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Navigation unit advice- 2015 RT w/o factory nav


2015 Blue RT

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I'm buying a 2015 RT that has no factory navigation, just the opening for one. I'm looking into navigation options. My old setup consisted of my Android smartphone connected to a Parrot 4000 Bluetooth helmet speaker system. It has worked great, but new bike= new stuff, so I have purchased a Cardo Freecom 4 helmet Bluetooth speaker system based upon reviews. I have been reading the audio manual for my yet to be delivered bike, and it looks to have a great number of options. My main use of it will be to listen to FM radio or MP3 music while rural commuting to work & back.

 

The nav opening needs to have something there IMO, and on occasion I'll use this bike for trips, so I'm curious what my options would be. I know from reading here that only the factory nav unit interfaces with the wheel controls, but that is not essential for my use. I would like to be able to hear turn by turn directions if needed though. I suppose the best option would be one with a daylight readable screen that can store and play MP3 files via the bike's audio system, and would fit into the factory opening. I'm not ruling out a Nav 6, but wanted to explore options.

 

Thanks for any advice.

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To my knowledge, the only GPS devices that will fit that opening are the BMW Nav VI and Nav V.  That's not to say you couldn't mount another GPS somewhere else on the bike.

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Thanks. I'll have to look it over once the bike gets here to see what may work. Would live to have a 7" display. 🙂

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Black RT.. I’ll share my view. I have a Nav V in the cradle. I’ve not found anything to eliminate glare and I’ve tried several things recommended. I use a SENA. It has a built in FM that sounds better than the factory system but it is a little harder to operate while riding

With a V or VI as you know you can operate all functions from the wheel. It uses Basecamp on your PC to plan rides and routes. I own several Garmin GOS devices for airplane, boat, and bike. Personally I think Basecamp is a total piece of crap. Very difficult to use

I’m not a big fan of the GPS and the software sucks. That said, for simplicity and integration I would buy a V or VI

The best bike GPS they ever made IMHO is the old ZUMO 550. I still have mine, still use it, and it is very simple. Those units are over 15 years old now  
 

Good luck in your investigation. You might try downloading Basecamp to your PC now and just see how you like it.  I’m pretty sure it’s free

 

BMW’s selection of seats and user interfaces on GPS is not their best effort.  The new wetheads like yours are awesome bikes

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IF by "raw opening" you mean exposed contacts, BMW has a plain plastic plate to cover the opening.

 

You can continue using your smartphone with an adapter that provides USB power and a mount. Here's one: https://www.amazon.com/Navigation-Bracket-Motorcycle-Charging-2014-2019/dp/B08D8Y99V7  Google should find others, but this one spaces the phone out from the dash. Some others are intended more for the GS mount and may interfere with the surrounding dash panel.

 

Or consider using the Wunderlinq, which will work with your phone using the Wonder wheel and providing some data otherwise available with only with a BMW Navigator.

 

Or do a little more work and modify the mount to allow the use of a Garmin Zumo XT (which would be my choice) or TomTom Rider 550.

 

Or spend the big bucks for a BMW Navigator.

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1 hour ago, 2015 Black RT said:

Thanks. I'll have to look it over once the bike gets here. 🙂


Don’t be too surprised when your Black RT shows up and it’s um, not black. :spittake: The Sunlight will change her to a dark burgundy. :thumbsup:

 

 

image.jpeg

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Makes sense now. He posted burgundy in the ad. Not a problem, as my 1981 GS1000 is a lighter shade of burgundy.

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So I'm going to try something slightly different...

I read a lot of info on bike GPS nav systems. Best of all worlds:

1. Waterproof

2. Sunlight readable ("nits" above 500)

3. Big screen- like a TV, if we don't go big now, we'll regret it later

4. Able to play or at least store MP3 files for music

5. Bluetooth

6. Affordable

 

It's kind of like the old hotrodding credo, good, fast, cheap, pick 2. :)

 

As for #1, I usually don't ride when there is a chance of rain, nonetheless where I am it does pop up on occasion. The rest were far more of a concern for me.

 

Reading comments about the Nav VI, I did not consider it, as too  many people have had too many issues. I'd consider a Nav V, but the lowest price for a used one is about $400. No telling if/how long it would last, and it's still a 5" screen. The Zumo XT appears to be the best easily-adaptable unit, but it's also $500. I found the Garmin DriveSmart 55, which with a 5.5" screen is actually smaller than their 5" units due to an edge-to-edge screen. It however is not waterproof/resistant, does not play MP3 files, and apparently has an overheating problem. I also looked into "rugged" Android phones and tablets. Phones IMO with their long/narrow aspect ratio do not render a good picture for a GPS. Tablets being taller/wider do a better job. I found a few small rugged tablets that advertised sunlight readable like 1K nits, but they were well over $600. I wrote a spreadsheet to compare dimensions of several units. Some highlights:

OEM/Garmins:

The navigator V/VI (5") is 136 x 83.4 x 24 mm.

The Zumo XT (5.5") is 148 x 88 x 24, so it is about 1/2" wider and <1/4" taller.

The DriveSmart 55 (5.5")  is 137 x 76 x 18

Drivesmart 65 (7") is 173 x 99 x19

 

Other GPS:

There is a China-made "Fodsports" GPS (5") is 150 x 99 x 20. It sells for around $125. The YT video on it showed it was likely too dim for daylight use.

Amazon listed a 7" motorcycle GPS but it had no BT available.

 

Phones:

The Kyocera Duraforce Pro (rugged, 5.5") is 148 x 73 x 13, so it's the same width but a little shorter than the XT.

The Google Pixel 2 (non-rugged, 5") is 146 x 70 x 8

 

Various tablets:

A site called DH Gate (China) sells a 7" rugged tablet that is 200 x 132 x 21. It's around $315 + shipping. Amazon listed a similar sized rugged tablet. I found it on Aliexpress (China) for around $275.

Google Nexus 7 (7" full HD screen, updateable to Android 6) is 199 x 120 x 11. It also has a high brightness rating of around 560. They could be had new in box (old stock?) for around $100 or used in good condition for about $50. There may be a waterproof case for this as well, I have not focused on that aspect.

     

Based on all of this, I'm going to try the Nexus 7 (2013 version, HD 7" screen) had a rating of around 560, and it also offered wireless charging.

 

My current setup is a Motorola G7 Power and Parrot 4000 helmet BT w/ handlebar control. I watched a YT video where the fellow used the Kyocera Duraforce Pro phone (5.5" screen) as his GPS unit. The mount he used (a similar one is available for the 14+ RT) wirelessly charged the phone. The mount I'm looking at is around $40 from China (sold on eBay), and it projects the phone out from the recess of the dash. Not having it in hand I don't know how far.

 

So for about $100, my plan is to use the Nexus for GPS via a downloadable map app such as Sygic (I use this in my car Android radios), and store my MP3 files there. I'll mod the RT adapter face plate to accept the tablet via a Velcro mounting. I can play them via the same app I now use on my Motorola. The phone will wirelessly charge while on the mount, so battery life should not be a concern. This setup will basically bypass the OEM radio. I'll pair the Cardo with the Nexus, and manually select the app via the screen. The Cardo has a nice feature that lets you voice command source and volume (and probably more, it's also not here yet). In theory I could connect the Nexus USB port to the USB input on the OEM radio, but I don't really see an advantage in doing that. Using Paint and scaling the known dimensions, I mocked up what a Nexus 7 would look like on the RT dash (yellow boxes). I have attached a pic showing this.

 

This will not require any hacking of the dash, so I can return to OEM easily if need be. I see at least two possible problems here:

1. Placing the tablet so the gauges are not blocked (see attached picture), and

2. Attachment to the adapter via Velcro may impair the wireless charging signal. I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

 

Related info:

I also found a video that claims you can waterproof a Garmin with silicone without disassembly, and he does a garden hose test at the end:

 

 

 

Stock vs modded dash.jpg

 

EDIT- I found a good Nexus 7 (looks like the older version) as a bike GPS write up on Web Bike World from 2014:

https://www.webbikeworld.com/using-tablet-motorcycle-gps/

Edited by 2015 Black RT
Added info link
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On 10/29/2021 at 7:02 PM, 2015 Black RT said:

 

Related info:

I also found a video that claims you can waterproof a Garmin with silicone without disassembly, and he does a garden hose test at the end

 

Black RT,

 

I've used several Garmin Nuvi units and several cell phones on the dash/handlebars through the years witout any weather protection other than the windscreen.  And they ALL got WET, believe me.  I rode about 6 hours in pouring rain to FART in Sparta, NC, a few weeks ago.  My old Samsung Note 9 and Zumo XT were side by side taking a bath. 

 

BTW, I find that WAZE is a BIG help on main roads and innerstates with real time traffic, hazards, cops, detours, gas, resturants, etc.  Garmin can't come close.  I sometimes run WAZE on an older cell phone mounted on the handlebars and hot-spotted to my main cell phone in my jacket pocket.  

 

The only "rain" problem I've ever had was a year ago a USB plug that got wet and shorted out.  It got the plug hot but didn't hurt the phone at all.  YMMV.  Your wireless charger might be just the thing.

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This China 7" IP65 (waterproof) navigator w/ Android 8.1 looks interesting since the listing claims a 1,000 nit (sunlight viewable) screen is an option. Looks like it has 2-channel Bluetooth and can store MP3 files. It also has what looks like a quick release cradle. I have sent in an inquiry on it. $155 + shipping for the base version, I'll see what the better screen adds to the cost.

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/RuiHao-7-inch-IPS-Display-IP65_1600301506311.html

 

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According to the vendor, the 1,000 nits model is not available, so that's a dead end. They also quoted $80 for shipping, which is really high compared to similar items from that area.

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Nexus 7 arrived today, and I have to say it is in really good shape for $50 shipped. I spent the evening installing my Sygic nav program and maps, and also my music player app and a few others I commonly use. The RT adapter has made it from China to New Jersey, it's estimated to arrive here about a week after the bike arrives.

 

I'll take the Nexus to work tomorrow to see how it does in direct sunlight, but I think we are supposed to get rain.

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Here are my thoughts on car use of the tablet, which is Android 6.01 (I used it in a car that has an Android 8 car stereo):

1. The GPS signal took a long time to come through with the tablet on the dash, but the car picked it up right away (external antenna on dash). I found a signal app and it showed it had a bunch of signals. Not sure why it takes so long to connect.

2.The Sygic app has issues not present in my car's Android ever since I updated Sygic to version 18. In the car, it used to occasionally default to metric settings (distances and km/h speed limits) and my other saved settings such as no alerts for railroad tracks. It's the same version, yet no matter how I reset the settings/sounds, it keeps sending notifications for things like speed limit.

3. I have not tested the music player.

4. The on/off switch is finicky and hard to operate while holding it. I think once it is installed horizontally this should be easier.

5. The HD screen gives a nice picture, and the touchscreen worked well.

 

I used apk files to install the above since I couldn't set up a new Google account on it (TMI). I get play store error messages, but that shouldn't have any effect on the offline GPS program.

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Hope it works out for you.  When you turn on a GPS it tries to lock on to satellites where it was last.  Thats why it took a while for it find where it is now.  Not much of an issue if a couple of hundred miles but if this unit came from China that would be perfectly normal.  On some of my portable aviation GPS's I have to tell it where it was before it could lock on.  Pictures appreciated.

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LOL, this came used from Illinois, not China. That unit wasn't any better than something I could get domestically and more expensive. I used it to & from work and it took as long on the way home as it did in the morning. I won't have any pics til the mounting base and the bike get here.

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Some updates-

I found that allowing Google to assist with location made the device locate itself much more quickly. Prelim testing shows it has decent daylight visibility.

 

The RT interface arrived today and it is too small to hold the Nexus. What I plan to do is cut off the top and side rails on it and then adapt in the top and side of a sloped Hammond ABS enclosure. This will allow the Nexus to be held in place using the adapter's hardware and give a side benefit of a sunshade. I took the adapter apart and it does indeed have a charging coil. I bought a wireless charging stand to be sure the Nexus could charge in that manner and found it must be centered on the charger to work. It charged more quickly than expected on a 5W setting.

 

I think it will probably need to be spaced out from the dash slightly, although I'd like to look into enlarging the OEM dash if I can find a used one at a decent price. I did something similar to adapt in a 9" Android radio into my car dash.

 

I'll attach some pics I took today:

The first pic is the Nexus on my car dash in afternoon sun (the car has no tint on the windows, the sun was to the left side)

1115205752_Nexusdaytimeoncardash.thumb.jpg.4440f1b3930e163147be5faf022d597e.jpg

 

 

Here's the front of the adapter. I plan to cut off the top and side retainers and graft in a larger ABS sloped box where these had been:

1574884818_Frontofadapter.thumb.jpg.e761f85f470d2687dd6c1847669ff66c.jpg

 

This is the rear of the adapter:

441659124_Rearofadapter.thumb.jpg.b23410bce3d1312d945684b5235c087f.jpg

 

This shows the charging coil after the front plate was removed:

Coil.thumb.jpg.148ea722ef512a68380e19d9ef1bd708.jpg

 

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The Hammond 1599KTSBK sloped ABS project box arrived today (as did the bike :)) and I spent the evening modifying it to fit the Nexus. While it's not really pretty, it works- one of the pics below shows it is charging at almost 500 mA, which is what my desktop wireless charger does. The wireless charging was a main concern, so this was a relief. With that amount of power, I think I can use it basically indefinitely.

 

I modded the project box as follows:

Using a Dremel, first I had to cut off all of the projecting parts of the inside of the box, to include 4x tall threaded holes. The interior surface was then basically flat.

I inserted the tablet and made a mark where I needed to shorten the height of the box and cut that part off. I then drew center lines for the charging coil and the Nexus, as the Nexus is very sensitive to being right over it. I used the small face plate as a template, and drilled 4 pilot holes. I then countersunk them.  I also cut slots for the retaining arm similar to the small plate. Here's a pic showing the plate with the projecting parts removed and it attached to the charging base. The two openings at the top have plates I'll glue into place later:

IMG_20211112_185409040.thumb.jpg.2a225428d34b080551bf62cc4b15ffab.jpg

 

Once the new plate was installed, I could test it on the bike. I was pleased that it cleared the navigation hood perfectly- no spacing needed. Here's the pic showing the general riding view. Only an issue if I'm commuting over 100 MPH!!! :grin: I can see the warning lights and turn signal indicators OK.

IMG_20211112_184528721.thumb.jpg.3d580fde0dda389e5497c04924a786e5.jpg

 

Here's a close up view showing the wireless charging at work:

IMG_20211112_184545129.thumb.jpg.7f9e37f8ba228ee3ca444a8897ea5421.jpg

 

This close up shows the Sygic navigation screen:

IMG_20211112_184640185.thumb.jpg.95845924642f8288440ec0be6344a68a.jpg

 

I then glued the panels for the top into place, and cut a slot so I can access the power and volume buttons from the rear (not shown).

 

I'm planning to add some closed cell thin foam along the top rail to cushion the Nexus. It's really a tight fit.

 

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@2015 Black RT (i.e. I didn't catch your name).

 

I like your methodical approach.   I was dead set on just getting a NAV6 unit, i.e. to keep it simple, but with everything I've read about them (i.e. problems), I don't think the NAV6 is a simple solution at all.  The $1000 that BMW wants for an at best, $500 device, also is a show stopper.  I'm going to spend a bundle getting gear and the farkles just right, and NOT spending $1000 on BMW's proprietary but buggy NAV6 makes all the sense in the world.   (Money not spent on the NAV6 will better enable me to buy a Cardo, or similar unit.)

 

On the other hand, in similar reviews I've seen, the ruggedness of a made-for-motorcycle GPS versus the delicacy of a cell phone or tablet, seems to be a pretty big deal.  (Though I'm not on a GS, even street motorcycles get beat around quite a bit.)  So, that would give me pause.  Juxtaposed against that is the oft made argument that a $100 used cell phone can be replaced 5x before one buys a single Garman GPS.

 

I haven't made my decision, yet.   I'm a bit biased towards the Zumo XT, but not sold on any solution just yet.

 

I think this guy did quite a nice job on this modification to install a Zumo XT in his BMW RT cradle, including a fairly seamless (no cutting) power connection.  It's as close to an OEM NAV6 install/replacement that I've seen thus far.  It's not perfect, but it's good.

 

You're pretty well committed to your course of action, so I'm just tossing this out there for folks reading your thread, who have yet to commit to a decision.  However, please keep us updated on how this works out for you, not only after installation, but after you've used it a while.  Thanks!  👍

 

 

 

 

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A few things now that I have used this on a few rides-

1) I have added some 1/2" wide x 1/4" thick foam rubber along the top. I had to notch it so I can access the power & volume switches.

 

2) The spring tension was too tight, especially with the foam in place. I ended up cutting the springs down about 1/4 inch to allow more travel for the handle.

 

3) The handle/arm is too scrawny. It is 2.6mm diameter, and it is bending slightly. I may try some 3mm threaded steel rod with some round sleeve nuts and make a 1/8" aluminum platform with more of the foam rubber padding on it. I think I'll cut this out of some angle so there will be a lip for securing the tablet. I'll take some pics if I go this route.

 

4) For some reason this afternoon on the ride home from work the navigation screen kept flipping from landscape to portrait. I went into Sygic settings and locked it as landscape.

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  • 1 month later...

Here's my 30 day update after using the Nexus as a nav and audio device 5 days per week:

 

Pro:

  • Large screen makes it easy to read.
  • Sunlight here in FL has not been an issue (see brightness con below).
  • Music player works as it should. Cardo interface has a couple of nits, but that's a different review.
  • Price. :grin:

Semi-related, the holder/charger I modified has worked very well. Charge times are far less than via wired USB.

 

Con:

  • GPS signal very unreliable. At times it will pick up within a mile of departing work, other times 5-15 miles and once it made the entire trip w/o connecting. I loaded a GPS signal strength app and it is the Nexus, not the nav app (Sygic). I've gotten in the practice of starting the unit about 5 minutes before I leave so it can spool up.
  • Screen brightness during dark rides- inexplicably it will brighten to daytime mode while it is still dark outside with no overhead street lights. This usually happens about 10 minutes from work (30 minute pre-dawn ride), so I just turn off the screen. The brightness is set to auto, and again I think this is a tablet issue vs the nav app. I need to look at some settings to see if there is something in Sygic causing this.

 

Overall I'm pleased with it.

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Final update for the Nexus: It's a bust. The GPS has gotten to the point where it is unusable- and apparently unrepairable. I found a 23 page thread on an Android site from 2013 when it was new, and it only dealt with the GPS problem. Apparently Asus/Google never fixed it.

 

I'm now looking at several other 7" tablets. None of them offer wireless charging so I'll have to use the USB port on the mount. I'll post up here after I test a couple of them.

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I bought a Lenovo Tab M7 Gen 3, about $90 at Walmart, and will be trying it out on the bike as soon as weather permits. I used it in the car yesterday on the way to work, and it greatly outperformed the Nexus as far as signal acquisition. In addition to the lack of wireless charging,l it is noticeably smaller than the Nexus- and both are shown as having a 7" screen. The Nexus is about 1" wider on its side and about 3/8" taller. It's one of those optical illusions- the Nexus has a thick border on the sides, and the top/bottom borders are also thicker. If you look at the actual illuminated screen area, it is the same.

 

This tablet uses Android 11 "GO", but I was able to load my music and nav apps OK. I'm going to get a short USB cable so it can be plugged into the adapter while riding (it has 2x USB A ports on the side), and also a smaller plastic box for a sunshade. This will accomplish the same functionality as the wireless charging, since the entire device is removed with the adapter.

 

I'm also going to try a $30 micro USB GPS receiver. It will plug into the Nexus and I'll see if it works OK.

 

If I can remember to do so, I'll try to add a couple of comparison pictures.

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That reminds me that I need to fit my new  ZUMO XT onto the bike.   My task today is to find my garage floor again, so that I can start working on the bike.   The ZUMO makes four RT "projects" sitting out there, waiting for my attention.   "Winter layoff" isn't near over, but it's passing by pretty quickly, and I need to get the bike ready for the spring, pretty quickly.

 

Though I'm committed to the ZUMO, for now, I'm watching your experiment with interest.  Maybe get an Otterbox armored case for your unit, if they have one that fits it.  I won't stop the vibration, but the extra, thick rubber encasement can't hurt.  I've broken the glass backing on a smartphone inside an Otterbox once before, but it was also a fairly high drop down onto concrete that did it, too.  Other than that, my phones have been indestructible inside their cases.

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Here's a couple of pics of the Lenovo. One is it on top of the Nexus, and the other is it in the holder for the Nexus. I may leave this as-is, since the smaller sloped box I found is not wide enough and is a lot deeper. I'd have to cut off the side and bottom to use it.

 

Looks like I can actually bike test it tomorrow.

 

 

 

Lenovo in holder.jpg

Nexus vs Lenovo.jpg

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Well the Lenovo did not work out. While the GPS signal was very good, the navigation program kept crashing. I counted 2x on my way to work and 4x on my trip home, at which point I didn't restart it. The music player worked perfectly the whole time. I'm within my 30 day return window so I reset it, reboxed it, and returned it.

 

In the process here I rooted the Nexus and had installed a custom OS (Lineage) on it but could not get it to operate properly, so I dropped back to the original Android 6. The only other thing I changed was a setting in developer options to allow mock GPS locations for an app that the external GPS receiver I'm planing to install needs.

 

This time it worked pretty well. I had no GPS signal when I left this morning, but by the end of my driveway (1/4 mile) it was there. I was able to map out the return trip and it worked as it should on the way home. I'm still going to install the ND-105C micro USB GPS receiver when it gets here and see if it helps with the GPS signal.

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The $30 external GPS receiver arrived today, and I tested it inside my home successfully. It took a little configuration and an app called You Are Here- the receiver needs an interface to operate using something Android calls mock GPS locations. The app suggested by the receiver did not work properly. It seems counterintuitive but you have to turn off the location setting on the pull down menu. After I saw it worked good, I modified the holder by cutting/filing a notch for it. I'll attach a picture of the setup. It shows the accuracy inside was 23 feet on a GPS test app. When I first tested it without the receiver, the accuracy when it worked was at best around 100 feet. This setup does not completely work with the satellite strength indicators, just the accuracy.

 

On the nav program, it brought up my location right away- something the internal GPS receiver couldn't do. I'll road test it tomorrow, but for now confidence is high.

 

That's all the good, and as the saying goes there is no free lunch. I found the tablet will not wirelessly charge with the GPS receiver plugged in. I tried a couple of variations such as stopping the interface app and reconfiguring the USB port such as charge, media transfer, audio, etc. but so far I haven't found a way to get both functions to work. For the time being, I have wireless chargers at home & work so this won't be a problem for commuting, but it would be for distance riding. For information, I tried both a USB 3 port on my PC as well as a high power AC USB adapter. The limit here seems to be the Nexus, as it hits about 500ma according to the AccuBattey app I use. The AC charger puts out about 2x that much when plugged in to the USB port, and about 3x that much for my phone via USB-C.

 

 

GPS rec.jpg

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4 hours ago, 2015 Black RT said:

The $30 external GPS receiver arrived today, and I tested it inside my home successfully. It took a little configuration and an app called You Are Here- the receiver needs an interface to operate using something Android calls mock GPS locations. The app suggested by the receiver did not work properly. It seems counterintuitive but you have to turn off the location setting on the pull down menu. After I saw it worked good, I modified the holder by cutting/filing a notch for it. I'll attach a picture of the setup. It shows the accuracy inside was 23 feet on a GPS test app. When I first tested it without the receiver, the accuracy when it worked was at best around 100 feet. This setup does not completely work with the satellite strength indicators, just the accuracy.

 

On the nav program, it brought up my location right away- something the internal GPS receiver couldn't do. I'll road test it tomorrow, but for now confidence is high.

 

That's all the good, and as the saying goes there is no free lunch. I found the tablet will not wirelessly charge with the GPS receiver plugged in. I tried a couple of variations such as stopping the interface app and reconfiguring the USB port such as charge, media transfer, audio, etc. but so far I haven't found a way to get both functions to work. For the time being, I have wireless chargers at home & work so this won't be a problem for commuting, but it would be for distance riding. For information, I tried both a USB 3 port on my PC as well as a high power AC USB adapter. The limit here seems to be the Nexus, as it hits about 500ma according to the AccuBattey app I use. The AC charger puts out about 2x that much when plugged in to the USB port, and about 3x that much for my phone via USB-C.

 

 

 

I'm not sure if I understand the problem you're describing.  If you're saying that the BMW 12V USB adapter isn't putting out enough power to charge both your Nexus and the external GPS receiver while on the bike, maybe you should try adding this to your bike's 12V port.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07VV2WFPQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

"Bestrix Car Charger, Dual Port USB Quick Charge 4.0, 5A/30W Fast Charging, Car USB Charger Adapter, Compatible with Any iPhone/iPad/Samsung Galaxy S10 S9 S8 S7 S6 Note LG Nexus"

 

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It's not a mater of input power AFAIK- the AC to USB converter I have is rated similarly to the Amazon link you posted. The problem may be that when anything is plugged in to the Nexus micro USB port, apparently this makes the tablet think that is the charge input. I did some reading mostly where people wanted to see if they could USB and wirelessly charge their Nexus simultaneously, and the answer was always no- USB took priority. I've tried setting the USB as charge, media, and audio with the same result.

 

The odd thing is my wireless charger pulsates the LED light like normal, indicating it is charging. If I had to make an educated guess, the bottleneck here is the Nexus charge capacity- 5W I think? I tried turning the screen off and letting it wireless charge with the GPS receiver in and it still drained the battery. My past experience using it to commute with both internal GPS and BT audio running has shown the bike wireless charger can keep up- I kept getting charge reached notifications from the AccuBattery app I use to try & limit charge to 80%.

 

I know newer devices can accept higher wattage. The other possibility is my home charger is limited to 5W wireless, but re-reading one of my posts above answers this:

Quote

While it's not really pretty, it works- one of the pics below shows it is charging at almost 500 mA, which is what my desktop wireless charger does.

I also found a reddit thread where charging while using GPS was addressed:

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As long as he doesn't try to use Google Maps (GPS) or stream Spotify (WiFi). Those drain the battery pretty hard. Even USB charging can't keep up with one (or esp. both) of those.

 

The workaround I see here is to use the internal GPS for distance riding and the external GPS for commuting. I'll be road testing it this morning going to church, so that will tell if the bike charger behaves differently than the home charger.

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Ride report: I took off with 80% battery and used the external GPS receiver. About 3/4 of the way there, it froze the map screen. My ETA kept going up and I realized the location was not changing. Upon arrival, I had 64% battery.

 

Return trip used the internal GPS. I again had no signal starting out. This time it was a couple of miles until I got signal. Upon returning, I had 66% battery, so the bike charger was on the plus side using internal GPS. I noticed the map fritzed out a couple of times- it had a huge dark area and then the roads were out of proportion. That eventually evened out and didn't return. I'll add the area where this and the frozen map happened is an area of high electrical interference. A local TV station has a weather radar tower nearby. On my GSX, I had an inexpensive digital air temp gauge that would fluctuate greatly in this same area.

 

I guess the best path here is just to stick with the internal GPS for now and hold the external as a backup.

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42 minutes ago, 2015 Black RT said:

I guess the best path here is just to stick with the internal GPS for now and hold the external as a backup.

Or, ahhh, give up, and buy a ZUMO XT for $400 the next time they're on sale?? 🙄  I don't know what you've got into your project, but you've spent both time and money on it, and don't have a solution yet.  I been in the tech industry, pre-retirement, since about 1985.  I've done boring stuff, and exciting, experimental stuff.  After 35+ years, I'll take "boring" over "bleeding edge" any time.   My retirement motto is "never be first; let someone else bleed first!", and that's in terms of $$$, frustration, and pain and suffering.

 

Anyhow, have enjoyed reading about your experiments, and wish you every success (ultimately).  👍

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$50 for the used tablet and $30 for the GPS receiver, plus another $40 for the adapter/charger and I think maybe $20 for the box. $140 in total, so I'm OK with what I have. I also use the tablet as a music player/easier to read screen via Wi-fi at work, so it's value-added in that respect.

 

If the screen anomalies today were due to the radar tower, and the internal GPS keeps working as it has after the tablet was rooted, I think it will be viable for my commuting purposes.

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  • 10 months later...

End of 2022 update:

The Nexus 7 continues to have navigation issues, so I'm going to replace it. Wireless charging tablets are basically unobtanium. There is an alternative via slim Qi receivers that plug into the tablet's USB port, but the ones with a cable long enough for a tablet didn't line up well enough. As such, I've given up on finding either setup to replace the Nexus 7 and instead will use the BMW adapter's USB port to run a cable for charging while riding. I'm also going big: 10" tablet. I mocked up a template & if I can place it higher than the Nexus (which had to be low enough to wirelessly charge), I'll actually have more gauge panel visibility. I'm learning 3D printing, and plan to build a holder for it that is similar to the one I bought for the Nexus. I plan on using a short (6") USB-C cable.

 

I did a semi-exhaustive search for affordable (<$200) candidates (19 on my spreadsheet), read a lot of reviews and user manuals, and found a very helpful site called notebook check. They actually test for things like brightness & GPS operation (my two main factors) among many others. I was leaning towards a newer Samsung such as the Tab S6 Lite, but then found another Lenovo. It's the Tab M10 Plus Gen 3 (review).

398187909_LenovoM10PlusG3.jpg.d51f5c8f96b2107ecceaeedd28842d0f.jpg

It was on sale at Walmart for $129, normally $199. According to their review, it offers much better than average brightness (490 cd/m vs 300 for the Nexus and 469 for the S6 Lite), and decent GPS reception. Reading my older post above, I see the smaller Lenovo I tried had good GPS reception, but the nav app crashed. I hope this won't happen again, but if it does, then back to Walmart it goes!

 

I'll update again after it gets here & I can try it out.

EDIT- 3D design for holder:

981503389_M10plusconcept.thumb.jpg.3c9ef7c7aeeaacbc2cdabfb93700dfe1.jpg

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