GPS

Some GPS receiver are basically RS232 devices (or RS232 with bridge to USB), that can be accessed with NMEA or Garmin protocols.
Did someone tried to use some USB GPS under RISC OS to get satellite position?

I saw this:
https://www.riscosopen.org/forum/forums/11/topics/1650?page=2
https://web.archive.org/web/20150627073723/http://www.mathmagical.co.uk/Software/Software.html

Martin’s website seems to be down…

Example of low cost USB GPS:
http://www.hardkernel.com/main/products/prdt_info.php?g_code=G142502154078

I’m pretty sure Martin Hansen’s work was interfacing a Raspberry Pi running RISC OS with a GPS device that used RS232 or similar serial link. It was definitely not USB.

We were interested in interfacing with GPS devices because it would be a natural add-on to link to maps via RiscOSM, but I have no idea how to go about the hardware interfacing. I was told by someone with a lot of knowledge of USB and RISC OS that the USB serial protocols are a bit of a mess and very dependent on the chip-set used.

If anyone gets something working, let us know!

USB GPS are cool, because there is no need for an external PSU. Some of them act as classic serial to USB interface. The GPS from HardKernel is one of them. So it’s probably a good start.

http://www.hardkernel.com/main/products/prdt_info.php?g_code=G142502154078

Most of the time, the Ublox 6010 chip uses a PL2303 interface. Time for SerialBlock drivers for Prolofic and FTDI chips? It would be useful for the new PsiFS32 too :)

Here you can have a version with 3.3V output, directly compatible with the Pi port:
http://fr.aliexpress.com/store/product/GPS-MODULE-WITH-ANTENNA-CHIPSET-UBLOX-6010-OUTPUT-TTL-RS232-OUTPUT-VK16U6-series/127766_1861300561.html

So time for a new case for the Pi? With a switcher between two serial ports: one 5V PS/2 for powered devices, and one RS232 5V (both with MAX232 chip) for classic uses.

Would be great for all automation projects where DB9 serial and PS/2 like serial are very commons.
It could even provide a Midi port.
https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=19908&p=239490

Needs some hardware (box and integration of the MAX232 adapter, the switcher and the ports), and some software (PiSerial, modified for new baud rates, devicefs driver for faster speeds, mididriver).

I would for sure buy one, has I use both Midi for music, and RS232 for my Psion (and possibly GPS for my car).
I don’t know if the Pi 0 version of the SchlepPi has enough room to provide a 5V all one serial adapter (DB9, PS/2, Midi, with adapters connected to a small socket connected to the MAX232 chip). Would be great :)