Qstarz BT-Q1200 Ultra Travel Recorder and GPS Receiver: Review
Wouldn't it be fun to post photos taken on a digital camera to a map shared on the Internet? Wouldn't it be handy to have an GPS receiver for navigation on a mobile phone? Wouldn't it be smart to have both features in one product? That's exactly what the Qstarz BT-Q1200 Ultra does – it is a GPS receiver for mobile devices and a travel route recorder that can sync photos with tracks. In addition, it can use solar energy to power itself.
Posting photos to Google Earth, Flickr, Panoramia, or to another map site is a fun way to display travel pictures. Qstarz product can record your travel route and show it in the included map application. The device can also connect to a mobile phone via wireless Bluetooth connection. Then, Qstarz is used as a satellite navigator for a mobile phone that's running mapping software.
The product has only one button and one connector. The unit is switched on by pushing the button for five seconds. Then, it is ready to receive GPS signals and send geographic position information to a mobile phone. Tap the power button once, and the unit turns into a travel route tracker. The GPS data feed to the mobile phone and travel track recording work simultaneously. When you return home, you can synchronize the recorded geographic coordinates with photos you have taken on a digital camera and display them on a map. Simple.
There are four tiny lights on the front panel that indicate the status of the device. The most difficult thing with the device was to remember what each light meant. The most important light is the orange indicator for GPS signals. When it is blinking GPS signals received. Then, you need to check that either Bluetooth or location recording is on (depending on what you want to do).
How Geotagging Works (Using Any Digital Camera)
With a GPS position tracker and a digital camera – also a camera phone will do – you can record your travel route. This is what you need to do:
1. Make sure the time on your camera is correct. The camera automatically records time in the header (EXIF) data of each image.
2. Switch on your GPS unit before you start snapping photos.
3. Take pictures as you normally do.
4. Copy pictures from your camera or phone to a PC.
5. Transfer the tracks recorded by the GPS unit to your PC.
6. Use an application, such as Qstarz Travel Recorder to synchronize the track information and photos, and display them on a map.
Qstarz BT-Q1200 Ultra as a Travel Recorder (Geotagging Device)
We found the Qstarz BT-Q1200 Ultra easy to use as a travel route recorder. It quickly locked into GPS signals and worked accurately both when hiking and driving along a highway.
In order to start recording the geographical coordinates of a track, only push of a button is required . When the unit is switched on, a tap on the power button turns the device into a location tracker. That's it. When the hike or drive is over, tap the power button to end recording. Check out the following video on how to use the Qstarz as a geotagging device for saving locations for photos.
Qstarz PC Application for Viewing Photos on a Map and for Tracking Travel Route
After the Qstarz unit has recorded a track, you can view the route on a PC. Transferring geographic coordinates to the PC from the unit is simple. Plug the USB cable (included with the product) to the PC where you have installed the Qstarz Travel Recorder software. Launch the application and load GPS data from the device to the PC. Then, locate the photos you have taken along the way and import them into the application. It automatically displays the photos in right places. View a video on how to transfer GPS track location data to a map:
We used a Windows Vista notebook PC for running the application. We had small problems with the Travel Recorder application when we connected the GPS unit via USB. The application informed it couldn't connect to the Qstarz device, but after powering the unit off and back on, it worked. Once the data from the GPS unit was imported to the PC, the tracks were displayed on the screen. It was possible to bring photos stored on the PC to the map as well, but it was somewhat confusing to navigate through the photos I the application. We liked the feature that let us view our geotagged photos on Google Earth. Easy and beautiful.
Qstarz BT-Q1200 Ultra as an GPS Receiver for a Mobile Device
If you have a smartphone, PDA, tablet, or notebook PC where you have navigation software or mapping application, Qstarz unit can provide GPS location information to your maps via Bluetooth. The Qstarz BT-Q1200 can send geographic coordinates to a mobile device via Bluetooth and simultaneously record the track you are traveling.
We tested the Qstarz on two Symbian OS smartphones. We had AmazeGPS on one phone and Nokia Maps application on the other one. Both phones and applications could connect and receive GPS data from the Qstarz unit. In fact, the connection is almost instant and data transfer continuous when everything worked well. Occasionally, the Nokia Maps application (or the phone running it) informed of connection problems, but could still receive coordinates.
Tip: If you have problems with connecting your mobile device to the GPS unit via Bluetooth, check two things. First, you have to pair (or bond) your mobile device to the Qstarz unit. The passcode is in the manual. Second, make sure you don't have other paired Bluetooth connections you may have used earlier that might confuse your navigation application to connect to a wrong Bluetooth device.
Qstarz BT-Q1200 Ultra key features and specifications:
- GPS receiver with geographic position recorder, Bluetooth connectivity, and solar panel for extra power.
- MTK GPS receiver chip set. Accuracy 3 meters.
- GPS coordinate data output in NMEA 0183, GGA, GSA, GSV, VTG, or RMC format.
- Location tracker can store about 200 000 geographic coordinates. If the memory space runs out, recording continues so that the unit replaces the oldest entries.
- Includes a PC application that can display recorded tracks on a map. The application can also synchronize photos taken on practically any camera. (The camera has to record a time stamp into the EXIF data).
- Tracks and photos can be transferred to Google Earth from the PC application.
- Tracks san be exported GPX, PLT, CSV, NMEA, or Google Earth file format for viewing them in other applications.
- The Qstarz device can be used as a GPS receiver for a mobile phone via Bluetooth.
- Bluetooth 1.2 wireless data transfer to mobile phones.
- USB connection for transferring recorded tracks to a PC. Qstarz unit is also recharged via USB.
- Operating temperature -10 to 60 Celsius.
- Removable, rechargeable Li-ion battery. 48 hours of battery life. Solar panel can provide 2 hours of energy per day.
- Dimensions length, width, height: 88.5 x 56 x 13.5 mm. Weight 64g.
Competitive products
Other solutions for recording geographic coordinates for use on map applications are, for instance, the ATP Photo Finder, Gisteq Photo Trackr, or the Locr.
Qstarz BT-Q1200 Ultra Latest Prices
What we liked about the Qstarz
- Two frequently needed GPS features in one product; GPS receiver for navigation and track recorder for viewing travel routes that can be synced with photos.
- Once the unit locked into GPS satellites, it was very sensitive for signals and recorded geographic positions with accuracy.
- Multiple options for charging the unit; USB, charger, car adapter (and solar energy). Battery life can be extended with solar power.
- Includes a PC application for viewing tracks with geotagged photos.
What we didn't like
- The LED lights on the front panel could be brighter for sunlight.
- The Travel Recorder PC application doesn't always connect to the unit via USB (power off/power on ). The application was unstable at times.
Value for the money: 4.5 out of 5
The Qstarz BT-Q1200 Ultra is two, or even three, products in one. It is a travel route recorder (geotagging device), an external GPS receiver for mobile phones and a solar power charger (for itself only). The product also comes with Travel Recorder PC application that can merge GPS coordinates with photos and videos. The GPS hardware performed very well, being one of the fastest and most sensitive products to receive GPS signals we have tried so far, but there is some room for improvement in the PC application.
The street prices for the product are just above and just below 100 dollars. When compared to dedicated Bluetooth GPS receivers and locations trackers, we regard the two-in-one Qstarz BT-Q1200 Ultra product very good value for the money.
Rate the product:
Tim 16.06.2008 20:22
I bought in Germany, and it is very good for geotagging pictures
rashid 18.11.2008 01:10
how long extra power the solar cell will give?