The short: If you have a Windows 8 tablet/laptop with an internal GPS/GNSS that is NOT visible as a standard comport, there is a product called Centrafuse Localizer (Google is your friend) that will solve that problem. I wrote it because I wanted to use a standard desktop navigation program on my tablet and couldn't. I won't post any direct links, but if it's something you need, go take a look.
The Long: I recently purchased an Asus VivoTab ME400 Windows 8 tablet. I specifically wanted a "full" windows 8 tablet vs a WinRT model, and I wanted one with an integrated GPS. Turns out, that presented a problem: Most desktop navigation and mapping programs expect to connect to a GPS via a standard serial port (comport). Most tablets and laptops that include an integrated GPS/GNSS chipset DO NOT expose it as a standard comport. They implement the Windows Location Sensor Platform. The platform allows the device to acquire its position using GPS/GNSS, Wifi triangulation, cell towers or even IP address mapping.
All well and good for Windows Store (Metro) apps like Bing maps or Inrix Traffic, but there isn't any way to run Microsoft Streets and Trips, Garmin or any other "desktop" nav/map program. Yes, you "could" use an external GPS attached to a USB port(if you have one...my tab doesn't). But that seems kind of absurd since you already have a perfectly good gps in the box. And all of the Metro apps require an Internet connection. There are apps that let you share your Android phone GPS with your tablet, but again, seems like a lot of extra fuss (and battery drain on the phone) to get what you should already have.
So I created Centrafuse Localizer. It takes the Windows Location Platform data, reformats it as standard NMEA 0183 strings, and outputs it via a selectable virtual comport. Almost any app will see it as a "real" GPS. Install it, set the port, set it to run at startup, and forget it. That's all there is to it.
Mods, I hope this is appropriately useful information. if it isn't, please delete. I run a forum too, and know how it goes. Thanks!
VegasGuy
The Long: I recently purchased an Asus VivoTab ME400 Windows 8 tablet. I specifically wanted a "full" windows 8 tablet vs a WinRT model, and I wanted one with an integrated GPS. Turns out, that presented a problem: Most desktop navigation and mapping programs expect to connect to a GPS via a standard serial port (comport). Most tablets and laptops that include an integrated GPS/GNSS chipset DO NOT expose it as a standard comport. They implement the Windows Location Sensor Platform. The platform allows the device to acquire its position using GPS/GNSS, Wifi triangulation, cell towers or even IP address mapping.
All well and good for Windows Store (Metro) apps like Bing maps or Inrix Traffic, but there isn't any way to run Microsoft Streets and Trips, Garmin or any other "desktop" nav/map program. Yes, you "could" use an external GPS attached to a USB port(if you have one...my tab doesn't). But that seems kind of absurd since you already have a perfectly good gps in the box. And all of the Metro apps require an Internet connection. There are apps that let you share your Android phone GPS with your tablet, but again, seems like a lot of extra fuss (and battery drain on the phone) to get what you should already have.
So I created Centrafuse Localizer. It takes the Windows Location Platform data, reformats it as standard NMEA 0183 strings, and outputs it via a selectable virtual comport. Almost any app will see it as a "real" GPS. Install it, set the port, set it to run at startup, and forget it. That's all there is to it.
Mods, I hope this is appropriately useful information. if it isn't, please delete. I run a forum too, and know how it goes. Thanks!
VegasGuy
