Looking for connector for Microsoft Pharos GPS-500

Forum 2005-2010 (read only) Hardware Interfacing
1

Can someone tell me the name of the connector used by the GPS-500 unit so I can order it from Digi-Key? Even better would be a cable (such as for a cellphone) with that jack and I would just hack the other end of that cable.

Thanks in advance!

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2

You probably won't be able to find a connector... or at least at a decent price.

For the one I had, I just separated the plastic to release the board. Then I soldered a 6 pin male header (0.1" spacing) to the contact points. You can then attach to it using a 6 pin female header.

I don't currently have any pictures of it because I removed the header and resumed using it for it's intended purpose. I replaced it with a better GPS unit. I wanted to mention that so you know it can be recovered if need be.

3

Wow! that was a fast reply!
Are there screws behind the stickers or something? Or when you said "separated the plastic" you meant break it? :slight_smile: Thanks again!

4

There weren't any screws. You don't really have to break it, but you do need to go around the edges with a razor blade or something else. It seemed like it was super glued around the edges. But once it is apart, it can be put back together and it sort of clips back together.

But you can just break it if you don't care about using the existing connector again.

5

I picked up one of these recently for $20.

The black USB-serial adaptor is held together by a screw under the label. Inside is a Prolific PL2303 converter. The GPS-500 talks TTL serial at 4800 bps.

After cutting part of the back off the gps module to get at the connectors, I soldered on three wires. The connections are, from left to right from the back with the connector at the bottom:

1 - not connected
2 - +5V
3 - GND (which I didn't connect)
4 - Data
5 - GND (which I did connect)
6 - not connected.

When powered up, the blue LED in the unit should glow. I get a decent fix indoors. Works fine with the TinyGPS TinyGPS | Arduiniana library.

I got the pinout here: http://ubermodder.com/budget-usb-enabled-gps/ and here: GPS receiver pinouts | These are two GPS receivers I got wit… | Flickr.