Jim Weir: Moving map GPS

Ernest Christley wrote:
Jim Carriere wrote:

Darrel Toepfer wrote:

"John S" wrote...

Jim, I like some of the PDA based nav software (TeleType, Control
Vision),
but can't live with the tiny little screens on a PDA. And a nice
little
subnotebook computer--even used--is outrageously expensive.

J.C. Whitney sells a Pyramid 7" TFT/LCD monitor for DVD or
Videocassette
players (System: NTSC. Video input: composition video signal.)
$150.
Will this kind of monitor work with a cheap laptop computer?

Since a key part of the question is "cheap," it might take some
shopping around. I think there are inexpensive S-video to composite
adapters made too.

I'm typing from a computer that has composite out. Most Toshiba
notebooks have them. I have the Satellite model.

Unfortunately, it's useless for anything other than the DVD display as
the text is completely unreadable on the TV out.

TV CRT screens are much lower quality than computer video screens. I
guess the same must apply to DVD players. Also, NTSC (and PAL and other
TV standards) are analog and designed for low bandwidth, so you're never
going to get that really sharp picture that you see on a laptop.

OTOH, perhaps you don't need a really sharp picture... careful use of
colour and graphics (eg bar graphs that change to red to indicate
dangerous values and the like) might be usable to impart information.
Perhaps also some clever use of sound too?

John S wrote:
Jim, I like some of the PDA based nav software (TeleType, Control
Vision),
but can't live with the tiny little screens on a PDA. And a nice
little
subnotebook computer--even used--is outrageously expensive.

I don't know what you consider outrageous, but you might look into the
Sony Vaio Picturebook. I use one of these for a moving map display for
both aviation and vehicular travel (with a USB GPS receiver). The PC
is about the size of a VHS videotape, and amazingly bright (can be
read in direct sunlight, though I wouldn't do so by choice). The model
I have is a Pentium 266 and runs Windows 98 - kinda obsolete, but does
what I want it to very well. The cables are a nuisance, but that is
also true of my portable aviation GPS. There is one offered right now
on eBay at a buy-it-now price of $399.

David Johnson

Try ebay:
http://tinyurl.com/5vva8
for vga car video monitors.

I bought a MIO 168 Pocket OC running Windows CE with the intent of
using it with one of the movingmap/nav software packages. It has a
beautiful, high-resolution display in subdued ambient light but
completely washes-out and becomes unreadable in sunlight. I allowed
myself to be fooled by the various "product reviews" wherein the
reviewer apparently failed to get off his butt and actually go outside
and use it. Try before you buy! YMMV.

Sid Knox
Oklahoma

Velocity N199RS
Starduster N666SK
KR2 N24TC
W7QJQ



John S wrote:
Jim, I like some of the PDA based nav software (TeleType, Control
Vision),
but can't live with the tiny little screens on a PDA. And a nice
little
subnotebook computer--even used--is outrageously expensive.

J.C. Whitney sells a Pyramid 7" TFT/LCD monitor for DVD or
Videocassette
players (System: NTSC. Video input: composition video signal.)
$150.
Will this kind of monitor work with a cheap laptop computer?

Thanks.