Advice from techno peeps

[Muttley600]

Sat navs
This might hav already been discussed, if so please point me in right direction

Garmin or tom tom

wouldnt want to spend a fortune an dont really know where to start.
parents hav nav man which wont redirect if you miss turnin, it just tells you to turn round
lad at work swears bt tom tom sayin:
no fees after, all in package
full postcode check
finds garages
gud sat coverage
camera alerts with long warnings
recalculates route if missed a turnin

but i know lots of peeps on here use garmin, bumpkin seems happy with his
where did you buy from an how much without bein silly

Thanks Gra

Edit:While being a useful insight into sat navs, there have been a few minor set backs along the way, do not buy anything without reading all of this thread, that way I have made the mistakes for you
Good luck an hope you enjoy the read

[supZ]

tom tom for me is definately the best. there are capable other makes out there, but the interface and features for tom tom always win me over.

[Wainfleetworld]

Right then, this could be interesting! My advice is that you need to decide what you want from your device to start with. You need to answer some questions about the use and where you would use it:

1. Will you use it in the car as well as the bike?
2. Do you want/need traffic updates?
3. Do you want to be able to do interary planning in the device, or can it be external?
4. Do you want the device to be an MP3 player and also a handsfree phone system?
5. What mobile are you running currently? Any plans to change? (there are some cool mobile editions for some sat navs with all the same features).

These questions will provide some options and hence some opinions on what might be best. I have a very trusted Tom Tom Go540 live (as you know), the reason I got this and keep it updated is that I drive loads of miles for work. Saving a long wait on the M1 getting back home is more than worth the additional £35 per year for the traffic updates and speed camera warnings. If it was't for these miles then I would not have been able to justify the expense.
Give it some thought on the questions mate and let's see what others have to say.

[spikeywan]

The Garmin Zumo traffic antenna is a one off charge of £40, with a lifetime subscription to the traffic updates.

I also managed to get lifetime map updates for £70 that cover all of Europe.

[675-BOY]

Garmin Nuvi Widescreen for me before having a car with it built in

[Wainfleetworld]

One thing to be careful of is the type of traffic updates you sign up for. To my knowledge there are several systems in play in the UK. You have the Traffic Master system of fixed 'flow' measuring points, covering significant A roads and Motorways. There is also a system with GPS units fitted into HGV fleets (inc Stobarts) which give traffic information.

The main Sat Nav companies now all have two tiers of traffic information. The first is basically information from the 'flow' sensors and some information from the local traffic area stream (which comes over the radio in you car as traffic). This system is good, but takes some time to update.

The second (and more expensive) option is the HD or Digital traffic information services. These are a compilation of all the local traffic services, including local traffic news, all compiled into an update which you get every two minutes. There will be a team of people listening to traffic news locally and entering the information into the traffic servers. This then comes to your device and your sat nav makes some choices which you can choose to ignore or not.

The Tom Tom Live system incorporates a SIM card within the unit. It is this card which allows you to get the information wherever there is mobile availability. For my use this system is brilliant, for others it would be an expensive toy!

[Muttley600]

Originally Posted by CBR-BOY

Garmin Nuvi Widescreen for me before having a car with it built in

But how would i fit it on the bike with car attached

Originally Posted by Wainfleetworld

Right then, this could be interesting!

Thanks for understandin I know nowt bout tech

Originally Posted by Wainfleetworld

My advice is that you need to decide what you want from your device to start with. You need to answer some questions about the use and where you would use it:

1. Will you use it in the car as well as the bike?

ideally, not fussed bout gettin dear bike one, can fit it in tank bag

Originally Posted by Wainfleetworld

2. Do you want/need traffic updates?

not bothered

Originally Posted by Wainfleetworld

3. Do you want to be able to do interary planning in the device, or can it be external?

Wassthat, make map on google an put in

Originally Posted by Wainfleetworld

4. Do you want the device to be an MP3 player and also a handsfree phone system?

nice if it does but not bothered as I have mp3 player on autocom

Originally Posted by Wainfleetworld

5. What mobile are you running currently? Any plans to change? (there are some cool mobile editions for some sat navs with all the same features).

erm.....it phones, nokia cost £10 new

Originally Posted by Wainfleetworld

These questions will provide some options and hence some opinions on what might be best. Give it some thought on the questions mate and let's see what others have to say.

Mainly for camera alerts an usin roads i dont know
i.e. findin way to lake district without sittin on motorway all day, without keep stoppin to look at map,plenty of time
Somethin that connects to autocom would be gud
Thanks for help mate, glad you understood i dont understand it all

[Wainfleetworld]

So we are after a basic device that has the ability to get updated speed camera warnings, can do route corrections if you go wrong, can do intinerary planning (yep, using your PC to do a route and then import it into your nav device before you leave). Thats about it really.

Traffic is useful if you are mid-route and one of the roads you planned to use is closed. It doesn't happen much, but you can bet your life that when you want to be there on time it will happen.

As for the car/bike thing I am not sure about Autocomm connecting into Tom Tom devices. I know I can get my TT to connect via bluetooth but someone like BSS or Bumpkin may need to assist with this bit mate?

Zumo have a good reputation, but they appear to be quite pricey. If you are not planning to go abroad with it then a UK mapped Tom Tom would be about £150 with traffic and speed camera updates included for 12 months. Have a think about it, I am sure others will have recommendations.

The reason for asking about your phone is that Tom Tom do a neat mobile application that runs on your phone. If you were considering upgrading that then it would make sense for you to do this at the same time.
We could talk about this at Ambleside if I get there. Although you might not!!

[fink]

I have a Garmin 2620 and a 2720 good bit of kit. The 2620 problem is that it has a hard drive and can sometimes go tits up on the bike. (mind you the last time it did was on the "wet way round tour" just before a vital junction a few years ago.

Paid bout £160 quid each for them a couple of years ago.
Which minda me that i need to see Bumpkin bout one.

Connect to autocom no probs.

Doesnt have speed cameras on tho

[Wainfleetworld]

Which Autocomm system have you got Gra?