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Author Topic: A good GPS navigation system Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 01-18-2008 07:28 PM                        As a nice accessory for the long trip from San Diego to Boston that I have ahead of me, and to make getting around in a completely new area easier, I have decided to finally get myself a nice GPS navigation system. I don't need any of the gadgets, bluetooth, mp3, all that nonsense, I need a good, reliable system that is not too bulky to take with me when I am flying somewhere. It appears to me that the option where the systems announces the street names as well as turns (text-to-speech or whatever that is called) is more important than a widescreen display. You aren't supposed to stare at the screen anyway while driving. So right now, I am leaning towards the Garmin nüvi 260 which is the cheapest one with text-to-speech and a regular display and not much (if any) multimedia features. It also seems to be quite handy, flat rather than the CRT shape some of them have and which make them a little bulky. I guess the actual navigation features and content such as points of interest, shops, hotels, etc, are pretty much the same and the price differences are just additional features such as widescreen display or multimedia. So far, I have only used Garmin systems, so I wonder how other systems, like Magellan, compare to these?  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 01-18-2008 10:03 PM                        I have a Garmin Nuvi360 equipped with North American and European data bases. It is simple, small and cheap. Very satisfied....about 50 languages. I travel with it even if I am not driving. Louis  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-18-2008 10:14 PM                     quote: Louis Bornwasser about 50 languages So... which one do you normally use? Mark  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 01-19-2008 02:57 AM                       I just bought my wife a Garmin for Christmas. Very nice. Portable. Easy-to-see screen.  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 01-19-2008 03:04 AM                        After reading a number of reviews, I am leaning more and more towards the Magellan Maestro 4040 which is only slightly more expensive than the Garmin nüvi 260, but it also has text-to-speech, widescreen display and bluetooth for hands-free calling. Dunno if I really need that, but it might be practical. The navigation features appear to get generally very positive reviews although some say the semi-transparent icons on the screen are a little hard to read. Still, that looks quite attractive. But I have absolutely no experience with Magellan systems. Has anyone ever used one of them?  |  IP: Logged Stephen Furley Film God Posts: 3059 From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England Registered: May 2002 posted 01-19-2008 04:38 AM                     You must really like driving Michael, that's a heck of a long journey; it's actually further than the total distince that I drove in the several years that I had a car. Just make sure that you don't do what several drivers have done with GPS systems recently, I've heard of two cases here and one in the US in the last couple of months where a driver has been instructed by the GPS to turn left or right and they have done so, onto a railway line at a level crossing. In the US case the driver was unable to reverse their vehicle off the crossing, and it was hit by a train. This was on Metro North in New York (state, not city). The story, and a picture of the crossing are here: web page There was a thread about it on uk.railway a couple of weeks ago. Even in the dark I really fail to see how the driver could mistake this crossing for a road; it's not exactly an unmarked one, is it?  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 01-19-2008 09:09 AM                        I use a MyGuide 3100, and, despite being about the cheapest satnav on the market, I'm very pleased with it. The machine is really a fully featured PDA running Windows CE 5.0, and is easy to hack to install other software. The GPS software it comes with is a rebadged version of iGO, and the package I bought had UK maps only. You can download the Main Roads of Europe (motorways and 'A' roads only, bascially) map and install it for free, but the licence file won't let you install other maps. I guess the US version is similarly locked to US maps only. However, I had no problem hacking it and installing an Ebay-purchased full version of iGO, plus TomTom (instructions are on the EBuyer forum thread linked above). I personally prefer the former: the directions are clear, the route logging feature is useful (you can note the total journey time so that if you do the same trip again, you can give people a reasonably accurate ETA), and you can configure it to change from a small scale 2D map while cruising on the motorway (5 miles on the screen) to a large scale, detailed 3D map as you approach junctions and decision points. The machine comes with 500mb of flash memory built in (enough for iGO, plus UK, Ireland and either Main Roads of Europe or one other country - probably enough for detailed maps of 3 or 4 US states, I'd guess), and will also take SD cards up to 4gb. Excellent value, IMHO. If you want to install a media player and also use it as an ersatz ShiPod connected to your stereo (standard stereo headphone jack), you can do that too.  |  IP: Logged Joshua Waaland Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 800 From: Cleveland, Ohio Registered: Dec 1999 posted 01-19-2008 01:27 PM                     When I was on the road doing sales the last two years, I used a Magellan c330 that my employer bought me. My biggest two complaints is that the maps were already out of date when I got it, and it takes really screwy routes sometimes. Even though I have it set to take the most direct route it will sometimes take me way out of the way when I know there is a faster, more direct way. As for the maps, the first time I noticed they were messed up was when I was driving across a major highway that runs east to west across mid-Ohio that had been there for twenty years. It showed me driving through a field parallel to the highway about 1/2 a mile away. Once I was trying to get to a place that is on the other side of a dead end street but it took me to the dead end street so I have to find a way back out and around to get to the building. There are quite a few map mistakes that I have found while using it since I got it including taking me past the place I was going to and showing places on the maps that have been gone for many years. For instance if I pick out a Burger King nearby and drive there only to find that there is now a bank there. The fee to update the maps online costs almost $50 if I remember right. Not really worth it to me since I have a feeling that the mistakes I noticed probably won't be fixed anyways. GPS systems will probably soon be like home copiers. It is cheaper to buy a new copier than buy a new cartridge. It will probably be cheaper to buy a new GPS than to update the maps when the prices eventually come down. It is nice to have but I think the technology and information on them needs to catch up a little before they can be heavily relied on and practical. Definitely not a substitute for common sense and a good road map. Don't zone out like I did many times and just relied on it and ended up lost. With the experience I have had with them I wouldn't waste my money on one at this point in time. One of my co-workers has a TomTom and he hacked it and downloaded some celebrity voices from the internet. One of them is Clint Eastwood giving you directions. Another one is a woman who talks dirty to you. It's hilarious. Unfortunately I couldn't find any hacks for my Garmin online.  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 01-19-2008 02:38 PM                        quote: Joshua Waaland I used a Magellan c330 that my employer bought me. Googling c330 actually brings up this Garmin model, but no Magellan:  |  IP: Logged Dennis Udovich Film Handler Posts: 71 From: Sheboygan, WI, USA Registered: Dec 2001 posted 01-19-2008 02:42 PM                        Purchased a Garmin Streetpilot c330 three years ago for $800. It was on sale from $1,000. It works great and maps/info can be updated on the Garmin website. This same unit now sells for $200 on sale at Best Buy.  |  IP: Logged Andy Muirhead Master Film Handler Posts: 323 From: Galashiels, Scotland Registered: Dec 2000 posted 01-19-2008 07:47 PM                     I'm tempted by the Tom Tom Go 520, mainly because of all the extra features. It has an FM transmitter to play MP3s through the car radio, hands-free bluetooth calling, will read received txt messages aloud while driving, has a large 4.3" touch screen, has voice recognition and loads more. While I'm not in desperate need of a GPS system, I am in need of some kind of in car MP3 player/mobile bluetooth/toy thingy! This seems to fit the bill all in one box! It's not that pricey either.  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 01-20-2008 10:38 AM                        My experience is Garmin, the undisputed leader. Most aircraft are Garmin as well. Nuvi 360 uses basically the same program as the aircraft. (No I haven't taken the Nuvi aloft....yet.) I have seen an error or two, but the other 99.999% it is excellent. Downloads are free from their website. I use the Aussie woman.....then I deliberately disobey!!!! This feels good (after being married 35 years.) Louis  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 01-20-2008 10:45 AM                        Last summer I bought a Garmin Nuvi 350. Used it for 2 driving trips to Reno where I had a lot of downtown Reno addresses to locate. It never failed to get me where I was going and back "home" again. Audio navigation prompts are an absolute must in these things.  |  IP: Logged Mitchell Dvoskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1869 From: West Milford, NJ, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 01-20-2008 12:01 PM                     I own the TomTom GO720, which I am very happy with. It features Text to Speech, 4.3" screen, the FM transmitter, and Bluetooth for hands free calling. I didn't think I would use the Bluetooth, but it has turned out to be a usefull feature. My TomTom's map was up to date from the store, but they offer one free current map download with each unit purchased to insure you have the most current map. The feature I like best is that if I ignore it's instructions and get off of it's route, it immediatly recalculates the route based on where I turned rather than telling me to turn around. Very usefull to go around traffic jams or if you know a faster route. The TomTom also has the ability to display and route around traffic jams, either with an optional additional receiver that sticks on the window, or wirelessly thru your phones bluetooth, although that option requires a fee and cell phone data fees. Overall, I have been very happy with it. The only thing I would recommend regardless of what brand you buy, is don't get the 3.5" screen. Go for the bigger screen, it makes a difference.  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 01-20-2008 02:53 PM                        quote: Louis Bornwasser My experience is Garmin, the undisputed leader. Most aircraft are Garmin as well. Nuvi 360 uses basically the same program as the aircraft. Interesting to know. Right now, I am undecided between these two: Garmin nüvi 260 for $268 from amazon - 3.5" screen, text-to-speech (direction in real street names), the cheapest Garmin with that function. There is a handy comparison chart on the same page. Beyond that, currency converter, calculator, world time, picture viewer, all pretty much irrelevant extras. Or this: Magellan Maestro 4040 for $291 - 4.3"widescreen, text-to-speech, bluetooth phone, muliti destination routing - this does look more attractive with a number of features more for just a little more money. But I don't have any expereince with Magellan systems at all...hm...  |  IP: Logged

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