GPS Systems

[amledford]

Anyone out here installed a GPS system in their vette?
I've got a Garmin ColorMap, which I've hooked up last year, and now I'm thinking of getting a tablet PC and using StreetAtlas. This requires getting a PC holder. I'm looking at the Jotto PC gizmo for the computer. Anybody already gone down this road?

 

[CSDMagred01]

Although I haven't done this I am considering it. I saw on another forum a guy's install of a Panasonic system inplace of the radio. He took out the ashtray and dropped the HVAC. Looked very nice.

 

[c4c5specialist]

HI there,
This may not help you, however, there is something that might work.
When I do drivability diagnosis, I need a scan tool or laptop.
I contacted a police supply company, and I dont remember the name, DAMN.
They sold me a platform that holds a Tablet or Laptop. I then mount it to the inner front passenger seat mounting bolt, underneath the seat. It has a flexible base and will support up to 10 lbs without sagging down under vibration.
It works well, and holds the seat, and computer in place.
Allthebest, c4c5

 

[amledford]

Hey c4c5...

I'll have to check the passenger seat bracket. Maybe that might be a better location to attach a bracket, rather than drilling holes in the transmission tunnel.

I haven't gone out to the car for awhile, since it's bitterly cold, but I'll have to check that seat bracketry out.

Mikey

 

[amledford]

c4c5


BTW, what kind of tech seminar(s) are you going to put on? I have my hotel reservations for the Cruise-Fest.

I am going because of the tech seminars...

Mikey

 

[mbwalker]

I've done this...spent a TON of time researching it (and making some mistakes) and I'm completely happy with my setup. I bought a Dell Pocket PC (Axim X5 Avanced, refurb, $178). It has both a SD memory slot and Compact Flash memory slot. I think there are some HP's out there with dual slots. For about $120, you can buy a Compact Flash GPS. With a open SD slot (because the GSP is in the CF slot),you can then buy a memory card to store plenty of maps. I bought a 256meg SD memory card for about $70. With that much memory (compared to a Garmin with 8meg, yuck), the maps are very detailed. Avoid StreetAtlas - I bought it and it sits on the shelf next to Streetfinder. Complete waste. I would feel guilty even giving these to someone. Two good choices are Mapopolis and Routis. These maps actually autoroute for you. Just tell the software where you want to go, and it constantly refigures how to get you there (with voice pompts!). Miss an exit? No problem, the software just automatically recomputes a new way to get you there. We took a tip to LA over Xmas (from Indiana). We drove 400 miles and never opened up a paper map, never asked for directions, never got lost - period. It was simply fantastic. I haven't been there in 20 years, so I had no prior clue on which way to go. I prefer Mapopolis because of the interface. Mapopolis also has a 14 free trial period for their maps (the map viewer is free). So, for about $400, you can have probably a system 10 times better, and a heck of a LOT cheaper than a dedicated GPS. I would think a tablet PC would be a little awkward. The Pocket PC fits in a vent mount and is just right size. By the way Microsoft's Tripmaker is nice, but does not have autoroute on a Pocket PC. Its points-of Interest are nice tho.

Don't forget a Pocket PC will fit in your pocket, and also has Word, Excel, etc, so it can pull double-duty if compared to a dedicated GPS.

I've tried to be brief, but also concise. I've owned a few GPS systems over the years, but this is - by far - the best way to go.


Here are some great links:

http://www.mapopolis.com/

http://www.gpspassion.com (great forums)

http://www.deluo.com/ (Routis software)

I bought my CF GPS here, free vent mount and external ant
http://www.semsons.com/index.html

Dell outlet (I think they might be out of the X5 right now):
http://outlet.us.dell.com/Dispatcher?target=InventoryPage&action=filter&lob=PDA&tgtSeg=I&srcType=xml&srcDetail=offer

REALLY great Pocket PC GPS software reviews: http://www.pocketgps.co.uk/menu_gpsstreetrouting.php

Good luck!

 

[c4c5specialist]

c4c5


BTW, what kind of tech seminar(s) are you going to put on? I have my hotel reservations for the Cruise-Fest.

I am going because of the tech seminars...

Mikey

HI there,
We will be running them very loosely, covering a Q&A type discussion, with parts, diagrams and the like. Anything involved with Corvette is going to be discussed, in any generation.
I think that all our members will definately be adding much valuable information.
Allthebest, c4c5

 

[powderski13]

I've got a Garmin Street Pilot III that I use in both the Vette and SUV. It was great on the 50th Caravan back to BG and Nashville. Had all the hotels programmed in.

 

[Corvette-Pilot]

I've been using my laptop with the Delorme GPS and software.

I recently found a great deal on a Palm M515 so I will give it a try this summer,

I think the laptop will be nicer for the larger map size. Where the Palm will be nice to take on bike/walking trips.

 

[mbwalker]

I've used a laptop with a GPS and even tho the screen is larger, its really more difficult to see than a Pocket PC because its sitting on the passenger seat. My Pocket PC sits near the vent opening, and even tho the screen is smaller, it is actually easier to view. Also, while laptop has a large screen and has a lot of detail, people are really just focused on the route - which in that case, the Pocket PC does just fine. Some Pocket PC software (Mapopolis and Routis) have auto-zoom, which really even make the Pocket PC more appealing. The closer you get to your turn, the closer it zooms in. Besides, when you're done, you just slip the Pocket PC into your pocket or glove box. A laptop needs to be hidden or stored.

 

[Corvette-Pilot]

Interesting points !

This is partly why I wanted to set up my Palm with GPS. Using the laptop in my truck is fine but the Vette just doesn't have the room for it and the wife isn't a navigator or computer person so.....

I'll have to look into this other software you mentioned. Those features sound interesting.

 

[mbwalker]

Interesting points !

This is partly why I wanted to set up my Palm with GPS. Using the laptop in my truck is fine but the Vette just doesn't have the room for it and the wife isn't a navigator or computer person so.....

I'll have to look into this other software you mentioned. Those features sound interesting.

I posted some links earlier - look at post #6 (I think). Mapopolis works with Palm also. Does your Palm have a color screen? That really helps. I had a greyscale screen on my Handspring Visor, and that is rather rough to look at driving down the rode. Memory limitations might be a problem when compared to a Pocket PC or laptop.

 

[amledford]

Hey there mbwalker!

i dunno...

Since I already have the Garmin Streetpilot with its 2"x3" screen, and have used it with a motorcycle (REALLY helps in the mountains) and with a regular car, I really would like to get a larger screen. A PDA isn't much larger than the Garmin, but as you said yourself, regular laptops are quite large. I'm trying to find a 12" screen laptop, and it's getting almost impossible, unless one buys an older, used/reconditioned model. All the manufacturers are making 14" and 15" and larger screens.

A Tablet PC is the best thing, with the 10" to 12" screen sizes, and a touch screen in place of a mouse. Trouble is, they cost so much more. Like $1000 for a reconditioned Compaq 1000 on Ebay.

I used the laptop the other day with StreetAtlas (I know- you don't like it) while riding in the back with some other guys to a sales call, and the large screen was nice. I don't need a large screen all of the time, but with the Garmin unit, I needed a regular map for reference a lot of the time. The large screen allows the ability to dispence with paper maps altogether.

I'm going to check out your other sources, though.

 

[mbwalker]

Hi Amledford,

Thanks for the reply. You can't go wrong on either choice (PDA or laptop). I've done the laptop GPS setup also. The're both a great way to go. Hard (really impossible) to ever go back to a paper map once you use the GPS with good software. I like to travel lite, so the PDA is a good choice for me. With the wife in the car, the laptop sort of gets in her way.

Regarding StreetAtlas - I had the handheld version, maybe the laptop version is better. On the handheld StreetAtlas you had to load the map using little "cells" that you had to click on. To create a long route, you may have to load several hundred of these "cells" to create your map - drove me nuts! I don't think you can load an entire state at once. Routis allows you to load an entire state(s) at once, if needed. Take note that Routis runs on both a PC and a handheld, which is nice. However, once you use software that has auto-rerouting (not just routing, but routing that is always figuring how to get you to your destination), you probably won't want to use anything else. Routis has a bunch of nice screen shots on their web site. I think if you miss a street in StreetAtlas, you have to tell it to re-route manually, right?

I saw today (2/15) that Staples had a smaller laptop for $699 (1.2" thin, 12" screen), that might be a good choice. You might want to get a compact flash GPS (as oppsed to a USB) because they usually come with a PCMCIA (spelling?) slot adapter for a laptop. That way, if you decide to switch to a PDA, you can still use the GPS. That's what I actually ended up doing.

Coming to Auburn in May?

 

[amledford]

Mbwalker

Yup. Planning on coming to the Auburn get-together.

What's this about having to load "cells"? Sounds like the Garmin Street pilot. Yuo have to load each county, and there is a limit of 50 counties, period. It's nice for the detail when you zoom in close, but I always had to get a regular map out when I wanted to get my overall bearings. The regular computer map software (StreetAtlas) is all there. I just had to buy a CD emulating software package and now it's always there on my harddrive for instant use -- every state including Canada.
I've never set up the route stuff. So far, with the old Garmin unit, I made maps and highlighted the route I wanted. If I deviated from it, I would use the gps to find my way around until I got back to the original course. I haven't gotton to using the routing stuff on the StreetAtlas, but I don't think it has the auto-reconfigure routing. It's more a map software with GPS than a GPS system with maps.

Mike

 

[SPANISHVETTS]

Hi,
I have been using a ViewSonic1100 Tablet PC with the Delorme GPS for over a year now. I also have the Garmin Ique3600. I love both systems, would never leave home with out them!
For in-town door to door or bike trips the Garmin wins out due to its small size however on our 3000mile cross Europe trips the Tablet is 10 X better. I bought one of those supports that C4C5 mentioned on e-bay. It is really overbuilt I think it would support my old Zenith 286 laptop.
I am sure that US software differs a lot from what we have. I have tried all of Garmin´s software, Route 66, InfoMap 7 and TomTom. Each has a plus and minus. InfoMap would be the favorite with the exception on one flaw. You can only see one country at a time. Euro-land is so small that this is a nuisance. It is like having to change maps between NY,NJ ,and PA, you really need to be able to see the big picture.
Get the SirfII chip in whatever GPS receiver you buy. It will lock on to a much weaker signal than the older chips. Mine even stays on line while going through short tunnels

 

[Corvette-Pilot]

Mbwalker
(StreetAtlas) I just had to buy a CD emulating software package and now it's always there on my harddrive for instant use -- every state including Canada.

What is this emulating software ??
Who makes it/where can I find it ??
How much $$

 

[mbwalker]

...Get the SirfII chip in whatever GPS receiver you buy. It will lock on to a much weaker signal than the older chips. Mine even stays on line while going through short tunnels

That's what's in my compact flash GPS. Even tho it comes with an external antenna, I've never had to use it...

 

[mbwalker]

Mbwalker


...What's this about having to load "cells"? Sounds like the Garmin Street pilot. Yuo have to load each county, and there is a limit of 50 counties, period.
Mike

Let's say I go from city A to city B, and their connected via a highway. I would have to highlight the entire highway (extremely time comsuming) by means of manually clicking on these little "cells" that show up on the map, plus whatever cells I needed in the 2 citys. UUGHH! What would happen if you took a detour because the highway was closed? You could be "outside" of your maps that you loaded. I'm not sure, but I think there is a limit on map size too. Sounds like your laptop version is different, and is better since you don't have to create your map

 

[SPANISHVETTS]

Sounds like your laptop version is different, and is better since you don't have to create your map

Both Garmin Mapsource and Route 66 can display all of the country on one map from which you can Zoom all the way to street level. Very handy!