REQ - Car nav system?

tallaghtdave

what's the cheapest decent car nav system?

optiplexgx270

I'm on the lookout too Make sure it has Navteq maps is what ive found so far as they have 100% Irish coverage in version 8.

Found this seems good value anyone have any opionions on it good or bad? http://www.laptopsdirect.ie/Garmin_NUVI_300_010-00455-01/version.asp

tallaghtdave

hmmmmm, looks good.

this any use? - http://cgi.ebay.ie/BRAND-NEW-NAVMAN-ICN-510-SAT-NAV-GPS-SYSTEM_W0QQitemZ9718281042QQcategoryZ75327QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

optiplexgx270

They are meant to be good outside Ireland but as you can see here not recomended in Ireland if you plan on venturing outside Dublin / large cities:
http://www.satnav4hire.com/manuf.asp?x=Navman

Also if going for it i'd recomend getting a repak off Navman's site: http://www.navmanstores.com/eu/product_details.php?category=Navman+GPS&id=179

tallaghtdave

optiplexgx270 wrote:

I'm on the lookout too Make sure it has Navteq maps is what ive found so far as they have 100% Irish coverage in version 8.

Found this seems good value anyone have any opionions on it good or bad? http://www.laptopsdirect.ie/Garmin_NUVI_300_010-00455-01/version.asp

this one looks the best so far, would you pay that money for it tough?

optiplexgx270

Thats what ive been asking myself... i believe this is basically the same: http://www.laptopsdirect.ie/Garmin_Street_Pilot_C310_010-00401-31/version.asp - some of the organiser features and looks. Anyways see what people have to say tomorrow on the matter as i say i've just started looking around too.

tallaghtdave

it's my birthday on Wednesday, if i get the money up i'll treat myself to the Garmin NUVI 300 ... does that have the Navteq maps included or would i have to get that separate?

thanks optiplexgx270

zuutroy

tallaghtdave wrote:

hmmmmm, looks good.

this any use? - http://cgi.ebay.ie/BRAND-NEW-NAVMAN-ICN-510-SAT-NAV-GPS-SYSTEM_W0QQitemZ9718281042QQcategoryZ75327QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I think they can be got re-furbished direct from the navman website for €250

Tony

anybody know when the new Irish navteq map will be available?

gibbon75

I bought this one a month ago,and I like it so far.

http://www.digiuk.com/productdetail.asp?id=6009

Comes with Destinator software (uses Navteq maps)

deadl0ck

Beware - the Irish maps are totally crap on all of these. They are Pretty good for the cities like Dublin, but after that, forget about it.
I've heard that the Ordinance Survey office won't realease the Ireland maps to GPS software producers.

optiplexgx270

deadl0ck wrote:

Beware - the Irish maps are totally crap on all of these. They are Pretty good for the cities like Dublin, but after that, forget about it.
I've heard that the Ordinance Survey office won't realease the Ireland maps to GPS software producers.

This isnt true at all with navteq mapping they now have 100% of the irish roads in their latest SW version 8 i believe.

optiplexgx270

tallaghtdave wrote:

it's my birthday on Wednesday, if i get the money up i'll treat myself to the Garmin NUVI 300 ... does that have the Navteq maps included or would i have to get that separate?

thanks optiplexgx270

The 300 includes UK/Ireland 350 has all of Europe.

Tony

optiplexgx270 wrote:

This isnt true at all with navteq mapping they now have 100% of the irish roads in their latest SW version 8 i believe.

any idea where version 8 can be bought?

optiplexgx270

coverage:
http://www.garmin.com/cgi-bin/mapgen/webmap.cgi?p=9371649&l=0&u=1&v=0&cp=717DB6D4AF229878&z=19&w=480&h=360&d=0&k=1&sc=1&rz=-2&smap.x=248&smap.y=178

if using mapsource update DVD can be gotten off garmin ~75€

Tony

optiplexgx270 wrote:

coverage:
http://www.garmin.com/cgi-bin/mapgen/webmap.cgi?p=9371649&l=0&u=1&v=0&cp=717DB6D4AF229878&z=19&w=480&h=360&d=0&k=1&sc=1&rz=-2&smap.x=248&smap.y=178

if using mapsource update DVD can be gotten off garmin ~75€

Thanks

deadl0ck

This isnt true at all with navteq mapping they now have 100% of the irish roads in their latest SW version 8 i believe.

Really ?? Can anyone verify this ?
I'd be very interested myself if that's the case

optiplexgx270

Sources:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=51296965#post51296965
and
http://www.satnav.ie/contentv3/index.cfm?fuseaction=page&pageID=483

Tony

this site http://www.gpsireland.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=35
says sept 2006

optiplexgx270

Doh its version 9 for garmin version 8 seems quite good prob cost ~ 80 quid to upgrade in sept. If using pda based SW you could always get AA Navigator on the same page.

Tony

Thanks for the tip, I have a garmin Ique so I'll check compatibility

deadl0ck

Hmmm....
Coverage is pretty terrible on that Garmin Link - here's where I originally come from :

http://www.garmin.com/cgi-bin/mapgen/webmap.cgi?p=9371649&l=0&u=1&v=0&cp=72431329AEC36495&z=20&x=240&y=90&w=480&h=360&d=0&rz=0&k=1&sc=1

eorpach

tallaghtdave,

All the options suggested so far are a little on the expensive side. Check out the following if you're interested in getting a very good SatNav unit for under €200 - its what I bought after researching the same issue about 6 weeks ago (which comes up regularly in the Rec -> Motors -> Motors forum on this site):

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054905248

and http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054920570

The unit I bought is a Garmin Streepilot i3, which I'm more than happy with it. Its currently sold with Version 8 software which has comprehensive mapping of Dublin and all the main roads around Ireland. I bought it at Halfords - as far as I know they will accompany on a test drive with the unit if you request them to. I understand Garmin will release an update (costing money) containing a 100% Irish mapping sometime this autumn.

To clarify conflicting opinions on the current state of GPS mapping in Ireland, check out the following news feature from Radio Telefís Éireann:
http://dynamic.rte.ie/av/228-2127229.smil

They appear to be slightly inaccurate in the report about a few things, including which software to purchase, though the following is taken from the www.gpsireland.ie website which provides a good summary of the current situation:

Ireland is en route to better mapping
22nd March 2006 (Updated 14th April 2006)
GPS IRELAND, Ireland’s leading GPS consultancy firm, has confirmed today that Irish motorists are to benefit from 100% road coverage mapping - the most detailed mapping yet available for Ireland. NAVTEQ, a world leader in premium-quality digital map data who are already providing Irish mapping will release new detail which will have 100% coverage of all Public Roads in Ireland on 27th of March next. This is hugely significant as all minor roads and housing estates in the country (even outside cities) will be included.

At last, Ireland will finally have the standard of mapping that is enjoyed by all our European neighbours. With 100% road coverage, SatNav systems will for the first time become more utilised by logistics and delivery companies as well as private users.


According to Gary Delaney, GPS Consultant with GPS IRELAND, “This is a very significant step forward for Ireland contributing to more efficient use of our road systems. However, there is still no statutory support by the Government to ensure that any changes Government agencies make to road layouts - speeds or 1 way systems - are passed to NAVTEQ. It will therefore be necessary for Navteq to resurvey on a regular basis to find out if our road layouts have changed.” To support NAVTEQ, GPS IRELAND through its GPS forum (http://forums.gpsireland.ie) is encouraging road users to log changes identified to our roads. These changes will be forwarded to NAVTEQ to help them keep their records up to date.

In addition, Gary Delaney adds that “It will take some time for the new data to get into all Navteq Licenesd products. AA Navigator will be the first with the new 100% Mapping and will be available from GPS Ireland from around 24th April 2006. See More details> It is difficult to get confirmed dates from other manufactuers but it has been confirmed that Garmin will release the new data in Mapsource Products through Version 9 in September and Navigon will release the data in Mobile Navigator 6 around the same time”.

Anyone thinking of investing in a SatNav systems should be aware that it is only products with NAVTEQ map detail that are of any immediate value for SatNav Systems in Ireland, even without the new data, they already have down to regional, "R" routes, detail for Irish Roads.
GPS Ireland has been informed by TeleAtlas, Navteq's main competitor, that they will have 100% fully attributed data for Irish roads, useable for routing in SatNav systems, by December 2006. How this data is been acquired has not been revealed by TeleAtlas, unlike Navteq who have had a well publicised data capture campaign in Ireland for the past two years. It is not, as yet, known when the new TeleAtlas data will be produced in TelaAtlas licensed products (such as TomTom or Navman) but any definitive information from these organisations would be appreciated and it will be published here.
In the meantime GPS Ireland will keep Irish SatNav users up to date through these pages. Those wishing to use SatNav for business driving or fleet management, then Garmin products should be considered as these solutions are one of the very few which allow the user to run the mapping on an office PC as well as on the SatNav devices. This allows customer locations and details to be maintained on the desktop mapping and daily/weekly/monthly routes organised and managed before loading to the SatNav hardware.

Source: http://www.gpsireland.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=43&Itemid=2

Hope this povides clarification and assists you in making a decision!

Regards,

eorpach

hshortt

Halfords have a pretty good range of devices that are worth checking, the least expensive is a PocketPC with GPS built in for 255 Euro. This is good if you consider the extra functions of the PDA. I don't know about the maps though.

There are also other options too, I've a PocketPC phone edition that I use with a Bluetooth GPS device. I can run different software and choose the one I like best, I've tried Mapopolis, Destinator, Navigon, Tom Tom and PrymeNav. They also use similar maps that are all outdated somewhat, again updates are offered semi-regularly. One thing that is so far unique to a multi-function device is the ability to get real time traffic reports. This is generally a subscription service that updates via GPRS to the device. Not cheap but handy sometimes.

Being honest though, I don't really need to use the mapping features often and that's what holds me off buying a dedicated device.

I have a really good bit of software called GPS Speed Sentry LE, it was free on a magazine some time ago, this allows you to set up speed zones of your choice (50, 60, 80) etc and then move between the zones by tapping the screen, a really annoying alarm goes off if you go over the speed. It displays the speed in big easy-to-see digits and also tracks altitude, elapsed speed, etc etc. I find that I use this more than the mapping programs.

For Taxi drivers GPS should be mandatory! (Unless you get a good Irish 30+ driver who knows everything, not just the directions )

Cheerio
Howard

shaneos

In today's Irish times:


Ireland to join satnav alliance

After years of waiting, all of Ireland's highways and byways have been digitally mapped. Paddy Comyn reports on what's up ahead

Ireland is, apparently, on the brink of another revolution. Something that could see the end of arguments, missed appointments, frayed nerves and an outbreak of peace and tranquillity between couples in cars. Finally, Satellite Navigation systems that map the entire island have arrived.

Digital map data provider Navteq announced last month that they had extended its coverage of the Republic of Ireland's road network to include all public roads. And according to Gary Delaney, a GPS Consultant at Cork-based GPS Ireland, this will be welcome news to Ireland's business community.............

the rest is at
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/motoring/2006/0503/53726137MOT03SATNAV.html

parsi

Ireland is en route to better mapping
22nd March 2006 (Updated 14th April 2006)
GPS IRELAND,


According to Gary Delaney, GPS Consultant with GPS IRELAND, “This is a very significant step forward for Ireland contributing to more efficient use of our road systems. However, there is still no statutory support by the Government to ensure that any changes Government agencies make to road layouts - speeds or 1 way systems - are passed to NAVTEQ. It will therefore be necessary for Navteq to resurvey on a regular basis to find out if our road layouts have changed.” .

Source: http://www.gpsireland.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=43&Itemid=2

So the taxpayer should pay for a private company to get mapping updates that they can then sell on for a fairly hefty fee ? Maybe Navteq might offer a discount for Irish taxpayers ?

I went onto that crowds forums and one of the things people were moaning about is that the lack of mapping is affecting foreign drivers because they don't know what bad bends are coming next !

(from gpsireland forum) We have now realised in today's papers that a large number of foreign nationals are dying on our roads. Many Foreign National are members of this forum because they have been desperately looking for SatNav systems to guide them efficiently and safely around this country for quite some time now.

So the poor guy who comes over to Ireland from Poland to make money is going to spend loads of it on a satnav ? yeah. right.

We do have warnings of bends - signs .


Edit: to tidy up quotes...