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Hi everyone

 

I was wondering if any people on here have any car navigation systems - and which ones you have and thoughts on them?

 

I'm on the beginning of a learning curve and would really like to hear of any personal experiences/thoughts people here might have about them.

 

Thank you!

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I have one, its useful for the TV and the video inputs for watching vids to amuse the rugrats on longer trips or watching sumo during bashos. (using a camcorder has the vid player)

 

 

 

The Navi itself is not smart at times, it picks some strange routes, what it thinks is a good way is often not. Try it when driving around areas you know well and it will tell you to take ridiculous paths.

Use it as a back up to your own navigation and intuition skills, don't rely exclusively on it.

Perhaps it also depends on the quality of the CD-ROM hosting the maps that you are using, because that is what the Navi is basing it decisions on; all I know is my map CD-ROM is dodgy.

On my one, it's directions on highways and which lane to be in and which exit to take etc are very confusing.

 

 

 

The LCD creen and Navi sysetem are Sony, the map? not sure I will check it later.

It came with the car, I didnt buy it.

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I use the english one produced by Nissan.

I love it in unknown areas even if I know it may take me via the long route, at least I know I will get there. For areas I know, I also noticed it can take you funny ways. I also like the traffic Jam warnings as it permits to slow down before you get to the spot.

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I was looking at some of the latest ones the other day actually. Not with intent to buy just playing around with one. Lots are hard disc now with 40GB - it rips your CDs when you put them in. Got great screens, dvd player, digital chidigi tv and on and on.

 

Don't people crash because they're watching these things?!?

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One guy near where I live has some big vehicle (can't remember the name). I looked inside his monster once:

 

- latest car navi

- 2 other screens in the front - driver + passenger

- 4 other display screens in the back (for each passenger)

- looked like about 20 speakers!!!!

 

Oh yes and of course the furry dice. lol.gif

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Mine drives me crazy - its an expensive Panasonic Strada less than 2 years old. I only use it when I have to. In Tokyo, it will get you close to a destination and then you are on your own - better to use a good map to find the exact location unless its a large building/landmark. In the city it takes just enough time to update when you change direction that by the time its figured out where you are, you are already going the wrong way.

 

Make sure you turn the volume off so you don't punch the screen. It is most useful when you already know where you are going - then it's fun to make it angry by going a better route than it suggests and watching it freak out to catch up with you.

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I've used quite a few different ones with all the company cars we have and the only one that doesn't do all the above was an upgraded one that came with a Toyota.

That one is really good, and even navigating Tokyo highways she (the girl inside the navi) doesn't get confused. Another good thing about her is that she shuts up when you change the route. Instead of telling you to do you turns she just tells you she's thinking and sits quietly for a while until she has figured things out. I don't know who makes the Navi or if they do it for sale seperately cos it says Toyota on the screen casing. Anyone who is interested ask me at the SJ party cos I'll have that car with me so we can look at the manual and see who makes it.

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it doesn't exactly sound like everyone one here is giving them glowing reviews

i've never used one and can't really see to point. maybe they woul be useful in an unfamiliar city, but a passenger with a map helping you navigate would surely be a better option? i realise that that's not always possible though. outside of a city, reading a map isn't exactly difficult

some of my friends have bought these systems and have gotten so so lost in the countryside on relatively simple routes. if they'd bothered to just look at a map they would have saved themselves heaps of time, petrol and frustration. maybe i'm just a technophobe

 

this article is hilarious

http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/article.html?in_article_id=12024&in_page_id=2

 

"Dozens of drivers are unexpectedly getting a soaking after following directions from their satellite navigation systems – straight into a river.

Every day cars, vans and motorbikes plough through the water because their hitech sat nav gadgets tell them to.

It began after the B4040, which skirts Luckington, Wiltshire, was closed for roadworks on April 8.

The shortest alternative route to nearby Sherston is to take the road through Luckington and across a ford. Sat nav firms have included the detour on their systems.

But, when motorists enter the River Avon, they soon find themselves stuck in 1.2m (4ft) of water. Resident Lesley Bennett, 59, said it was ridiculous.

'Before the road closure there was one a week but now we're getting one or two a day,' she added. 'When the car conks out the driver looks stunned and points to his sat nav.' "

 

and another idiot:

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/artic...tray/article.do

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My Japanese friend has just got a new one top of the range Carrozzeria one. Very spiffy it is. Even had digital tv. (Goody!!) I went for a drive with him at the weekend and the navigation seemed pretty spot on. Clever little things.

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I have a Navman and have installed the latest Aus maps. It is great so long as you realise that it doesn't rely on satellites to navigate, it uses the satellite to determine your location, that is all!

 

What it does with the location info is determine a route, using the maps internalised to the machine, from current location to desired location. That this requires some serious computational manipulations should surprise no-one. So, the time to recalc a route when you go "wrong" is a non-trivial exercise.

 

Add to that the fact that the maps are stored internally from CD, then you will realise that they are usually not instantly updated (you generally have to buy an update - another non-trivial exercise in dollar terms) and the potential exists for significant confusion. My manual says "Remember this unit is an aid to navigation, it is NOT an autopilot." The inference here being that you should not rely entirely upon the system, it should be used only as a guide.

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Mine came with the car and I like it. It is fun. I can also store about 100 CDs worth of music in the HDD and if I want to watch movies and tv. These things are now so much more than just car navigation and maps.

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I never drive anywhere without my Mapple road atlas.

Occasionally Navi-girl has helped me find out where I am on the map so I can figure out my own route. In the pre-navi days, when I got really lost I would just ask one of the friendly seven eleven boys to find their shop on my map!

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 Originally Posted By: me jane
when I got really lost I would just ask one of the friendly seven eleven boys to find their shop on my map!


wouldn't always bet on them, Davo and I once got off track on the way back from Gifu while taking a "short cut" we went to a conveni and found the sub par I.Q staffer couldnt even locate her present position on the Japanese map! all we wanted to know was 'where is here?' and she couldnt point to it on the map! help!
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Mapple is the only road map i have ever seen with topographic (or whatever those altitude lines are called) lines on.

 

combined with excellent road signs and an easy to understand route number system in this country, driving is fun and easy even without navi girl by your side.

i guess i would consider getting a navi system if the price was reasonable, but it is just a waste of money in my opinion.

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Navi came with the car (2nd hand) - just standard toyota thingy.

Before that,I also thought Mapple was the-way-to-go, BUT now, no way.

 

Navi-chan just explains/shows it so clearly and has proven to be correct most of the time by far. Her only confused moments have been when on new roads or she says turn at the next street and like thats not a street thats a path.

 

I'm not a real Techy, but would want Navi to be in my next car for sure. Negotiating streets & driving countryside here can be boggling to say the least - she just makes it so much simpler.

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You can't programme any of the navi-girls I've used unless the handbrake is on but you can still cancel routes which involves a few buttons.

I tend to mainly listen to her and just glance to confirm. When I drive with a map I'm probably paying less attention to other road users than with navi girl.

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Thanks folks, interesting subject it is. I suppose the technology of these things is getting better very quickly.

 

One thing I haven't been able to find out. The main ones seem to be Pioneer (Carrozzeria) and the Panasonic ones. Do they use the same maps are are they totally different?

 

Is Navi-chan an official name or just a nickname you made up?

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