7 inch screen GPS on Ebay----> to good to be true?
Pete D
Just how good or bad are they?
Cheers.
Pete
Who Me?
"Pete D" <n...@email.com> wrote
> Is there a down side with these units?
>
What units?
Brand?
Model number?
Link?
Something......besides just Ebay.......please?
John Tserkezis
> Is there a down side with these units?
> Just how good or bad are they?
If these are the el-cheapo Chinese units, only one thing to say. You get
what you pay for.
They're hackable to some extent, and you had better do that, because don't
even get any hint of an idea that you're going to see updates, support or
anything else for it - you're going to be disappointed in that area otherwise.
--
Linux Registered User # 302622
<http://counter.li.org>
Pete D
"John Tserkezis" <j...@techniciansyndrome.org.invalid> wrote in message
news:47fd5984$0$16837$afc3...@news.optusnet.com.au...
> Pete D wrote:
>
>> Is there a down side with these units?
>> Just how good or bad are they?
>
> If these are the el-cheapo Chinese units, only one thing to say. You get
> what you pay for.
Yes that is what they are, there seems to be several types. Of course even
with the brand names you get what you pay for and support is not always
there.
> They're hackable to some extent, and you had better do that, because
> don't even get any hint of an idea that you're going to see updates,
> support or anything else for it - you're going to be disappointed in that
> area otherwise.
This of course goes without saying of course but I was hoping that there was
someone at least that had had a play with one. They at least interesting for
the price and the buig screen is still attractive.
Cheers.
Pete
Pete D
"Who Me?" <hitch...@dont.panic> wrote in message
news:sFbLj.546$7Z2...@newssvr12.news.prodigy.net...
There are a few different types.
John Tserkezis
> This of course goes without saying of course but I was hoping that there was
> someone at least that had had a play with one. They at least interesting for
> the price and the buig screen is still attractive.
Seen at least a couple of people playing with them in the Oziexplorer Yahoo
Groups mailing list. They had done a fair bit of work in working out what
goes where to make them work with Oziexplorer CE, and any extra utilities
required to do the rest of the job.
They're basically cut-down Windows CE boxes, with nothing in the way of
built-in utilities. The supplied route66 software pretty much handled all of
the user interface itself.
TVNAV.com
GARMIN. I have no doubt you'll be much happier in the end.
--
Darrel Goheen
G...@tvnav.com
http://www.tvnav.com
"Pete D" <n...@email.com> wrote in message
news:47fdb835$0$13268$5a62...@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
Pete D
"John Tserkezis" <j...@techniciansyndrome.org.invalid> wrote in message
Thanks appreiate the response.
Pete D
"TVNAV.com" <G...@tvnav.com> wrote in message
news:j8mdnS0qoMBSjWLa...@news.ruraltel.net...
> I'd suggest putting the money that you'd waste on one of those toward a
> GARMIN. I have no doubt you'll be much happier in the end.
I already have a Magellan 600 with local topo maps, very happy with this
setup but was looking for something to give a slightly wider view taht was
easy to read while driving, just for main roads type of thing.
Hans-Georg Michna
> I'd suggest putting the money that you'd waste on one of those toward a
>GARMIN. I have no doubt you'll be much happier in the end.
Darrell,
I wouldn't be so sure. I've been using Garmin devices for ages,
but my wife recently bought one of those PDA-based navigators.
She's quite happy with it, and I've also used it successfully.
It has a range of interesting functions, among them showing its
tracks in Google Earth, like Garmin's MapSource does.
Most incredulous I was about its ability to accept spoken
addresses. I've tested this function, only to find that it works
well. I would have lost a bet on this. I fear that Garmin can't
match that.
Hans-Georg
--
No mail, please.
TVNAV.com
--
Darrel Goheen
G...@tvnav.com
http://www.tvnav.com
"Pete D" <n...@email.com> wrote in message
news:47ff4c2c$0$1214$5a62...@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
WhiteStarLine
I bought one of those a few months back - an unbadged 'Mesada' unit
with Route 66 and Australian maps. Cost me $AUD230 on ebay (around
$US215).
So far it has been very reliable and I rely on its navigation
software.
* The large screen is simply fantastic and I would not want to go back
to a smaller screen unit, ever.
* I've found good coverage of my city and a number of small country
towns I've visited.
* The inbuilt FM transmitter is very clear, or you can use the onboard
speaker.
* The unit can be removed from the cradle and hidden out of sight in
under a second.
* It uses the SiRF III chipset and the patch antenna is quite
adequate. You can plug in an external MMCX antenna but I haven't
needed to do this.
It also has input for an external rear-vision video camera, a USB
input and it plays video and MP3. The mounting kit is good and it
comes with both cigarette lighter power and AC.
There is no user-accessible operating system, but I trawled the
OziExplorer usergroup for instructions on how to run OziExplorer on it
together with other utilities.
Note that there appear to be no map updates with Route 66, but the
price I paid is the same as the annual subscription of some of the
more expensive units anyway.
Downsides?
* In bright sunlight, I have trouble seeing the screen so I need to
put some form of shading around it. With cloud or at night it is very
easy to see. It is no worse than the PDA units I have previously used.
* There is no battery and when I switch on the ignition, the unit
powers down (to avoid over-cranking voltage). Therefore I cannot plan
a route before switching on the ignition, unless I save it as a
Favourite each time.
* The windscreen shield mount is vibration free, even though the unit
is quite heavy. However, I am thinking of a more permanent mount, with
some shielding from sunglare.
Here's a generic link that itself links to sites that give more detail
on these units:
http://www.austech.info/gps/226-cheap-gps-lost-thread.html.
Or Google "mesada gps unit".
Pete D
"TVNAV.com" <G...@tvnav.com> wrote in message
news:PMWdnVHNodFBrZzV...@news.ruraltel.net...
Pete D
"TVNAV.com" <G...@tvnav.com> wrote in message
news:PMWdnVHNodFBrZzV...@news.ruraltel.net...
Pete D
"WhiteStarLine" <bill...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:4ce664da-cc14-4e33...@r9g2000prd.googlegroups.com...
Thanks very much for the info, just what I was looking for.
Cheers.
Pete
Pete D
"Hans-Georg Michna" <hans-georgN...@michna.com> wrote in message
news:e28vv3h61ev36nq96...@4ax.com...
Does it do voice prompts for turns from the device?
Hans-Georg Michna
>"Hans-Georg Michna" <hans-georgN...@michna.com> wrote in message
>news:e28vv3h61ev36nq96...@4ax.com...
>> I wouldn't be so sure. I've been using Garmin devices for ages,
>> but my wife recently bought one of those PDA-based navigators.
>>
>> She's quite happy with it, and I've also used it successfully.
>> It has a range of interesting functions, among them showing its
>> tracks in Google Earth, like Garmin's MapSource does.
>>
>> Most incredulous I was about its ability to accept spoken
>> addresses. I've tested this function, only to find that it works
>> well. I would have lost a bet on this. I fear that Garmin can't
>> match that.
>Does it do voice prompts for turns from the device?
Yes, it does. The voice is femal and very good to understand.
Dave Gerecke
No worries with it.
I have mounted it with some velcro and it works really well.
I have the same problem with sunlight and have considered a suncreen
for it.
dave
Geo
wrote:
>I have the same problem with sunlight and have considered a suncreen
>for it.
You need factor 50.
Geo
Dave Gerecke
<9w0b...@disposable.spamcon.org> wrote:
Snork
Now I need a new keyboard
dave