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Satnav


ChrisD

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Hi Chris, I don't think you will find any SatNav systems that will have Camp Sites preloaded, but if you look around the web for POI's, you will find data sets which you may be able to use. To get you started have a look at these links http://www.furgovw.org/mapa_furgoperfecto.php http://www.jollyinteresting.co.uk/pushpins/index.html http://www.myfavouritecampsite.com/vB/local_links.php?catid=8 With some SatNav systems you can take a Text file and download it into a system, some of these Motorhome/Caravan forums will have POI overlays which can be used by popular SatNav systems like Tom Tom for example. Look carefully to whats on offer, some SatNav systems will allow you to load POI's some don't, like the Mio 269 for example will not accept POI's unless you use add ons like Warner Software, where they don't, they may allow you to input Post Codes and street addresses and Long Lat coordinates. Spend some time chatting with other users and on the forum before you buy - is my advice. I use the Mio 269+ and find it excellent, others swear by the TomTom, whatever you buy it will not have up to date road numbering in France, as over the next five years they are altering all the road numbers. If you have a good display which will zoom automatically as you reduce speed, you can see the road you should take - even if the road numbers are wrong. I found this to be true in France last month, but did not impede my navigation at all. Regards Terry
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Hi Chris, Last year we spent 5 weeks travelling around Spain and Portugal using a TomTom. We planned out a rough journey prior to leaving and used the TomTom to work out the travelling time too. The POI in the TomTom did us great, if I remember correctly, I think we often used the address for navigation initially, but when we got a little closer to our destination we used the POI. This helped us greatly. Enjoy your trip
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I hear that Autoroute 2007 contains the campsite database again ( as well as over 750,000 POIs), if used with a gps receiver this can be used as a very cheap satnav system with a large screen. I use it mainly for planning and on site to get accurate co-ordinates for each location. The voice is awful I wish I knew of a way to make it as good as Milly on the MIO269. Phil.
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Hi Phil, Re AR 2006 - Have you tried control panel/speech/text to speech and adjust Voice speed and the different voices on offer? I agree, the Mio 269 is good with clear voice instructions, I have the 269+, only wish they would do map updates, mind you whatever you buy will have inaccurate road numbers in France, they changed many road numbers again over the last six months, and will continue for the next five years, I hear. Regards Terry
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Hi Terry thanks I'll try that. BTW Mio are 'soon' to issue v3 software and maps for the MIO 268/269, I don't have the date yet but they have already issued the update for most of their other models. I think it's going to be fairly pricey, we'll have to wait and see. Phil.
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Hi Terry, I tried your suggestion about the voices. There only seems to be 1 male and 1 female, both computer generated, they both have difficulty with words of more than one syllable. I wonder if there are better ones around that can be added. The normal MIO voice (Milly) is very good she sounds like a real person. Oddly enough when nearing a Campsite in Germany or Belgium a different (foreign sounding) voice gives out a warning about approaching a danger zone, always makes me smile. Phil.
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Hi Phil, Since my original foray into AR2007 speech, I hadn't looked at what was available until your question, have a look at http://www.microsoft.com/enable/training/windowsxp/ttsplaybackvoice.aspx , the article mentions other engines for speech - looks interesting. Okay on slight foreign accent on MIO, I hadn't noticed it change, but she does get ratty when you miss your turning, and she's a bit spiteful, as she tends to send you down the next very, very narrow road. :-S Regards Terry
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Hi Terry we're getting a bit off topic here I hope nobody minds. The link you provide implies that there are several voices available in XP but I only have the two, Microsoft Anna and Microsoft Sam. Maybe XP Professional has more, I've only got the Home Edition. I'll search around on Google to see if there are any more. I'm sure people who use Autoroute for their navigation would appreciate different or more lifelike voices. Phil.
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Good one Phil and thanks for the info, I will have a look at the site and try a download of the new speech files. We always have the laptop with us, like you we use it for route planing, its also useful as a backup navigating system with the usb receiver, and getting those GPS decimal coordinates accurately mapped for the Mio. Regards Terry
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TOMTOM every time add addresses for camp sites to POI I just love my TOMTOM its about 2 years old and does'nt even have a number ,I bought the discs for full European mapping and have loaded these on to SD cards,old hat I know but hey it works just fine for me.. *-) *-) *-)
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  • 2 months later...
Not sure where I should post this, as there are so many different sat nav posts, well here goes. Going towards the west coast of France in June, probably Brittany, not sure yet. I want to get some sort of sat nav so there is not a repeat of last years directional disputes :-D If I go for a tomtom or another popular make, do they distinguish between a car and a motorhome??? If they do, which one do I buy, if they don't then I assume it is just a matter of preference between the most popular. I did read somewhere that some sat nav's have the option of turning your motorhome into a virtual mini bus for direction purposes? As we like to wild camp and visit Aires, all I wish to do is enter co-ordinates for and Aire and follow the directions (eesy peesy) any advice much appreciated. Kevandali
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Hi Kevandali, Usually the satnav settings will require some input before choosing a destination, look for the following in the setup and select within the setup;- Road types, Toll roads, Major Roads, Main roads, block roads, your choice will effect what roads are used and how the routing and time to desination is displayed. Type of Vehicle, Lorry, Fast Car, Slow Car, bicycle, pedestrian usually will only effect time of travel and not the type of road you might expect a large vehicle to use, except Pedestrian which will allow you to 'go up the wrong way' on a road. Pedestrian mode bee line (Mio 269+), can give a compass rose and direct you over moors, mountains, air and sea within the limits of the maps loaded. My recommendation is to go for seamless operation with all maps loaded on an internal mini hard drive or very large internal flash memory, not on seperate cards inserted into the device. Regards Terry
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Hi Co-Pilot software allows you to select an RV type vehicle and also you can then modify the settings for that ie Preferred Roads,speeds etc, I have used this for over 4 years and IMHO it is quicker and better than TomTom having run that as well. What ever you choose make sure it has at least 2 of these, that you can download Points of Interest, select a destination on 7-8 digit Postcode, and Long/Lat. Most importantly a good roadmap just in case, and don't tell it to take the shortest route as you will end up on some interesting tracks. :-> Chris
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We used to have Co-pilot but got shot of it when we had problems abroad as, when our PDA shut down and we had to do a hard reset it meant we had to re-load the software on, the problem was that when doing this the only way we could get it up and running again was to make phone calls back to the UK for activiation codes! We changed to Tom Tom which doesn't have this 'activiation' problem and find it much better and easier to use generally than Co-Pilot which often lost the plot ... then we lost the plot when it lost us! :-|
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Guest starspirit
Don't bother with a Navman as the company is unhelpful and the machine won't take lat & long or co-ordinates of any kind plus the available POI downloads are very limited.
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[QUOTE]kevandali - 2007-02-19 8:15 PM Thanks for all the help people, going for the tomtom but just not sure which one yet as it will only get used for around France and maybe Spain so might not need the most up to date all singing all dancing version[/QUOTE] I dont think you will get maps of spain and france on the basic TomTom (I could be wrong) but if I am somebody will tell me!!
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