car navigation
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- ElZorro
- DCAWD Founding Member
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- Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2004 8:00 pm
- Location: USA! USA!
car navigation
I've done a fair amount with GPS and navigation software, just thought I'd kick off this section.
My mapping solution involves a Garmin handheld GPS (Etrex, but a 12XL, etc, will work, anything with a serial port on it) and a laptop with mapping software. Throw the GPS on the dashboard, cable to the laptop, inverter from the accessory power port (cig lighter) to the laptop and you're ready to rock. Many states have laws about operating a computer or watching a TV while driving, so I use an organic voice controlled system (my wife).
As far as software, I've used them all.
Microsoft Streets & Trips - probably has the easiest interface, but has less features than some of the others. Includes free PDA software. This probably has the best looking maps (the same maps as Mappoint and mapblast.com).
Delorme Street Atlas - harder interface than MS S&T, but the strip-maps are great (this are alot like the AAA maps everyone loves). Probably the best software for generating paper maps to take with you. Also has the most features.
Garmin MetroGuide/City Navigator/Roads&Rec - Garmin cranks out a bunch of software, some of which is pretty good. This was one of the first to have topo info, and they have software for most of the major parts of the world.
I own Delorme at home, and I have MS S&T at work, and used the Garmin software at a previous job. My preference? Delorme. The printed maps are great.
My mapping solution involves a Garmin handheld GPS (Etrex, but a 12XL, etc, will work, anything with a serial port on it) and a laptop with mapping software. Throw the GPS on the dashboard, cable to the laptop, inverter from the accessory power port (cig lighter) to the laptop and you're ready to rock. Many states have laws about operating a computer or watching a TV while driving, so I use an organic voice controlled system (my wife).
As far as software, I've used them all.
Microsoft Streets & Trips - probably has the easiest interface, but has less features than some of the others. Includes free PDA software. This probably has the best looking maps (the same maps as Mappoint and mapblast.com).
Delorme Street Atlas - harder interface than MS S&T, but the strip-maps are great (this are alot like the AAA maps everyone loves). Probably the best software for generating paper maps to take with you. Also has the most features.
Garmin MetroGuide/City Navigator/Roads&Rec - Garmin cranks out a bunch of software, some of which is pretty good. This was one of the first to have topo info, and they have software for most of the major parts of the world.
I own Delorme at home, and I have MS S&T at work, and used the Garmin software at a previous job. My preference? Delorme. The printed maps are great.
Jason "El Zorro" Fox
'17 Subaru Forester 2.0XT
DCAWD - old coots in fast scoots.
'17 Subaru Forester 2.0XT
DCAWD - old coots in fast scoots.
- ElZorro
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- complacent
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- Sabre
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I'm going to rehash this What is the feeling on navigation units?
http://reviews-zdnet.com.com/Dell_GPS_N ... ml?tag=sub
suggests the Lowrance iWay 500c or the TomTom GO. Thoughts on these? BTW, this isn't for me. I'd do the carputer and GPS software
http://reviews-zdnet.com.com/Dell_GPS_N ... ml?tag=sub
suggests the Lowrance iWay 500c or the TomTom GO. Thoughts on these? BTW, this isn't for me. I'd do the carputer and GPS software
Sabre (Julian)
92.5% Stock 04 STI
Good choice putting $4,000 rims on your 1990 Honda Civic. That's like Betty White going out and getting her tits done.
92.5% Stock 04 STI
Good choice putting $4,000 rims on your 1990 Honda Civic. That's like Betty White going out and getting her tits done.
- Sabre
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Ok, these are the top rated:
TomTom GO
Garmin Street Pilot III GPS
Lowrance iWay 500c
Cobra NavOne 4500
TomTom GO
Garmin Street Pilot III GPS
Lowrance iWay 500c
Cobra NavOne 4500
Sabre (Julian)
92.5% Stock 04 STI
Good choice putting $4,000 rims on your 1990 Honda Civic. That's like Betty White going out and getting her tits done.
92.5% Stock 04 STI
Good choice putting $4,000 rims on your 1990 Honda Civic. That's like Betty White going out and getting her tits done.
- Sabre
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I want a real computer so I can log all the time That does sounds like a nice unit though! Just rememeber not to watch pr0n while there are kids in the van behind you! (Yes, someone actually got charged for watching pr0n in a moving vehicle b/c some kids saw it from behind!)
Sabre (Julian)
92.5% Stock 04 STI
Good choice putting $4,000 rims on your 1990 Honda Civic. That's like Betty White going out and getting her tits done.
92.5% Stock 04 STI
Good choice putting $4,000 rims on your 1990 Honda Civic. That's like Betty White going out and getting her tits done.
- complacent
- DCAWD Founding Member
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Pioneer already has one. Touchscreen NAV, iPod, Sat radio, etc... I've got one. AVIC-D1.Mr Kleen wrote:I hear that Alpine is working on a double DIN touch screen head unit with DVD, iPod and Nav. as much as I want to build a carputer, the Alpine sounds nice...
colin
a tank, a yammie, a spaceship
i <3 teh 00ntz
a tank, a yammie, a spaceship
i <3 teh 00ntz
- Sabre
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Quoted for posparity!Mr Kleen wrote:nice unit, Colin.
I'm a big fan of the Alpine units as well. When is their new line up coming out?Mr Kleen wrote: so does Kenwood. I'm looking for the next gen systems. and I'm a bit of an Alpine fanboy.
Sabre (Julian)
92.5% Stock 04 STI
Good choice putting $4,000 rims on your 1990 Honda Civic. That's like Betty White going out and getting her tits done.
92.5% Stock 04 STI
Good choice putting $4,000 rims on your 1990 Honda Civic. That's like Betty White going out and getting her tits done.
- Katya4me
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Car electronics manufacturers are required by law to have the DVD functions disabled when the vehicle is in motion if the screen is within sight of the driver, there is a wire connected to the e-brake. Carputers don't have this issue because they currently cannot be mass produced and fall into a legal grey area that hopefully will continue to remain unlegislated.sabre wrote:I want a real computer so I can log all the time That does sounds like a nice unit though! Just rememeber not to watch pr0n while there are kids in the van behind you! (Yes, someone actually got charged for watching pr0n in a moving vehicle b/c some kids saw it from behind!)
Going back to the GPS question, I used Routis w/ my carputer and liked it. I've also used MapPoint and done well w/ that on a laptop.
- Katya4me
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- Sabre
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Sabre (Julian)
92.5% Stock 04 STI
Good choice putting $4,000 rims on your 1990 Honda Civic. That's like Betty White going out and getting her tits done.
92.5% Stock 04 STI
Good choice putting $4,000 rims on your 1990 Honda Civic. That's like Betty White going out and getting her tits done.
- ElZorro
- DCAWD Founding Member
- Posts: 5958
- Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2004 8:00 pm
- Location: USA! USA!
That's too easy. http://www.dcawd.com/dcawdfun/funnyquotes/sabre wrote:^^^ Duh!
BTW, for the price they want this for, it better give me oral while going down the road!
Jason "El Zorro" Fox
'17 Subaru Forester 2.0XT
DCAWD - old coots in fast scoots.
'17 Subaru Forester 2.0XT
DCAWD - old coots in fast scoots.
- complacent
- DCAWD Founding Member
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Katya4me wrote:Car electronics manufacturers are required by law to have the DVD functions disabled when the vehicle is in motion if the screen is within sight of the driver, there is a wire connected to the e-brake.
Pioneer requires a zero volt signal from the VSS wire, a stable output from the gyro, AND a parking brake signal. Just to enter in NAV functions. Or watch the video source.
(but i'm a l337 [-]4xx0r) and i can watch movies while weaving through traffic... If I wanted to.
colin
a tank, a yammie, a spaceship
i <3 teh 00ntz
a tank, a yammie, a spaceship
i <3 teh 00ntz
- Sabre
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^^^ LOL to both posts!
Sabre (Julian)
92.5% Stock 04 STI
Good choice putting $4,000 rims on your 1990 Honda Civic. That's like Betty White going out and getting her tits done.
92.5% Stock 04 STI
Good choice putting $4,000 rims on your 1990 Honda Civic. That's like Betty White going out and getting her tits done.
- WRXWagon2112
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- Location: Livin' the dream
Incidentally, I've heard that laptop-based GPS programs have some trouble when installed in cars because they don't "know" the orientation of the car. Have you found this to be true?Katya4me wrote:Car electronics manufacturers are required by law to have the DVD functions disabled when the vehicle is in motion if the screen is within sight of the driver, there is a wire connected to the e-brake. Carputers don't have this issue because they currently cannot be mass produced and fall into a legal grey area that hopefully will continue to remain unlegislated.
Going back to the GPS question, I used Routis w/ my carputer and liked it. I've also used MapPoint and done well w/ that on a laptop.
--Alan