Portable Satellite Navigation Units
in [Aussie Drivers]
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From: Kev on 4 Apr 2010 07:50 Dingo wrote: > On Sat, 3 Apr 2010 16:42:46 -0700 (PDT), Chrlz > <mark.thomas.7(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > >> Yes, if you mean the exit signs that pop up at the top, giving road >> names/no's and arrows for preferred lanes. I like the Ultra skin's >> slightly amended version, where it puts obvious crosses in the lanes >> you don't want to be in for your destination. And yes, the Navteq map >> that came with it sucked - apart from about ten errors for every one I >> can find on the Sensis map, it had no speed limit info. I was very >> glad to find a compatible Sensis replacement. >> >> >> John, don't those units have selectable calculation methods? IGO has: >> Shortest: smallest possible distance >> Fastest: assumes you can travel at the speed limit (a very rash >> assumption, admittedly!) >> Economical: same as fastest, except it may take a route that is a >> little slower but less distant to save fuel >> Easy: same as fastest but will eliminate complex routes if only a >> little time is saved. >> >> I haven't tried 'easy', but I've actually compared some of the others >> and they seem to do what they say. Every now and then it takes me by >> surprise, but usually after a while there is that "aha, I see where >> she's going with this..' moment. > > You know, after all is said and done, I might just stick to my trusty > (new) printed UBD plus a few other paper maps..... I should add the new point to point cameras with 0 tolerance for speed The Garmin will give you average speed over a distance Kev
From: Scotty on 4 Apr 2010 19:17 "Kev" <kevcat(a)optunet.com.au> wrote in message news:4bb87ab2$0$1785$afc38c87(a)news.optusnet.com.au... : Scotty wrote: : > "Kev" <kevcat(a)optunet.com.au> wrote in message : > news:4bb75bd5$0$11705$afc38c87(a)news.optusnet.com.au... : > : Scotty wrote: : > :: > : > : > 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? : > : > : > Yes it does. : > : > : 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 : > : > The only loaded map is the CITY NAVIGATOR NT from memory. : > It does okay for me but with the new Gateway, Clem 7 and other new roads I wouldnt mind that : > upgrade. Mine the 2010 maps but obviously the older version. : : Clem7 and a few upgraded intersections are not in the latest maps : The airport upgrades are : these maps are months old when they are released : : : Kev : I must have one of the latest versions then. All the airport roads are on it but only as think lines. Labeled as proposed roads. Not included on navigation routes either.
From: John_H on 4 Apr 2010 19:33 Kev wrote: > >Since I know my way around Brisbane I only use them for Navigation >outside Brisbane, only problem I've had was it wanting me to go down >narrow streets in a semi, but if I was in a car it wouldn't be a problem > >It even got me to a grain farm just west of Jandowe, well onto the back >road as there was no number on the paperwork >Took me from Rainbow Beach to Harvey Bay through the back roads >To a cattle station 50klms south west of Dalby on a old gravel road Finding rural addresses isn't the main problem (providing they're mapped) it's the long routes by which they'll frequently take you there. Just for giggles I've often set mine up to navigate in remote areas I'm very familiar with and it's not unusual for them want to take you literally hundreds of kilometres out of the way. In closer settled areas, like those you mention, the outcome is likely to be far less serious for the unsuspecting. As I've previously said, the routes they choose invariably give preference to major roads and they'll typically only use a bush track, or minor road, as the last resort. The Garmin I've got (Nuvi 250) also has a peculiarity that when set to use U turns it will frequently advise a U-turn instead of recalculating a shorter route whereas it will recalculate if U-turns are disabled... with the catch being it's also not unusual to have it take you on a 100 km trip back to an intersection that was only a 100 metre behind you at the start. The TomTom 140 I've also got probably does the same -- it's just that I've never checked it as thoroughly as the Garmin. The other thing they can't handle is the rural address system, now pretty much universal, where the house number is the distance from the start of the road. For example my own "street address" is 3493, meaning my entrance is 34.93km from the start of the road I'm on, yet no sat nav has ever found it using the "street number" even though GPS navigation is ideally suited to exploit that system. Using my street address will have you finish up around 12km away from the front gate. (The Garmin trip computer can be extremely useful in such situations, provided you're aware of the problem in advance.) Another common occurrence is where larger rural properties are mapped by the property name. Sat navs usually want to take you cross country rather than to the property entrance if it happens to be on a minor road. -- John H
From: Dingo on 4 Apr 2010 23:57 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. Haven't read it yet, but there's a two page spread on sat-navs in The Guide in today's Sydeney Moaning Harold.
From: Kev on 5 Apr 2010 00:08
Scotty wrote: > "Kev" <kevcat(a)optunet.com.au> wrote in message news:4bb87ab2$0$1785$afc38c87(a)news.optusnet.com.au... > : Scotty wrote: > : > "Kev" <kevcat(a)optunet.com.au> wrote in message > : > news:4bb75bd5$0$11705$afc38c87(a)news.optusnet.com.au... > : > : Scotty wrote: > : > :: > > : > : > 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? > : > > : > > : > Yes it does. > : > > : > : 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 > : > > : > The only loaded map is the CITY NAVIGATOR NT from memory. > : > It does okay for me but with the new Gateway, Clem 7 and other new roads I wouldnt mind that > : > upgrade. Mine the 2010 maps but obviously the older version. > : > : Clem7 and a few upgraded intersections are not in the latest maps > : The airport upgrades are > : these maps are months old when they are released > : > : > : Kev > : > > I must have one of the latest versions then. All the airport roads are on it but only as think > lines. Labeled as proposed roads. Not included on navigation routes either. > > Nah the latest 2010.3 map labels them as the correct name you have the first 2010 map that came out late last year around Oct Kev |