Bluetooth GPS Receivers 12,20,32 channel?

[raykoko]

Is there a 'best' receiver for use in a car?
Looking to use one with my SE P910i phone.
Have seen Holox (not Holux) 32 chan stating they are the most sensitive for indoor use, anyone know how they compare with branded items that seem to at a higher price with less channels detected?

 

[bornagain]

I have been using a Holox BT321 GPS receiver for a couple of months now. Everything you read in the blurb is correct. I often leave the receiver in the boot of the car and it works fine. In fact it works anywhere in the car, in the glove box, under the seat, in my pocket - great piece of kit and very quick to get a satelite fix.
Hope this helps. When I bought mine on ebay the buy it now price was £49.99 - I offered £40 and it was accepted. Go to http://feedback.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback&userid=future_trends&iid=5875134492&frm=284
There are currently 28 satelites up there - the Holox is future proof in that it can track 32 - more satelites are being launched in the future. I get a minimum of 6 or 7 fixes every time.
Brian

 

[Uridium]

my "cheapest i could find" bluetooth GPS receiver £40 from www.mobilefun.co.uk gets at least 5 fixes even in my pocket!

 

[njp]

There are currently 28 satelites up there - the Holox is future proof in that it can track 32 - more satelites are being launched in the future. I get a minimum of 6 or 7 fixes every time.
Brian

Rather pointless, given that the complete GPS constellation consists of 24 satellites, with the remainder being spares. IIRC, the maximum number of satellites that are ever simultaneously in view of a receiver anywhere on the planet is 12, in totally unobstructed terrain, and then only for a few minutes at a time.

Still, I suppose bigger numbers look better in the marketing blurb!

 

[palantir pete]

Greetings

In practice 11 is the most you can expect at any one time, but the new lotsachannel receivers do seem to be more sensitive than the 12 channel ones.

I've seen reviews that found some of the very sensitive ones were none too accurate with their positioning tho.

My 20 channel job tracks fine with Tomtom, but was claimed to wander quite a bit

 

[njp]

In practice 11 is the most you can expect at any one time, but the new lotsachannel receivers do seem to be more sensitive than the 12 channel ones.

That may well be the case, but it has nothing to do with the extra channels! My guess is that the newer chipsets are more sensitive on account of better signal processing (with GPS, it's all about extracting signal from noise), and the extra channels come free as a side-effect of the extra processing power (and are redundant in this or any likely future GPS enhancement). What tends to put me off Holox is the marketing bullsh*t about the number of channels you need (what they say is just plain WRONG), and the fact that their name is remarkably similar to Holux, who also make GPS receivers...

As against that, people do seem to be happy with the receivers.

I've seen reviews that found some of the very sensitive ones were none too accurate with their positioning tho.

Now that is interesting. Are any of these reviews online?

 

[evilgiraf]

bornagain:
You say that you've been leaving the receiver in the boot of your car- doesn't it go into power save mode (i.e. off?) which means yuo having to open the boot to turn it on at the start of every journey??

Thanks in advance for your reply.

 

[fakker]

if you get a BT / mobilefun receiver - its using the nemerix chipset (i think) thats what mines using anyway... it has a handy tool which is a control center with the computer through bluetooth - where you can tweak the settings to improve your satelite connections. usually picks up about 10 - which is fine for tomtom.

http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/product/8590.htm

 

[njp]

if you get a BT / mobilefun receiver - its using the nemerix chipset (i think) thats what mines using anyway... it has a handy tool which is a control center with the computer through bluetooth - where you can tweak the settings to improve your satelite connections. usually picks up about 10 - which is fine for tomtom.

How can you "improve your satellite connections"? No GPS receiver on the planet can receive any more satellites than are visible from its location at a particular time - and that theoretical maximum (>4, <= 12) is usually reduced by intervening terrain.

If you think you "usually" pick up 10 satellites, I suspect you are mistaken.