Garmin PC Interface Cable for eTrex and eMap

Manufacturer:	Garmin
List price:	~~$38.00~~
Our price:	$24.53 that is 35% off!

Garmin PC Interface Cable for eTrex and eMap

Average rating: Stars

Frustration and success

I started to give this thing 1 star, but I realized that it's not the cable's fault that Microsoft Windows is annoying. The cable is what it is, and once you have a free serial port, it works fabulously.

That said, it may be a huge frustration to free up a serial port if Windows says it is "busy." If you have a Palm, a Windows CE device, some other PDA, a camera, or anything else that connects or has ever connected to your serial port, you may have to go through your whole computer looking for software and hardware that is 'using' that connection, before this will work.

Once I convinced Windows that nothing else was using the serial port, I have been able to connect my eTrex to everything I needed: Garmin upgrade software, Easy GPS, Geocacher's Swiss Army Knife, and Google Earth. Being as this is your only PC interface cabling choice when you have an eTrex, it's great that it works, and it's important that we all acknowledge that it does work. But in this case, three stars is like a C grade in school: "OK, it just exactly/barely meets expectations."

It would get 5 stars if it was an eTrex-to-USB cable -- but then Garmin would not make another chunk of cash by selling the serial-to-USB adapters required to attach these GPS units to laptops & other computers where a serial connection is not possible.

Garmin PC Interface Cable for eTrex and eMap - Garmin

Try to find a port

I own a Sony VAIO computer. In the computer, there are no ports to put in this cord. Ended up buying something for [money] to convert it to a USB connection. Then, I couldn't find a program that would be able to send and receive data to my eTrex GPS via a USB port. Was definitely a hassle.

Garmin - Garmin PC Interface Cable for eTrex and eMap

Excelent for Portables.

The cable doesn't come with any software, but is great for upgrading the software on your eTrek(avilable from Garmin's website) You will need a GPS compatible mapping program to get the full advantage. The cable connects very securly to the GPS, and is plenty long enough.

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