Garmin Asus A50 - Software

Discussion about software such as GSAK, OziExplorer etc, as well as all things hardware, GPSrs, laptops, PDAs, paperless caching, cables etc
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SA_ParrotHead
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Garmin Asus A50 - Software

Post by SA_ParrotHead » 12 November 10 2:41 pm

About time for a post from the Parrot as I have had one of these for 2 days.
Haven't found a cache with it yet but Iam having great fun playing with it.
Used it as a GPS to get to work on first day. Works exactly the same as my Nuvi. Traffic report in Adelaide wasnt much use as it was only showing eastern states (but I wasnt using on a route). However love that park feature which was created when I pulled the unit from the cradle.
Cars, voice, maps the same as Nuvi. I registered it at Garmin and did a free map update.
When I first plugged it into a PC at work I had trouble locating a serial driver. Plugged it in at home and it found the driver no problem. However I had contacted both Garmin and Asus by then to ask about a driver. If you try searching for this product you will find very limited info on Garmin and ASUS sites. The http://www.garminasus.com site dosent even list it and searching A50 on Garmins FAQ gives only one response for an A50. However registering it on MyGarmin gives you access to 120 page user manual.
https://buy.garmin.com/support/manuals/ ... 0-00846-30
Garminasus came to the rescue with a link for a package that has the driver and the Synch software. (There is no Synch disk in the boxed package and really no mention where to get it even though the first option on the phone when you connect to USB is Synch). Use this link to get the package -
https://www.garminasus.com/en_AU/support/pcsync/
Phone is recognised as USB storage device. It has the usual garmin folders including POI.
I used the macro GarminCsvPoiExport.gsk in GSAK http://gsak.net/board/index.php?s=0ff06 ... entry84484
and POILoader http://www8.garmin.com/support/download ... jsp?id=927
to create a POI file and loaded it onto the phone. Waypoints are displayed under the extra button located in Where To?
Image( I turned off hint because it didnt display properly)

For Paperless caching I have place a 2 g microsd card in the unit and created a folder called Download. I then copied my Pocket Queries to this folder. Then I downloaded GeoBeagle from Android Market. (Info http://www.cacheopedia.com/wiki/GeoBeagle)
Image
Image
Image
(I did the App download from Market on the phone by going into Wireless Manager and creating a wifi link to my home network.)

Once the app has downloaded and been instlled you can then do a synch from within the GeoBeagle program to load the Pocket Queries into the application.

GeoBeagle will also query Geocahing.com with you current location (the same process as manually going to Geoaching.com and doing a WGS84 Datum request in Hide and seek a cache) to display caches near you. Unfortunately the map option dosent use the internal maps and loads a google map.

However given the program is open source and free Iam quite happy with it at the moment.

There was an official Groundspeak App but Google wanted my card details and I wasnt sure about that. Having used the Groundspeak App on an Iphone I am happy to use the Beagle for the time being.

\:D/ :D A GPS that has a camera and a phone as added features and costs under $200 :D \:D/
Last edited by SA_ParrotHead on 12 November 10 4:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Nabarlek
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Re: Garmin Asus A50 pre paid

Post by Nabarlek » 12 November 10 4:40 pm

Thank you so much ParrotHead!!

Maps are undating now :)

What is the main difference between c:geo and geobeagle? Are they very similar?

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Re: Garmin Asus A50 pre paid

Post by covert » 12 November 10 5:05 pm

Nabarlek wrote:Thank you so much ParrotHead!!

Maps are undating now :)

What is the main difference between c:geo and geobeagle? Are they very similar?
There both free. they both have different features that set them apart from one another. c:geo is said to be the best of all the geocaching apps but it does not respect the geocaching.com T&C so if that bothers you the use geobeagle or another apps.

There are half a dozen free geocaching apps. they them all and then stick with the one you like.

BTW if using C:GEO I find RADAR is a lot better than COMPASS.

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Re: Garmin Asus A50 - Software

Post by Cached » 15 November 10 11:24 pm

Split from http://forum.geocaching.com.au/viewtopi ... =2&t=15256 Garmin Asus A50 pre paid.

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Re: Garmin Asus A50 - Software

Post by Nabarlek » 17 November 10 4:23 pm

If anyone has a way of getting caches from GCA onto this using GeoBeagle without actually having to use an sdcard I'd love to hear about it :D

Clarification: have the description,logs etc and co-ords all in GeoBeagle instead of just the co-ords as a poi

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Re: Garmin Asus A50 - Software

Post by CraigRat » 17 November 10 7:04 pm

Nabarlek wrote:If anyone has a way of getting caches from GCA onto this using GeoBeagle without actually having to use an sdcard I'd love to hear about it :D

Clarification: have the description,logs etc and co-ords all in GeoBeagle instead of just the co-ords as a poi
Can you connect your phone to your PC at all via USB? If so, just do that, mount it as a drive, copy over your GCA GPX to the /download/ folder and you should be able to import it ok. Geobeagle handles our GPX files just fine.

You shouldn't need to REMOVE the sd card to do it, but you will need to save the gpx to the sd card in the phone somehow
You are going to need an SD card in the phone at some point if you want it to be useful.

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Re: Garmin Asus A50 - Software

Post by covert » 17 November 10 7:35 pm

I paid for GeOrg yesterday. About $6. It is the best developed geocaching app by far. Even supports multiple databases (one at a time). Can read Tile sets downloaded from google maps of open street map. It unfortunately does not support passoff (connect) to Garmin Navigator like C:geo does. I have contacted the software author about it. Hopefully they will add the feature. If anyone else buys it make sure to contact the Author about support connect to Garmin for turn by Turn.

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Re: Garmin Asus A50 - Software

Post by Briggbottoms » 17 November 10 10:53 pm

Nabarlek wrote:If anyone has a way of getting caches from GCA onto this using GeoBeagle without actually having to use an sdcard I'd love to hear about it :D
I got this working in both GeoHunter and GeoBeagle. I had to install a download manager - ByteTornado is free and did the job - as the GPX download links on GCA download a filetype that the A50 browser decided was not a recognised format and ignored it!?!

With the downloader installed, a GPX from My->Queries on GCA ends up in /storage/Downloads/####.txt which I then rename :!: to ####.gpx - I have installed a FileManager as well although you could do this via USB mount on your PC. The final trick is to change the directory GeoBeagle syncs from - look in Menu->Settings and set it to /storage/Downloads and then Menu->Sync will pull in many cache details quite nicely.

I'm still not sure which app I'll end up using. GeoHunter's tabs make me more comfortable but I see your point about hiding finds in GeoBeagle.

By the way, if you select a cache in GeoBeagle and view the compass, click on the compass to load a Radar view, then Menu->"Show on Map"->"Default Map" will use the built-in Garmin maps and allow you to "Go!" and use the turn-by-turn naviagation. Not the most obvious way to get there but fairly handy I think! The Navigate button in the Compass view doesn't get anywhere useful :(

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Re: Garmin Asus A50 - Software

Post by SuperMoosie » 18 November 10 8:57 am

I was thinking of getting one of these phones as the Etrex Vista died recently.

One question i have in mind, Can you load garmin compatiable maps such as the shonky map series on to them?

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Re: Garmin Asus A50 - Software

Post by covert » 19 November 10 8:58 am

SuperMoosie wrote:I was thinking of getting one of these phones as the Etrex Vista died recently.

One question i have in mind, Can you load garmin compatiable maps such as the shonky map series on to them?
I have managed to load Garmin Topo V3 Aus onto mine.

I will try OSM today and see how it goes.


WARNING - Update might be breaking the Garmin Navigator. I am interacting with Garmin-Asus now to try to solve the issue


On another note Garmin-Asus release the 2.1 Android update we have all been waiting for.
http://www.garminasus.com/en_AU/support ... dates.html

Please don't mention this in the A50 Garmin thread in the general forum. I would like to gauge how much this thread is read so I can decide if it is worth participating in.

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Re: Garmin Asus A50 - Software

Post by Nabarlek » 19 November 10 1:05 pm

sd card makes me very happy. I just plug my phone in with usb, copy files to Download folder and then sync...simple!!

I am also having a bit of trouble with turn by turn navigation. It doesn't give me the option to use maps like it used to and google navigation keeps telling me 'data connection lost'.. When I try to use Saved Locations under Where to? all I get is a blank screen. When I try to use Maps it tells me it 'requires a working data connection' which it's never done before.

ok...the update is BAD. I basically now have no turn by turn navigation at all. I seem to have no access to a gps unless I'm in radar mode on GeoBeagle :(

Is there a way to uninstall the update?

EDIT: now I'm being told that there is no garmin service available so I'm hoping they're working on this :) Turning phone off and coming back later *fingers crossed*
Last edited by Nabarlek on 19 November 10 1:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Garmin Asus A50 - Software

Post by Cached » 19 November 10 1:25 pm

Cool - Will download tonight.

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Re: Garmin Asus A50 - Software

Post by covert » 19 November 10 2:12 pm

Nabarlek wrote:EDIT: now I'm being told that there is no garmin service available so I'm hoping they're working on this :) Turning phone off and coming back later *fingers crossed*
Remove the SD card. The issue goes away. Try formatting the card in the phone once you have confirmed it issue is gone without the SD card in the phone.


Anyone wanting to update I would say go ahead. Only real issue seems to be the SD card causing garmin to have a spaz.

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Re: Garmin Asus A50 - Software

Post by Nabarlek » 19 November 10 4:04 pm

I have removed the sd card and nothing has changed. I still require a network connection to access Maps. I still have no gps and garmin is still temporarily unavailable so I still have no Where To? :(

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Re: Garmin Asus A50 - Software

Post by covert » 19 November 10 4:11 pm

Try Settings->Privacy->Master Clear

You will loose all data on your phone...

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