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<p><code>gpsd</code> should work with any GPS or AIS receiver using an
RS232C or USB interface that advertises NMEA-0183 compliance.  Here
are some notes on hardware we have tested.  Hyperlinks lead to
technical information.  The "Tested with" column is the last
<code>gpsd</code> version with which this receiver is known to have
been successfully tested.  It is likely that later releases will
support the receiver, especially if there is a
<img src="regression.png" alt="Regression icon"> in this column;
this means we have a regression test load for the
device that is checked before each release.
</p>

<p>Vendors are listed in alphabetical order.</p>

<p><b>Warning:</b> the baudrate-hunting code in <code>gpsd</code>
tickles serious firmware bugs on some Bluetooth and USB devices.
These bugs may send affected GPSes catatonic.  See this <a
href="upstream-bugs.html#bluetooth">bug warning</a> for a description
of the problem. Where possible, we indicate this in the device table.</p>

<p>Icons used in the table:</p>

<ul>
<li><img src="star.png" alt="Star icon"><img src="star.png" alt="Star
icon"><img src="star.png" alt="Star icon"><img src="star.png"
alt="Star icon"> marks devices with <b>Excellent</b> performance: gpsd
recognizes the receiver rapidly and reliably, reports are complete and
correct.</li>

<li><img src="star.png" alt="Star icon"><img src="star.png" alt="Star
icon"><img src="star.png" alt="Star icon"> marks devices with
<b>Good</b> performance: <code>gpsd</code> has minor problems or lag
recognizing the device, but reports are complete and correct.</li>

<li><img src="star.png" alt="Star icon"><img src="star.png" alt="Star
icon"> marks devices with <b>Fair</b> performance: reports have minor
dropouts or problems, including occasional transient nonsense
values.</li>

<li><img src="star.png" alt="Star icon"> marks devices with
<b>Poor</b> performance: reports frequently have values that are wrong
or nonsense.</li>

<li><img src="bomb.png" alt="Bomb icon"> marks devices which are <b>Broken</b>;
gpsd frequently fails to recognize the device at all.</li>

<li><img src="noconfigure.png" alt="No-configure icon"> marks devices
that needed the <code>gpsd -b</code> option when tested. Usually these are
Bluetooth devices with defective firmware that does not handle
baud-rate changes properly.  Some poorly-designed USB devices choke if
they are fed too many probe strings; these may work better with recent
versions of <code>gpsd</code>, which interleaves probe writes with the
first few packet reads.</li>

<li><img src="regression.png" alt="Regression-test icon"> marks
devices for which we have a regression-test load. These are checked on
every release.</li>

<li><img src="discontinued.png" alt="Discontinued icon"> marks
devices that have been discontinued by their manufacturers.</li>

<li><img src="hotplug.png" alt="Hotplug icon"> marks devices which
will be recognized by the Linux hotplug system when they are plugged
in. If you installed <code>gpsd</code> from a binary package,or did "scons
udev-install" from the source distribution, this should mean you never
have to launch <code>gpsd</code> manually; the udev system will launch it
for you when it sees a device of this kind go active.</li>
</ul>

<p>Note that in most cases (including the <img src="noconfigure.png"
alt="No-configure icon"> bug), poor ratings reflect problems not in
<code>gpsd</code> but rather in device design and firmware so badly
botched that <code>gpsd</code> cannot compensate.</p>

<p>In the PPS column of the table table, if just one number is given
it is the manufacturer's claimed timing accuracy. If a second number
is given it is a measured NTP offset.</p>

<p>This table is generated from a capability database in the
<code>gpsd</code> source tree. Please help us enrich the database with
new devices by emailing a new device report to @DEVMAIL@.</p>

<div>&nbsp;</div>

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