[Recontech]

What do you guys use for mapping on a mac? Something compatible with GPS data through USB?

[KeyLimePi]

As you can tell, Mac GPS software is sorely missing. I use Route 66 and a Belkin Bluetooth GPS, which work great for me. Do a search on these boards and you'll find some other software/hardware combinations. Nothing as good as you'll find in the PC world, though.

[Strix]

I use two options, both using the same Pharos Bluetooth GPS. For the Mac I use Route 66, but I also use Mapopolis on my Palm Tungsten T.

Mapopolis is available from www.mapopolis.com

I like it because it does not rely on running any software on either the Mac or PC. Map files can be copied over just by synching.

[EmmEff]

What about MacGPS Pro? If you've got your own maps, it appears to be capable.

I am more interested in a software package that does routing, etc. (like Route66) but I have yet to try it.

[TimmyDee51]

If you want to go high end (meaning powerful), try GRASS. I would recommend the CVS of 6.1. Its a bit obtuse at times, but free and can do just about anything you want -- GPS, maps, terrain, modeling, landscape analysis, etc.

[Rogue 5]

I have used route 66 and a keyspan USB-Serial adapter with my Garmin GPS without issues. However, route 66 sucks ass. On my 1.5ghz g4 powerbook with 1 gig of ram, Microsoft Streets and Trips 2005 running in VPC is FASTER, MUCH FASTER. This is RIDDICULOUS if you ask me. Poor programming abounds over at Route 66. I mean its sad when Microsoft software running in an emulated environment is faster than your native program doing the same thing. VPC is able to see the GPS through the USB serial adapter with no issues. I highly recommend this solution over route 66 if you have the means for it.

[EmmEff]

GRASS looks overly complex. I'm sure it's powerful but overkill for a hobbyist like myself.

Seems odd to have to run MS S&T in Virtual PC to have a good solution.

Of course, if Garmin had Mac software, I'd just use it...

[Rogue 5]

Originally Posted by EmmEff

Seems odd to have to run MS S&T in Virtual PC to have a good solution.

Yeah, I kinda agree. But it is the BEST solution I've come across. Streets and Trips is good software, speed considerations notwithstanding, it is superior featurewise to Route 66 too. I found this out while researching products for the mac-mini based, touchscreen, car computer I plan to build. Luckily, you can leave S&T "running" in VPC by just saving the state. It is then available instantly upon restoring the VPC session. The speed issue is definitely critical in a car type environment and you can have the VPC session relaunch automatically on startup everytime.

[EmmEff]

Unfortunately, I guess there just isn't a good market for this sort of software on OS X. Too bad

[toffe]

how about any (opensource) unix based gps software?

[gjhinc]

Anyone using OSX 10.4 with Route 66 and a GlobalSat BT-338?

Yea... Route 66 has enough problems... I've been using it for a while.... thought I'd try it with the new GlobalSat BT-338. BIG PROBLEMS!!!

The BT-338 GPS works perfectly fine with the GPSUtility (GPSNavX). It reports the real-time position accurately 100% of the time. Of course, GPSUtility only reports latitude and longitude not position on a map.

Route 66 does NOT!!!

It's not a "screen refresh" problem. It's a buffer refresh problem in how Route 66 is reading the data from the "Bluetooth Serial Port". Maybe how Route 66 is handling interrupts, read rate, ... I can only guess. Long and the short of it... when tracking position the mapped position lags behind the real-time position significantly! Eventually it's totally lost!!! Route 66 worked find with my older BT-308.


Again, anybody using Route 66 and a GlobalSat BT-338? Thanks.

[EmmEff]

On a related note, is Route 66 under active development? Do they release regular patches and/or updates? I really want a GPS navigation solution for OS X (prefer the 12" screen of my iBook to the tiny screen of a PDA).