NMEA to USB

[unbusted67]

Hello I am trying to hook a Garmin162 into a laptop with open CPN. I have NMEA-out bare wires hanging out of the back of the GPS and a spare USB cable that I can cut. What would be the proper pin configuration in order to get my NMEA-in?

[cal40john]

Don't bother cutting usb cable. You need to buy a USB to serial port adaptor. Also buy a 9 pin Dsub connector that plugs into the serial port. Solder the wires from the GPS to the Dsub.

There are several threads on site of which pins you need to use.

John

[unbusted67]

Why not just solder right into a serial cable? All I really need is the ground and NMEA-out from the GPS. Why waste money on the d-sub connector?

For that matter Open CPN only lists COM3, COM4, Network GPSD, and AIS Port as NMEA sources.

Could I even plug a serial or USB cable into my CPU and have Open CPN recognize it? What is a Network GPSD or AIS port anyway?

[cal40john]

USB and RS-232 while both are serial are not compatible. Ethernet is serial, but you don't plug your USB into it and expect it to work.

If your computer has an RS-232 port then you can cut an RS-232 cable apart and connect those wires to your GPS. This is the 9 or even older 25 pin Dsub connector on your computer.

USB to RS232 converters


COM ports on your computer are the interfaces for software to talk to RS-232 hardware either built-in or added to your computer. A USB to serial adaptor is RS-232 to the outside world, converts that signal (voltage, Baud rate, etc.) and information to be compatible to USB, talks USB protocol to your computer, then in software tells a COM port I will talk to you in an appropriate RS-232 fashion and sends the information to the COM port.

[unbusted67]

John thanks for your response. I just reread my previous post and realized it was a little too jargonny. Let me rephrase:

How do people generally connect Open CPN to GPS?

It looks like we have Dsub input on our computer will that work? If so what is the pin configuration?

[hummingway]

Originally Posted by unbusted67

John thanks for your response. I just reread my previous post and realized it was a little too jargonny. Let me rephrase:

How do people generally connect their computers to their GPS?

Depends on the system. For what you want to do John's response hits it right on the money. To plug a USB device in and have it work would require a USB to serial driver. You can't cut the midele man out.

[Pblais]

For USB / serial cables you need to look for the Prolific chipset. It includes a lot of the bigger names but not all of them. They are the only good ones for Windows Vista and Windows 7 systems. They are also plug and play with the newest drivers. You might not get the new drivers with the cable so check the web site. They have other drivers aside from these Windows versions too, but the driver for a USB interface makes the difference. The really cheap ones suck.

[unbusted67]

Originally Posted by hummingway

Depends on the system. For what you want to do John's response hits it right on the money. To plug a USB device in and have it work would require a USB to serial driver. You can't cut the midele man out.

Thats cool. I just realized though that we have a 15 Pin Dsub connector on the laptop and that we won't be needing to use the USB ports after all. What would be the proper pin out for that?

[Pblais]

RS-232 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Will show the diference betweenn 9 pin and 25 pin. Last I checked, there is no 15 pin serial connector (3 rows of pins). 15 pins is a VGA video connector and they won't work very well. Actually, not at all. You need a USB.

[unbusted67]

Originally Posted by Pblais

For USB / serial cables you need to look for the Prolific chipset. It includes a lot of the bigger names but not all of them. They are the only good ones for Windows Vista and Windows 7 systems. They are also plug and play with the newest drivers. You might not get the new drivers with the cable so check the web site. They have other drivers aside from these Windows versions too, but the driver for a USB interface makes the difference. The really cheap ones suck.

Originally Posted by Pblais

RS-232 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Will show the diference betweenn 9 pin and 25 pin. Last I checked, there is no 15 pin serial connector (3 rows of pins). 15 pins is a VGA video connector and they won't work very well. Actually, not at all. You need a USB.

Oh yeah I guess that's what that is.

[Roy M]

Check out the Panbo.com article that just came out: http://www.panbo.com/archives/2010/0...e_talking.html

[Pblais]

Sorry Roy, this is a NMEA RS-232C interface not a NMEA 2000. They are not the same.

[TrevC]

Originally Posted by Pblais

Sorry Roy, this is a NMEA RS-232C interface not a NMEA 2000. They are not the same.

Yes, but he could upgrade the entire boat to N2K while he's at it.

[Pblais]

Yes, but he could upgrade the entire boat to N2K while he's at it.

We all might do anything, but not with a Garmin 162.

Not a bad choice for someone that wants something that works on a budget. For a PC you can get a nice Bluetooth GPS for under $90 US. With free Raster and Vector US charts it makes a lot of water available.

[cal40john]

More discussion and the pins you need to connect to:

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...s232-4092.html

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...sea-16635.html