Customer Reviews

GlobalSat DG-100 USB Datalogger

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I bought this device a few weeks ago and I'm really happy with it: the produced GPS data is very accurate and the batteries held more than 30 hours of logging. The Windows Software that comes with it is ok, not great but functional. There are also some open source tools so that you even can make it work under Linux and maybe even Mac OS X (altough I didn't test that myself, I gave up because the USB-Driver made problems under Mac OS X). During a city trip to Munich I was using the DG-100 while taking pictures with my Canon EOS 400D and after this imported the pictures to Gallery2. Now a map shows all the places where I took pictures in Munich, amazing! If you need a step-by-step guide to geotag your pictures with GPS data from this device and how to use Gallery2 to show them on a map, you might want to read my blog on squix.ch Just have fun with it!

To be clear: This is a logger, not a navigation device. There is NO WAY to see your position(s) without connecting to a computer! This is by design.

I got the DG-100 mainly (solely?) for geotagging photos. I received it at worked, charged it on my work computer and left it on driving home. It was crazy-accurate, even showing my lane changes. Once I changed the settings to track altitude, I found that the altitude is not very accurate, so I turned it off. I believe that is a problem inherent to this entire category of devices, not this particular unit though.

EDIT: After reviewing log files, the altitude is accurate when you get a couple more satellites. If you filter out logs with only three or four satellite locks, the altitude is fine. End edit.

I geotagged a bunch of test photos, and it took me a long time to get that right. I had to use the Globalsat software to export the GPX file, after which point you can use any software you want to work with that file. The manual wasn't much help to me; I basically had to trial-and-error it. My problem was that the "Export to GPX" was buried in a menu, rather than one of the more obvious toolbar choices (which are KML, CSV, or TXT). Once I got that right, I saved the GPX to my photo folder and used Google's GPicSync to tag the photos. It worked perfectly, and tagged the RAW files as well as JPGs (I use Canon 400D). All in all, within an hour of sitting down with the device I had tagged photos, and now that I know the process, it'll only take a few minutes at the end of each day of shooting.

Edit: The Globalsat software cuts your logs into chunks of between 40 and 65 tags (advertised as 95? I haven't gotten 95 yet). You have to load the files, check them or select all from file menu, then load map points from Map menu, THEN export. This will export the points from all of the files, not just one, to the GPX. Cumbersome, but workable. Also, with Windows Vista the provided Prolific driver failed after I restarted. I uninstalled, let Windows find new hardware and search for the driver on the internet. That driver continues to work. End edit.

Note: Older versions of this software did not export to GPX. Throw the CD that comes with it away and download the latest version, and it works fine.

Pros:

Charges through USB (also optional car charger)

Very accurate (to be expected with SiRF III chipset, any SiRF III device should be equally accurate)

Three fully-customizeable modes

Push-button manual logging

Long-life, chargeable batteries, or regular AAs if you have to

Physically very solid build. I'm not afraid to throw it in my rucksack pocket and go hiking. (Edit: I have since dropped it. The battery cover popped off, but nothing broke and it works. However, I'm concerned that the battery cover is a weak point. I'd like to find out if Globalsat offers parts, so I can get a couple covers to spare. I'm pretty sure I'll drop it a few more times in its life. End edit)

Can be used as GMouse. Not useful to me, but if you need it, it's there.

Cons:

Included software works, but is clunky (Edit: after a few days of practice, it's second nature now. End edit)

Included software does not directly geotag photos (but this is minor, since exporting to GPX and then using GPicSync or other software is very easy)

No bluetooth

Edit: As of December 2011 I still use this every day, now with Win7, and it still works fine.

The transfer software from device to computer must be improved.

It doesn't work properly on Windos 7 OS.

Already available a third-party software called DGManager

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