David 6ww Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 I am looking a Action Replay's PC Navigator 6 - Europe software and GPS unit. At £100 this seems an option for my Hymer E510, I have a small light 12" notebook and a reasonable dash space. A large screen would be a great advantage in a big cab. Is there any experience out there of PC based systems that can help me avoid wasting time and money......... See www.action-replay.co.uk for details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 I think you'll find the traffic police will take a dim view of driving along with a laptop open on the dash, regardless of how big the dashtop is or whether it is being used for navigation. For just a little more you can get a qwuite acomplished stand alone GPS navigator now. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrytraveller Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 We nearly got stopped while my wife was looking at a map whilst we were driving along a road, a big policeman walked out to the middle of the road, held his hand up for us to stop, then dashed to the pavement when he realised the steering wheel was on the other side! We have used the laptop with Autoroute/USB receiver for a couple of years in France without any problems, some say the rough ride can damage the HD, but never found that a problem either. PS - Always had the laptop open on the passenger side so I couldn't see the display - unless............ Regards Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David 6ww Posted March 8, 2007 Author Share Posted March 8, 2007 I take your point Dave, but can't see how a laptop screen running mapping software really differs from a rear video monitor or a smaller satnav screen that you need to peer at to see any detail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyishuk Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 Sad I know, but I have been spending my evenings reading books about France, the putting POIs into Autoroute. With a view to transfer them to TomTom. Surprising to say, that a number of the smaller villages do not show on Autoroute 2007, but can be found on TomTom. Just thought I would share that with you (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrytraveller Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 Hi Tony, If you have a laptop and you are taking it with you, have you considered buying the Camping Car Infos DVD and using with your laptop, putting the GPS co-ordinates into the TT when required. The link to the site is http://www.campingcar-infos.com/index1.htm . The DVD is a mirror image of their site. I find when touring around, plans alter nearly everyday. Having the DVD and satnav allows mods to the tour to work out very well. The verified GPS locations given on DVD used with the satnav, provides a new confidence and freedom of movement not experienced when using paper maps. Alternatively - you can download all the locations from Campingcar infos site into the Office XL and print out on a few sheets of paper. The info includes Town names, Street names, GPS long Lat and is easily entered into most satnav systems as required, although I am not familiar with TT, but works out okay on my Mio 269+ system. I often wonder whether entering loads of POI's into any satnav system, slows it down noticeably, or even can crash the software operating system. Consequently - I only enter what I want for a few days ahead and delete any that I have finished with as I go along. Regards Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trigrem Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 Reference David6ww comments about peering at small satnav screen, surely the point of a sat nav system with voice is you don't have to peer at the screen. The only time I glance at the screen whilst driving is on those odd occasions when it tells you to take the 2nd exit at an island, and the 2nd exit looks like a newly built road entering the island ( the French are good at that), a quick glance at the screen, which has now been automatically enlarged, will show the highlighted route. Even thats not necessary as if you take the wrong exit you will be re-routed. Endorse Terrytravellers comments about camping car-infos DVD, very usefull for planning. However you can transfer all the Aires on the campingcar-infos website straight to French map on Tom Tom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David 6ww Posted March 9, 2007 Author Share Posted March 9, 2007 Thanks Terry, I will have a look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David 6ww Posted March 9, 2007 Author Share Posted March 9, 2007 Thought I might raise a response using the word 'peer'. But you do need to look at the screen to see the shape of the road or turning and prepare for next change. Perhaps I am making too much of the extra eye to screen distance, car v Hymer cab, 30" v 42". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee1st Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 Can one put coordinates into TomTom? As in Lat & Long? I've never seen the opportunity but I'd be interested to know. Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrytraveller Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 Hi David, I noticed on your first posting, you were looking at PC Navigator 6. I have PC navigator 4 UK which was supplied as a package when I bought a USB sat receiver for the laptop. I installed it and had a play with it, I found it more awkward to use than AutoRoute, and was also very much slower than AR. As Tony mentions, there is a lack of detail using AR when used outside UK, many of the small villages streets are missing, although if you input the aires GPS long lat into AR, it will still show you where its located, but no roads leading to it - exciting isn't it? I don't know about PC Navigator outside UK, perhaps someone on the forum has a copy and will know. Also Lee's question about TT having a Long Lat coordinate input display, I don't don't think it does, I looked at them 2yrs ago and they didn't have the facility then, that was one of the main reasons for buying the Mio 269+, the down side for the Mio is you cannot load POI's from the laptop without special software (Warners), but as mentioned before I didn't want to do that anyway. Regards Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John H Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 Hi Terry, I bought a TT 700 a couple of years ago and it hadn't got the Long Lat facility then but it came a few months later as a free update on TT home. John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David 6ww Posted March 9, 2007 Author Share Posted March 9, 2007 Terry, thank you for the PC 4 info, it was the lure of a larger screen that drew me (as well as the lower cost) and 6 has Euro mapping. Is there a consensus that Tom Tom (9 to get European cover) is favoured? It does have the largest screen of those tested by Which? where it came out very well but not top best buy because of slightly more complex setting up. Any other favourites out there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 Hi David, I don't KNOW that the police will do anything about you using a laptop but it strikes me that the larger screen, while being easier to read for nav info will potentially obscure a bigger portion of the drivers view than a smaller screen. Its also occurred to me that the laptop screen might fall down after a while due to the vibrations off travelling. I don't see a problem with the passenger using the laptop for navigation as long as it doesn't obscure the drivers clear view of the road. Bearing in mind that this software is £100 and for £130 upwards you can have a dedicated portable unit which you can carry in your pocket and even use while walking, I think I'd go for the portable. Just my point of view and a fairly academic one as I use a five year old VDO Dayton MS 5100 built in system with 5" screen which also has the reversing camera fed into it. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrytraveller Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 Hi David, I can see your problem with mounting a satnav in a A class MH, you do need to position it not much further away than the instrument panel, speedo etc.. I think if you dare ask Frank Wilkinson about his mounting system for satnav you might find an answer. Perhaps wait until after his evening feed when it might be safer to seek his opinion ! and ask him what he does with his hat? When we used the laptop and AR, the laptop was opened up to 180 deg and the keyboard sat in the open glove box, the screen below pasenger eyelevel, this was quite safe and never moved from its position, but as Dave says, you could in no way position it in front of the driver for obvious reasons. The standalone satnav systems do have the advantage of zooming in automatically when your speed reduces to below 40 mph, the 3.5" display then shows for example, all the roads off of a roundabout or any complicated junction. With AR or PC Navigator you would have to hit the plus or minus keys to zoom in and out of the map. The quality of the spoken instruction on AR2006 onwards is not so good as the standalone satnavs spoken instruction, you would need external speakers with a laptop to hear the instructions clearly. Regards Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David 6ww Posted March 12, 2007 Author Share Posted March 12, 2007 Dave and Terry, I appreciate your further thoughts and advice, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trigrem Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 Lee1st I have Tom Tom on a PDA, with Tom Tom version3 you could put in Lat & Lon Coordinates. With tom tom 5 the facility was removed, but it is still possible with extra downloadable software. With Tom Tom version 6 the facility has been reinstated and we use it regularly for finding camp sites (Camping Cheque 2006 version not 2007), and Aires for which we obtain coordinates off various websites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmac Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 I have both Navigator and Autoroute loaded on my laptop. I do not find Navigator user-friendly in the least,Autoroute is far easier to use (as far as I am concerned). I agree with Terry traveller however that the quality of speech from Autoroute leaves something to be desired. Or is it simply volume ( age strikes again ). Can anyone tell me how to increase the volume ? I have tried all the usual controls without success ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Dwight Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 We use a laptop with Autoroute, it sits in the well on the dash in front of the passenger,. not had a problem with the hard drive, the lid stay up so thats not a problem also it hardly obscures the view, cetainly not as much as sat nav situated in the middle of the screen, as I have seen several recently. Autoroute 2006 has the small villages on it. The voice is not brilliant, but then there are written instructions on the bottom of the screen that the passenger can see, it also has the abillity to show a larger area that a sat nav, which give you a more realistic view of where you are ie showing camp sites within a given area, also if there is a deviation or road problem you can immediatley see where there are alternative routes. But as with most things nothing is perfect. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrytraveller Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 Hi Alan, Try this Logitech MM 28 stero speaker on your laptop, most good shops sell it. http://www.pcwb.com/catalogue/item/LOGSP046?speedtrapid=froogle&lead=froogle Fantastic sound from all your favorite 45's and 78's transferred as MP3 and stored on your laptop, autoroute speech is perfect too. Regards Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmac Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 Terry Thanks I'll go hunting this weekend for the speaker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David 6ww Posted March 16, 2007 Author Share Posted March 16, 2007 Thanks David, that's useful for me and I note Terry's speaker recommend. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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