Wanted - Sat Nav reviews please

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Aladinsaneuk · #1 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 5:03 pm

currently i use a xda exec mobile phone with tomtom 6 on it, but as I am about to acquire a starcom system, am thinking of just getting a dedicated bike sat nav

I know some of us use them - so who has what, and what do people rate on them?

I deally I would like something that has the option to update the speed cameras.....

Syltiz · #2 Post by **Syltiz** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 6:42 pm

As a notoriously bad navigator (I get lost on roundabouts... seriously!), when I moved to this country one of the first things I did was get a TomTom for the car. That was over 2 years ago. All I can say is that it has paid for itself many times over in time, frustration, petrol etc etc. So Tom Tom in the car is great (obviously you need a little intuitivness of your own to go with any Satnav system). The only problems I have ever had is it froze once (reset and on we went) and as the maps have gone out of date (my own fault) sometimes its not accurate. It has been in regular use, sometimes handled roughly but it works as good as the day I got it.

I recently got the Garmin Zumo 550 for the bike - massivley expensive but quality kit... except for the mounting system which is rubbish, I organised an after-market mount through the stem for £31. I went for the Garmin 550 because instead of "Turn left in 50 metres", it will say "Turn left in 50 meters onto Cavendish Road"... so it appealed to me as the one problem I have with Satnav to date is I dont learn the names of roads as I am not forced to look at a map... this way I hope I will learn areas/roads alittle more. It has free updates for speed cameras, is easy to use (with gloves too), is logical and seems built to last. It can also be used in the car with its integrated speaker in the mount but the volume in the car is a little pathetic. Only time will tell how robust it really is.

I hope that helps.

I was recently training some new staff over a 6-week period... so "showing them the way" so to speak.... as they found out my afinity for Satnav systems and my real name is Dominic... I spent the 6 weeks being called Dom Dom... geddit?

Thought I would just throw that in there.... ok.... moving on... where's my coat?

Samray · #3 Post by **Samray** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 6:52 pm

*snigger*

Viney · #4 Post by **Viney** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 7:08 pm

Satnavs are for girls.

Never rely on them. My girlfriends one, gets lost in Croydon ffs!!

I prefer maps, and my inbuilt GPS.

If you must have one thats a standalone unit, then the tom tom 700 series. Top kit.

FlyingKiwi · #5 Post by **FlyingKiwi** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 7:20 pm

Hi ya,
I too recently purchased a Garmin Zumo 550.
I also have TomTom Nav 5 on Pda (for sale soon)

The TT is great for A to B. I prefer it's graphics over the Garmin, and you can customise your TT with voices and colour schemes, etc.

The Garmin Zumo will get you from A to B just as well, BUT, using the supplied MapSource software you can plan your route on PC then upload it to the Zumo. I've done just that with my trip to the Pyrenees on Wednesday

.
It has a neat fuel gauge feature that lets you know when you're running low and directs you to the nearest petrol station.
It also plays Mp3's and acts as a Bluetooth handsfree. It comes with a car mount too. It doesn't come with a Bluetooth headset but if you've got a Starcom or Autocom you will be OK.
The Zumo comes in different models with varying maps included. The 550 gets you all of Europe built in.
Once you've done your ride you can download it to Google Earth and watch it all over again.

The TomTom Rider has just been updated. It comes with a bluetooth headset and is cheaper then the Zumo.
It didn't come with car mount. You need a bluetooth headset to hear it in car. If it's like my Pda you need to load different maps when you cross borders in Europe. And you can't upload a route like the Zumo

PS, I DON'T work for Garmin

Gio · #6 Post by **Gio** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 8:22 pm

Viney wrote:Satnavs are for girls.
If you must have one thats a standalone unit, then the tom tom 700 series. Top kit.

Obviously the voice of experience, so fellas don't get a Tom Tom 700 series they're for girls.

#7 Post by **Kwackerz** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 9:14 pm

Has so far taken me to france, germany, holland and errr Whitby

I think ive bust a rib laughing.

Now tell them the truth. You were trying to get to Milton Keynes.

Gio · #8 Post by **Gio** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 9:24 pm

Kwackerz wrote:
Has so far taken me to france, germany, holland and errr Whitby

I think ive bust a rib laughing.

Now tell them the truth. You were trying to get to Milton Keynes.

I'd like to know where that quote came from

#9 Post by **Kwackerz** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 9:32 pm

good question!?

Pierre · #10 Post by **Pierre** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 10:24 pm

I've been censored ! THE TRUTH WILL OUT ! (and ive forgoten whatelse i typed, prolly bollocks)

Aladinsaneuk · #11 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 2:00 pm

found this

is not designed for a bike - BUT

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?Mod ... 6#overview

with a minimal amount of fettling, is now running tomtom 6 :)

(offer price ends on tuesday, but for 100 quid - lovely)

D-Rider · #12 Post by **D-Rider** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 10:59 pm

Hi Pete - developing navigation systems is what I do for a living (well for the past 12 yrs anyway).
The ones my team do are built into cars - we don't do the PND devices - but I have played with a few.
My favourite PNDs at present are the Garmins. On my Falco, I use a Garmin Nuvi. It is basically the same as the Zumo but is not ruggedised/waterproofed and is short of a couple of niceties that were added to the Zumo ..... but it's a lot cheaper. I have mounted it well under the double bubble and ridden in all weathers - no problem whatsoever - the screen protects it (but at the owner's risk!).
I like the fact that it will play mp3s while navigating - many cannot do both at once.
I have used it with just a set of headphones plugged in - but don't like being connected by a flapping wire. I now have a solution. You can buy FM transmitters for MP3 players so that you can tune your car radio to them and listen to them over the car's hi fi. I plan to get one of those, plug it in my nav system and listen to it on my Sony personal radio - no longer physically connected to the nav system.

The TomTom Rider is OK if you only want to use it on a bike but if you also want to use it in the car, you still are restricted to the bluetooth headset !

The one at Maplins looks interesting but no idea how it perfoms or what the HMI (Human-Machine Interface) is like. As long as you don't want to go outside UK the database should be OK. SirfStarIII is a very good GPS chipset - but most newish PNDs seem to be using it anyway. If you enjoy your music, it may be worth checking whether the MP3 player and Navigation can both function at the same time .... often this is not the case.

Hope this helps a bit.

Aladinsaneuk · #13 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 6:53 am

thanks andy

I actually have a very good pda with tomtom 6 fitted/installed. Problem is making the damn thing talk with my starcom advance - it won't do it as i want it done, and no guarentees that it will work with starcoms bluetooth interface....

hence the desire for a cheap substitute for the bike :)

Reason for tomtom being desirable is the CheckPoint addon - a decent customisable set of overlays for speed cameras that appears to be more often updated than the official tomtom ones

Since picking up the unit, I am impressed - only thing that annoys me is the short battery life - three hours or so... now just to work out how i can wire the supplied 12v car volt charger into the falco :)

Gio · #14 Post by **Gio** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 8:12 am

Aladinsaneuk wrote:now just to work out how i can wire the supplied 12v car volt charger into the falco :)

Try this.

http://www.bykebitz.co.uk/acatalog/Byke ... ger_4.html

Its at the bottom of the page

Aladinsaneuk · #15 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 4:07 pm

awesome, thanks mate - saved me a lot of googling :)