Connecting to external NMEA GPS source

[MarkH]

I purchased Laptimer because I understood that it could employ a Bluetooth NMEA stream and could integrate with Google Maps, but am not having any joy. My objective is not to measure lap times only to get current GPS location into Maps on my wifi-only iPad. My NMEA source is Symarctic's extGPS app on a S60 Nokia phone.

First problem seems to be that cannot get any stable Bluetooth connection between extGPS and Laptimer - if I force a pairing it seems to drop after 2-3 seconds and expGPS app on the phone always says 'Waiting for Connection' never that connection has been established.

Is there cookbook for this? I have set 'Use GPS Accessories' to ON in Expert Settings.

Mark

[Harry]

Mark,

Please check http://www.gps-laptimer.de/Compatibility.html for integration technics and compatible solutions. The setting 'Use GPS Accessories' is mainly to *disable* NMEA access for devices supported. I'm not sure your GPS bridge can be connected, the only solution that might work is roqyBT4 - after jail breaking your iPad. Frankly, I recommend to add an Apple compatible solution.

- Harry

[MarkH]

Harry, thanks for your reply.

Before continuing further may I please confirm whether LapTimer should be able to do what I am looking for, if a bluetooth connection can be made. Two questions:
(1) If LapTimer receives NMEA data from a external GPS, does this get fed into Google Maps, or is it only for LapTimer's use? (2) Does this data interface work on iPad or only on iPhone/Touch? When I read your product summary on the App Store, I assumed that the answers were yes and yes, but having re-read more carefully now I'm not so sure. As said in my first post, I'm not looking to do lap timing (I retired from motor sport many years ago, and that was rallying not circuit racing) only to get mapping apps on my iPad supplied with current GPS position.

Thanks, Mark

[Harry]

Hi Mark,

This is a complex topic. Four scenarios need to be discussed:

1. No external GPS attached.
2. Certified (Mfi) external GPS attached with NMEA integration disabled, or with no NMEA integration available (e.g. GNS).
3. Certified external GPS attached featuring NMEA integration (e.g. XGPS150, UltiMate GPS, TomTom).
4. Any external BT GPS attached using roqyBT4 with a jailbroken device.

For scenarios 2 and 4, Google Maps will access the external GPS. For 1 it is the internal (what else)! 3 is difficult to answer, as the external device is accessed both using NMEA and the Apple integration - or the internal GPS.

Question (2) is yes.

- Harry