Potable sat nav options

[jaymanek]

So ive decided i neeed sat nav. Comand or other fixed ones arent really possible as i change cars quite often. At last summers GTG i noticed someone, i think sym, had GPS on his palm. How does this work, how much for the complete kit and how good is it on a scale with comand being 10??
I was thinking of a sony clie, but have no idea what other bits i need for sat nav...

I looked at the garmin thingy, but am i right in thinking i need to hook it up to my pc everytime i want a new route?!! That would be impossible as im often out and about when lost! - and i dont have a laptop....

Thanks for ever1s help in advance

Jay

 

[sym]

So ive decided i neeed sat nav. Comand or other fixed ones arent really possible as i change cars quite often. At last summers GTG i noticed someone, i think sym, had GPS on his palm. How does this work, how much for the complete kit and how good is it on a scale with comand being 10??
I was thinking of a sony clie, but have no idea what other bits i need for sat nav...

I looked at the garmin thingy, but am i right in thinking i need to hook it up to my pc everytime i want a new route?!! That would be impossible as im often out and about when lost! - and i dont have a laptop....

Thanks for ever1s help in advance

Jay

Jay - it was a good solution - which I could have hung onto for longer, but decided to lose the Gadget look, carve up the dash, and install COMAND. In Sat Nav terms, I wouldn't rate COMAND as 10/10 - I have seen better systems to be perfectly honest, but I much prefer the integrated look that I have now.

Anyway, to achieve the PDA setup, you'll need :-

A PocketPC for Windows enabled PDA.
A Suitable software package (TomTom Navigator / NAVMAN / etc)
Sufficient additional Flash memory (CF / SD) to store the maps - 128MB should be enough for the whole of the UK and leave you with space to spare.
A compatible GPS Receiver (or a Road Angel )
A Dash Mount of some description - there are many available on the market.

Depending on how cheaply you can source all of the above, I reckon its doable for about £300 tops, taking into account a second hand PDA from eBay (unless you have one already), a second hand version of the software, and a GPS receiver, which are relatively cheap.

www.pocketgps.co.uk is a fantastic resource, and has a forum.

Good luck - let us know if you need further advice.

S.

 

[Brian WH]

So ive decided i neeed sat nav. Comand or other fixed ones arent really possible as i change cars quite often. At last summers GTG i noticed someone, i think sym, had GPS on his palm. How does this work, how much for the complete kit and how good is it on a scale with comand being 10??
I was thinking of a sony clie, but have no idea what other bits i need for sat nav...

I looked at the garmin thingy, but am i right in thinking i need to hook it up to my pc everytime i want a new route?!! That would be impossible as im often out and about when lost! - and i dont have a laptop....

Thanks for ever1s help in advance

Jay

With Garmin you can programme the Route on the move, you only need the PC to download the original map. You can save routes and places you regularly visit - like Home - and when you want to go home, or wherever you just pick it out from the saved waypoints and ask for a route home. Simple but very effective. :bannana: :bannana:

 

[VikJ]

I was having a look on Expansys yesterday and stumbled across their clearance and Returned B Grade stock. Theres some PDA GPS bits and bobs on there. Not sure if they're any use to anyone.....


Expansys Grade B
Expansys Clearance

 

[Deadl_D]

I have also got a Garmin the delux version allows you to download the whole of the UK in one go.

I have tried a lot of others but Garmin for me was the best.

 

[fuzzer]

With Garmin you can programme the Route on the move, you only need the PC to download the original map. You can save routes and places you regularly visit - like Home - and when you want to go home, or wherever you just pick it out from the saved waypoints and ask for a route home. Simple but very effective. :bannana: :bannana:

Gramin Streetpilot 3 rocks

 

[jaymanek]

cheers guys. So with Garmin, say im out on the road and i have to find my way to some place ive never been before. If the whole Uk is downloaded, will it direct me there without having to hook up to a pc? If so then i think it may be what im after...

Cheers

Jay

 

[sym]

cheers guys. So with Garmin, say im out on the road and i have to find my way to some place ive never been before. If the whole Uk is downloaded, will it direct me there without having to hook up to a pc? If so then i think it may be what im after...

Cheers

Jay

Same with the PDA Setup too Jay - just depends on whether want your unit all in one, (in which case get the Garmin!) or in lots of pieces & need a PDA as well . . . oh, and the Garmin is quite a bit more expensive.

S.

 

[RichardM]

If you don't have a PDA already the Garmin is quite a good deal, especially as places like Costco sell them for £700. Both Garmin and NavMan have newer (more expensive) units out now which look smart but are expensive.

With any of these you should be able to download the whole of the UK onto the supplied memory cards.

 

[guydewdney]

one thing about the garmin - and all the gps systems i assume - sometimes it doesnt know the difference between a minor B road (technically rated at 60mph) and a better minor road - so i have ended up driving down some god awful tiny roads faithfully listening to my gps...

plus - when they build some horrible new every-house-the-same estate, the map can be out of date. which led to some interesting driving the other day....

pity the garmin sp3 (as i have) cant take me to just a postcode...

 

[BaldGuy]

Jay,

I wanted exactly the same as you, something that was portable from car to car. I went for the Hp/Compaq 2210 Ipaq with TomTom 2 Navigation software, this unit is bluetooth compatible so I also got a Navman 4400 GPS unit which sits above my mirror and never moves, The Navman takes 2 AA batterys which lasts for 30 hours. You can plug this into the ciggy lighter as well but I prefer the no wires look.

The Ipaq hangs on a ventmount which is removed when I'm not useing it and the only wire that is on show is the power lead fom the ipaq to the ciggy lighter, I could have it totally wire free but useing the power lead keeps it backlit when useing the Nav software.

Now I have upgraded the TomTom software to the latest version from their website which is free and it is very good, and I use it allot as I travel the length of the UK every week..

To top it off the Ipaq is your usual diary etc for the office and many other bits and bobs...

All in mine stands me at £660 when bought new and its one of the best gadgets I've bought, If you want a demo and your local just let me know...

Maybe not everyone's cup of tea but does just great....

 

[fuzzer]

plus - when they build some horrible new every-house-the-same estate, the map can be out of date. which led to some interesting driving the other day....

pity the garmin sp3 (as i have) cant take me to just a postcode...

No matter what nav system you have ,before they even press the discs they are out of date. Its a fact of life. Its like painting the fourth road bridge . BY the time they finish it , they have to start over.


How can a device take you to a post code? a post code is huge. You have to give it a helping hand in telling it either the street name , or name and number.

Ive got a SP3 and have used it in the UK , Canada and America. NO problems with it at all. I would say for the £554 it is in Costco , its the best sat nav solution you will get

 

[jaymanek]

Cheers guys,

@sym: cheers for that link, certainly some decent prices on there.
@wheelie: I looked at the bluetooth stuff and it seems pretty cool, i think im going to keep my eye out on ebay for a 128Mb PDA so that i can download all of UK.

The garmin looks cool, but its time i got a PDA for other stuff anyway. I had been holding out for the company to give me one, but never happened!

Most PDA's seem to be 64Mb, do i need 128Mb for UK?

Navman & TomTom seem to be the best, any preferences on here?

they do some pretty good kits with the antenna, software etc on the website above so i think ill get one of those after i find a PDA.

Cheers for all the help.

Jay

 

[BaldGuy]

Jay,

I have a 256MB SD card in my Hp 2210 and that holds all of the maps for the UK with 150mb of space free...

 

[jaymanek]

AH yes, SD cards! Id forgotten that PDA's take extra cards! Im gonna see if i have enough points on my sonycard to get a sony clie, if so then thats that bit sorted.. Do i need to makesure it has any special connections or anything? i assume just bluetooth??

Cheers

jay

 

[sym]

Bluetooth should be fine, if you get the correct NAVMAN attachment as Wheelie has talked about above.

Don't the Clie's take Memory sticks ? I'm pretty sure they do. Plus they have Palm OS - so you'll need to check that the NAV package you buy is OK with that . . . most of the ones out there inc. TomTom are for PocketPC, I think/

S.

 

[BaldGuy]

I used to have the swivel screen Sony Clie, and I sold it as it won't work with TomTom or the Navman Navigation software. I bought the HP2210 as its a 400mhz cpu using Pocket PC 2003..
I already had the Navman 4400 which in my eyes is excellent... You get the Navman Navi software with the 4400 but I have chosen to get the TomTom software and i have upgraded it to the latest version from the TomTom website.
I've also added the speedcamera POI software which is excelllent as well..

As I said before if you need to see it working in the flesh I'm only down the M4....

 

[guydewdney]

Ive got a SP3 and have used it in the UK , Canada and America. NO problems with it at all. I would say for the £554 it is in Costco , its the best sat nav solution you will get

does it ever take you down piddly little country roads?

mine does. but then im running v2 of the software...

 

[jaymanek]

Hi All,

Today i went and finally parted with some hard earned.

I went in with my mind set on the HP4150 and Tomtom3. Was going to cost me £500ish.

After trawling up and down tottenham court road, went into the last shop. The salesman told me about a new Navman all in one PDA with GPS that was being delivered to all the shops within the hour. He pointed to a group of people at the other side of the shop who were all waiting for one to come in.
So chatted with a couple of people and obviously this was the one for me. No cable, no bluetooth signals to configure, still uses Microsoft 2003, Navman with whole of europe, 3d, postcode etc etc.

Didnt seem like i was losing much in terms of functionality and gaining whole of europe maps, and over a hundred squids cheaper.
Quite lucky, obviously no one wanted to tell me about it as plenty on back order....

http://www.navman-europe.com/product_details.php?id=AA00XXXX

Obviously have spent the whole day playing with it. Standing on my (central london) road, will pick up around 5-6 sats. Apparently will do more when i get to open areas.... Its great having a new toy!!

Jay

 

[jimmy]

Saw that in Halfords last Saturday, looked good they are also doing a new Garmin type thing also looked good.