Wikiposts
Search
Computer/Internet Issues & Troubleshooting Anyone with questions about the terribly complex world of computers or the internet should try here. NOT FOR REPORTING ISSUES WITH PPRuNe FORUMS! Please use the subforum "PPRuNe Problems or Queries."

GPS for road use

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 20th Mar 2005, 18:02
  #1 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 154
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
GPS for road use

Can anyone point me to a website with comparisons of which GPS packages are most suitable for the UK?

Cos I um a pilit cost kums into it 2
Abbeville is offline  
Old 20th Mar 2005, 18:20
  #2 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: South East England
Posts: 307
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
These might help......

http://www.gpsw.co.uk/
http://www.pocketgps.co.uk/
http://gpsinformation.net/

Nota
None of the above is offline  
Old 20th Mar 2005, 20:37
  #3 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 154
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks for the links.

Anyone here had any practical experience of some of these systems care to comment?
Abbeville is offline  
Old 21st Mar 2005, 07:25
  #4 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Wivenhoe, not too far from the Clacton VOR
Posts: 319
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I use the Mitac Mio168 with Co-Pilot Live. Comes with all the bits for attaching to and unattaching from the car. perfectly audible over road noise (unless you insist on driving with the window wide open!). So far it has only led me up the garden path once. Try an outfit called Global Positioning Systems (one word) in the UK.
By the way, the pocket PC runs Microsoft software but you can't have everything!
Bern Oulli is offline  
Old 21st Mar 2005, 07:28
  #5 (permalink)  

Usual disclaimers apply!
 
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: EGGW
Posts: 843
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I'd give a thumbs up for the TomTom package, I use TTN3 with an ipaq 5550, all the maps of GB fit onto a 128mb sd card. I use a Syson 'bluetooth' GPS receiver and as a whole it all works very well.
For mounting in the car I use a Seido powered (built in loudspeaker with it's own volume control) mount that clips onto the vents, it's ok, but for a more secure mount I think I'll get a 'Brodit' and mount the Seido onto that.
............and cost I bought all the bits off ebay
gas path is offline  
Old 21st Mar 2005, 07:37
  #6 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: wirral
Posts: 66
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I travel by road all over the UK and I bought a TomTom Go sat/nav unit last November. Now I would not be without it.

It comes complete with the UK map and the main roads of Europe but detailed maps of other countries have to be bought individually.

I use a couple of different vehicles and the unit can be transffered easily between them.

The current UK map is quite uptodate, M6 Toll etc is on there. The map does not have a full post code search facility but files can be download from the sites mentioned earlier and installed as Points of Interest.

The unit has saved me lots of time (and money not having to buy maps and street plans) and would recommend it to anyone

Hope this helps

CK

(ps I have no connection with any makers or suppliers, just a very satisfied user)
ck4707 is offline  
Old 21st Mar 2005, 13:54
  #7 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Quite near 'An aerodrome somewhere in England'
Posts: 26,847
Received 319 Likes on 115 Posts
You say that detailed maps of other countries have to be bought individually for the TomTom Go - roughly how much and how are they transferred to the unit?

Current TomTom website shows too much messing about with linking mobile phones to the TomTom Go 500 and 700; the mapping features of the 700 seem ideal - but I wouldn't pay for that bluetooth or mobile phone crap... And the -300 doesn't seem to include a European major routes database.

Whilst not that seduced by whizzo electric toys, a simple standalone like the TomTom Go seems easier than fighting with MS Autoroute print outs at speed with the roof down!
BEagle is offline  
Old 21st Mar 2005, 22:26
  #8 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: wirral
Posts: 66
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
BEagle

I use a Nokia Hands Free Kit in both vehicles, NOT connected in anyway to the TomTomGo.

Maybe I am getting old, but I find the traffic info on BBC radio more than ample, the sat/nav gets me there, and I have a phone to talk to people, all needs covered!!!

TomTomGo is great as a stand alone unit, I have not found any need to connect it to other technologies, I like to keep things simple!!!

Now that my reasoning is out of the way, to answer your questions;

the European maps costs about £100 for them all.

The unit connects to the PC via a USB connection and shows as a mass storeage device.

All the data is held on an SD card, obviously you may need more than one card depending upon which maps you have/use.

Before I bought the sat/nav I used MS Autroroute, now no contest !!!! Autoroute is great for use at home, but on the road it is very much a very poor sub for sat/nav.

CK
ck4707 is offline  
Old 22nd Mar 2005, 22:27
  #9 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: Ashbourne Co Meath Ireland
Age: 73
Posts: 470
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Autoroute is great for use at home, but on the road it is very much a very poor sub for sat/nav.
If you have a passenger, or an empty seat that's got room for a laptop computer, autoroute works well with a GPS attached, with one [rant] caveat. Microsoft call it Autoroute 2005, but the map is horribly out of date in some important areas, (like the new toll M6 section is still missing) and Ireland looks like it's a part of the Gobi desert outside of Urban Dublin![/rant]

Other than the point above, Autoroute with a coupled, (therefore cheap) serial or USB GPS is a useful solution, and a large screen can be very useful in the urban areas. I've used the same concept in Orlando, around Florida and in Denver/Colorado using Delorme's street Atlas, and it has saved a load of hassles on several complex trips.

And before I get shouted at, I've no connections with Microsoft or Delorme.
Irish Steve is offline  
Old 24th Mar 2005, 19:52
  #10 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: cambridge
Posts: 112
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Can we broaden this thread a little?

I know how to get to my destinations but I would like a fast update on major snarl-ups. The RDS traffic broadcasts are so-so but what do people think about the traffic master derived info?
.... and can I buy that without satnav bundled in?
windy1 is offline  
Old 28th Mar 2005, 18:33
  #11 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 154
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Bermmmmp!

Any other feedback before I stick me 'and in me pocket?

A
Abbeville is offline  
Old 28th Mar 2005, 22:13
  #12 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I've been using the Mitac Mio 168 with Medion Navigator and PocketFMS. Very loud system and a good, accurate reciever mounted on the back. Gets a good multiple lock on satellites. Tried with tom tom software too, ran out of space on the SD though
FunkyMunky is offline  
Old 30th Mar 2005, 10:24
  #13 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: UK
Posts: 741
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Navman

.. as no-one else has mentioned it ...

I use "Navman" and my set up is a Navman GPS 3450 "sleeve" that my Ipaq H5550 slides into - the sleeve has a built in GPS antenna plus a socket for an external antenna if required.

Having upgraded from Navman's "Smart ST Pro" - Version 1 software to the latest Version 3 for Pocket PC there have been some big improvements - Version 1 seemed very "buggy" with no 3D views and out of date maps which didn't give "Navman" a particularly good reputation.

Latest version has the 3D view, latest maps ( with M6 Toll etc ) and works very well ( for me ). The main problem I had to overcome with my setup, was the woefully inadequate volume for the voice instructions - the built in speaker of my Ipaq is very small - apparantly to make space for an SD memory card slot, and it simply cannot be heard while driving.

I purchased a set of mini external battery powered speakers for about £10.00 and have them velcroed on the dashboard. They simply plug in to the Ipaq earpiece socket and are loud enough to be heard over the Radio / Cd Player.

You can also obtain mounting cradles which power the Ipaq, either "Hard wired" to the car electrics or which plug into the cigar lighter socket - keeping the battery charged, and with a built in speaker if required - such as "Brodit" available from "Handnav" - tailored to your specific car model.

The benefit of using this set up over a stand alone system is that there is integration with Outlook so you can plot routes to addresses in your "Contacts" lists, although it is sometmes a bit laborious if you don't have the full address and post code stored.
The system is portable so you can taek it walking with you ( if that's what rattles your cage ) and you can also use the Navman with other mapping solutions such os "Memory Map" where you can get Ordnance Survey Maps, Aviation Charts etc etc, aswell as working with the FREE software Flight Planning program "Pocket FMS"

The Navman maps are supplied on CD ROM ( I was sent the full European map pack ) and you then buy licence(s) to activate the maps you want to use - you have to register on-line and enter the licence number ( to prevent piracy / copying etc ) before you can download the maps to the Ipaq, which is done via Microsoft Active Sync and the cradle / cable that came with the Ipaq.

All available in the UK from "Total PDA" or any of the other suppliers already mentioned.

......... and to finish I too have no relationship with any of the products mentioned other than being a satisfied customer
Coconutty is offline  
Old 6th Apr 2005, 22:15
  #14 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 1998
Location: .
Posts: 2,997
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Cool

I've just bought a Dell Axim and Tom Tom wired GPS as it was on offer, I have to say it is a brilliant bit of kit! I've installed the speedcamera database on top of the Tom Tom and it wails a siren and tells me when I'm approaching a known speed camera.
spannersatcx is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.