W205 Garmin map pilot situation update.

[SG94]

Just had an email from Germany.

'Owing to considerable owner interest I can confirm we are looking at extended features that would allow owners to delete some built in points of interest, and add and display their own. I don't have a timescale for this update'

 

[chrisdean]

Didn't know there was a situation.... email? from who? why?

 

[SG94]

Yeah, the Garmin doesn't handle custom POI at all well.
And on the Map Pilot in the newer cars it's virtually useless.
I sent an enquiry via the UK Twitter for MB and had a reply the other day from Technical in Germany.

 

[Hopseberg]

Apparently MB claim the issue with the POI is down to people loading speed camera databases onto the sd card. MB state that the use of warning systems for speed cameras is illegal in Germany and other countries they sell cars in so they make it nigh on impossible to add them.

 

[SG94]

That's the excuse yeah. But think about it, it deosn't hold water!
All the GPS brands sell units in countries where the law prohibits 'safety' warnings.
And if they want to be legally compliant in ever sales territory, then surely they should be fitting speed limiters to every car to ensure the speed limits are never breached.....

 

[SG94]

OK.
Quick update on this.
The speed camera alerts are now much better on the new V6 software. Not perfect, but better.
If you load a .csv file like the PGPSW one, with no icons and select manual entry, then at each option it gives you select your desired distance, you will get an alert for almost all cameras, and it will put its own red camera icon on the map as you approach, they ate not present permanently.
It still ignores some, but Garmins have always been funny with regard to this, and if it decides you don't need to know, for reasons only know to Garmin, it doesn't give an alert or icon.

If you run the (free) Garmin POILoader software in auto (Express) mode, it will work out alert distances for you based on your speed. But this configuration misses loads of cameras.

It's getting there, I would still like to see an icon at least on the map regardless, but it is now much improved and just about reliable enough to be usable.



Also, when I updated the SD card, the first time I put it in the car it asked if this was the car the card would be used in so it could lock the card to the car. I can only think this is an oversight, as at that point I could have said no, cloned the entire card and sold copies!

 

[OldTimer66]

As a matter of interest how/where did you get the "V6" software?

I've got a 2016 s205 with Version 1.2 (Map 5) which is for the 2015/16 maps. I've been told this is the most up to date version.

 

[SG94]

The MB downloaded program mate. You put your SD card in and it reads it then determines if there is an applicable update.
Do you have Garmin or Command?

 

[st13phil]

...but Garmins have always been funny with regard to this, and if it decides you don't need to know, for reasons only know to Garmin, it doesn't give an alert or icon.

Having used a Garmin Zumo on a motorcycle for many years, their logic regarding speed-cam alerts is normally:

• If you're travelling at below the trigger speed, it stays quiet
• If you're travelling at above the trigger speed it will give both and audible and a visual warning
• If you're zoomed well in on the map display, all POI icons become visible all the time including those for speed-cam's

 

[SG94]

Having used a Garmin Zumo on a motorcycle for many years, their logic regarding speed-cam alerts is normally:

• If you're travelling at below the trigger speed, it stays quiet
• If you're travelling at above the trigger speed it will give both and audible and a visual warning
• If you're zoomed well in on the map display, all POI icons become visible all the time including those for speed-cam's

Yeah, so I'm lead to believe. Unfortunately (and told so in an email from Garmin support) MB decided to go even further. But they won't say exactly what additional criteria they had Garmin add, or what specific functions they got them to remove.
So it's a mish-mash of both and it just doesn't work well at all.

Although as I said, it's certainly now much better than it was.

 

[OldTimer66]

The MB downloaded program mate. You put your SD card in and it reads it then determines if there is an applicable update.
Do you have Garmin or Command?

Thats very odd. I used the MB download manager about a week ago and it told me that there was no update. Just tried it again with the same result. I have Audio 20.

Having said that I had no end of trouble with SD cards since I got the car (new) in February. When I tried to update the card under the 60 day free map update facility the MB download manager reported that the card was corrupt. However the Sat Nav worked perfectly! Took it back to the dealer and they tried a replacement card - again the MB manager reported the replacement as also being corrupt but the Sat Nav worked. Tried another and this time it was OK, and that is the card I have in the car now. MB dealer was perplexed by this as was I.

Assuming I can get the above issue sorted out, how did you load the CSV file onto the card? I'm a PocketWorld subscriber and am currently using their database on an app on an android phone. It would be good if I could load the POI's onto the Sat Nav.

 

[SG94]

I have a full thread with detailed instructions on their forum mate.
Username Nemesis1
It's easy enough.
Very strange you aren't seeing the update, have you installed the latest version of the downloader program? That's a new version as well.

 

[OldTimer66]

I have a full thread with detailed instructions on their forum mate.
Username Nemesis1
It's easy enough.
Very strange you aren't seeing the update, have you installed the latest version of the downloader program? That's a new version as well.

You have put your finger on it! Upgraded Download Manager to 20.0.08 and it now offers the update. Downloaded the update and installed it OK.

Will wander over to the PWGPS tomorrow and have a look at your instructions.

Many thanks

 

[SG94]

No worries mate. Any questions give me a shout
Can you let me know if it offers you the choice to pair the card to the car as well?
I think that's quite an error if it does that for everyone.

 

[OldTimer66]

No worries mate. Any questions give me a shout
Can you let me know if it offers you the choice to pair the card to the car as well?
I think that's quite an error if it does that for everyone.

Yes it did. Being an honest Joe (or just stupid?) I paired it to the vehicle when prompted.

I didn't feel brave enough not to pair it as I'm not sure of the implications. If the security is similar to the VAG system I had on my Octavia VRS, cloning the card will not yield a usable card. The belief is that certain security information is written to a privileged area on the card by card firmware which effectively prevents cloning. Certainly nobody (as far as I am aware) has beaten the VAG system.

 

[SG94]

Think your right mate.
I did same, I was in a hurry so had no time to boot up a PC to copy the card to see what it did so just cracked on.

 

[OldTimer66]

I have a full thread with detailed instructions on their forum mate.
Username Nemesis1
It's easy enough.
Very strange you aren't seeing the update, have you installed the latest version of the downloader program? That's a new version as well.

Hi

I'm probably being a bit dense but I wandered over to the Pocket World Forum and got a little confused. I think I found your thread, but then saw some more recent posts from you which appear to commend using Kremmens convertor for creating the POIs for the the Mercedes Garmin. Should I therefore just use Kremmens system?

 

[SG94]

Unfortunately, while testing the new software I've found that it doesn't like files from Kremmens software. Your best just downloading the Garmin .csv files from PGPSW and then running them straight onto your card using the Garmin POILoader.

You had to do that anyway, Kremmens isn't an 'instead of' it's an 'as well as' and allows you to add things or delete things. But the new software in the Merc doesn't like it :-/

I edit the files myself manually, that seems to work. This is in effect what Kremmens software does, it edits the camera file, and you still then had to use POILoader to get the info into your system.

I use.
Speed zone complete. You don't need any icon files, the Merc won't use them.
I Edit all the files and change each name to 'GATSO AHEAD! FIFTY@0'
'MOBILE AHEAD! THIRTY@0'
'SPECS ZONE! FORTY@0' etc, etc
That's not the name of the file, that's the name of every camera, I just use excel find and replace function.
The @0 is important because otherwise the Garmin system bombards you with warnings.
I then load the file via POILoader but in manual mode. As it loads each file (these are the files now not each camera) it will ask for your alert preference, either speed based or distance from; I select distance from and then accepts Garmins default distance.

This produces the best results, you get almost all cameras. But, it does still simply ignore some, for no fathomable reason I can find. Garmins are known to be funny anyway, but Merc have added extra fun! :-(

You can just load the files as is, but as our system displays the names as the alert on the screen you get all the PGPSW directional info 'SE-W_GATSO_50@50' and I don't like it. It's like that because an actual Garmin system is able to use the direction info and ignore cameras on the opposite side of the road, ours doesn't, Merc removed that function.

I still think it's sad that the sat nav in a premium brand car is bettered functionality wise buy a £9.99 Aldi special buy.......
:-/

 

[OldTimer66]

Unfortunately, while testing the new software I've found that it doesn't like files from Kremmens software. Your best just downloading the Garmin .csv files from PGPSW and then running them straight onto your card using the Garmin POILoader.

You had to do that anyway, Kremmens isn't an 'instead of' it's an 'as well as' and allows you to add things or delete things. But the new software in the Merc doesn't like it :-/

I edit the files myself manually, that seems to work. This is in effect what Kremmens software does, it edits the camera file, and you still then had to use POILoader to get the info into your system.

I use.
Speed zone complete. You don't need any icon files, the Merc won't use them.
I Edit all the files and change each name to 'GATSO AHEAD! FIFTY@0'
'MOBILE AHEAD! THIRTY@0'
'SPECS ZONE! FORTY@0' etc, etc
That's not the name of the file, that's the name of every camera, I just use excel find and replace function.
The @0 is important because otherwise the Garmin system bombards you with warnings.
I then load the file via POILoader but in manual mode. As it loads each file (these are the files now not each camera) it will ask for your alert preference, either speed based or distance from; I select distance from and then accepts Garmins default distance.

This produces the best results, you get almost all cameras. But, it does still simply ignore some, for no fathomable reason I can find. Garmins are known to be funny anyway, but Merc have added extra fun! :-(

You can just load the files as is, but as our system displays the names as the alert on the screen you get all the PGPSW directional info 'SE-W_GATSO_50@50' and I don't like it. It's like that because an actual Garmin system is able to use the direction info and ignore cameras on the opposite side of the road, ours doesn't, Merc removed that function.

I still think it's sad that the sat nav in a premium brand car is bettered functionality wise buy a £9.99 Aldi special buy.......
:-/

Thats very helpful clarification. Many thanks.

Just one final question and I will toddle off and try this out - when runnning the POI Loader do you write direct to the card, or to the PC and then load the files on the card? If the latter do I need to use a particular folder name?

I totally agree with your sentiments regarding "value for money" with built in Sat Navs. My previous car was a Skoda Octavia VRS - the sat nav had many drawbacks (couldn't load speed cams reliably on that either) but at least you get 3 years of free map updates which are released every 6 months. The lack of map updates by Merc is just an embarassment.

Many thanks for your help. Its much apreciated. I will let you know how I get on.

Regards OT

PS. Just re-read your post and see that you have already answered my question as you update the sd card directly using the POI LOader.

 

[OldTimer66]

Just to complete this.

Downloaded the PWGPS data, edited the camera names as instructed, and loaded the data direct to the SD card using the Garmin POILoader. I added a bogus camera outside my house for test purposes!

On the limited amount of testing I have done so far, it seesm to work OK. The only downside is that the "boing" alert sound is very very faint irrespective of how the audio volume is set.

Not an ideal solution but is workable, and better than nothing.

Thanks for all your help.