GlobalSat SD501 SDIO GPS Receiver review

NiKeF · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 03, 2004 Posts: 1

SD-501 And AnexTEK SP230 (Lenovo ET180, russian Rover S1) does not work, i.e. PDA hangs, does not answer pressing at start of the program. The port is established to COM6, the indicator blinks, but there is no answer in the programs.
What it is possible to make?

EasyD2 · Regular Visitor Joined: Aug 13, 2004 Posts: 137

Does the SDIO slot have "SDIO Now!" technology. Please consult your PDA documentation/manual.
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Uugly2 · Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2004 12:43 am Post subject:

I just received my SD501. After reading the reviews I was really looking forward to it. First I tried it in my Toshiba E755. I expected that not to work since I knew Toshiba had not implemented full SDIO on it. I installed the driver successfully, rebooted, and inserted the SD510. Nothing, the LED didn't come on at all and GPSInfo didn't see a COM port for it. I thought that was it on the E755 until I read the previous post on this thread about installing the Toshiba bluetooth sd card stack and tried that. No change, still no LED coming on. When I tried the scan button it set the COM port to usbser 9. I'm not sure if that's a conflict with the PL2303 driver that I previously installed to be able to use an Earthmate GPS device with it (long story, I had to buy custom cables and pulled all my hair out before I got that working, thanks to help from pc-mobile.net). When I try to check the Bluetooth settings I get error, no bludtooth device, or something like that, and can't see anything.

I then tried the SD501 with my Audiovox PPC4100. Driver installed ok, the LED came on solid, and GPSInfo saw the COM port for it. Unfortunately when I clicked the settings button that was it, GPSInfo was hung, I couldn't even kill it with stop running programs, that just hung until the timeout and GPSInfo was still there. Curiously enough when I went back to programs and selected GPSInfo again I got a new version of GPSInfo, or at least it looked like it. It wasn't hung but nothing seemed to work. When I went back to stop running programs again I found 4 instances of GPSInfo running, or at least shown to be running. I could stop 2, 3, and 4 but still couldn't stop the first GPSInfo. The only way I could kill it was with a soft reset.

I found a very brief post somewhere about HP COM ports being preassigned and the SD501 driver couldn't get one. That post said to use comkiller (or something like that) which I found on the Globalsat site but with no details about it at all. I started searching for info on it and found this post about the E400 which has me hoping that I can use it with my E755. I like the Audiovox PPC4100 but I got it from AT&T Wireless who promptly set up my account wrong and turned trying to get it set up the way I wanted it into a nightmare. I canceled that contract and used a T-Mobile SIM until the PPC4100 developed a screen problem and I got a replacement from Audiovox. Guess what, I now have a locked phone and AT&T Wireless won't unlock it for love or money. I know this is off post but if anyone can point me to anyone who can unlock the PPC4100 I will greatly appreciate it (it's the phone is locked to AT&T Wireless service, not a SIM lock).

Having said all that I'm still happy to have the SD501. It's not Globalsat's fault that all the idiotic hardware manufacures don't feel the need to follow specifications.

Thanks in advance,

Even if I can't get my problems solved forums like this at least give me a chance to find out why I can't get something to work.

Wayne

kidken · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 18, 2004 Posts: 6

hi there, I have the same problem as Uugly2 on his AudioVox.. However, mine is a Viewsonic V37.. Driver installed fine, LED came on bright and red and GPSinfo got it as Com2... However the moment I click on Start GPS, that's it... Everything just hung there.. Couldn't get anything to move until I did a soft reset... Couldn't seem to find anything on it anywhere... Could someone please give advice on this issue?? V37 is confirmed to be SDIO capable..

EasyD2 · Regular Visitor Joined: Aug 13, 2004 Posts: 137

Hi kidken,
Not all SDIO enabled PDAs will work. It has to have SDIO Now! technology. Consult your user manual to see if it has this.
No mention of it on Viewsonic website.
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kidken · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 18, 2004 Posts: 6

hi Sean... Well, according to my user guide, the V37 is SDIO NOW! compatible.. Oh yeah.. I forgot to add.. Initial installation with the driver included on the CD didn't work.. Didn't even show the virtual port on GPSInfo even though the LED light was a steady bright red. Downloaded the drivers for 1bit and 4bit from the GlobalSat site.. 4bit didn't work either but the device on Comm2 showed up using the 1bit driver. Tried doing a 'Start GPS' and that's where the whole system hung.. Any ideas? Thanks in advance!

kidken · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 18, 2004 Posts: 6

Following advice from a friend, I used Comkiller (supplied on Globalsat website) to kill my IR ports.. Restarted GPSInfo and did a Start GPS on comm2 which was the port detected. Left it in the open for around 10 mins and the light started blinking... However, that's the furthest I got because the whole PPC hung again.. Had to do a soft reset again... Can someone please help?! Thanks!

EasyD2 · Regular Visitor Joined: Aug 13, 2004 Posts: 137

The driver disk that is supplied with the SD-501 should install a new com port to your device. This usually appears as SDIO port on Com 7.

There are SDIO Drivers available for your Viewsonic V37 at Viewsonic website. Do you have the latest SDIO drivers installed.

Check the following link.
http://www.viewsonic.com/support/drivers_mobile.htm#ppc_sdio_v37
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kidken · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 18, 2004 Posts: 6

hi Sean...

Followed your instructions and downloaded the SDIO drivers from the Viewsonic Website.. Did a hard reset of the V37.. Installed the SDIO drivers (they are actually for SDIO WIFI) before installing SD501 driver from CD.. Red LED light came on but no port detected. Removed driver and installed 1bit driver.. Port detected as COM2: MANF-0501-CARDI on GPSInfo but still hang on Start GPS without blinking.. Checked ports using PHM detector.. Com 7 not found under list of Ports.. However, it showed that Com2 (SDGPS) was conflicting with 'Unknown serial device' (most probably IR ports). Used Comkiller to kill both IR comms and soft resetted PPC.. PHM showed no more conflict.. Left PPC running GPSInfo in the open for 10 mins to try and capture the almanac... Didn't work.. LED remained solid red.. Couldn't even get it to blink anymore... Please advise... Thanks..

Regards,
Ken

bank · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 23, 2004 Posts: 1

At me rover s1 (analogue " anextek sp 230 ", " Audiovox PPC 4100 ",
" Lenovo ET180 ") the same problems, has bought to itself sd-501, com6 the port has risen, but does not work gps info, the program hangs. Owners as have won this problem it is possible thatь to make?
Yes as in models " anextek sp 230 ", " Audiovox PPC 4100 ",
" Lenovo ET180 ") firm the manufacturer does additions?

Share additions?

kidken · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 18, 2004 Posts: 6

Hi bank... Welcome to the club of SD501 users who are unable to use their GPS... Read my posts above... I have similar problems as well... Have decided to sell it off after futule attempts at getting it to work.. Have fun trying... but I do advise you to not waste your time.. Sell it off and get a Bluetooth GPS... This goes out to all potential buyers as well... Be careful and ensure that your PPC will work with the SD501 before making a purchase...

Kidken

kidken · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 18, 2004 Posts: 6

Oh yah... Just a continuation from the above post... I'm not trying to say that the SD501 is a bad GPS unit.. It did sound great from the specifications... Just that it has too many compatiblility issues.....

Kidken

balmoralboy · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 27, 2004 Posts: 2

Has anybody successfully used it with Pocket Streets? I find Streets only sees com ports 1 to 4 but the Gpsinfo screen sees it as port 7

mhgjeh · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 15, 2005 Posts: 4

I've had no issues with using it on an hp 4700, the gps info worked fine and the manual on the cd was very explicit. Once this had been proved the settings were in the manual for ttn, once again this statred up first time.

Although it takes a while to warm up from cold, 2 to 3 minutes I've had no problems with it, as it works indoors and out and fits my requirements that it can be easily stowed away and used out whilst walking.

:D

xdafrank · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 10, 2005 Posts: 1

Mike - a great article which made me rush out to buy the Globalsat SDIO GPS receiver once I received my XDA2i earlier in the week. The drivers assign COM7: MANF-0501-CARDID as the port to use. However - when running GPSINFO / Start GPS - the whole PDA just freezes. I have soft-booted, hard-booted, tried other COM ports and used Comkiller to try to reassign, removed all the software and reinstalled to no avail. Having read the threads - am I bashing my head against a brick wall or is there a workaround ?. The PDA has a backpack + 1Gb microdrive as I do a lot of walking / travelling. Pleeease help before I take a hammer to it.

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