers out there that can be used on a laptop with this software.

 

[chris32387]

thanks for all replies, to answer mindover question no my garmin is not broken, it works great, however on long trip it would be nice to connect to laptop or archos tablet so that i could have a bigger screen without purchasing something else. there would be no point in buying a receiver to connect to the laptop or buy a gps package for my tablet i will just deal with the small screen before i would buy anything else. there has to be an app or software to be able to connect a gps to a computer or tablet and it function as the gps receiver for either method.

 

[MindoverMaster]

You would need an adapter to connect to the satellites. Not sure what you can buy.

Software alone won't cut it. You'd need to be always connected to the net if so.

 

[chris32387]

I know i dont need the internet i am alot smarter than that, the gps gathers info without internet. All i am trying to do is use the laptop or tablet for the screen of the gps instead of using the gps screen and i know there has got to be software to do this.

 

[MindoverMaster]

Unless you take apart the GPS, I doubt you can do anything. The USB connection only goes to the storage flash drive.

 

[strollin]

I know i dont need the internet i am alot smarter than that, the gps gathers info without internet. All i am trying to do is use the laptop or tablet for the screen of the gps instead of using the gps screen and i know there has got to be software to do this.

As I mentioned in my previous post, there is software available. Unfortunately, your GPS is not one that outputs the satellite info for the software to interpret and locate your position on a map. Unless you get a different GPS, you're out of luck.

 

[remixedcat]

google earth, connect the GPS to it, then in the garmin's setup menu it should have a 'data manager' or 'usb settings' and there's a different mode to put it in. then, go back to google earth and input it in the GPS settings menu.

this works for magellan units. not sure about garmin, however it should. as long as you have a working data connection or pre-cache the content into your tablet or laptop.I've done this before and it was cool.

or you can use the software that truckers use as well.