Do Pharos drivers work with Microsoft GPS receiver?

[Alan]

I have the opportunity to separately obtain the gps receiver that's
usually bundled with MS Streets & Trips 2005. I understand it's a
rebadged Pharos i360-GPS unit. I don't want to purchase or use the
Streets & Trips software because I already have Delorme Street Atlas.

Does anyone know if the MS GPS unit will install using the Pharos
drivers that are downloadable from the Pharos website?

Thanks.

[Jason Tsang]

It doesn't care

so long as the GPS unit sends back NMEA 2.0 data and is configured to use a
COM port of 20 or lower.
--
Jason Tsang - Microsoft MVP

Find out about the MS MVP Program -
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/default.aspx

Post by Alan
I have the opportunity to separately obtain the gps receiver that's
usually bundled with MS Streets & Trips 2005. I understand it's a
rebadged Pharos i360-GPS unit. I don't want to purchase or use the
Streets & Trips software because I already have Delorme Street Atlas.
Does anyone know if the MS GPS unit will install using the Pharos
drivers that are downloadable from the Pharos website?
Thanks.

[Alan]

I have confirmed that the Pharos driver will not work with the MS GPS
receiver. The receiver itself does not require a driver, as it is
simply a serial device. However, the connecting cable is a serial to
usb converter, and does require a driver. Although the MS cable
appears to use the same chipset as the Pharos cable, the MS cable has
different vendor and part IDs than the Pharos cable, so the OS does
not recognize that there is a driver installed one the computer for
the MS cable. It should be possible to edit the registry to change
the values for the vendor and part IDs that identify the driver, but I
don't know how to do that. I have done that for a Toshiba e350 PPC,
but the key naming scheme seems to be different in the PPC than in the
PC.

Post by Jason Tsang
It doesn't care
so long as the GPS unit sends back NMEA 2.0 data and is configured to use a
COM port of 20 or lower.
--
Jason Tsang - Microsoft MVP
Find out about the MS MVP Program -
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/default.aspx

Post by Alan
I have the opportunity to separately obtain the gps receiver that's
usually bundled with MS Streets & Trips 2005. I understand it's a
rebadged Pharos i360-GPS unit. I don't want to purchase or use the
Streets & Trips software because I already have Delorme Street Atlas.
Does anyone know if the MS GPS unit will install using the Pharos
drivers that are downloadable from the Pharos website?
Thanks.

[Jason Tsang]

Sorry.

I completely misread your question (thought you asked if basically S&T would
work only with the GPS receiver it came with).

The Vendor and Part ID for the MS GPS receiver (or more precisely the
USB->serial convertor) is VID_067B&PID_aaa0
--
Jason Tsang - Microsoft MVP

Find out about the MS MVP Program -
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/default.aspx

Post by Alan
I have confirmed that the Pharos driver will not work with the MS GPS
receiver. The receiver itself does not require a driver, as it is
simply a serial device. However, the connecting cable is a serial to
usb converter, and does require a driver. Although the MS cable
appears to use the same chipset as the Pharos cable, the MS cable has
different vendor and part IDs than the Pharos cable, so the OS does
not recognize that there is a driver installed one the computer for
the MS cable. It should be possible to edit the registry to change
the values for the vendor and part IDs that identify the driver, but I
don't know how to do that. I have done that for a Toshiba e350 PPC,
but the key naming scheme seems to be different in the PPC than in the
PC.

Post by Jason Tsang
It doesn't care
so long as the GPS unit sends back NMEA 2.0 data and is configured to use a
COM port of 20 or lower.
--
Jason Tsang - Microsoft MVP
Find out about the MS MVP Program -
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/default.aspx

Post by Alan
I have the opportunity to separately obtain the gps receiver that's
usually bundled with MS Streets & Trips 2005. I understand it's a
rebadged Pharos i360-GPS unit. I don't want to purchase or use the
Streets & Trips software because I already have Delorme Street Atlas.
Does anyone know if the MS GPS unit will install using the Pharos
drivers that are downloadable from the Pharos website?
Thanks.

[Paul Randall]

Hi, Alan
If you are paying more than $50 for the Pharos i360-GPS unit, and you live
near an OfficeMax that has S&T 2005 with GPS Locator at the $50 after rebate
this week, you might want to look at it. OfficeMax fixed their problem and
the cash register now bills it at $130 minus $20 instant rebate, and prints
out a $60 upgrade rebate receipt that requires proof of any previous S&T
ownership. Proof is original UPC from any previous version or a photocopy
of the CD from any previous version. The sticker on the back of the GPS
unit says GPS-360 P/N: 360-1000-02 Pharos USA.

-Paul Randall

Post by Alan
I have the opportunity to separately obtain the gps receiver that's
usually bundled with MS Streets & Trips 2005. I understand it's a
rebadged Pharos i360-GPS unit. I don't want to purchase or use the
Streets & Trips software because I already have Delorme Street Atlas.
Does anyone know if the MS GPS unit will install using the Pharos
drivers that are downloadable from the Pharos website?
Thanks.

[Pc-Mobile]

Post by Alan
I have the opportunity to separately obtain the gps receiver that's
usually bundled with MS Streets & Trips 2005. I understand it's a
rebadged Pharos i360-GPS unit. I don't want to purchase or use the
Streets & Trips software because I already have Delorme Street Atlas.
Does anyone know if the MS GPS unit will install using the Pharos
drivers that are downloadable from the Pharos website?
Thanks.

Any GPS you buy should come with its own driver.
So what is the problem?

[Alan]

Hmmm, let's think about this for a nanosecond. If I was getting
drivers with the device, would I be asking about whether other drivers
would work with it? Didn't think so. Usenet, ya gotta love it!

Post by Pc-Mobile

Post by Alan
I have the opportunity to separately obtain the gps receiver that's
usually bundled with MS Streets & Trips 2005. I understand it's a
rebadged Pharos i360-GPS unit. I don't want to purchase or use the
Streets & Trips software because I already have Delorme Street Atlas.
Does anyone know if the MS GPS unit will install using the Pharos
drivers that are downloadable from the Pharos website?
Thanks.

Any GPS you buy should come with its own driver.
So what is the problem?