Which SatNav and how to attach?

[alfaredthegreat]

The subj line says it all really.

I am considering purchasing a SatNav and have to decide which and how to mount it.

I am driving the Brera SV - so the glass roof may give me more flexibility in location - but the main criteria are that I don't want sucker marks on the screen or console, nor do I want to go driling holes in things.

Do I ask for too much?

Cheers for pointers.

[zulu ferret]

Son-in Law paid £400?- latest TT- keeps falling off the screen, me (old skinflint) Tschibo--£150! OK mine hasn't the Bells and Whistles, but sticks like UKW to the glass. If its a portable, make sure it sticks.Screen curvature is of course relative, try before you buy?

[Monty]

You may be asking a little too much!!

If it is an after market unit you have a couple of choices.

1) replacement stereo head unit - pros are they won't leave sucker marks. Cons are they are expensive compared to stand alone sat nav (e.g. 3 - 4 times the price (plus what ever you lose if you paid for a stereo upgrade on the car), also the screen location is not ideal forcing you to take your eyes off the road.

2) stick on dash/stick on screen - pros, cheaper and better positioned for safe driving, cons sucker marks and trailing charger leads. For the amount of money you save you can buy a few packs of screen wipes

Personally I'd go option 2. You can either get a dedicated unit (e.g. TomTom or Navman) or go for a PDA with sat nav.

The ASUS Mypal A632 comes with built in receiver so no worries about blue tooth GPS receivers and is not much more expensive than a dedicated system.

How much do you use it?

If you're only gonna use it in the UK,
I'd get a large screen java enabled phone,
a bluetooth GPS module: This one wedges perfectly between the SV glass and headliner lip

and "Wayfinder".

Then mount the phone in a good position and
bobs your uncle.

No ugly cables. Wayfinder works great. Just costs alot
if you're roaming on 3G is all! (Or if you keep the full
scrolling map on all the time.)


Edit: If you have a Symbian based phone you can
even save routes onto the phone so you don't
have to connect so much.

[ACAPULCO AL]

don't buy a sony nav-u, i've had one for 9 months and i'm not very impressed. go for a tom tom or garmin instead i reckon

[Squadrone Rosso]

My vote would go to a Garmin Nuvi 310D or 360T. Used recently and superb. There's a thread somewhere with all the answers you're looking for!!!

[Al Faromeo]

The two alternatives for aftermarket mentioned by Monty have both been in use by me.

Used a Becker 'radio'-type navsys - Becker Traffic Pro (no longer for sale, but very much like this one (sorry - link in Dutch but at least it gives an impression).

Advantages: TMC, very precise navigation because of coupling to speedo, built-in gyros and excellent extermal antenna. Complete for navigation in Europe; once route has been calculated then out goes the CD and it's ready to play tunes (didn't use that much though - had a cd changer for the music and the slot in the radia was dedicated to the navsys).
Drawbacks: expensive to buy; cost to build in & out when you change cars. No maps, just pictograms & voice to tell you to take a left etc - so basically, on new territory, you have no clue as to where you are relative to anything else you might assume to be somewhere near...

Now, in the 156, I use the Traffic Assist, also from Becker. Like it a lot!
Fast navigation, nice maps, good selection of POI, easy to use, the whole of Europe (27 countries) on a 2Gb SD card.
Drawbacks: no TMC (it's an extra but I don't like the new Becker TMC software (may have improved in the meantime)) & sometimes slow to pick up satelites.

I don't use it a huge lot - but anywhere I go for the first time, I do & it hasn't failed me once in 15.000 km I've approx. done with it (Spain, France, Belgium, Germany & Netherlands of course).
I also use it rather consistently whenever I have appointments - its ETA is fairly precise (a bit optimistic perhaps) so I have a chance of informing the people I'm meeting that I'll be late (not telling them, of course, that this is due to the detour I'm taking because the 156 tells me to )
The previous one (the built-in) was in use all of the time.

The traffic assist is mounted on the windscreen. No visible marks so far, but I'm keeping my windscreen spic & span anyway...
I have considered other mounting places and www.Brodi.se has quite an extensive set of clamps and stuuf for mounting these gadgets in other places, but since I'm content with the screen mount I've left it at that.

I'm thinking about getting a TomTom 910
as every trip to the US, I get a rental car
with sat nav that costs about $10 a day.

Anyone used one of those puppies yet?
It's got hard drive and worldwide maps
supposedly.

[ACAPULCO AL]

Originally Posted by Nev

I'm thinking about getting a TomTom 910
as every trip to the US, I get a rental car
with sat nav that costs about $10 a day.

Anyone used one of those puppies yet?
It's got hard drive and worldwide maps
supposedly.

my brother in law's just ordered one online - should be delivered this week so i'll let you know how he gets on

[alfaredthegreat]

Originally Posted by Nev

I'm thinking about getting a TomTom 910
as every trip to the US, I get a rental car
with sat nav that costs about $10 a day.

Anyone used one of those puppies yet?
It's got hard drive and worldwide maps
supposedly.

A colleague has one - he paid almost £500. He is very happy with it. If you want I can pass on questions/answers....

Thanks for the suggestions folks - I am still no closer to the solution. I don't think I asked the question clearly enough....

I guess I want to know how to mount a portable GPS unit in the car without damaging/marking the screen or trim.

Then the choice of GPS unit... requirements:-
1. postcode searches
2. petrol stations/cameras etc
3. international maps preferable

I don't really want to change my phone - but I am intrigued by Nev's suggestions (above) and might be persuaded. I was a bit confused by Nev's comments about mounting the unit though.... and I know nothing about these hybrid solutions.

I have much to learn!

I can't think what else I ought to consider...

Originally Posted by alfaredthegreat

A colleague has one - he paid almost £500. He is very happy with it. If you want I can pass on questions/answers....

Cheers dude! Bit steep though, may wait for
the price to drop/next US trip

Originally Posted by alfaredthegreat

I don't really want to change my phone - but I am intrigued by Nev's suggestions (above) and might be persuaded. I was a bit confused by Nev's comments about mounting the unit though.... and I know nothing about these hybrid solutions.

What phone do you currently have?
I've used both my K750i (bit small but it works)
and a K800i (very clear screen but still being repaired!! )


Think I've posted this before: but
I've a standard SonyEricsson cradle
that I've stuck a magnetic mount to.

Then I pulled the gear stick alu surround
and stuck the metal tab from the mount kit
to the back side of that. (Normally you stick the
magnet to the car dash and the tab to your phone.)


Then the cradle just sits next to the gear
stick.

The Bluetooth GPS just sits nicely in the SV roof.


Also have a GSM antenna stuck to the passenger
window which plugs nicely into the cradle.

I'll take some pic later on if you like.


You could also use a PDA with the same Bluetooth
module so you don't have to mount the PDA/whatever
on the dash or windscreen


N.

[alfaredthegreat]

Originally Posted by Nev

Cheers dude! Bit steep though, may wait for
the price to drop/next US trip

The price has already dropped significantly. You can find one for about £350 easily I think.

Originally Posted by Nev

What phone do you currently have?

Nokia 6630.

Originally Posted by Nev

<snip>

Then the cradle just sits next to the gear stick.

The Bluetooth GPS just sits nicely in the SV roof.

Also have a GSM antenna stuck to the passenger window which plugs nicely into the cradle.

I'll take some pic later on if you like.

That seems very neat.

So I am learning. The Fortuna device provides the GPS info to the phone (Bluetoothly), but you need extra (Java?) software on the phone (Wayfinder) to provide the navigation functions. Am I getting it?

Ingenious.

May be a very good solution after all.

How good is the Wayfinder software? How complete is it? How well does it work?

Originally Posted by alfaredthegreat

The Fortuna device provides the GPS info to the phone (Bluetoothly), but you need extra (Java?) software on the phone (Wayfinder) to provide the navigation functions. Am I getting it?

That's it.

You have to have GSM coverage to connect and calculate
the route. (Either GPRS or 3G WAP/Full connection.)


There are three modes of route display:
o text/icon
o route map (only the roads near/ on your route)
o scrolling full map (very data intensive: Read expensive.)

The 6630 is Symbian, so it's even better than the Java
phones because you can store your route on the phone
once it's calculated it. (Unless you use the full map.)


The Java phone have to reconnect if you come out of the
application etc.



Wayfinder do a 5 day demo for free, so you can download
the software from their site and ask for a demo licence.

Even if you've not got a GPS module, you can run the
routes in "simulation" mode where it just plays your route
in real time, as if you were moving at a constant velocity.

Give it a go!

[Monty]

Originally Posted by alfaredthegreat

A colleague has one - he paid almost £500. He is very happy with it. If you want I can pass on questions/answers....

Thanks for the suggestions folks - I am still no closer to the solution. I don't think I asked the question clearly enough....

I guess I want to know how to mount a portable GPS unit in the car without damaging/marking the screen or trim.

Then the choice of GPS unit... requirements:-
1. postcode searches
2. petrol stations/cameras etc
3. international maps preferable

I don't really want to change my phone - but I am intrigued by Nev's suggestions (above) and might be persuaded. I was a bit confused by Nev's comments about mounting the unit though.... and I know nothing about these hybrid solutions.

I have much to learn!

I can't think what else I ought to consider...

I'd still recommend a PDA with built in GPS receiver. They come with an in car kit (charger and cradle which sticks to screen). They will do everything a dedicated Satnav will do but gives you a lot more flexibility as you can install other programs (i.e. you can play media on it using media player software etc.).

link here

p%3a%2f%2fwww%2ehealingbreeze%2enet%2facatalog%2fD estinator_GPS%2ehtml&WD=mypal&SHOP=%20&PN=PDA%2eht ml%23a90A_2dS4Q1021#a90A_2dS4Q1021

Destinator pn has postcode searches and Points of Interest (e.g. petrol stations)... It might also have a cameras add on but I've never looked. international maps packs are available.

[alfaredthegreat]

Originally Posted by Nev

That's it.

I usually catch up... in the end.

Originally Posted by Nev

Give it a go!

I am trying it now!

Looks quite neat....

[alfaredthegreat]

Originally Posted by Monty

link here p%3a%2f%2fwww%2ehealingbreeze%2enet%2facatalog%2fD estinator_GPS%2ehtml&WD=mypal&SHOP=%20&PN=PDA%2eht ml%23a90A_2dS4Q1021#a90A_2dS4Q1021

Thanks. Link doesn't work though - can you re-post.

I may wait for the forthcoming Nokia N95 with built-in GPS.....

[Monty]

try this one instead

http://www.healingbreeze.net/acatalog/PDA.html

[alfaredthegreat]

Originally Posted by Monty

I'd still recommend a PDA with built in GPS receiver.
<snip>
Destinator pn has postcode searches and Points of Interest (e.g. petrol stations)... It might also have a cameras add on but I've never looked. international maps packs are available.

Oh dear. I think I have too much information now. For sure a PDA with SatNav seems a good idea (if I can find a non-destructive way to mount it).

What I don't understand is why they appear to be £55-£80. Seems a bit cheap considering. Am I looking at the wrong devices on that link?

[Monty]

I think you are looking at map packs... you want the A632 or A636 price

Mounting is by plastic sucker on windowscreen.

[PMackey]

You can get mounts for pdas that attach onto the air vents, would solve the problem of not wanting to stick it to the window.

[the slipperman]

Try one of these, they are 100% accurate.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/AA-Road-Atla...e=UTF8&s=books

[Monty]

spiral bound... right at the bleeding edge of technology

[the slipperman]

And no sticky marks on your windscreen!!

[a17esh]

Take out the double din head unit and get yourself a pioneer HDBT1 double din unit! Its sexy as, and will make your alfa the dogs ******, expensive........but treat yourself

[alfa1999]

I use a Nokia N73 with Tomtom navigator 6 installed on it, and just hook up the mobile phone cradle to screen when i need to use it, Ill attach some screenshots of what it looks like on my phone. I find it more useful to have a phone and sat nav in one, that way your saving space and money and most of time your going the same routes anyway so only use it occationally.
I even have all camera locations, all the POI's (petrol, hospital, banks etc) and EVEN Alfa Romeo dealer poi's!. Ill take photos of the setup in my 147 tomorrow, its very clean.