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    Mobile Action i-gotU GT-200E GPS Data logger review Print E-mail
    User Rating: / 3
    PoorBest 
    Friday, 25 September 2009 23:53
    i-gotU_GT-200e.package.content

    i-gotU is a GPS Device that can record the trace of your journey, auto-add GPS information on the photos taken on your journey, present it in 3rd dimension and export in multiple sharable file formats. i-gotU not only is compatible with all digital cameras & camera phones available in the market, providing you the coolest GPS tracking gadget while saving you extra expenses on other equipments

    Forewords

    I was greatly surprised to be contacted by Mobile Action.I would like to thank them for having send me a free sample for that review and of course, I encourage all companies around the world to do the same ;-))

    Package content

    igotu

    The i-GotU GPS data logger includes the following items in the box:

    • GPS Logger Cable works both as GT-200 / GT-200e / GT-120 built-in battery charger and data transfer medium for GT-200 / GT-200e / GT-120.
    • @trip PC is an easy to use software tool to fast create and personalize the Travel Blog for your journey.
    • Jelly case: Besides especially designed for broader appliances, both GPS Logger (USB) & GPS Logger (Bluetooth) also comes with a jelly case for easier wear or any other kind of attachment.
    • GPS Logger Fastening Strap allows you to tie and fasten the GPS Logger anywhere for easier travel.

    This is how the package look like

    i-gotU_GT-200e.box01 i-gotU_GT-200e.box03

     

    Presentation

    i-gotU_GT-200e.size.02

    The i-gotU 200E GPS measures 46  mm(L) x 41.5 mm(W) x 14mm (H) and fits easily in a coat pocket, purse, backpack.

    The interface is minimal but sufficient for most operations:

    • The blue LED indicator blinks once when you power it on,
    • Both the red and blue indicators blink simultaneously twice when data are logged,
    • Long press the button, and the red LED stays red until GPS Logger is powered off,
    • The red LED blinks: twice / once when battery is low or memory full,
    • The blue and red LED indicators blink in turn for 5 minutes during Bluetooth pairing mode

     

     

     

    i-gotU_GT-200e.top i-gotU_GT-200e.rear
    Top and rear view. the box is 46  mm(L) x 41.5 mm(W)

    i-gotU_GT-200e.connectori-gotU_GT-200e.side

     

    The i-gotU 200E is about 46 mm long and just under 14 mm thick.

    i-gotU_GT-200e.device i-gotU_GT-200e.overview

    The front of the i-gotU 200E has two LEDs (red and blue), used to indicate power, free memory status, Bluetooth pairing status.

    i-gotU_GT-200e.strap.front i-gotU_GT-200e.strap

    The Fastening Strap, long enough to be fastened to a backpack, bicycle.

    i-gotU 200E Features

  • Small device that fits in the palm of your hand. Nothing else needed, just turn it on to record GPS data,
  • Mapping for the entire world using the latest cutting edge 3D maps from Google Maps www.googlemap.com.
  • Real-time location configurable depending if you are using a car, bicycle, boat and simple walking around,
  • Auto-map your photos with GPS location information,
  • Durable, lightweight, water-resistant housing which is highly appreciable if you are practicing outdoor photography or wildlife,
  • Enhanced sensitivity for indoor and outdoor reporting thanks to the latest SIFR Star III GPS chipset.

    Specifications

     

    i-gotU 200E  
    Dimension 46 x 41.5 x 14 mm
    Weight 37g
    Chipset Built-in SiRF Star III low-power chipset
    Antenna Built-in GPS patch antenna
    Battery Built-in 750 mAh Lithium-ion battery
    LED indicators Blue & Red
    Cold start < 35 seconds
    Warm start < 35 seconds
    Connection interface USB 1.1 for PC connection;
    Bluetooth V2.0 EDR Class 2 for PDA & mobile phones
    Operation temperature -10 °C to + 50 °C
    Water-resistant Yes

    Size comparisons

    Let’s compare the size of the i-gotU 200E with the i-gotU GT-120

    Home_GT-200 Home_GT-120

    Front view Side view Top view
    i-gotU.size.bt120.bt200e-front i-gotU.size.bt120.bt200e-side i-gotU.size.bt120.bt200e-top


    i-gotU.size.bt120.bt200e.legend

     

    GPS Chipset SiRFstar III

     

    GSC3

    From Wikipedia “The SiRFstarIII chip is distinguished from earlier SiRF chips and from GPS chipsets made by other manufacturers (Garmin or Trimble Inc for example), largely due to its ability to acquire and maintain a signal lock in urban or densely covered forest environments, and its faster time to first fix (TTFF), the time it takes for a GPS receiver to lock onto the satellite signals and determine the initial position. The enhanced abilities of the SiRFstarIII chips are made possible by several features:

    • A 20 channel receiver, which can process the signals of all visible GPS and WAAS satellites simultaneously.
    • The chip consumes 62 mW of power during continuous operation.
    • Receiver sensitivity of -159 dBm while tracking; GPS receivers based on this chipset have routinely performed better than receivers based on other chipsets. Reviewers have praised the SiRFstarIII chipset for its superior sensitivity and tracking capabilities.

    read more http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SiRFstar_III and http://www.sirf.com/

     

    Installation

    A windows universal installer which support all Mobile Action devices. Note this version only run on windows, Linux/Mac user will only enjoy basic functionalities (Screenshots) thanks to an open source project located at https://launchpad.net/igotu2gpx

    Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

    install.igotu.03 install.igotu.04
    install.igotu.05 install.igotu.06

    Usage Scenarios

    Geo tagging your pictures

    Make sure your digital camera time is correct, and the same as the on on the GT-200E, take both your camera and the GT-200E with you. When you’re back home, the software will be able, based on picture time, to insert GPS coordinates into EXIF metadata.

  • EXIF is a standard (see specifications HERE), abbreviation for Exchangeable Image File Format, is a metadata format developed by the Japan Electronic Industry Development Association (JEIDA) that is closely associated with JPEG. Most camera users know that it contain some information like aperture, shutter speed, white balance, and flash use.

    The GPS metadata that are interesting us now are:

    GPS Version
    GPS Latitude Ref
    GPS Latitude
    GPS Longitude Ref
    GPS Longitude
    Altitude Ref
    GPS Satellites
    GPS Status
    GPS Measurement Mode
    GPS Degree of Precision
    GPS Speed Ref
    GPS Speed
    GPS Track Ref
    GPS Track
    GPS Image Direction Ref
    GPS Image Direction
    GPS Map Datum
    GPS Destination Latitude Ref
    GPS Altitude
    GPS Timestamp
    GPS Destination Latitude
    GPS Destination Longitude Ref
    GPS Destination Longitude
    GPS Destination Bearing Ref
    GPS Destination Bearing
    GPS Destination Distance Ref
    GPS Destination Distance
    GPS Processing Method Size
    GPS Area Information Size
    GPS Date Stamp
    GPS Differential

    But there is more Metadata

    EXIF Version
    Make
    Model
    Description
    MakerNote Size
    MakerNote Offset
    Color Space
    WhitePoint X
    WhitePoint Y
    Chromaticity Red(X)
    Chromaticity Red(Y)
    Chromaticity Green(X)
    Chromaticity Green(Y)
    Chromaticity Blue(X)
    Chromaticity Blue(Y)
    YCbCrCoefficient 1
    YCbCrCoefficient 2
    YCbCrCoefficient 3
    Gamma
    Pixel Columns
    Pixel Rows
    Component Configuration
    Compressed Bits Per Pixel
    YCbCr Positioning
    User Comment
    User Comment Size
    Related Sound File
    Date Time
    Subsec Time
    Date Time Original
    Subsec Time Original
    Date Time Digitized
    Subsec Time Digitized
    Exposure Time

    Shutter Speed
    Aperture
    Brightness Value
    Exposure Bias
    Max Aperture
    Subject Distance Min (M)
    Subject Distance Max (M)
    Subject Distance (M)
    Metering Mode
    Light Source Temp
    Light Source
    Flash Fired
    Flash Mode
    Flash Return
    Flash Function
    Flash Red-eye
    Focal Length (mm)
    F Number
    Exposure Program
    Spectral Sensitivity
    ISO Speed
    OECF Size
    Flash Energy
    Spatial Frequency Response Size
    Focal Plane X Resolution
    Focal Plane Y Resolution
    Focal Plane Units
    Subject Area X
    Subject Area Y
    Subject Area X Center
    Subject Area Y Center
    Subject Area Diameter
    Subject Area Width
    Subject Area Height

    Subject X Location
    Subject Y Location
    Exposure Index
    Sensing Method
    File Source
    Scene Type
    CFA Pattern Size
    Photographer Copyright
    Editor Copyright
    Artist
    Orientation
    X Resolution
    Y Resolution
    Resolution Units
    Software
    Custom Rendered
    Exposure Mode
    White Balance
    Digital Zoom Ratio
    Focal Length 35mm
    Scene Capture Type
    Gain Control
    Contrast
    Saturation
    Sharpness
    Device Settings Size
    Subject Distance Range
    Image Unique ID
    InteropIndex
    InteropVersion
    InteropWidth
    InteropHeight

    For your info, You may also be able to add IPTC (comments metadata) data to most picture in Picasa/Windows Vista

    Headline
    Action Advised
    By-Line
    By-Line Title
    Caption/Abstract
    Category
    City
    Contact
    Copyright Notice
    Country/Primary Location Code
    Country/Primary Location Name
    Credit
    Date Created
    Digital Creation Date
    Digital Creation Time
    Editorial Update

    Edit Status
    Expiration Date
    Expiration Time
    Fixture Identifier
    History
    Image Orientation
    Image Type
    Keyword
    Language Identifier
    Location Code
    Location Name
    Object Attribute
    Object Cycle
    Object Name
    Object Type
    Original Transmission

    Reference
    Originating Program
    Program Version
    Province/State
    Reference Date
    Reference Number
    Reference Service
    Release Date
    Release Time
    Source
    Special Instructions
    Subject Reference
    SubLocation
    Supplemental Category
    Time Created
    Urgency
    Writer/Editor

    The software will add GPS data into each of your EXIF pictures. A nice feature also built in @trip PC is the ability to export your pictures to Flickr, Picasa and Google Earth/maps or to the Mobile Action online community @Trip

    Travel and Sport logging

    Depending on the kind of travel you are going to do, it is mandatory to connect the i-gotU  200E to an USB port for configuration

    configuring.01 configuring.02

    Then you can based on profile usage, fine tune (manual mode) or not the tracking interval. It is basically setting how often you would like the GPS to record your position. Most of the time, you can use the following triggers:

    • Based on time, every X seconds, a new GPS point will be saved,
    • Based on speed, starting at speed X, a new GPS point will be saved,
    • Both of the above.

    The objective of all these settings is to avoid recording too many points, and as such flooding the internal memory with redundant positions. The graphical user interface is very intuitive, and quite pleasant to the eyes as seen in the screenshots below:

    Slow walking tracking mode

    configuring.03 configuring.04
    Bicycle and scooter tracking mode
    configuring.05 configuring.06
    Boat and car mode
    configuring.07 configuring.08

    Your device is now ready, depending on the recording speed, you may use it up to 80 hours.

    Importing data back

    To import you data back in the software, just connect your i-Got-U 200E to your PC. The software will ask for a name and then display your travel path in Google Maps. Below is a screenshot of a travel from Zurich to St Gall by train.

    zurich-st.gallen.i-gotU

    Export functions are just a click away

    i-gotU.sharing.trip

    You can easily export to

    • @trip online community server,
    • MHT a single file that contains an HTML page, pictures and JavaScript imitating the @Trip PC interface,
    • KML is a file format used to display geographic data in an Earth browser such as Google Earth, Google Maps, and Google Maps for mobile.
    • KMZ are just zipped KML files.

    Presentation of portal @trip

    The community portal is located at http://www.a-trip.com/ and registration is free. It offer you a way to share your picture online along with your recorded GPS tracks.

    www.a-trip.com

    There is some tutorials online and an active forum

    Conclusions

    The i-gotU GT-200E is one of the most accurate tracking devices I've ever tested. The unit uses the same high-performance GPS receiver found in other SiRF's 20-channel Star III receiver (Accurate to within about 5 meters).  The i-gotU GT-200E use SiRF's high performance GPS receiver for enhanced positioning indoors where GPS signals cannot penetrate, and Google Maps/Earth is a powerful combination that let you appreciate the  devices accuracy, ease of use, and reporting capabilities. I consider the price also to be quite cheap. The device itself sells online for around (59€ or 89 CHF), money well spent if you have a serious need to track/geo tag your pictures, compare to other proprietary GPS solution from Nikon GP-1 (152€ or 229 CHF) or Canon 3rd party hardware.

    Pros

  • The i-gotU GT-200E is a durable, lightweight, water-resistant tracking device that works spectacularly well both indoors and outdoors.
  • Extremely accurate SiRF Star III 20-channel receiver,
  • Works inside buildings, movie theaters, basements,
  • Easy to use setup, applications and use of the web portal,
  • Location reports can be viewed from any web browser with Internet access,
  • Google Earth/Google Maps provide visually stunning location reports,
  • Device can record location/altitude data every x seconds ,
  • Small size, power up and forget,
  • Water protective casing, a plus for any outdoor photographers,
  • Self-contained, requires no installation,
  • Huge memory storage: enough for 80 hours of recording or 262.000 points,

    One the easiest interface to geo tag your pictures (I did use RoboGEO in the past)

    Limitations

     

    • Proprietary USB power cable, better not loose it
    • Accuracy of battery life indicator (a blinking led)
    • An OLED screens would have been great to watch the internal status of memory or to switch from tracking point mode. But very few devices on the market are proposing such features anyway.

    Alternatives

    At this level of price versus functionalities, the choice is quite limited but you may want to consider other model from the same brand

    Home_GT-120

    i-gotU GT-120 (39 € or 59 CHF)

    Where to buy?

    i-Got-U GT-200E  is manufactured by Mobile Action and available for purchase at various retail and online stores.

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    Walter Hangartner |84.73.206.xxx |2009-11-09 09:09:12
    Interesting review.

    Is it possible to set tracking interval to 1s? 5 seconds is too much for biking.

    Thank you
    Cedric Walter |212.25.14.xxx |2009-11-09 10:44:54
    Yes,

    Use custom settings and you can set the interval, or the speed at when it start
    logging.
    Walter Hangartner |84.73.206.xxx |2009-11-10 18:16:32
    Thank you for your reply. Your review is very good presented, but I miss your
    personal experience. The train trip from Zurich to St. Gall is not very
    representative. I would like to see an actual outsports use with data which can
    be imported to Google Earth. In some tests the precision of the device was not
    very good. So this would be very useful.
    Cedric Walter |212.25.14.xxx |2009-11-10 20:43:11
    Youre right, a friend of mine is doing triathlon for fun (!), I will give him
    the device. I will ask tomorrow when he has his next training.

    I can also provide a walk in the city of zurich,

    All data, files will be available in a new article
    Jon  - Bluetooth |138.253.197.xxx |2010-01-04 17:24:04
    Hi. What is the advantage of the bluetooth feature here other than to use with a
    mobile device? Can the data be downloaded via bluetooth without a cable? Or do
    you still need to attach to a computer to access the data? Thanks!
    Cedric Walter |212.25.14.xxx |2010-01-06 09:48:30
    Yes bluetooth is only for mobile device. Retrieving data is only possible with
    cable.

    By the way:
    I notice that a windows 7 driver for 64 bits is not available: blue screens if
    you try to connect

    You need a computer to reconfigure the device... would like to see an
    application for Android or Iphone that use bluetooth.
    Last Updated on Friday, 25 September 2009 22:03
     

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