ML910 Laptop GPS & Fingerprint Reader

[POVoutfitters]

Greetings, just ordered and received a new ML910 laptop as a Christmas present to myself.... I know these are usually used with custom software. However, I wanted a laptop that could take being used in the real world.

I am not able to access the GPS. There was not any GPS diagnostic software on the computer. Nor was I able to connect to the GPS via some of the add-on programs to Google Earth. I have made sure the GPS is enabled in the ML user application. It is identified as a Trimble Lassen IQ in the ML user application. That leads me to believe that GPS is actually installed in the laptop.

I went the Trimble website and downloaded Trimble GPS Monitor ver 1.05. This program locates a GPS at Com 11 & Com 18, 4800 8-N-1. That appears would be normal settings for a GPS. However, the software never shows any data from the GPS.

Also, I am hoping to utilize the built-in fingerprint reader. Motorola was nice enough to include a fingerprint sensor setup program in the control panel. However, it does nothing of importance. I was really hoping to find a program like I had on my Sony UX180 micro PC. It would store your website and Windows passwords with your fingerprint swipe. Therefore, I could log onto XP by just swiping my fingerprint across the reader. Same for website passwords, too.

Thanks for any assistance,
Rob

[3dbgain]

All software you need should be on the "D:" drive or the secondary partition on the machine. They are not applications you would see in your start menu. Without an ML in front of me I don't recall the exact paths. The GPS software is not the greatest but you can get LAT and LON coordinates and you can confirm GPS is working on your computer using hyperterminal. You should see a data stream on the ports assigned to gps. The integrated GPS does work nicely with microsoft streets and trips, however. Fingerprint reader application is also on the secondary drive.

[gef12]

Hi there
I dont seem to be able to create waypoints with this software ... it seems to only show lat and long .. what can one do with this software ..anything special
just a gimick
gef

[Pj]

The Trimble monitor is kinda strange...took me a little bit to get it to output the data where it needed to go. If its like my SKII, there are two data ports, but one serial port for the GPS. One side handles everything in the trimble format, and the other outputs whatever format and NMEA strings you want.

Either way, you should be able to point your GPS application to one of the com ports and be done with it.

[POVoutfitters]

I finally had a chance to spend quality time with the internal GPS.

It is located at Com6, 4800 8,N,1

For some reason, the Trimble diagnostic software and it's auto-search function would not locate the GPS at this port.
I located the GPS with the following software:
http://www.oziexplorer3.com/utils/gps_port_checker.html

The GPS antenna is located in the lid of the laptop, near the release button (button to open the laptop.) Also, my unit has an sma connector for an external GPS antenna on the left side, next to the video out. In all the literature, this is listed as a video capture port. This will allow an external GPS antenna without a docking station.

Just thought I would update this, for those that may have difficulty in the future.

[resqguy911]

And how do you find out if a ML has GPS installed (physically) if you can't find it in control panel>hardware?