Mac-based GPS Advise?

[overLand_Cruiser]

thanks Fred, that's great info. I have XP on my macbook that I suppose I could use for the GPS, but I only have about 20gigs on that partition...

 

[Count Fred]

As promised, I put a thread up about my rig. For your reading pleasure: here.

Cheers,
JFS III

 

[overLand_Cruiser]

As promised, I put a thread up about my rig. For your reading pleasure: here.

Cheers,
JFS III

looks like a great setup Fred! How you go about interfacing a touchscreen monitor with you computer? Will any touch screen work or do you need a certain kind? I would like to set up something similar, only use my macbook for now instead of integrating a Mini. Thanks!

 

[ChuckB]

As promised, I put a thread up about my rig. For your reading pleasure: here.

Cheers,
JFS III

Very cool, thanks! I really like the use of the mini.

 

[Count Fred]

How you go about interfacing a touchscreen monitor with you computer? Will any touch screen work or do you need a certain kind? I would like to set up something similar, only use my macbook for now instead of integrating a Mini. Thanks!

I will blatantly use someone else's picture:

That is a picture of my unit out of the vehicle. It is a standard DIN size designed for a car. It plugs into the Mini via VGA for the display, USB for the touchscreen, and headphone jack for sound. Lots of touch-screens will work, but having it as a DIN unit means it fits nicely in the dash. Spend some time on mp3car.com if you haven't already to learn more. My understanding is that most touchscreen's are made by a few manufacturers (the actual touchscreen part of mine is made by Egalaxy) and then rebadged. The drivers for them are readily available from the original manufacturers. I had issues with the driver's from Egalaxy and though I wrote them many times, I never got a good answer. I ended up using a third party driver in ways I won't talk about on a public forum. (PM me if you have an Egalaxy touchscreen on Mac OS X and are having trouble.)

My point is not every touchscreen will work, but a good may will. I don't know much about any but the one I'm using, but the folks on the forum at mp3car.com can help you more.

If you are using a Macbook, I think you may be able to find an overlay that just sits on top of the Macbook screen. You wouldn't be able to close it with it on, but you wouldn't need to invest in another screen either. I don't know who would make or carry such an overlay, I know mp3car.com doesn't, but I have seen them pictured mounted to regular monitors and there is no reason you couldn't mount it to a laptop screen if you found one the right size.

Hope that helps a little,
JFS III

 

[Count Fred]

Oh, and one more thing...

If you do choose to run GPS or other applications under Windows XP, and still use the Mac side (i.e. XP is run under virtualization) then I strongly suggest you do some googling of TinyXP. While there may be some legality issues, it made a world of difference in terms of speed and usability such that it works just fine on my Core Solo Mac Mini (i.e. the first Intel based Mac).

Cheers,
JFS III

 

[overLand_Cruiser]

I will blatantly use someone else's picture:

That is a picture of my unit out of the vehicle. It is a standard DIN size designed for a car. It plugs into the Mini via VGA for the display, USB for the touchscreen, and headphone jack for sound. Lots of touch-screens will work, but having it as a DIN unit means it fits nicely in the dash. Spend some time on mp3car.com if you haven't already to learn more. My understanding is that most touchscreen's are made by a few manufacturers (the actual touchscreen part of mine is made by Egalaxy) and then rebadged. The drivers for them are readily available from the original manufacturers. I had issues with the driver's from Egalaxy and though I wrote them many times, I never got a good answer. I ended up using a third party driver in ways I won't talk about on a public forum. (PM me if you have an Egalaxy touchscreen on Mac OS X and are having trouble.)

My point is not every touchscreen will work, but a good may will. I don't know much about any but the one I'm using, but the folks on the forum at mp3car.com can help you more.

If you are using a Macbook, I think you may be able to find an overlay that just sits on top of the Macbook screen. You wouldn't be able to close it with it on, but you wouldn't need to invest in another screen either. I don't know who would make or carry such an overlay, I know mp3car.com doesn't, but I have seen them pictured mounted to regular monitors and there is no reason you couldn't mount it to a laptop screen if you found one the right size.

Hope that helps a little,
JFS III

I didn't realize they made overlays like that, but actually I could use a new head unit as well so I'd consider getting a new DIN unit, and just use the macbook as the "brain" for now. Thanks again for the info!

 

[lostworldexpedition]

Xenarc has two DIN units that are touchscreen and Mac/Win compatible. One of them has a DVD unit the other is just a monitor. The DVD version is $700 plus and the other is $470ish so over the high end of your budget.
This is a pic of the non DVD-version:

The Carputer forums generally speak highly of Xenarc, but I do not own one.

Really curious to see what you wind up doing Overland Cruiser.

 

[overLand_Cruiser]

Thanks lostworld, I saw that xenarc unit, but the trouble is it will have to replace my radio (I only have one DIN slot) and I want to at least have a radio. the $700 is too pricey, and from what I have read about it, not that great.

Right now, this is my tentative hardware list:

• Garmin eTrex Vista HCx
• Lilliput GL701 Touch screen (single DIN, FM radio, VGA, <$400)
• MacBook

I have read mixed reviews about the Lilliput, but you can't beat that price so I think it's worth a shot. Software is still up in the air, and I may end up using windows software through VMWare or Bootcamp since I already have both. I'll be over my budget either way, but having touch screen GPS and an onbard computer would be worth it over just a stand alone GPS unit I think.

we'll see...

 

[dave@chingadera]

Some sites dedicated to in car macs:

http://www.macvroom.com/

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/maccar/

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/maccar/40211-mac-centric-links.html

Look up MacMini Carputer lots of info on people installing those.

GPS Receiver, Bluetooth is convenient: $110.00

http://www.usglobalsat.com/p-537-bt-368i.aspx

has 12v DC and can be permanently wired in the vehicle

Laptop Mount:

RAM mounts make the ones the military uses in their hummers:

http://www.ram-mount.com/Products/LaptopMounts/tabid/1510/Default.aspx

Extras:

Keyboard for steering wheel:

$159.00
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/keyboards/keyboard/devices/3848&cl=US,EN
Keyboard/Mouse bluetooth. It's not supported yet for OSX but I guess it works i.e.:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oqjXemKDFY

http://store.mp3car.com/Mini_Key_USB_Keyboard_DGPN_570_p/com-005.htm

http://www.ergonomicsmadeeasy.com/store/mini/product/ultra-mini-keyboard/

Handy USB mouse pad $44.95:

http://cirque.com/desktoptouchpad/productsandorders/easycat.aspx

Slick Install!!! I hope mine looks a tenth as good as this:

http://tunertricks.com/blog/index.php?p=40

http://tunertricks.com/blog/index.php?p=112

 

[overLand_Cruiser]

great links, thanks dave!

 

[overLand_Cruiser]

I hooked my eTrex Vista C up to my 12" powerbook last night running the RouteBuddy demo and it easily found my location on Ford Island in Pearl Harbor, HI. However, the demo only provides detailed street info for Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Their website is pretty extensive and there is also a forum associated with it.

I'm seriously thinking about downloading the full version.

just to clarify, when you plug in the eTrex it can stream live positioning to your computer? That is, could you drive down the road and track your movement on your computer in real time through a mapping software essentially using the eTrex like an antenna?

 

[overLand_Cruiser]

I decided I'd rather not replace my radio mainly because it's in the center console which would be less than ideal to view while driving, and I don't want to sacrifice quality sound. Therefore, I am leaning toward a dedicated touch screen on dash.

This one caught my again because of the price, but it's advertised to have a samsung screen ad some preliminary reviews look decent.

http://www.gooddeals18.com/product/SHK840?meta=FRG

However, it appears to only have a driver for windows. Does anyone know if it's possible to use a 3rd party driver in this situation to get it working with Mac OS X in case I decide not run windows software?

 

[ChuckB]

just to clarify, when you plug in the eTrex it can stream live positioning to your computer? That is, could you drive down the road and track your movement on your computer in real time through a mapping software essentially using the eTrex like an antenna?

Sorry I have been out of town for a few days...

I have not actually done that yet, but I'm hoping that it works this way. From what I have seen so far it should work. My problem right now is I don't have the right software. I'm still pondering the RouteBuddy program.

 

[ChuckB]

just to clarify, when you plug in the eTrex it can stream live positioning to your computer? That is, could you drive down the road and track your movement on your computer in real time through a mapping software essentially using the eTrex like an antenna?

scroll down to post number #39 that is what I'm going for