I've just sold my last car which had built-in PCM sat nav. I'd like to get sat nav for my new car but can't decide whether to get a GPS cradle for my XDA, a TomTom 3/5/700 or change the car's head unit for a power-screen DVD sat nav system.
My XDA IIi is relatively stable but it does crash periodically, can be slow to run stuff, sometimes freezes when I'm answering calls and basically seems to struggle with any sort of complex processing. I'm a bit woried that it may therefore be a bit crap at running 3d maps. Has anyone any experience of using these versus built in car systems or the TomTom units?
I've never updated the firmware etc so would also be interested if this improves reliability/speed etc.
Between the TomTom and SatNav head unit is the only real difference the screen size and convenience of not having an external box?
Thanks in advance for any help, Jonathan
I've just got Tom tom for my XdaIIi, with a bluetooth GPS reciver bought on E-bay. I've found it slightly unstable, however my friend with a IIs said it sorted itself out after a short time of using it. I recomend it, however I donot have experience of the other systems, so I would not be able to say which one is better. I personally like having everything in one place.
Related
I am thinking of getting an XDA to use incar for GPS. I have read some articles on this site but they all seem to approach the problem half way through. Can anyone suggest the best GPS device, cradle, software and anything else that is needed
thanx
gps for xda
try www.routeplanners.co.uk, or www.tomtom.com for the superb TomTom Navigator2 packages for XDA.
Good luck Chop!
You can try also:
http://www.pharosgps.com/products/phone/c_siemens_ppc.htm
There is plenty of useful information on:
http://www.pocketgps.co.uk
Zed,
I would consider buying one of the new generation XDA's (XDA II). They are supposedly equipped with bluetooth. The main advantage with this would be the possibility to buy a bluetooth GPS mouse, or a standalone bluetooth enabled GPS reciever.
The problem with the non-bluetooth GPS mice is their need to use the serialport at the bottom of the device to communicate. If you wan't a car mount kit with amplified speaker built into the back of the cradle, they are only sold as powered mounts which use the serialport for charging.
Thus you would have to use the GPS mouse with charging capabilities and let the charging dongle for the mount with amplified speaker hang loose.
Or you could buy a car mount without power, but then you would not have the amplified speaker functionality.
The amplified speaker functionality is great for spoken directions from some the map softwares available.
Here's a link to a car mount with amplifying speaker:
http://www.arkon.com/CM530.html
I have bought one of these, but I have not recieved it yet.
If you want a review, take a look at:
http://www.pocketpcpassion.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=29460&highlight=car*+mount
Here's a listing of GPS'es with prices and links:
http://www.gpspassion.com/en/hardware/gpslist.htm#Mouse GPS Receivers
GPS RECEIVER FOR XDAs
Have got a xdaII;
I first tried Tomtom bluetooth but often ecounter no power for long distance travelling. I sold it afterwards and switched to a wired solution with in car charger. It is perfect.
Details. pls. refer to the link below. It also works with Orange SPVM1000, Imate, MDA, IPAQ etc.
http://shop.wangtao.co.uk/info.aspx?ads=gps
Wish you will be successful in chosing one best suitable for you.
Your profile doesn't say what country you're in, and the answer varies by location. In the USA, Routis is a top-notch application for navigation. Pharos is absolute garbage. Deluo, the company that makes Routis also makes a very nice GPS receiver that works well with the XDA I and XDA II.
Bluetooth GPS receivers are rather silly, in my opinion. Totally pointless, since you need to power both the PDA and the GPS, so...you might as well wire them up. The Deluo kit has a nice arrangement with a lighter socket and a single cable up to the device to carry both power and the GPS data.
I would like to know how you get on with the Arkon, I have the same one and it is unusable, every time the phone changes to a different cell you get that doomp-de-doomp sound, when the phone rings the noise from the speaher due to direct rf breakthrough is absolutely atrocious and makes the system unusable.
Hi
I want to use my XDA2i as a handheld Satnav device. The obvious GPS receiver to buy would be the GlobalSat SD-502 SDIO GPS Receiver. However there seems to be issues around using them together.
What are the issues and can they be overcome?
Another option is to use a CF GPS Receiver connected by a backpack (which I have) The only trouble being that the CF slot comes out of the bottom of the device.
What is it that the SD-502 doen't like about the XDA2i. I assume it is something to do with the phone??? Is it possible to disable the phone ( I don't use the phaone as I have an XDA mini S
Help....
Simon
Why not BT?
I wouldn't bother with a plug-in GPS unit. They increase the battery drain and the XDA2i doesn't have a great battery life to start with.
I use a BT GPS unit (TomTom GPSII) and it works very well. I also use it with other devices (an AXIM X51v and Nokia 6620).
BT GPS units are small, battery life is very good - I get 8 hours out of the TTGPSII.
Regarding the phone- that 's another issue. You need to disable 'flight mode' to enable BT. This turns the 'phone on - but if you don't have a SIM in nothing much happens. To disable the 'phone - turn on 'flight mode'
Phil
I've used Tom Tom 5 v5.21 and a BT338 Bluetooth GPS unit just fine
HANDHELD Satnav
Thanks for both your replies
However both the products you talk about are really designed to sit on the dash of your car. The reason I want to use the SD-502 is that it makes the PDA into a standalone Satnav device. I want to use this out of the car, whilst walking, biking etc.
It seems mad that I could use the SD-502 with a PDA running the same OS as the XDA2i but can't because of the phone part of the XDA2i. (I don't use the XDA2i as a phone as I have a XDA mini S) I can't believe that simply disabling the phone (flight mode) would work. But would it be possible to reload the OS without the phone part.
Anyone have experience of this??
Simon
HANDHELD Satnav
Thanks for both your replies
However both the products you talk about are really designed to sit on the dash of your car. The reason I want to use the SD-502 is that it makes the PDA into a standalone Satnav device. I want to use this out of the car, whilst walking, biking etc.
It seems mad that I could use the SD-502 with a PDA running the same OS as the XDA2i but can't because of the phone part of the XDA2i. (I don't use the XDA2i as a phone as I have a XDA mini S) I can't believe that simply disabling the phone (flight mode) would work. But would it be possible to reload the OS without the phone part.
Anyone have experience of this??
Simon
Hi,
As far as I am aware it is not possible to get rid of the phone stuff off the phone, but I may be mistaken, however what several of my colleagues do who want to use a hand held sat nav like you describe is get a bluetooth GPS receiver with the SirfIII chipset and either wear it around their neck using the cord they get with their work ID or just stick it in their pocket and forget about it.
One of them is off this weekend on a camping and hiking trip and plans to use his XDA IIi and Holux BT231 to find his way around. I can't remember the exact Sat Nav software he is using though.
G
Thanks gquipster
"get a bluetooth GPS receiver with the SirfIII chipset and either wear it around their neck using the cord they get with their work ID or just stick it in their pocket and forget about it"
I thought that the receiver needed direct sight of satelites to work, hang round the neck or stuck in a pocket is idea. Phil talks about getting 8 hours battery life out of his TTGPS11.
Thanks for your help
Re: HANDHELD Satnav
SimonJB said:
Thanks for both your replies
However both the products you talk about are really designed to sit on the dash of your car. The reason I want to use the SD-502 is that it makes the PDA into a standalone Satnav device. I want to use this out of the car, whilst walking, biking etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also use OziExplorer and Pocket Anquet on my XDA2i. Still use the BT GPS for the same reasons as stated previously - improved battery life of the PDA (it needs all the help it can). I wear my TomTomII BT GPS around my neck on a lanyard - it works very well. Watch it on a bike - if you fall you could ruin your XDA :wink:
Phil
I have a QStarz 32-channel Bluetooth receiver, it's pretty small and easily fits in my pocket. Its model number is BT-Q880, and it lasts for ages on a single charge.
There's a registry hack you can perform to stop the error dialog coming up if you attempt to turn the Bluetooth on with the phone in Flight Mode, I tried it out and it seemed to work out, it let me run the Bluetooth without the phone part of the PDA turned on, so that could be useful if you're after usage as just a SatNav-enabled PDA.
Have you considered that running the phone in regular mode would allow you to make emergency 999 calls, though? That could be useful if you're out on your own hiking or geocaching or whatever, if you got into a pickle whilst out you wouldn't have to mess about with the registry to turn the phone back on, you could just hit the green key and dial the number, job done.
have you tried this?
http://www.johnsreviews.com/howtos/o2xda2itomtomworkaround.html[/url]
have you tried this?
http://www.johnsreviews.com/howtos/o2xda2itomtomworkaround.html[/url]
This has been previously discussed.
Hi,
This is my first post so please be easy on me
I am an ICT Engineer and I am having problems with one of my customers HTC Kaiser (re-badged as Orange TyTN II).
He has an THB Bury cradle. The Kaiser has TomTom installed (Orginal disc version 6 navigator), but when the phone is docked in the cradle it goes to Cra Kit profilr and he gets no sound from TomTom.
I have changed the profile, but still no sound from TomTom. I have checked the cradle it it works fine apart no sound for sat nav.
I have searched for hours on loads of forums to find a fix for this i.e. new ROM from Orange or patch from THB, but can't find anything.
Has anyone else had this problem and is there a fix i.e. registry alternation.
Is there anything within the TomTom settings for this.
It might be that this is the way it will work, afterall you do not want the TomTom coming out over the audio of the telephone call.
Thanks for the reply.
We used to use the Orange SPV M2000 (HTC BlueAngel) with TomTom using the same hands free kit (different cradle obviously) and never had a problem. The sat nav audio would work as normal, but when a call came in the sat nav would cut out until the call had finished.
I have have been through the TomTom settings (very limited) and cannot see anyway of changing the audio on it.
It seems more like a HTC Kaiser problem rather than TomTom or the cradle, because it worked fine with a BlueAngle.
Just found this on a THB Bury re-sellers site: -
"Please note: When the Phone is put into the cradle, the Phone will immediately go into car kit profile, which means the external speaker will be disabled [loss of sound for the Sat Nav directions]"
Is the registry hack to stop this happening?
Have you tried using the tomtom and checking there is audio working ok without putting it in the cradle?
Yep. TomTom works absolutly fine out of the cradle. I have even bought a new cradle to check if the original cradle was defect, but still no sound.
To summarise: -
TomTom audio working fine out of THB Bury HFK
TomTom stops working when in THB Bury HFK (enters Car Kit Profle)
Could you not move the handsfree cradle to maybe a vent mount solution so that when you are in the car you can view the TomTom directions instead of hearing them?
Personally I would find yor situation ideal as I hate SatNav voice commands and prefer to navigate from the map.
I got a response from THB Bury about this problem:
"Dear Alistair, many thanks for your enquiry regarding our Bury product range.
The Navigationcommand didn´t run over the carkit, because the Navigationsoftware got no software for muting.
Best regards
Dean Taylor
--Bury-Infoline-- "
Not really what I needed so.....
Does anyone know either how to doctor the USB connector so that it doesn't cause the phone to switch to 'car mode' OR a registry/software fix which stops the TnTY/Stellar from muting its internal speaker when in 'Car' mode?
Failing that I need a new car kit which, holds the phone, charges it, provides hands free phone service, allows TT6 audio instructions through and doesn't blow the USB port. Just like the THB Bury 'Universal' kit should do.
Any recommendations? Alistair
Hi Folks
I'm in the market for a new head unit. I'm wondering what your experiences are of the different BT kits and their handling of Telephony and Audio Streaming.
I'm down to 2 different HUs, does anyone have any experience of these with the Niki?
http://www.kenwood-electronics.co.uk/products/car/cd_receivers/KDC-W7541U/details/
http://www.pioneer.co.uk/uk/products/25/121/DEH-P700BT/media.html
How well does the Niki work with in car BT (especially with the above if poss)?
I would love to be able to use 2 simultaneous BT devices, is it possible?
What is your experience/advice?
tia
Mav
I use the Sony MEX-BT2500 - it's brilliant, no problems at all. Pick one up on ebay for around £80, you'll be amazed. They did have them in Halfords a while ago too. You wont have any issues with either unit you've mentioned.
I also have a Holux GPS GR-239 for SatNav, and this pairs up fine at the same time, as does other devices I've tried, so no worries for you, I'm sure.
Well, I went with the Kenwood, http://www.kenwood-electronics.co.uk...7541U/details/
Great unit, and the HF function is fine. It will not stream audio though
Still, 4GB USB stick is well good enough for what I need
Motorola t 505 - Google it. I bought this a couple of months ago and it is the best FM Transmitter I have ever used. The signal is so strong that I hardley ever hear any static, even if I am streaming to a live radio station. I use mine every day as I am always on the road for my job - average 5 hours a day connected through bluetooth and streaming music from my phone to my stereo using the FM transmitter and only have to charge the thing once a week. This is the best one I have found so far and I have tried dozens of different ones.
Also - No interferance from the phone when you get a call unlike many of the other FM Transmitters I have tried - (NO Buzzing at all like you can sometimes get when phone call comes through when your phone is near a speaker or using a cheap fm transmitter) I use mine with my HTC Touch and Love it.
This would be strictly for your car though so if you are looking for headset to use out of the car as well, I guess this won't help.
I jsut realized you were talking head unit but you still might be interested in this product as it may save you money rather then buying a new stereo - Unless your current stereo really sucks, then happy shopping and I hope you find what you are looking for.
Before I bought mine, I was able to test it and make sure it worked well with my phone - Which it did - If you are able to convince them to let you pair it with your device and test how well it works, I would suggest you do just to make sure you will be satisfied with your purchase.
hotrod101 said:
I jsut realized you were talking head unit but you still might be interested in this product as it may save you money rather then buying a new stereo - Unless your current stereo really sucks, then happy shopping and I hope you find what you are looking for.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks chap, but my old stereo really sucked and needed an update.
I don't need to stream from the phone now I can use USB sticks and the HF phone works great.
Hi,
I'm using my Galaxy S for car navigation. However, often the GPS receiver jumps randomly over the map, or takes ages to show the turn I just made. And sometimes it just keeps going, although I stopped at a light.
I have my phone mounted on the dashboard, the fix is usually made within one to two minutes.
Is it possible that the internal receiver is just that crappy? Has anyone better experiences with car navigation? Is there a fix?
Looking forward on hearing your opinion.
Cheers,
Tony.
Search GPS aids in the market and install that. Works great.
Has anyone better experiences with car navigation
No problem with mine even get a good track if its in the glove box in the car .
But as has been said multiple posts on the subject worth reading if you have a problem GPS .
jje
TNY0 said:
Hi,
I'm using my Galaxy S for car navigation. However, often the GPS receiver jumps randomly over the map, or takes ages to show the turn I just made. And sometimes it just keeps going, although I stopped at a light.
I have my phone mounted on the dashboard, the fix is usually made within one to two minutes.
Is it possible that the internal receiver is just that crappy? Has anyone better experiences with car navigation? Is there a fix?
Looking forward on hearing your opinion.
Cheers,
Tony.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Buy an external GPS reciever. These can be picked up cheap enough on ebay/ Amazon etc See here for more info
I'm going to atrix due to crap gps on galaxy s
Sent from my GT-I9000B using XDA App
TNY0 said:
Hi,
I'm using my Galaxy S for car navigation. However, often the GPS receiver jumps randomly over the map, or takes ages to show the turn I just made. And sometimes it just keeps going, although I stopped at a light.
I have my phone mounted on the dashboard, the fix is usually made within one to two minutes.
Is it possible that the internal receiver is just that crappy? Has anyone better experiences with car navigation? Is there a fix?
Looking forward on hearing your opinion.
Cheers,
Tony.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My experience is that the GPS IS that crappy, but if you use JPY, whilst I haven't tested it scientifically, it does seem as though it's usable enough.
Which firmware you using?
My advise though is to get an external receiver honestly (that's what I should do), because the only good feedback I've seen about the GPS NEVER includes tracks (and I have made tracks in the past, and they were rediculously horrific at some points compared to a forerunner).
Thanks for the answers. I think I'll try GPS Aids. Hopefully an external GPS won't be necessary...
I have exactly the same experiance as TNY0. GPS reacts very late and I am often on a different street. It makes SGS unusable for navigation in cities. I have tried various navigation software and all behaved in the same way, so it must be a hardware issue. I have also tried GPS Aids, it helps getting quicker fix, but does not solve inaccuracy of the GPS. I did complete wipe of the phone and installed Darkys v9.2 resurrection and than Darkys v9.3 beta3, but with no success, GPS remained crappy. :-(
If you want to mess with the GPS then their are a number of threads on here .
But i would go to rom kitchin and build new rom after reading modem and gps faqs if you are no better you can always change the modem .
Mine is excellent on JPY modem .
jje
Best results that I have seen were after installing these modified GPS daemon and settings files from Da_G on the Captivate forum. Difference was very noticeable.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=881941
Also, hardcore kernel helped as well.
Needed a rooted phone for either of these options.