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Community Newsletter: Q&A: 11/3/06 I'm lost about what GPS unit I should get
- 11/2/06 5:41 PM
RS232 Output
by Sal123456 - 11/3/06 7:19 AM In reply to: GPS RS232 Output by OnFilmNot sure I have seen a camera with a RS232 jack but Rand McNally marketed a software package with a RS232 antenna to be used on a laptop. I have one and it worked quite will untill I went to a handheld GPS several years ago. Any questions that I can help with I can be reached at email (rschini@sbcglobal.net).
Garmin eTrex Legend RS232 Output works well.
by gatorback - 11/3/06 10:58 AM In reply to: GPS RS232 Output by OnFilmI use the serial output (NMEA compliant) to feed into Microsoft's Map Point. Mine came with the RS232 DB9 cable, which could be modded to fit your application.
There are other eTrex model which have serial output as well:
http://www.garmin.com/products/etrexLegend/
GPS
by vsp510ret - 11/3/06 4:16 AM In reply to: 11/3/06 I'm lost about what GPS unit I should get by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Not being a geekster,not needing extra bells and whistles (other than having it tell me where to turn), and looking for the best bang for my buck,I did a little research before I bought my TOM TOM 510 at a cost of $499.
first: of all I didnt have to pay extra for the maps, both Garmin and Megellan charge up to $150.00 for them.
Second: found out that Megellan and Garmin dont update there maps every year like TOM TOM does at no cost to you.
third:Didnt have to pay extra for the computer interface equipment and charger or the car charger.
TOM TOM was really the best buy for the working stiff and it works REALLY GREAT. Just thought I had to answer for the average non geekster
GPS
by mario50 - 11/3/06 4:19 AM In reply to: 11/3/06 I'm lost about what GPS unit I should get by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I was an officier chopper pilot amd squadron leader of one chopper squadron i been serving with the UNITED NATIONS PEACE KEEPING 11 YEARS in 1989-90 durinc a mision with the United nation peace keeping i ben testing one of the first GPS the brand was MAGELLAN that gps gave to us a very big help in the desert were as you know storm of sand make the tactical fly very dangerius and blid. AND IN iraq STORM WAS FREQUENTLY
I got now my car (toyota land cruiser sahara)with a built in GPS in two years i been using it ones or twice i do not see the need to use a GPS in a city, i live in sydney big citu nut is impossible to lose the way as in any city in the world, her in australia when i drive in the country it is just one long way stright so GPS are not a very big need just to let peoples spend money for something that most of them did not use i use to say DEAR OLD PAPER MAP HOW NICE YOU ARE
Mario
GPS
by apdooh - 11/3/06 4:19 AM In reply to: 11/3/06 I'm lost about what GPS unit I should get by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have the Garmin Street Pilot i5 and its perfect for my neeeds.
Simple to use, affordably priced, it comes fuly loaded with maps for the entire US.
I am a Sales person and spend alot of time on the road.
The street pilot has eliminated the need for driving with a stack of maps in my lap and allows me to focus on whats
important taffic around me and the road ahead.
Simple to use, just enter the address you want to go to and then navigate and your on your way.
I would definitely recommend the Garmin i5 its worth every penny. Good luck
I can second that recomendation...
by RenoDavid - 11/3/06 3:13 PM In reply to: GPS by apdoohI have a Garmin i3 and I'm quite happy with it. This unit is identical to the i5 except you have to load the maps yourself from the included DVD using a computer. You save about $75 because of that. The unit is very small (about the size of a tennis ball) so it is quite easy to mount using the included windshield suction device. It's very accurate, simple to use, and easy to transport to other vehicles. It can run on either two AA batteries or the included cigarette lighter adapter. Using the batteries lets you use it out of the car. And the key part for me was the price--$250 from an online retailer. No, it doesn't announce the actual street names (just the distance) but that really doesn't seem to be a problem. A quick glance at the screen and comfirms the actual street name. Love it...
I'd go with Garmin anyday
by bigmofobubba - 11/3/06 4:35 AM In reply to: 11/3/06 I'm lost about what GPS unit I should get by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I think Kacey's answer is right on the mark. Personally I have the Garmin 360. It's got Bluetooth connection with my cell, an mp3 player, touch screen, voice guided prompts, local hot spots that include shopping, dinning and lots more! This system is even portable so it doesn’t have to stay in your car; you can take it on your motorbike, as a pedestrian or what have you. If you have a Bluetooth enabled phone, you can have a hands free communication like you have a built-in phone in your car.
I currently like it better that what’s currently out there because it fits in your pocket and you can not only mount it almost anywhere in your car, you can also take it from car to car. Lost in a new city get into a cab and program the address you want to go and select the shortest or fastest route—it is awesome. There’s more on this product you can read at: http://www.garmin.com/products/nuvi360 or if you prefer the wider screen, you can go with the new 660 version: http://www.garmin.com/products/nuvi660. I’d suggest to learn the basics on eBay and get one there—good luck!
Garmin - pros and cons and what price is it worth?
by gbswales1 - 11/3/06 5:00 AM In reply to: I'd go with Garmin anyday by bigmofobubbaFirst on price - I wanted a simple unit that would give me instructions on how to get from A to B and which would redirect me when I got lost. I didnt want host of extras like MP3 players and wanted something highly portable between different vehicles It seemed to me that the little garmin streetpilot i3 would give me all I want at a sensible price (under £100)
I have to say I have been very pleased with the unit itself and at that sort of price I dont feel the need to hide it away everytime I leave the car. It gets me where I want most of the time which is fine by me.
Two niggles
First tt can occasionally be slow to initially find the sattelites sometimes taking more than 3-4 minutes before it "acquires a better signal" - however I dont know what is normal to expect - this is not a big problem however the second is:
Recently my unit told me that the map was more than a year old and to BUY an update from the garmin website. I object to the concept of "buying" an update inside the first year or ownership but that aside nowhere on the Garmin website could I find a uk update for the i3. Also support requests to Garmin appear to slip into a black hole!
My verdict is that while garmin provide a sturdy low price model their support is woefully lacking. If anyone knows where to download the right map update please respond.
It is a pity that you cant buy maps for many other countries as I regularly visit Thailand and this unit is small and light to carry around - however any kind of map (in english) covering thailand seems impossible to find - surely by now the whole world should be mapped?
Garmin is good
by ryserfan - 11/3/06 6:37 AM In reply to: I'd go with Garmin anyday by bigmofobubbaI began 3 years ago with an interest in geocaching (www.geocaching.com) and purchased a simple Garmin Yellow Gecko for about $60. It was great for the hobby but was very limited in navigation as it did not have any connection ports for maps and such. Earlier this year, I purchased a Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx for about $550. It is very versatile...it has so many features it makes me dizzy. But it's very robust. Even though the features are abundant, the screens and menus are very intuitve. It comes with a 64MB mini-SD flash card but I upgraded to 512MB for an impending vacation that was going to overwhelm a 64MB card. (I re-purposed the 64MB card into my Motorola E-815 cellular phone with great results!). I like this unit because it is small enough to take on a hike (geocaching) but also works well in the car. The screen is much smaller than some may like for automotive use but if you have a co-pilot, it's a breeze. The other thing I like is that it doesn't TALK!!! You can set the unit up to emit a series of beeps to warn you of upcoming turns...mine beeps once when approaching a turn or destination and twice when I reach the turn or destination. The map autozooms as needed when approaching turns and it does place a turn arrow on the screen so you know which direction to go. I have used the unit while driving alone and even with the small (color) screen (1.5” W x 2.2” H), after I hear the first beep, a quick glance shows me which way to turn. The first beep is in plenty of time for a lane change if necessary. I did have a problem with the unit shortly after I purchased it...it "smoked" and there was a burned area in the LCD display. Everything still worked but it was unusable due to the display problem. I contacted Garmin; explained the problem and that I was leaving for vacation in 2 weeks. They issued an RMA, I sent it back and they had a brand new unit with all my software transferred over back to me within 7 days. I reccommend their car kit; it has a power cord and a nice mount with a "bean bag" type base so it sits nicely in many locations. As for software; the basic software that comes with it is pretty good and would likely be sufficient for most...I purchased the city maps (it details city streets a bit better than the included software) and the Topo maps for hiking and geocaching. This unit is currently available at Circuit City for $399.99 with a $50 rebate (11-3-06).
Garmin is good - and the customer support is great!
by TomInJax - 11/3/06 6:56 AM In reply to: Garmin is good by ryserfanI had a similar experience with my GPSMAP 60CSx unit. For some reason when I changed batteries, the unit wouldn't start and there was a burned area near the center of the LCD. I contacted Garmin and had a replacement unit in two days! Being a techie, I was curious about what happened - but never heard.
I use my 60CSx for geocaching, driving maps, and also tracking progress in the air while flying on commercial airlines (it works when you hold it up to the window). It has to be the best all around GPSR that I have seen. They even make kits for mounting it in your car or on a motorcycle.
It also has an extra sensitive antenna system. So if you use it while hiking, it gets better reception under clouds or a canopy of trees. Otherwise, I have noticed that the accuracy typically is as good as 10 feet or better - depending on conditions.
For a little extra money, the Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx is the best solution for a multipurpose need.
Excellant Primer
by marlin43 - 11/3/06 4:40 AM In reply to: 11/3/06 I'm lost about what GPS unit I should get by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
... But you should have ended by reccomending the Garmin Nuvi 350 or Nuvi 360 with bluetooth intergration.
Best Navi for IN-VEHICLE use..
by sradbims76 - 11/3/06 5:30 AM In reply to: 11/3/06 I'm lost about what GPS unit I should get by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have researched this topic frequently. Let me first say that you should buy based on what you need. What I need is an in-car navigation. I currently sell Acuras, and PC magazine and JD Powers agree that Acura has the best factory standard navigations in the industry. (JD Powers has voted ours highest in Customer Satisfaction for 6 years straight)
That being said, the best overall system; also one of the priciest is the Pioneer AVIC-Z1 (retail: $2,200, street price around $1,500 plus options on http://www.shopping.com). With an in-car system you want flexibility, a comprehensive database, voice activation for safety, and probably a few entertainment features.
While Acura's navi comes with Bluetooth integration and any of the 7 million POI's cane be one touch dialed, once a compatible BT phone has been paired), redunancy is comforting here: addresses can be entered manually on screen, or by joystick, or by voice and in some cases by an inrterface dial which blows away Audi's MMI or Bimmer's i-Drive for ease of use. What people don't realize is that being ''afraid'' to use any mouse like device while driving is mute: voice is easier and safer and keeps both hands on the wheel.
Pioneer, on the other hand is aftermarket installed, true. But for less money than Acura's 2000-dollar Navi it still offers more, and even equipped with the bonus features, it costs only slightly more than Acura's system but still does more. Here's a list:
Acura POI's: 7 million, 48 contiguous state coverage.
Pioneer: 11 million, 50 states, Canada and Mexico.
Acura database: 8.2 GB DVD-based
Pioneer: 20 GB internal hard drive.
Acura: Bluetooth standard, and integrates with Navi.
Pioneer: BT optional, integrates with navi, also offers steering-mounted controls for phone.
Acura: Voice recogniton from steering wheel, city and street recognition (in reverse order). ''find nearest fast food'' will not find a specific restaurant by voice, only a list of proximity based places that serve fast food. Also must input adresses by city, then street, then number.
Pioneer: VR from wheel, recognizes more specific things such as individual restaurant chains ''starbucks'', Mcdonalds, etc. Allows commands such as ''Go to LAX'' airport.
Acura: all 07 models offer a standard aux jack for ipod/mp3, 3 month free trial of XM radio and in most cases 3 months of XM NavTraffic.
Pioneer: standard jack integration or FM modulator option for ipod/mp3 player PLUS 10 GB of HD space to upload digital music so you don't even need the player in the car. XM or Sirius capability, with XM, though, NavTraffic is offered.
Pioneer: additional options include bluetooth download capability from phone to navigation address book, a vehicle graphics interface (showing cornering skidpad, acceleration, 0-60 times, etc.), driver's choice of any jpeg phot as a background for the screen when not in use, and a backup camera (standard on all Acura 07 models with Navigation, except TSX). See www.drivehappier.com for more info. I highly recommend this system if you can afford it.
Lost about what GPS
by cache_r_joe - 11/3/06 5:30 AM In reply to: 11/3/06 I'm lost about what GPS unit I should get by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Before you really decide what you need, you have to decide where you are going to use it, what bells and whistles you want and how much you want to spend. Buying a GPS is much like going out and buying a computer, you can get a base model with little in the way of bells and whistles for a reasonable price or you can get the Cadillac model (I just ordered that one) for much more.
From the sounds of it you need to be looking at both the in car models and the handheld models. The difference is that one basically will stay in your car and the other you can carry out on the trail, geocaching or on a bike ride with you. My personal preference would be the handheld model because you can get them to do everything an in car model will do and you can easily take it with you on the run. Also it sounds like Mapping would be needed in any model you look to purchase. Here are some suggestions (Warning I'm a Garmin Man):
AS a base mapping model that will give you autorouting (the option that tells you where you need to go), I would suggest a Garmin Legend C. The Legend C (What I have now) will give you the autorouting you need color screen, non-voice prompts (it beeps at you) and comes with 24Mb for map storage (we will talk about the maps in a minute). If the screen size of the Legend C is not big enough (was always fine for me) you can look to the GPSMAP 60C for simular options and a slightly larger screen. The 24Mb of memory on the Legend C has never really been a problem for me and I use the unit everywhere I go.
If you feel you want more memory, you can look to the Legend Cx or the 60Cx (x meaning expandable memory). This will basically give you the same as the Legend C (there were some improvements made in the x models) but able to expand the memory to about 2Gb if you wish by way of a MicroSD card.
The Cadillac version would be the Legend CSx or the 60 CSx. The S denotes Sensors. These units come with all the options that the other models above have, but also have sensors to measure Barametric Pressure and have an electronic Compass. I know you are asking, "but a GPS is a navigation system why would it not have a compass?". Well most GPS units use the signal they recieve to determine where you are, if you are moving and the direction and speed you are going, when you stop you can turn the GPS around and it may not show you have turned, the electronic compass will.
Now there are other units available from other suppliers, and even more from Garmin, but I wanted to give you some options based on what I know and have used.
Now for the Maps. Generally you would have to purchase the maps from the supplier of the GPS. Many come with some maps, but in order to get good detail, you may have to purchase more. Personally I have Metroguide Canada and Topo Canada. If you don't do much in the woods, the Topo will not be needed, however if you do it's well worth it. The MetroGuide (versions also available for the US as well as other mapping programs) will give you the city and street level maps and also give you the turn by turn directions you are looking for. These maps can be used both on your computer and on the GPS and you can load groups of maps into the GPS to suite your needs based on where you will be travelling. Personally I have a standard set of maps that I usually have loaded, but if I'm travelling outside of my usual area, I may load different or additional maps.
Again you will need to consider what you really want, and if you want to see some demonstrations, try to see if there is local Geocaching Association in your area, often Geocachers know the ins and outs of their systems and other systems, and are usually more than willing to bring you out and show you how they work.
Joe
gps
by reconatl - 11/3/06 5:35 AM In reply to: 11/3/06 I'm lost about what GPS unit I should get by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have a E TREX about the size of a large Nokia cell phone. Not a high end, under $100.00, but has backtraking capabilities. Will get you in and get you out. But remember in the deep forest, like here in say the Olympic mts, you might not get out to the satellite's.
Ewald
What is the best and the smiplest, GPS unit
by mike_plus - 11/3/06 5:59 AM In reply to: 11/3/06 I'm lost about what GPS unit I should get by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
What is the best and the smiplest, GPS unit.
For walking and for driving which has the best screen for viewing in direct sun ligh. A which has voice direction alerts
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