Uniden GPS301 - GPS Road Saftey Early Warning System

Lt. Sniper · Post by **Lt. Sniper** » 23 November 04 6:26 pm

Now that the title has caught your attention

http://www.uniden.com.au/v3/product_gps_GPS301.htm
 
You may have seen this unit advertised at DSE or Tandy for $288
 
I am possibly thinking about one to say in the car to use with my PDA. 
 
There is a link to the manual on that page and the manual has under the heading of NMEA, "GPS - NMEA Ver 3.01Data is output from the serial Port continuously.
This is for connecting to other Devices that require GPS Data." 
Just what I wanted to hear, it should output NMEA for Autorouting and it will also display on the unit any up coming speed cameras or dangerous intersections. 
Has anyone seem one and what where your thoughts?

The Garner Family · Post by **The Garner Family** » 23 November 04 6:36 pm

"Mark and delete up to 500 of your own personal locations, speed camera, red-light camera or black spot locations"

Presumably this means you have to program all the locations in yourself??? Or does it have some locations in there already?

Nonetheless, it's a good price as a reciever and for:

GPS direction to more than 5000 pre-programmed Australian and New Zealand cities and suburbs

EcoTeam · Post by **EcoTeam** » 23 November 04 7:06 pm

You can buy a basic eTrex or similar for much less than that price, why not use a standard GPSr if you want NMEA output?

EcoDave

EcoTeam · Post by **EcoTeam** » 23 November 04 7:10 pm

Or better yet, why not one of those purpose designed "GPS mouse" receivers designed for PCs and PDAs:

Serial:
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... 82813&rd=1

USB:
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... 94379&rd=1

EcoDave

Lt. Sniper · Post by **Lt. Sniper** » 23 November 04 10:21 pm

Yeah, probably would be better getting a mouse type GPS from a cost point of view.
 
Thanks for your replys

ian-and-penny · Post by **ian-and-penny** » 24 November 04 8:16 am

Does anyone have a set of waypoints for speed camera locations?

In Victoria??

Regards

Ian

Geof · Post by **Geof** » 24 November 04 9:51 am

Those things have 5000 waypoints of cameras etc already programed. The 500 are additional to that. You can download updates from a website (not sure if thats the 500 or 5000 part). Some of my work mates have taken one home and tryed it and thay rave about it (their not cachers however). I'l have to try to find time to play with on my self. Those mouse thingos are sure a lot cheaper. I think this unit is designed to fill the radar detector market not the serious GPSr market.

EcoTeam · Post by **EcoTeam** » 24 November 04 12:27 pm

Geof wrote:Those things have 5000 waypoints of cameras etc already programed. The 500 are additional to that. You can download updates from a website (not sure if thats the 500 or 5000 part). Some of my work mates have taken one home and tryed it and thay rave about it (their not cachers however). I'l have to try to find time to play with on my self. Those mouse thingos are sure a lot cheaper. I think this unit is designed to fill the radar detector market not the serious GPSr market.

Yep, it's designed for the gadget comsumer market, users who have no real idea what a GPS is or how it actually works, nor do most of them care I suspect.
A big market, bigger than the GPS market for sure!

Similar to Garmins ForeRunner GPS, it's aimed at the athletics/fitness market not the GPS market.

EcoDave

Cached · Post by **Cached** » 24 November 04 2:06 pm

Strathfield have this one too

Their page is http://www.strathfield.com/ViewProduct.asp?ProdID=1197.

Popular choice for gadget happy dads for christmas, I guess.

ACU

Geof · Post by **Geof** » 29 November 04 3:20 pm

I just had a play with one

Sure is no substitute for the real thing as far as caching anyway.

Datum & Coordinants - no provision for them (that I found).

You drive to Johns house and push buttons... bla bla. Then next time you want to go to Johns house just push... bla bla .

Plenty of trip computer functions etc etc

As for the download. You download their EXE and run it wile conected to the unit and the data seems to go strait from internetnet to unit. No latest file you download and can edit (or use for other GPSr

).

Now if some body worked out a new firmware hack......

Lucanos · Post by **Lucanos** » 30 November 04 8:50 am

ian-and-penny wrote:Does anyone have a set of waypoints for speed camera locations?
In Victoria??

There is a thread on both Speed Camera & Red Light Camera Locations - see here 
 
These products have been available for quite a while now.
There is one called Road Angel (Official Site) which also uses GPS Technology to alert you of Speed & Red Light Cameras, along with Traffic Blackspots (all configurable).
The only disadvantage regarding this product is that I think you need to download update files direct from the manufacturer (for a subscription fee), whereas an open-source unit would allow you to load your own danger zones, including the coffee shop where all your friendly neighbourhood highway cops sit for breakfast...