Holux M-241 - Datalogger GPS com Conectividade USB e Bluetooth

Comments about Holux M-241 GPS Datalogger with USB & Bluetooth Connectivity:

I bought this some time ago to track where I was going when do some traveling. The one thing that attracted me to this was the fact that it worked on a Mac and it was inexpensive.

To get this to work on a Mac it does require some work around or you can download the HoudahGPS from the AppStore for free. (Or from HoudaSoft if you aren't on 10.6.7+)

The interface of the screen is hard to use at first, but with some time you can figure it out and get faster using it. The largest drawback is how long it takes to use the interface to begin with. There are only 2 buttons to control MANY functions.

This will use 1 AA battery which would last me about 10-12 hours of usage which is great for when I am off taking photos for the day. When I travel I tend to bring a large pack of batteries and replace it every morning before heading off.

The GPS is not an A-GPS which means it is REALLY slow on picking up your location at first. Afterwards it is pretty fine.

Since the GPS is not an A-GPS (Assisted GPS), this also means if it anytime you lose signal you will be losing a large chunk of time from your track. This especially the case if you are in a moving vehicle, and a lot of times I am taking photos in a moving bus/van/trike, and when it loses signal I am missing a large chunk of the track. (Almost 30 minutes worth at times.)

After importing the GPS track I import into Aperture and the track syncs perfectly (if set my time on my camera correctly) to my photos. It is very convenient compared to manually adding my location that I used to do before.

This GPS tracker is great for the average user. The price and functionality are great. If you a heavy Travel Photographer like myself you may want to invest a bit more money into a GPS tracker with A-GPS.

Comments about Holux M-241 GPS Datalogger with USB & Bluetooth Connectivity:

I was attracted to this product because of it's wifi support and the use of standard AA batteries. I needed it to geosynch with my Canon cameras. It works as advertised . . . when it works. But it suffers from frequent shut downs for no apparent reason. I tried changing the batteries and cleaning the contacts to no avail. When the unit shuts down the camera freezes due to "lost synch." Lost synch happens at inopportune times.

For other applications it may be a terrific device. For geosynching cameras I give this device a sub zero rating.

Comments about Holux M-241 GPS Datalogger with USB & Bluetooth Connectivity:

I'm using the M-241 on a Mac. It's working perfectly over Bluetooth but to save batteries I usually tend to connect it to my USB hub. Here's what you need (to connect it via USB):- SiLabs Mac Driver (there's even a 64-bit driver available)- BT747 GPS logger software (it's free)- Create a directory that's needed for BT747[@]

Comments about Holux M-241 GPS Datalogger with USB & Bluetooth Connectivity:

I purchased the device to geotag my photos. The device works well as it lets you program the logging frequency based on distance (50m, 100m, etc.) or time interval (1s, 5s, etc.)

The software provided does a good job in downloading the files created. HOWEVER, it's important that you stop the timer then start it again throughout your day. In case the battery dies, the file being created may be deleted (as was my case). Therefore, create multiple files to eliminate all your data being lost.

It does a good job in converting the files into various formats (GPX, KML, TXT, and other formats). This allows you to use other geotagging software options because the software provided does not work well. EXIFTOOL is a viable alternative.

Some times the coordinates are incorrect. As I viewed my data using Google Earth, the route had me driving straight through buildings, fences, and other off-road landmarks that were near my path. This inconsistency is attributed to satellite changes and other anomalies. Nevertheless, the tool is very useful for the purpose I have for it.

CONS:
Initially it takes a while for it to connect to the satellites.

If it is turned off then immediately back on, it does not actually come on. It must remain off for several seconds, then it will come on.

Comments about Holux M-241 GPS Datalogger with USB & Bluetooth Connectivity:

I use this to track my location as I photograph, allowing me to geotag my photos later. This unit can store 130K locations, and depending on how you set it (50ft to 1000ft increments, or 1-120 sec increments) this space will last weeks to months for most photographers. Sensitivity is off the charts, and can even track indoors at times. AA batteries makes it very practical, but the battery icon is almost worthless. It will only show low battery for maybe 15 minutes before it starts blinking low battery, and 5 minutes later is dead. This is with good alkalines, not recharges either..
I love that it has a backlight LCD, but I did notice at night, when its very dark, mine blinks repeatably (0.5hz maybe). Need to contact Holux about that, I dont notice it any other time than when its Pitch black out. Only real complaints is that if you let the battery die while the unit is on, when you turn it on again sometimes its difficult to get signal again for a few minutes. I guess when the battery dies, it has to Cold start, where as if you turn it off and replace the battery its only a warm start?

Comments about Holux M-241 GPS Datalogger with USB & Bluetooth Connectivity:

A great little tool for Canon and Apple Mac users with the PhotoLinker Geotagging software. Works perfectly.

Comments about Holux M-241 GPS Datalogger with USB & Bluetooth Connectivity:

I bought this one mostly because of the display it has. It has a wealth of information and after 5 minutes of going over it, it's easy to navigate. The manufacturers website has a downloadable manual with all the menu options which was nice. Aquiring SAT signal can be slow some times, but pretty accurate once it has aquired a signal.

I also bought this to use on a future Mac Book Pro I will be buying. Reveiwers say it will work, but I have not personally tested this feature yet. Hoping that Mac will recognize it without a driver installed as officially, Mac is not supported by the manufacturer.

Only thing I don't like is the bundled software, I found it to be pretty useless. I was able to pull data off the device one time and after that the software would crash when it reached the end of the download. I tried for two days to get it working unsuccessfully. But fear NOT! There is a free program called BT747 which works great and is FREE! In fact I would say the free programm is 10x better. I keeps a running log, can tag photos, integrated map, convert to other format, and can even set options for the device.

Not water proof and the battery door is pretty flimsy. Both I consider to be minor issues, certainlly does not hindor the device function.

Comments about Holux M-241 GPS Datalogger with USB & Bluetooth Connectivity:

Found it very easy to use with the Red Hen Blu2CAN Bluetooth adaptor to insert location and time data in EXIF data on my D-200.

After using four other GPS' over several years, found the interface with its two buttons challenging. Eventually got it doing what I wanted but doing so with only two buttons required persistence.

Comments about Holux M-241 GPS Datalogger with USB & Bluetooth Connectivity:

It does everything advertised, has decent sensitivity for its size and the firmware has useful features. However, it has one flaw: it does not power-off cleanly if batteries die while it is recording. This means loss of track info if you are not technically inclined.

If you are technically inclined you can recover most data even if it does not shut down cleanly. You can connect to it over serial (over USB or bluetooth) and download the raw data. There will be some checksum errors at the end (because the unit didn't shut down cleanly), but other than that, most info is still intact.

The GPS works well on Linux with GPSBabel Version 1.3.7-beta20100215. Both bluetooth and USB work. I am using Ubuntu Linux 9.10 Karmic.

Even though the manufacturer discourages use of rechargeable batteries, the GPS seems to work well with Sanyo's Eneloop rechargeables.

Comments about Holux M-241 GPS Datalogger with USB & Bluetooth Connectivity:

I really love this gps, it´s small so you can take it anywhere and does exactly what it has to do.
The only disappointing thing is that the manufacturer has no support for Mac OS yet, but still I manage with 3rd party apps.

Comments about Holux M-241 GPS Datalogger with USB & Bluetooth Connectivity:

Holux software keeps crashing at the stage of upload. After 6 hours of reading internet comments, reloading software, trying other software(Geosetter, BT747) nothing works. Holux web site can't be accessed for help.

Don't buy this. Judging from comments on the internet (aside from random successes)most people get discouraged and quit.

Comments about Holux M-241 GPS Datalogger with USB & Bluetooth Connectivity:

I wanted a Mac compatible GPS Datalogger to use with my Macbook, and with my cameras. I did some basic research, and decided to head over to B&H to make a purchase.

When I arrived at B&H I was met with some funny stares when asking about dataloggers. I met the floor manager for the camera section... this guy was a lifesaver. He directed me to the resident supergeek, and I say that with the utmost respect!

We sifted through a ton of material, and found no real concrete response from Holux, or B&H that confirmed compatibility with MAC OS X. He assured me that the output files would work, and that Mac Bluetooth would see the M-241, but that it might take some learning curve to work with the M-241 and MAC.

Well....
I turned on the M-241.. started the logger at track by time every 5 seconds, and I proceeded home.
The M-241 is easy to use with documentation easily found online.
The setup with MAC easy to do with very little online research.
Bluetooth setup took a minute, refer to terminal commands on MAC.
Tagging photos with GPS data went smoothly.

seeing my tracks on a map, my photos in place and knowing I scored a great product... priceless.

Why only four stars you ask??
Well Holux really should strive to appeal to the MAC users. The information available for Mac usage had to be sought out on several websites. Other than that 5 stars.

Comments about Holux M-241 GPS Datalogger with USB & Bluetooth Connectivity:

Works well with my GPS receiver on my camera. Like the AA battery power so that I can use it for extended periods away from AC power.

Comments about Holux M-241 GPS Datalogger with USB & Bluetooth Connectivity:

Pros: indicator shows distance and coordinates; GPS precision shows ~2 meters, which is good for geocaching; Bluetooth allows to use GPS-enabled software at the same time as it records tracks; standard battery add a lot of flexibility during travel; look is nice, it reminds me old photographic equipment; and you can keep it entire day on your neck and it does not hurt after that; and you do not need watches, because it shows time from satellite.

Cons: you need to install some software to access recordered tracks, it is not shown automatically as disk; software works, but it looks like it is designed for Win3.1; I prefer using "exiftool" to tag photos and exported KML does not work with it, but GPX does; I could not find a code to pair BT device in the manual, so I've tried '0000' and it works; I would want it to be waterproof.

Comments about Holux M-241 GPS Datalogger with USB & Bluetooth Connectivity:

Over 4 days of my trip, it stopped logging once (a button was pressed by accident, I guess) and the turn-off switch was switched once (by accident), so it is not very reliable if you just attach it to your camera or backpack. I'd prefer a rechargeable Li-Ion battery. It could not pick up a signal on a plane. But it does its main job - keeps GPS logs to annotate your photos.

Comments about Holux M-241 GPS Datalogger with USB & Bluetooth Connectivity:

I have used this datalogger in the US and in England, and it works very well to track my location. I recently completed a 1000 miles road trip, and it kept track of where I was constantly, even in the mountains of Colorado.

The software it comes with is not very good, but I use Geosetter, Exifer, and other free or inexpensive software packages, and can tag my photographs every evening, using my netbook, or at the end of the trip.

The accompany software does work well to record a trip, as it generates a total log for the trip, but can also display each day's travel in a different color.

I just wish I had owned this logger years ago, as I am converting my old 35mm slides to JPEG files.

I noticed that the speed display is at least as accurate as the speedometer in my car.

Comments about Holux M-241 GPS Datalogger with USB & Bluetooth Connectivity:

I've bought Holux M-241 for my trip in India, but before it I've tested it here, in Moscow during ordinary day photo-shooting.
Before I've got this stuff I always try to recall where were this photos taken before with lots of problems: it's hard to remember all details/coordinates, also U have to run over every file, mark & connect them with different key-places. It takes a lot of time & really irritating sometimes!
Now, all your trip-tracks & shooting points are recorded clearly, even precisely, in this small film-holderlike box (U can bind track-points to the distance (meters) or period of time (seconds) & forget about it. When U get home only thing U have to do is to combine recorded date to your photos. U can use different types of software (freeware is approachable) & even every format of picture files (RAW of different manuf., jpg, etc.). Thу main idea is to download your photos to one of popular geotagging sites where U'll see track, shooting points & photos alternately or simultaneously right on the map!
And now U can repeat youк trip near the monitor or on the 90" wallscreen as I do.
Also U can share your trip route with friends or in travel-forums, add commentaries to each photo on the site or even diarize all your trip when U have an Inet connection during the travel.
Also M-241 has a BlueTooth interface and I use it with my pocket computer and GPS software when I drive a car.
This stuff is quite exigent with batteries, but during long trips there's no need in BlueTooth and all U have to do is having a good accumulators and charger (imho better way is to get a set of good quality accs (check Net for the tests) and "intellectual" charger (also go to the Net) as I used) & U'll never get a problem with discharged stuff.
Want to add that internal memory is enough for 3 weeks trip if U use it not during all the day.
Also U can upgrade innercode from the manufacturer's site.
Some advises for use it efficiently:
1) check the Net for the software that better satisfy yuor needs;
2) get good accumulators & charger;
3) check & synchronise your camera time with time in M-241 GPS-logger.
Have a good trip!

Comments about Holux M-241 GPS Datalogger with USB & Bluetooth Connectivity:

I use the Holux M-241 to geotag photos in iPhoto '09 Places on my Mac. I knew that the Holux M-241 is a PC based product, but I read other reviews on this site about how people got it to work with Macs. I tried to follow some of the directions on information that they provided, but I am by no means fluent in computer. After about a week of research and failed attempts, I was ready to throw my Holux M-241 out the window. I even went to Mac specialists and they said it was too difficult to do and it would cost hundreds of dollars for them to even try. Last ditch effort, I went to the Apple website and searched GPS. Low and behold, I found a FREE program called MyTracks. See[@]After downloading that, it was so simple. The program runs it all for you and puts the geotagged photos into iPhoto Places. If I had just done that in the first place, I could have saved myself a lot of stress and aggravation. So, if you have a Mac, yes, you can use the Holux M-241. Haven't had a lot of use out of it yet as I just figured it out, but so far so good.

Comments about Holux M-241 GPS Datalogger with USB & Bluetooth Connectivity:

I use this device everyday, and feel comfortable commenting on it, but have never used the included software - so no comments on that.

The good:
*The OSS gpsbabel supports this device and will create standard .gpx files of my tracks on Windows and Linux.
*The minimal display includes a clock, so I can start every photo shoot with a quick .jpg of GPS time so that any deviation of my camera's clock can be accounted for easily later.
*It will run forever over USB power and includes a 12v -> USB power supply.
*Enough memory for days and days of continuous logging at 5 second epochs.
*Runs on one standard AA battery. There is nowhere in the world you can't find one of those.
*Very sensitive. Works fine inside my camera bag, often even while the bag is in the backseat of my truck.
*Very fast initialization
*Backlight
*Cute Kodak 35mm film roll inspired case.
*Fits in my R-Strap's (hithertofore) worthless cellphone pocket.

The bad.
*Can not charge a AA battery through the USB port.
*Battery door is flimsy.
*Not waterproof
*Does not stop logging cleanly upon power off. The power switch is a hard switch, not a soft one, and you can corrupt your data if you power off while it is writing a record.
*No display of your positional accuracy, PDOP, or even the number of birds being tracked.
*Battery meter is digital. You either have a full battery or a dead one according to the little icon.
*On Windows you need to install a (non-standard) virtual serial port driver so that the USB connection maps as a COM port.
*Only 12 hours of battery life.

Don't get me wrong - I love it and it does all I need - just want to be straight with you on where it could be improved (but likely not at this great price.)

Comments about Holux M-241 GPS Datalogger with USB & Bluetooth Connectivity:

Besides providing full time GPS coordinates to the Blue2Can, you can also use this to log a trip. Used it on a three week trip. Worked great. Very sensitive and even works in places where sky is not clearly visible.