Society of Robots - Robot Forum

Electronics => Electronics => Topic started by: airman00 on June 20, 2009, 06:38:22 PM

Title: GPS Modules are so cheap!
Post by: airman00 on June 20, 2009, 06:38:22 PM: I stumbled onto this while browsing around Alibaba
http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/226423741/GPS_module_SiRF_III_built_in_GPS_Receiver_module_gps_engine_board.html (http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/226423741/GPS_module_SiRF_III_built_in_GPS_Receiver_module_gps_engine_board.html)

I never knew GPS came so cheap!
Title: Re: GPS Modules are so cheap!
Post by: awally88 on June 20, 2009, 06:42:00 PM: Quote
Minimum Order: 500 Piece/Pieces

If you buy 500 of anything you can get them pretty cheap ;)
Title: Re: GPS Modules are so cheap!
Post by: SmAsH on June 21, 2009, 01:17:41 AM: meh, SoR mass order anyone?
Title: Re: GPS Modules are so cheap!
Post by: RoboChan on June 21, 2009, 07:47:06 PM: ya ill take 2 now only 498 to go... ;D
Title: Re: GPS Modules are so cheap!
Post by: Admin on June 21, 2009, 08:18:50 PM: Cheap, until you add the costs of external components, PCB, antenna, wiring, etc.

I recently bought this:
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=9133 (http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=9133)

But I haven't used it yet. It seemed to have better specs and a lower price compared to the others out there.
Title: Re: GPS Modules are so cheap!
Post by: airman00 on June 22, 2009, 07:21:13 AM: Quote from: Admin on June 21, 2009, 08:18:50 PM
Cheap, until you add the costs of external components, PCB, antenna, wiring, etc.
but that wouldn't bring the cost up to higher than 20 bucks, right?
Title: Re: GPS Modules are so cheap!
Post by: Admin on June 24, 2009, 02:59:08 PM: Quote from: airman00 on June 22, 2009, 07:21:13 AM
Quote from: Admin on June 21, 2009, 08:18:50 PM
Cheap, until you add the costs of external components, PCB, antenna, wiring, etc.
but that wouldn't bring the cost up to higher than 20 bucks, right?
If your time and circuit reliability has no value to you, yes. ;D

I value my free-time at ~$25/hour, so that helps me with the buy/make decision.
Title: Re: GPS Modules are so cheap!
Post by: pete2009 on June 24, 2009, 03:48:43 PM: A bit off topic, but the average best accuracy for the GPS modules is more then 3m.
Doesn't that make it almost useless for the small scale projects we are dealing with here?
Title: Re: GPS Modules are so cheap!
Post by: SmAsH on June 24, 2009, 03:57:45 PM: well, sometimes... most gps are only accurate to a few meters.
the super accurate ones are just too expensive for us small hobbyists...
Title: Re: GPS Modules are so cheap!
Post by: Joker94 on June 24, 2009, 05:23:07 PM: even if they are only accurate to a few metres it would still be cool to have on a experemental test platform
Title: Re: GPS Modules are so cheap!
Post by: Admin on June 24, 2009, 08:02:32 PM: Quote from: pete2009 on June 24, 2009, 03:48:43 PM
A bit off topic, but the average best accuracy for the GPS modules is more then 3m.
Doesn't that make it almost useless for the small scale projects we are dealing with here?

Depends on how big your robot's environment is. My GPS claims "Accuracy: <2.5m". Thats enough for a robot to tell which room it is in within a house.
Title: Re: GPS Modules are so cheap!
Post by: Joker94 on June 24, 2009, 09:44:43 PM: yeah Admin, it would easly give the room a robot is in as not many people want, need or can afford a deadly accurate gps chip or system
Title: Re: GPS Modules are so cheap!
Post by: billhowl on June 25, 2009, 06:45:02 AM: I have bought this cheap Mini USB & Bluetooth Interface GPS Module Demo Board for USD$36.00 at sureelectronics
(http://www.sureelectronics.net/images/200903/1236761719209061798.jpg)
http://www.sureelectronics.net/goods.php?id=99 (http://www.sureelectronics.net/goods.php?id=99)
it accept NMEA data.
Title: Re: GPS Modules are so cheap!
Post by: TrickyNekro on June 25, 2009, 06:49:15 AM: Hey another good one is this....
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=8975 (http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=8975)

Comes with ~3 meters accuracy which is good!!!
But the 5Hz refresh makes it very good for any outdoor robot.... :D