where are all the newbies
ps56k
Every year after xmas,
there is usually a ton of new user questions...
but maybe with several major ISP's curtailing their newsgroup support,
the availability and access is way down - even with Google Groups as an
onramp..
--
----------------------------------
"If everything seems to be going well,
you have obviously overlooked something." - Steven Wright
Charlie
"ps56k" <pschuman_...@interserv.com> wrote in message
news:hh5ni9$qhf$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
I better check in then, new 265wt driving around town trying to get
aquainted with it, have a lot to learn so will probably be back.
A senior with a new a new toy and looking ahead, I may have to find my
way home some day.
.>
>
Peter H. Coffin
> hmmm - not a good sign for the Garmin PND or my stock investment ?
> Every year after xmas,
> there is usually a ton of new user questions...
> but maybe with several major ISP's curtailing their newsgroup support,
> the availability and access is way down - even with Google Groups as an
> onramp..
The introduction documentation and intuitiveness of the interface have
improves SO MUCH that there will not be a flood of questions until the
29th. It will take four days to become confused.
--
7. When I've captured my adversary and he says, "Look, before you kill
me, will you at least tell me what this is all about?" I'll say,
"No." and shoot him. On second thought I'll shoot him then say "No."
--Peter Anspach's list of things to do as an Evil Overlord
zydecogary
the
GARMIN NUVI TRICKS, TIPS, WORK AROUNDS, HINTS, SECRETS & IDEAS Web
site
http://bit.ly/garmin_gps_tricks
There is a special NEWBIE PAGE over there.
Gary
- Bobb -
"Charlie" <tige...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:FNmdnVWhg6TlE6vW...@giganews.com...
to get one;
( He has a Tom-Tom and after seeing that his GPS map was outdated he went
online to buy an update. Couldn't find it. So then he called - "there is no
such thing, sir, would you like to buy a new model ?" He replied " if I
can't update my current one, why would I or anyone else EVER buy anything
from you again". )
Lee B
ps56k wrote:
> hmmm - not a good sign for the Garmin PND or my stock investment ?
> Every year after xmas,
> there is usually a ton of new user questions...
> but maybe with several major ISP's curtailing their newsgroup support,
> the availability and access is way down - even with Google Groups as an
> onramp..
>
I haven't opened the box yet (15% restocking fee if I do) until I've
researched enough to know if this is the one for me.
Question - suggestions on a home recharger? I want to "practice" at home
rather than while I'm driving. Are the generic $7 ones on eBay and
Overstock ok? Or do I run the risk of overcharging or damaging it?
And it took me a few days to think of looking for a Garmin newsgroup. I
think a lot of people have given up on newsgroups, either because their
isp dropped them or because so many are now spam ridden or empty.
Anymore I'm surprised to find one that is alive and civil.
Glad to have found you all... I'll be back when I've opened it and
started using it.
Mike Lane
> Newbie checking in! I just received a 255wt for Christmas.
>
> I haven't opened the box yet (15% restocking fee if I do) until I've
> researched enough to know if this is the one for me.
>
As you probably realize, the 255 is one of the more basic Nuvi models. Before
you open the box it might be a good idea to consider what it can, and (more
importantly) what it cannot do. You may decide to pay a bit more for a more
advanced unit
The 255 will navigate from your current position to any other point on its
maps. It does this very well (usually) and gives you clear voice directions
on the way as well as showing the route, and your position on a map. However
it will always recalculate the route for every trip you make. What you can't
do is to alter this route if you would prefer to go a different way; neither
will it allow you to plan your own routes between any two points (not
necessarily starting from your current position).
More advanced units such as the Nuvi 760 will allow you to plan your own
routes using via points, and then save the route for later use if you wish.
--
Mike Lane
UK North Yorkshire
email: mike_lane at mac dot com
DaveG
> More advanced units such as the Nuvi 760 will allow you to plan your own
> routes using via points, and then save the route for later use if you
> wish.
It's worth mentioning that the 255 does allow one via point, which may be
all the OP needs.
--
You cannot simply assume someone is honest
just because they are not an MP.
Howard Lester
>> What you can't
>> do is to alter this route if you would prefer to go a different way;
> Yes, you can; all you have to do is start going the other way, and it
> will recalculate.
Sometimes, though, Jill keeps trying to get me to make a U-turn to go HER
way until I've gotten far enough toward my preferred route. Then she finally
gives up and takes me how I want to go -- and then may try a few more
shenanigans along the way, like taking an early Thruway exit to go her way
rather than mine. So I still have to remain vigilant, which is what we need
to do anyway. Otherwise I might wander off onto some logging road, and....
At least now I know the correct Thruway exit number when I go that way
again.
Maybe setting U-Turn as an avoidance would help. ?
Ed Pawlowski
Even easier, it to just use the "view map" mode since you know the way
anyway. Have it programmed to your destination and push that when you get
to the point where you really do want to follow the instructions.
Howard Lester
"Elmo P. Shagnasty" wrote
>> Sometimes, though, Jill keeps trying to get me to make a U-turn to go HER
>> way until I've gotten far enough toward my preferred route.
> yeah, she does. Easy enough to ignore, if you know where you're going.
>
> And let's face it: the sat-nav isn't to be blindly followed. It works
> only if you already know where you're going (even if you're unsure of
> the terrain). Otherwise, you get stuck in the snow, or told to drive
> off a bridge, or...
Right... The situation I had was trying to get to the NY State Thruway
northbound from Hudson, NY. Instead, she wanted me to go straight north on
US 66 and make the 80 mile drive home on 2-lane roads through small towns,
30mph limits, lights, slow drivers, etc. The *problem* was that I very
uncertain as to how to get to the Thruway (and I did figure it out on my own
by following signs to a bridge I had crossed coming the other way - without
those signs I'd have been in deep doo-doo), and it was nighttime. I'll try
Ed's method of "view map" before I head out. I should have thought of that
when I was feeling lost, but no... didn't occur to me. In the meantime, for
the next time I make this trip, I've created and saved a specific waypoint
that is near a northbound Thruway exit. It should force Jill to take me
there. BTW, I'm using a 350.
Gosh, remember when we navigated using printed road maps? Worked every time!
DaveG
> Gosh, remember when we navigated using printed road maps? Worked every
> time!
Yes I do. And no, it didn't, not *every* time :-)
Printed maps are as more or more so out of data than satnav maps.
Pulling over to check the map in a busy city was more of a PITA than
satnav giving a direction you know to be inconvenient or wrong ;-)
Howard Lester
> Even easier, it to just use the "view map" mode since you know the way
> anyway. Have it programmed to your destination and push that when you get
> to the point where you really do want to follow the instructions.
Holy crap! Thanks to this suggestion, Ed, and wondering if I could... I
discovered that I can "Show Map," tap the desired destination on it, press
GO, and it'll take me there, even if I have no idea what it is. As an
example, sitting here "in the comfort of my own home" I pressed "Show Map,"
found a random spot along US 7 in Vermont, tapped it, pressed GO, and the
routing began. I had no idea I could do this! After 2+ years owning it....
*sigh*
Mike Lane
>> What you can't
>> do is to alter this route if you would prefer to go a different way;
>
> Yes, you can; all you have to do is start going the other way, and it
> will recalculate.
Yes of course you can, but that presupposes that you are already familiar
enough with the route you want to travel so that you can ignore the satnav
directions and go the route you want. If that's the case you probably don't
really need the satnav in the first place.
I use it mainly when planning quite long trips covering several hundred miles
per day. I like to spend several days beforehand planning routes using paper
maps and guide books so that I can avoid the boring main roads and cities as
well as hazards like unmade dirt roads, cart tracks, fords and so on.
Peter H. Coffin
> Sometimes, though, Jill keeps trying to get me to make a U-turn to
> go HER way until I've gotten far enough toward my preferred route.
> Then she finally gives up and takes me how I want to go -- and then
> may try a few more shenanigans along the way, like taking an early
> Thruway exit to go her way rather than mine. So I still have to remain
> vigilant, which is what we need to do anyway. Otherwise I might wander
> off onto some logging road, and.... At least now I know the correct
> Thruway exit number when I go that way again.
Dude, you're the human. You're in charge. Don't let SkyNet win.
--
Progress (n.): The process through which Usenet has evolved from
smart people in front of dumb terminals to dumb people in front
of smart terminals.
-- o...@burnout.demon.co.uk
Peter H. Coffin
> Gosh, remember when we navigated using printed road maps? Worked every time!
Really? You've forgotten how much fun it was to FIND where you were,
while sitting in the dark with the dome light on, trying to remember how
long you'd been driving on Hwy 50 after Hooterville when you made the
turn onto something that was LIKE "Peachtree Road" but wasn't, and so
far you've found "Peach Tree Road" and "Peachtree Valley Road" but neither
connects up to something that intersects either of "Old 17" and "Valley
View Road" the intersection of which you're currently at. But, wait,
there's a Valley View LANE listed on the map, so it's time to get out of
the car into the rain and go look closely at the sign again. My GOD but
you wish you had a map that could tell you where you are, even if the
labels don't match up to the roadsigns....
Mike Lane
> On Fri, 1 Jan 2010 11:48:00 -0500, Howard Lester wrote:
>> Gosh, remember when we navigated using printed road maps? Worked every
>> time!
>
> Really? You've forgotten how much fun it was to FIND where you were,
> while sitting in the dark with the dome light on, trying to remember how
> long you'd been driving on Hwy 50 after Hooterville when you made the
> turn onto something that was LIKE "Peachtree Road" but wasn't, and so
> far you've found "Peach Tree Road" and "Peachtree Valley Road" but neither
> connects up to something that intersects either of "Old 17" and "Valley
> View Road" the intersection of which you're currently at. But, wait,
> there's a Valley View LANE listed on the map, so it's time to get out of
> the car into the rain and go look closely at the sign again. My GOD but
> you wish you had a map that could tell you where you are, even if the
> labels don't match up to the roadsigns....
>
>
Precisely. People talk about not being able to read maps. That's never the
problem - it's finding exactly WHERE you are on it that's the difficult bit.
ps56k
and it shows me different roads and ways to get there,
or where I start by going "my way",
and let it "re-calc' and see what it offers as an alternative.
Every once and awhile it does make me go in a circle,
or take a very strange turn.... to get across the street.
Howard Lester
>> Gosh, remember when we navigated using printed road maps? Worked every
>> time!
> Really? You've forgotten how much fun it was to FIND where you were,
> while sitting in the dark with the dome light on, trying to remember how
> long you'd been driving on Hwy 50 after Hooterville
Vermont has a "Podunk," and Arkansas has a "Gooberville."
I think these GPS's are marvelous tools, and it's great to be able to see
just where I am (geographically) if I need to. You're right, Peter, the
feeling of being lost can be very disconcerting -- especially at night.
I wonder, too, if highways nowadays have fewer signs. I just never had a
problem (that I can recall!) getting around or driving cross-country using
maps and road signs. Truth be told, I cannot remember how I found my way in
and around a new big city way back when. Whatever I did, I had few if any
troubles. Anymore I'd feel "lost" without a GPS.
Lee B
DaveG wrote:
> On Fri, 01 Jan 2010 12:10:50 +0000, Mike Lane wrote:
>
>> More advanced units such as the Nuvi 760 will allow you to plan your own
>> routes using via points, and then save the route for later use if you
>> wish.
>
> It's worth mentioning that the 255 does allow one via point, which may be
> all the OP needs.
>
need at this juncture, since I wasn't even searching for a gps. It was
given to me by my brother who was sure this is what his sister needs. Up
'til now I've been using Mapquest most of the time, which has has worked
well, although it has been known to try to route me through non-through
streets, LOL.
Actually he started off giving me a 205 which he'd picked up at a good
price. All of my online friends had been saying how great the text to
speech thing was, and since I mostly drive alone I thought that was
worthwhile and paid him the small difference to upgrade to that. As most
of my driving is to work and other known locations, I doubt I'd need the
more advanced features... or I can at least live w/o them for now.
Oh, one final question. I drive a Hyundai Santa Fe, and am looking for
mounting suggestions. The standard windshield mount won't work for me
because I'm short and can't reach it mounted there. (Past experience
with an XM radio). I'm considering either a vent mount or maybe trying
one of those friction mounts. Do they really work? The part of my dash
that I can reach is slanted. I really don't want to have two extra long
suction mounts dangling over the dash!
So it sounds like I should open the box and at least see what comes with
it (like the usb cable!). I'll be back once I've discovered more
questions. Thanks for the input!
DaveG
> I wonder, too, if highways nowadays have fewer signs. I just never had a
> problem (that I can recall!) getting around or driving cross-country
> using maps and road signs. Truth be told, I cannot remember how I found
> my way in and around a new big city way back when. Whatever I did, I had
> few if any troubles. Anymore I'd feel "lost" without a GPS.
Despite what I and others said about the "old" days of paper maps, what I
find different due to the use a satnav is the lack of a spatial awareness
of where I am when in a part of the country or a city I've not been to
before. With a good sense of direction and an overview of the area your
are in, you can at least be fairly sure of heading in the right direction.
syoung
Regardless of where I am, I always make a mental note of bearings before
I go into a building. Quite often in conversation, locations are brought
up casually. It becomes easier to orient yourself to a location &
therefore route yourself mentally before you even think about using a
GPS device.
Mike Lane
> Oh, one final question. I drive a Hyundai Santa Fe, and am looking for
> mounting suggestions. The standard windshield mount won't work for me
> because I'm short and can't reach it mounted there. (Past experience
> with an XM radio). I'm considering either a vent mount or maybe trying
> one of those friction mounts. Do they really work?
Windscreen suction cups always seem to fail eventually. Friction mounts of
this kind work really well:
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=63953
I wouldn't use anything else.
Bob Martin
>On Fri, 01 Jan 2010 12:10:50 +0000, Mike Lane wrote:
>
>> More advanced units such as the Nuvi 760 will allow you to plan your own
>> routes using via points, and then save the route for later use if you
>> wish.
>
>It's worth mentioning that the 255 does allow one via point, which may be
>all the OP needs.
I've got the 250, which is similar, and I can set as many via points as I like,
within reason.
- Bobb -
"Lee B" <not_my_r...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:hhljvs$ph3$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
> Oh, one final question. I drive a Hyundai Santa Fe, and am looking for
> mounting suggestions. The standard windshield mount won't work for me
> because I'm short and can't reach it mounted there. (Past experience with
> an XM radio). I'm considering either a vent mount or maybe trying one of
> those friction mounts. Do they really work? The part of my dash that I can
> reach is slanted. I really don't want to have two extra long suction
> mounts dangling over the dash!
If you have an extra drawer/drop-down tray this might work for you.
... in my Toyota there are a few compartments that I don't use ( for glasses
?, coins?) and I propped my nuvi in a few to see if a handy spot for me to
view while driving ( no glare , not out of sight line etc). Two would work
fine, so what I did : at hardware store pick up a few strips of Velcro ,
then [remove the mounting holder so just the nuvi in hand:] I applied a few
Velcro strips to top and bottom edge . ( leave a spot blank in middle for
the holder clip if occasionally desired.)
For the ashtray type setting:
Along the bottom of tray - stick the other half of the Velcro, facing up.
Along the top the other half - facing you. So if I don't want the dash
mount, I can sit the nuvi on the front edge and "lean" it back into the
space - works great. I use this especially on a long trip ( like NY- FLA ).
I only need to know the "big turn-offs" and for hundreds of miles don't need
it at all.
For the drop down shelf/tray: ( "furry part" of the Velcro still on Nuvi -
stays on mine all the time)
I put the "hook" part of the Velcro on the top inside edge of the door. and
a bit " wherever it needs to be for best sight".
Lower the shelf - stick the bottom and lean back into top Velcro.
Works great for me and easy to install/remove. Even in cold weather the
Velcro hasn't let go.
Mike Lane
Do you mean 'via points' or 'waypoints'?
You can set up to 500 waypoints on the Nuvi 2** series, but what you can't do
(AFAIK) is to plot a route which includes several waypoints.
Via points are different. They are points associated with a particular route
which define it's path.
benjammin
They are a bit pricey but they are non-destructive and easy to install
and remove. I combine the ProClip mount (aka Brodit) with a Garmin ball
mount similar to the APGN-VSM ball mount at
www.semsons.com/ganuvsm4hoam.html to mount my Nuvi 650 (some drilling
and four screws required, as I recall).
Since my Subaru WRX is a bit noisy and I like driving with windows down
and the moonroof open when weather permits, I've supplemented the weak
Garmin internal speaker with an inexpensive 12v amplifier typically
sold for about $10 on eBay as "Mini Hi-Fi Steroe Amplifier Amp mp3 iPod
Motorcycle 12V" and an old Nokia car mount cell phone speaker.
The amplifier and speaker are mounted on a piece of a small Masonite
which slides under the driver seat (controls on the amp face the front
of the car so they can be adjusted while driving). I use a Mr. Bracket
8944 12V car cigarette lighter adapter to power the GPS and amplifier
leaving the third 12v outlet for my iPod.
It's a tasteful and effective installation with most of the "moving
parts" concealed. The GPS goes in my center console storage with the
iPod when not in use so as not to present a temptation in parking lots,
etc.
Mike Coon
> Do you mean 'via points' or 'waypoints'?
>
> You can set up to 500 waypoints on the Nuvi 2** series, but what you
> can't do (AFAIK) is to plot a route which includes several waypoints.
>
> Via points are different. They are points associated with a
> particular route which define it's path.
That seems an unnecesary distinction. My sister and I spent some time
working out how to set up and use "via" points on her StreetPilot C510. They
could be selected from the same lists of destinations (or from the map) as
destinations can. What the manual did not include was a way of remembering a
sequence of places or of reversing the sequence to get home again.
(I only have ancient non-mapping Garmins which include multiple waypoints
and routes.)
Mike.
--
If reply address is invalid, remove spurious "@" and substitute "plus"
where needed.
Sunshine
<mike.lan...@ntlworld.co.uk> wrote:
>Do you mean 'via points' or 'waypoints'?
>
>You can set up to 500 waypoints on the Nuvi 2** series, but what you can't do
>(AFAIK) is to plot a route which includes several waypoints.
>
>Via points are different. They are points associated with a particular route
>which define it's path.
I used to think that via points and waypoints were essentially the
same thing, but now I'm just confused.
Mike Lane
> Mike Lane wrote:
>> Do you mean 'via points' or 'waypoints'?
>>
>> You can set up to 500 waypoints on the Nuvi 2** series, but what you
>> can't do (AFAIK) is to plot a route which includes several waypoints.
>>
>> Via points are different. They are points associated with a
>> particular route which define it's path.
>
> That seems an unnecesary distinction. My sister and I spent some time
> working out how to set up and use "via" points on her StreetPilot C510. They
> could be selected from the same lists of destinations (or from the map) as
> destinations can.
I thought the same at first but I think I can see the reasons for the
distinction now. The point is, I think, that via points have no importance
except for marking a route. They are often arbitrary points on some road that
only have the purpose of marking the path of the route. If you delete the
route, all its via points are also deleted.
Waypoints on the other hand mark places that you want to record more
permanently for some reason. These are stored and organized quite separately
from any routes.
> What the manual did not include was a way of remembering a
> sequence of places or of reversing the sequence to get home again.
>
Yes I agree. Garmin don't seem to provide an easy way of reversing a route on
most units. Garmin's RoadTrip application for the Mac will do it and I
suppose MapSource will as well, but one doesn't always have a computer to
hand.
Actually their is a roundabout way of reversing a route on my StreetPilot
which I imagine would work on other units that do routing. All you have to do
is to edit the route and move the start point down and destination point up
so that they are reversed. You can then auto-arrange the intermediate via
points and recalculate the result.
Sunshine
<mike.lan...@ntlworld.co.uk> wrote:
>Mike Coon wrote on Jan 2, 2010:
>
>> Mike Lane wrote:
>>> Do you mean 'via points' or 'waypoints'?
>>>
>>> You can set up to 500 waypoints on the Nuvi 2** series, but what you
>>> can't do (AFAIK) is to plot a route which includes several waypoints.
>>>
>>> Via points are different. They are points associated with a
>>> particular route which define it's path.
>>
>> That seems an unnecesary distinction. My sister and I spent some time
>> working out how to set up and use "via" points on her StreetPilot C510. They
>> could be selected from the same lists of destinations (or from the map) as
>> destinations can.
>
>I thought the same at first but I think I can see the reasons for the
>distinction now. The point is, I think, that via points have no importance
>except for marking a route. They are often arbitrary points on some road that
>only have the purpose of marking the path of the route. If you delete the
>route, all its via points are also deleted.
>
>Waypoints on the other hand mark places that you want to record more
>permanently for some reason. These are stored and organized quite separately
>from any routes.
To put that into Nuvi-speak, when you build a route and add
intermediate points taken from your Favorites, Nuvi calls those Via
Points, but you would call them Waypoints because they are not
arbitrary points used to mark the path, they are actual places that
happen to be along the way.
No wonder I was confused, even Garmin uses the terms interchangeably.
Mike Lane
So if I understand you correctly, Nuvis have essentially done away with via
points altogether, and now you have to use permanently stored waypoints (AKA
Favorites) to define your routes? If so it's yet another retrograde step in
the design of the Nuvi (and another reason for me to keep my StreetPilot).
On the StreetPilot I can store up to 50 routes, each of which can take 20 or
more via points to define, which could make a total of over 1000 via points
altogether. On the StreetPilot though it's no problem, as the via points are
separate from waypoints, and not necessarily kept permanently - only as long
as the routes they are associated with.
I can see now why they restrict the Nuvis to a maximum of 10 routes.
Peter H. Coffin
> Oh, one final question. I drive a Hyundai Santa Fe, and am looking for
> mounting suggestions. The standard windshield mount won't work for me
> because I'm short and can't reach it mounted there. (Past experience
> with an XM radio). I'm considering either a vent mount or maybe trying
> one of those friction mounts. Do they really work? The part of my dash
> that I can reach is slanted. I really don't want to have two extra long
> suction mounts dangling over the dash!
Friction mount will work, especially the Garmin "bean bag" mount. I've
had that on a dash with up to about a 15� slope with no particular issue.
--
When C++ is your hammer, everything looks like a thumb.
-- Steven M. Haflich
Sunshine
<mike.lan...@ntlworld.co.uk> wrote:
No, you don't have to use Favorites, but you can, and Garmin calls
them via points rather than waypoints when you use them to build a
route. You can also tap random points on the map and sort of build a
route that way, and those are via points, too. What I'm saying is,
there is nothing called a waypoint that I have seen anywhere. Keep in
mind I only build routes on the Nuvi itself, I don't mess around with
Mapsource or anything like that.
>On the StreetPilot I can store up to 50 routes, each of which can take 20 or
>more via points to define, which could make a total of over 1000 via points
>altogether. On the StreetPilot though it's no problem, as the via points are
>separate from waypoints, and not necessarily kept permanently - only as long
>as the routes they are associated with.
>
>I can see now why they restrict the Nuvis to a maximum of 10 routes.
I think I have 2 routes currently defined, but only because I forgot
to delete them. So far the 10 route limit hasn't been a problem.
Mike Lane
I see - so that's like the StreetPilot (and Mapsource, RoadTrip etc). You can
actually use anything as a via point in these - an address, POI, favorite or,
as you say, an arbitrary point on the map. If the via point not stored
anywhere else it will be deleted with the route.
OK, so all they've really done is to change the term 'waypoint' to
'Favorite'. I suppose they thought that 'waypoint' sounded too technical and
frightening for the dumb masses.
That's not so bad then.
Sunshine
I think that's a good summary, thanks.
Peter H. Coffin
> OK, so all they've really done is to change the term 'waypoint' to
> 'Favorite'. I suppose they thought that 'waypoint' sounded too technical and
> frightening for the dumb masses.
>
> That's not so bad then.
I think they figured it would be too easily confused with "via point".
(;
--
A *huge* proportion of people cannot make *correct and accurate*
generalisations of principles. They have to learn everything as if
it's an unrelated piece of crap, BECAUSE THEY ARE STUPID! PEOPLE ARE
STUPID! -- Thorfinn in the Monastery
Gene E. Bloch
I like this mount:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/yfet7m2
I use it with this sometimes:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/yfjqhmm
--
Gene Bloch 650.366.4267 lettersatblochg.com