Road Angel + iPAQ = Sat Nav :-)))

[sym]

Sat Nav install complete, thanks to:

Road Angel GPS Output
Null Modem connector
iPAQ serial sync lead
TomTom Navigator mapping software with Voice Guidance v.2
Brodit Custom Active iPAQ cradle
Full Map of UK stored on single Compact Flash Card
....and lots of taking the dash apart to hide all the wires and make it a neat job ...

.....PHEW !!!

:bannana: :bannana: Works a treat !!

 

[mapleleaf]

nice job

where is the road angel located?

 

[sym]

Road Angel sitting on the dash ..... just to left of instrument cluster - in photo.

S.

 

[Tan]

Looks cool,

What did the set up cost? If you don't mind me asking

What spec iPAQ do you have, i have a 3630 would this run the software that you are using?

 

[jimmy]

Neat install, wires are hidden well.

I saw Richard's iPaq today and it works really well. Another good use for the Road Angel.

I like the fact that you can see a map of the road ahead although my text and direction based sat-nav is sufficient, it's nice to see the junctions approaching.

 

[sym]

The iPAQ is a 3630 like yours - I've had it for a few years. Runs the software with no problem at all as it reads the map directly from the CF card - you can go up to 1Gb on that but mine is a humble 128Mb one !

It's wearing a CF Expansion jacket, which also fits in the cradle.

The Brodit Cradle was £50, but its an active cradle which charges the iPAQ, and has a specific mount designed for each car, so fits perfectly - no drilling needed either - its a bit like a dashmount bracket which clips around the air vents ... from www.handnav.co.uk

Null modem adapter £2.50 from www.expansys.com

Serial Lead - £7 from eBay.

Software I picked up on eBay for £80 - retails for £120

Road Angel - from Jimmy - you know the cost - but I'm getting a double use out of it ! (Its the only GPS camera device with a GPS output !)

 

[Tan]

Cheers

 

[BaldGuy]

Gadget City.......Nice neat install.....

 

[Sp!ke]

Nice install -very nice in fact. I think an Ipaq is definately the best way to go as its all transferable (well it was b4 you hid all the cablesin the dash)

However I was thinking that perhaps you could have saved your money on the road angel.

My idea may not quite be ready yet but the data is growing fast and its only a matter of time b4 there would be no point paying for a road angel (or the like) if you have sat nav. .there are a few sites now compiling the grid references of all the speed cameras... the biggest I've seen has still only got about 25000 cameras in the database but its still growing. You can download the data for free, add them to Tom Tom or other sat nav software as pushpins and assign a sound file to for the type of pushpin to audibly pre-warn you of each camera.

Just my thoughts anyway.

 

[sym]

Take your point about the POI (point of interest) databases available for TomTom & others - they are good. I wonder for how long they will remain "free" though, as more and more cameras are put up, and the task of tracking them becomes more and more difficult !

Companies like Blackspot go to great lengths to maintain the accuracy of their database, and together with the accident blackspot warnings I feel this is worth paying for..... at the moment anyway - will be very interesting to see what develops in the next year or so.

S.

 

[GrahamC230K]

Originally posted by Sp!ke
Nice install -very nice in fact. I think an Ipaq is definately the best way to go as its all transferable (well it was b4 you hid all the cablesin the dash)

However I was thinking that perhaps you could have saved your money on the road angel.

My idea may not quite be ready yet but the data is growing fast and its only a matter of time b4 there would be no point paying for a road angel (or the like) if you have sat nav. .there are a few sites now compiling the grid references of all the speed cameras... the biggest I've seen has still only got about 25000 cameras in the database but its still growing. You can download the data for free, add them to Tom Tom or other sat nav software as pushpins and assign a sound file to for the type of pushpin to audibly pre-warn you of each camera.

Just my thoughts anyway.

The idea of a combined navigation, speed trap warning system seems relativley old, when you consider there is still not a product on the market which does both out the box or at least is marketed as such. Put me off for a while, but I see nothing on the horizon.

Very neat installation of your cables Sym, but makles for an all too cluttered look in my opinion, so not one for me.

 

[sym]

....yeah - it does look a little bit cluttered... but its growing on me !

I also quite like having the satnav display at eye level, rather than lower down in the dash.

(Can always feed the Road Angel into a 'Comand' and do the job properly at some point, I guess )

 

[sym]

....looks like MB think the iPAQ is the way to go as well .... I quite like the S Class set-up though.... mmmmmmmmmmm !!!!

http://www.dcx.net/vehicle/mb_achievement2_e.htm

 

[Tan]

Where did u take the power from for your install or do you use the cigar lighter?

I have my Origin B2 now and will be fitting it as soon as i get my car back. I was thinking of pinching a power line from the phone car kit and fitting a lighter double socket thingy (excuse my technical terminology). Would this cause problems?

 

[fuzzer]

Looks well good. Nice and neat with the wires too

 

[sym]

Originally posted by Tan
Where did u take the power from for your install or do you use the cigar lighter?

I have my Origin B2 now and will be fitting it as soon as i get my car back. I was thinking of pinching a power line from the phone car kit and fitting a lighter double socket thingy (excuse my technical terminology). Would this cause problems?

I've wired a 4 way cigar lighter adapter into the cigarette lighter wiring. this meant that I could then use the power leads which came with the road angel and the ipaq cradle as they were both individually fused. I've hidden this behind the carpet in the passenger footwell - also leaves me room to plug in other stuff if needed in the future without any complicated wiring jobs.

S.