Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted June 10, 2003 Leadership Team Share Posted June 10, 2003 Ok, having used a handheld in the 7, and recently hired an Audi in Germany c/w Navigation Plus, I've completely got the bug. Stuff the back seat map reader - this is the future! I'd like to look into setting up AutoRoute (which is supposedly GPS compatible) using the lap-top to work with a GPS receiver - something along the lines of the Garmin e-trex or similar? I've looked into the various vehicle orientated devices from Garmin, but it seems to make sense to utilise the lap-top due to its increased versatility for other applications. Anybody any experience on this one? Stu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted June 10, 2003 Share Posted June 10, 2003 Of the E-trex, yes - plenty of experience. Love mine to death (Legend version) I have connected it to a laptop and used one of the freeby or shareware navigation packages, but gave up due to various impracticalities - not so much with the software (obviously a bit pants because it was free) - but mainly due to the problems associated with locating the laptop in the car, powering both units at the same time, what to do when you have a passenger, the hassle of carrying a laptop everywhere etc. In my experience, navigation and GPS tools need to be as close to driving line of sight as possible - I mount the Etrex in the corner of my jellymobile windscreen, or in the center of the dash (7). I tried belting the laptop to the passenger seat (some of the SW comes with voice announcements) - but you basically have to stop the car at lights/whatever to safely check the SW display. The Garmin is great, but not much use as a turn by turn navigator unless you manually input a string of waypoints. It will work fine as a GPS source if you want to add the laptop later - but if you are doing a lot of city work, I'd consider one of their GPS units that can accept an external antennae - you need all the help you can get in heavily built up areas. Another alternative (untried) is one of the new GPS PDA's (or jackets for Ipaqs) - they might not be any better than the dedicated Garmin car-specific nav aids, but they can do PDA stuff as well... REgds, Myles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisC Posted June 10, 2003 Share Posted June 10, 2003 Hi Stu Have you looked at a DIN 1 Radio Nav System. I have an Audi with Nav Plus and a Blaupunkt DX-70 (single din radio) installed in a New Mini, both the systems are identical in operation (apart from the big colour display). The Blaupunkt unit I have seen at less than £700. Chris.... H15 SVN Get it ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted June 10, 2003 Author Leadership Team Share Posted June 10, 2003 Thanks for the info. Iuse an HP Jornada, so a step to the IPAQ is not ideal! We did the Le Mans trip with the Garmin E-Map which was very impressive, and I know from experience with both Garmin and Magellan units (in the mountains) what a pain the programming of way points can be. I'm considering linking up with the AutoRoute software due to its route finding / assessment capability - I recently had cause to travel a short distance in one of the big trans-continental type trucks - totally set up with GPS fed into the lap top giving full sat nav ability, along with DVD, CD etc. Garmin can't do that! The guys truck was better equiped than my office! Stu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red SLR Posted June 11, 2003 Share Posted June 11, 2003 I would get a purpose made sat nav system. The laptop method is very bulky and will actually be hard to use on the hop IMHO. There are loads on the market and a lot on ebay..... Simon. See X777CAT here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevefoster Posted June 11, 2003 Share Posted June 11, 2003 What about a PDA instead of a laptop? Can you connect these? My racing pics, 7 DIY, race prep. Updated often here Photo's of the year here Hants (North) and Berkshire Area club site here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dd1961 Posted June 11, 2003 Share Posted June 11, 2003 PDA is the way to go On the recent easyInternational Euro trip, we had a KaneGear solution in the Caterham. It can be mounted such that is pretty much line of sight for both passenger and driver, and with a 1Gb CF in the iPaq, you can store all the Euro maps you need. Agreed, it's not cheap, especially if you have to buy an iPaq as well, but the navigational data is spot on, and with their latest version, the 3d view of the road ahead is good enough to rely on for those "I wonder if this corner is going to tighten up on me" sort of moments! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelspeed Posted June 11, 2003 Share Posted June 11, 2003 Garmin's GPS5 gives a turn by turn on screen navigation instruction and is only marginally more bulky than the Etrex family. Excellent bit of kit. The Streetpilot range do more and have voice instruction but they're much bigger and much more expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Day Posted June 12, 2003 Share Posted June 12, 2003 I've started using an Ipaq with a Navman jacket. Works extremely well in the BMW towcar in the centre of the windscreen. Have now wired it up to an Autocom intercom for use in the 7 (sucker mounted to passenger aero-screen). Good voice direction with automatic route recalculation if you go wrong or ignore the instruction. Downside is that it's difficult to see the excellent graphics in bright sunlight. Hope to use it to full effect on Le-Sept this July. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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