Portable Satellite Navigation Units
in [Aussie Drivers]
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From: Dingo on 3 Apr 2010 03:50 On Fri, 02 Apr 2010 18:50:48 +1100, Dingo <dingo963(a)yahoo.com> wrote: >I know nothing about them. What basic features should I look for, how >much should I expect to pay, and where is a good place to buy? Thanks. Thanks to all.
From: Scotty on 3 Apr 2010 06:32 "Noddy" <me(a)home.com> wrote in message news:4bb66462$0$33488$c30e37c6(a)exi-reader.telstra.net... : : "Kev" <kevcat(a)optunet.com.au> wrote in message : news:4bb6012d$0$12922$afc38c87(a)news.optusnet.com.au... : : > What were they doing, trowing them at brick walls??? : : I doubt it :) : : They were just being used in day to day roles like anything else, and their : "survivability" seemed to be pretty poor. Most likely the cheapest of the Garmin range then. My Nuvis been great, had one lock up which was solved by a quick reset and thats the only issue I had. Oh and the fact that mines low on memory so to get the latest dual country maps I had to delete the character voices and some photos to install but thats the only issues its had in three years. I use it daily and it sits on the dash in the full Qld sun every day.
From: Kev on 3 Apr 2010 11:10 D Walford wrote: > On 3/04/2010 12:04 AM, Clocky wrote: >> Noddy wrote: >>> "D Walford"<dwalford(a)internode.on.net> wrote in message >>> news:4bb5cdb8$0$8766$c3e8da3(a)news.astraweb.com... >>> >>>> I've lost count of the number of times I've dropped it but so far >>>> I've never done any damage so I don't know why you think they aren't >>>> durable, >>> >>> Mainly because I've known 4 people who had Garmins that lasted less >>> than a year before they were broken or fucked, and that put me off >>> buying one. Even looking at the things in the shop they looked cheap >>> and flimsy compared to others (and in particular the TomTom). >> >> When I was working at DSE for a bit a few years ago (yeah yeah I know) we >> sold the Garmin units but to me they looked and operated like they were >> aimed at the cheap and nasty end of the market. We had quite a few >> returned >> for credit where the customer upgraded to a Tom Tom or even Navman, >> happy to >> pay extra. >> > > I did buy a Garmin because at the time it was the cheapest of any with a > known brand name. > Its over 2yrs old and has never given me the slightest problem, I also > find it easy to use, it even has a feature that I've not heard on any > other GPS which is spoken warnings about speed/red light cameras, my > wife's Mio cost almost double what I paid for the Garmin and it has a > lot more features like blue tooth but it isn't any better at navigating > than the Garmin. You need to open the WinCE operating system up on the Mio and install IGO software, it's better than the Garmin for round town Navigation I use like the Garmins because of the different maps types available Kev
From: Kev on 3 Apr 2010 11:16 Scotty wrote: > "Noddy" <me(a)home.com> wrote in message news:4bb66462$0$33488$c30e37c6(a)exi-reader.telstra.net... > : > : "Kev" <kevcat(a)optunet.com.au> wrote in message > : news:4bb6012d$0$12922$afc38c87(a)news.optusnet.com.au... > : > : > What were they doing, trowing them at brick walls??? > : > : I doubt it :) > : > : They were just being used in day to day roles like anything else, and their > : "survivability" seemed to be pretty poor. > > Most likely the cheapest of the Garmin range then. My Nuvis been great, had one lock up which was > solved by a quick reset and thats the only issue I had. > Oh and the fact that mines low on memory so to get the latest dual country maps I had to delete the > character voices and some photos to install but thats the only issues its had in three years. I use > it daily and it sits on the dash in the full Qld sun every day. > > Does it have an SD slot? put the voices, POIs and maps(and anything else like vehicle images) on it, the unit will find them extra maps should be renamed GMAPSUP2.img, GMAPSUP3.img, GMAPSUP4.img and GMAPPROM.img I name the main city navigator NT map as GMAPPROM.img and the rest as GMAPSUPP.img, GMAPSUP2.img, GMAPSUP3.img, GMAPSUP4.img I think it will only use 4 maps, but as long as they are compatible and unlocked they will load up, the Nuvi needs are routable map so you do need the NT map Kev
From: Kev on 3 Apr 2010 11:20
Chrlz wrote: > On Apr 2, 5:50 pm, Dingo <dingo...(a)yahoo.com> wrote: >> I know nothing about them. What basic features should I look for, how >> much should I expect to pay, and where is a good place to buy? Thanks. > > I'd reiterate much of what has been said but to summarise, most of the > known brands are similarly featured - so just try the units out and > see which interface you like. I tend to agree that of the big three, > Garmin seems to have a nicer interface but that's just me. As a > couple of suggested tests, you should be able to: > - enter an address easily without having to ask for help from the shop > assistant.. > - get into 'browse' mode, where you can move around and zoom in/out > and use it like a map.. > > Some of the newer units have 'terrain' data, which makes the view > truly 3d. Sounds gimmicky, but I really like it and at times it adds > to the usability (esp. when offroad.. or lost/wandering..!). > If you are in a region with freeways, lane guidance is worthwhile. > I really like how IGO displays not just the next maneuvre, but the one > after as well - do the big three do that nowadays? > And what about TMC? I don't know how well that works in Aus, but it > sounds good.. > > I now have a cheap gps running IGO 8.3 (+ Ultra skin). If you go for > a generic unit, I think IGO is the software to get - just make sure it > is up to date and has the Sensis maps. Terrain data, lane guidance, > speed limit and compass continually displayed, next maneuvre, good > browse mode, sensible speed warning system... No wishlist left. IGO 8.4 Amigo has street signs for up coming exits on freeways, Does 8.3 have these? I bypassed 8.3 as the only maps available at the time was the useless Navtek Kev Kev |