June 2005
Intermediate to advanced
568 pages
24h 7m
English
Content preview from Mapping Hacks
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Chapter 5, Mapping with Gadgets
#50 The Serial Port to USB Conundrum
HACK
the old RS232 serial interface. We can get a serial-to-USB converter that will
allow us to use our GPS with Windows, Linux, and Mac USB ports.
Converting USB to serial turns out to be complex, due to the way that USB
devices work. Basically the serial-to-USB converter includes a small com-
puter (well, a microcontroller) that translates USB to RS232 and back. Not
all serial-to-USB converters properly implement the whole RS232 specifica-
tion.
Even with this complexity, we can find devices that work. One choice is the
BF-810 from BAFO (http://bafo.com). BAFO has drivers for Mac OS X, Win-
dows, and Linux. Another option is to visit our friends at http://pfranc.com.
How can you resist people who have this question on their FAQ?
Q6: Are most people cool? (AKA Good?)
A: YES --- like maybe a million or more to one!
You can read about the good and the bad things about their adapters at
http://pfranc.com/usb/usb.mhtml. They have drivers for Windows, OS X,
and Linux. They also provide the custom Garmin connectors
[Hack #48],
which allow you to build your own data cables.
The following instructions refer to the BAFO BF-810. However, the same
general principles will apply to other devices. You need to install the proper
driver software and then determine the name that your operating system
gives to that port or device.
Configuring and ...
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O’Reilly covers everything we've got, with content to help us build a world-class technology community, upgrade the capabilities and competencies of our teams, and improve overall team performance as well as their engagement.Julian F.
I wanted to learn C and C++, but it didn't click for me until I picked up an O'Reilly book. When I went on the O’Reilly platform, I was astonished to find all the books there, plus live events and sandboxes so you could play around with the technology.Addison B.
I’ve been on the O’Reilly platform for more than eight years. I use a couple of learning platforms, but I'm on O'Reilly more than anybody else. When you're there, you start learning. I'm never disappointed.Amir M.
I'm always learning. So when I got on to O'Reilly, I was like a kid in a candy store. There are playlists. There are answers. There's on-demand training. It's worth its weight in gold, in terms of what it allows me to do.