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ArcPad on a Panasonic Tablet FZ-G1

KimProulx

Has anyone used ArcPad on a Panasonic ToughPad Tablet FZ-G1? Or with a tablet using Windows 8 Pro operating system with success?

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HannahFerrier

We have been using ArcPad on the Dell Latitude Windows 8 Tablet and the Asus VivoTab Windows 8 Tablet. It has worked just fine 🙂

ArcPad 10.2 is also able to use the Windows 8 Location Sensor as an input using the 'Location Sensor' GPS Protocol.

Hannah 🙂

PhilipGibbons

Hi Kim...Did you ever purchase the Toughpad? I'm curious how it is working for you with ArcPAD.
Hannah...did the Dell or Asus have any problems connecting to ArcPAD--I've heard there are some issues with Windows 8 (com ports, etc) and connection to ArcPAD.

Thanks a lot!
-Phil

HannahFerrier

Hi Phil,

I will assume that you are talking about using the inbuilt location sensor with Windows 8 Tablets?

In ArcPad 10.2 -all you need to do to connect to the location sensor is select the Location Sensor Protocol and the Location Sensor Port on the GPS Preferences tab.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]30507[/ATTACH]

I have had no issues connecting ArcPad 10.2 to the inbuilt location sensor on either the Dell Latitude, Asus VivioTab or the Microsoft Surface Pro 2.

Hannah 🙂

locsensor.JPG

PhilipGibbons

Thanks Hannah. That's excellent news! Do you suggest a preferred device? And lastly, do you use some kind of ruggedized case?

Thanks again!

-Phil 🙂

MathewRiley

Hello All:

I'm a little late to the party here, but I was checking the forum for another matter, saw this relevant thread, and had to chime in!

Yes, I run ArcPad on the Panasonic FZ-G1. In fact, my organization has 10 of them deployed. We're running ArcPad 10.0.4 and Windows 8. We purchased the Toughpads with true GPS receivers, so we're not using Windows Location API, but GPS through the COM port. Utilization of the Windows Location API requires ArcPad 10.2.x, and since our licenses are for 10.0, I have no comment on how that functionality works.

However, our staffers have generally had a pretty positive reception regarding functionality and performance of ArcPad on this platform. A few gripes that I have are that the ArcPad camera will only take a maximum picture resolution of 640 x 480 (known bug NIM089150), and the fact that the FZ-G1 only has a 3.1 megapixel camera to begin with...

Regarding carry cases for the Toughpad, your options are very slim. There is a hand strap product and a Toughmate "always on" case that we don't really like - you cannot place the Toughpad in the cradle with the Toughmate case on. Our solution was to contract a custom carrying sleeve from a manufacturer of radio harnesses. Our custom solution has worked out well.

Good luck on your ArcPad deployment; ours has been a game-changer for my organization.

Matt Riley

MarkSteele2

...We purchased the Toughpads with true GPS receivers, so we're not using Windows Location API, but GPS through the COM port....

Matt Riley

Matt

Did you purchase the FZ-G1 with the integrated GPS chip or are you using a separate external receiver (USB or RS-232)? If you are using the integrated chip, how is the performance, especially the precision? We are considering purchasing a couple of these tablets but I am a little concerned about the positional accuracy of an integrated GPS. Any advice you could offer would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Mark Steele

MathewRiley

Matt

Did you purchase the FZ-G1 with the integrated GPS chip or are you using a separate external receiver (USB or RS-232)? If you are using the integrated chip, how is the performance, especially the precision? We are considering purchasing a couple of these tablets but I am a little concerned about the positional accuracy of an integrated GPS. Any advice you could offer would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Mark Steele

Mark:

We purchased the Toughpads with the integrated GPS chip. This is a L1 band only GPS, so one can expect accuracies in the 2 - 5 meter range. That being said, we've found that we get positional accuracies on the lower end of the range, it acquires a signal fairly quickly, sees many satellites, and almost always has a low PDOP. I can personally say I've never seen the PDOP above 2.9 on mine.

Firing up ArcPad, I was even able to get a signal inside my building, and the PDOP is still low:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]32018[/ATTACH]

Also keep in mind that we don't need sub-foot accuracies from this equipment in the ways that say, a utility company would need. We use these toughpads in a mining environment, and plus or minus 6 feet accuracy is more than adequate for what we are doing.

tp_gps.png

mohdalsubaey

Mark:

We purchased the Toughpads with the integrated GPS chip. This is a L1 band only GPS, so one can expect accuracies in the 2 - 5 meter range. That being said, we've found that we get positional accuracies on the lower end of the range, it acquires a signal fairly quickly, sees many satellites, and almost always has a low PDOP. I can personally say I've never seen the PDOP above 2.9 on mine.

Firing up ArcPad, I was even able to get a signal inside my building, and the PDOP is still low:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]32018[/ATTACH]

Also keep in mind that we don't need sub-foot accuracies from this equipment in the ways that say, a utility company would need. We use these toughpads in a mining environment, and plus or minus 6 feet accuracy is more than adequate for what we are doing.

Dear mattjriley
i have toughpad fz-g1 with 2d scanner and i would like to change it to gps but i couldn't find the gps module so i ask you a faiver to tell me the part number or modle of your gps integrated in you toughpad fz-g1 please
thank you
best regards

MarkSteele2

Dear mattjriley
i have toughpad fz-g1 with 2d scanner and i would like to change it to gps but i couldn't find the gps module so i ask you a faiver to tell me the part number or modle of your gps integrated in you toughpad fz-g1 please
thank you
best regards

It is a Leadtek LR9548S. Attached is the GPS spec sheet that we received from our dealer.

Mark

GPS SPECS.pdf

mohdalsubaey

It is a Leadtek LR9548S. Attached is the GPS spec sheet that we received from our dealer.

Mark

thank you marksteele for your reply

regarding to gps module for Panasonic fz-g1 I try to search in internet to find this product for my toughpad fz-g1 but no result can you please help me if you don't mind where I can buy it or at les to give me snap shot of you gps may be that will help me to find it
best regards

mohdalsubaey

any one can help with part number og gps module please to install it to my fz-g1

OscarFigueroaOD

This is just a cautionary post. I�??m not using the FZ-G1 with ArcPad but with ArcMobile for Windows. There is a problem with the display of basemaps from the web where they are offset by hundreds of feet. Only happens on device and not on desktops. Looking for answer but nothing concrete from ESRI or from Panasonic

JeffGarcia1

Windows 7
ArcPad 10

We have recently purchased these units and are having some issues with the accuracy of the GPS data. From reading this forum and looking at the spec's IT didn't do) it seems the best I can get is around 6-15 foot accuracy. Is that going to be a true statement? Previously we had one GPS user, using a Trimble Geo XT 2008 series handheld and had 0.5 - 3 foot accuracy. We need that kind of accuracy being an utility operation. We are wondering if there are better ways to utilize gps'ing functionality with the Panasonic Tablet, differential correction method? Any other processes for us to explore or help from the community would be appreciated.

BrettBlack

From the spec's of the FZ-G1 it uses a SiRFstar III chipset, which is roughly 2-5 meter accuracy at best. ArcPad does not directly store raw data for you to deferentially correct the data, so that is not an option.

If you need improved accuracy, I would recommend looking at the Leica Geosystems GG03 SmartAntenna (link below). This would offer sub-meter accuracy when using SBAS corrections, or improved accuracy to 30-50cm if using a real-time network correction. If you were to add the L2 option, you could further improve that to 1cm accuracy if needed. If using ArcPad, Zeno Connect for the tablet would also be needed. Connections from the GG03 to the tablet can be done via bluetooth or a cabled connection.

http://www.leica-geosystems.us/en/Leica-Zeno-GG03_99885.htm

808707

This is probably a daft question but I've been looking at these. Does the most basic unit come equipped with wifi?

DavidCarpenter

Hi There,

We are just getting started with PanasonicToughPads after years of success with ArcGIS Mobile 10 on ToughBooks. I am currently trying to get ArcGIS Mobile 10.2 working on the ToughPad and we are having extremely poor results when trying to get ArcGIS Mobile to connect to the GPS.

We know the GPS is good, we have used the Panasonic GPS Viewer software to confirm satellite fix and the NMEA data stream on the COM port, however whe I start ArcGIS Mobile it will connect to the Port immediately but will not display on the GPS data on GPS Status Page or the Map View for up to 10 min. After it finally begins to read the NMEA data stream very quickly it seems to loose it so your position on the map does not change / refresh and the application does not seem to recover.

Has anyone had similar issues with GPS connectivity from ArcPad or ArcGIS Mobile on Panasonic ToughPads (FZ-G1 Mark 2)? Is there a resolution or is this a known issue?

Thanks.

juliaharrell2

David -

Did you ever find a fix for this GPS issue? We've got a bunch of 10" ToughPads w/ GPS being delivered in about a month and at the moment, it looks like we're going to have to use one of the (relatively) 'out of the box' ArcMobile for Windows projects as an interim solution while we wait for contractor delays on a custom mobile app that isn't materializing on time. Was not aware this was an issue with the ToughPads. Our field crews won't be real happy with this kind of performance.

Thanks in advance for any info you might have,

Julia

DavidCarpenter

Hi Julia,

Actually there is a fix. ESRI has Location API Connection Extension for ArcGIS Mobile. There are two versions available, one for 10.2 and one for the latest release of 10.2.1, you have to download and copy the .dlls specific to the version of mobile you are using…..one does not work with the other. I would recommend using ArcGIS Mobile 10.2.1 since it will support ArcGIS Server 10.3. Instructions to set up the DLLs are in README file in the download, you want to use the .dlls and .ame file in the Release Assemblies folder.

The extension for 10.2.1 can be found here:

http://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=ceaa0767a5274df9a6e688d2352fddcf

The dlls for 10.2 are here:

http://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=d4829d8173964e708f001d3a9858da91

When you use the extension, on the GPS Status page in ArcGIS Mobile you see that it changes from showing COM Ports, etc to a much more simplified screen essentially just staging that is using the Location API Connection. At that point your application will connect perfectly to the GPS.

David Carpenter

Ph. 204-360-7656

juliaharrell2

That's great to hear - thanks so much for the quick reply!

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