GPS System

49er · Sep 15 08 07:42

I prefer the bitch with the british accent option

Oui Oui · Oct 09 08 05:36

I was one of those people who despised people using the GPS system. I am always good with maps and directions but now I am a changed men.

I bought the Magellan 3225 from Costco for $149 just before I went to LA in May. It comes with maps of Canada and 48 states. It also comes with 1.6 millions points of interests but I found a upgrade online to increase that to 6 millions POI. I used it all the time in LA, even it is illegal to attach the unit on the windshield. I could go to places that I would not have gone if I sticked with the non-detail tourist map of LA.

The POI features is a must! When we feel like eating Japanese food, I can find them. Walmart supercentre? Right there. You can even create your own points of interests using the USB cable connecting to your computer.

You do not need to pay any monthly fee. The only thing is when you want to update your map, you might have to pay for it. Of course, some parts of the map will be out of date in due time.

I recommend either Magellan or Garmin as they have been in the GPS business for long, long time.

Oui Oui · Oct 09 08 05:47

In August, 14 of my family (two sisters' families) drove down to SF from Vancouver in three vehicles. I convinced them to buy the GPS systems. I sold my 3225 to one of my sister for $100 and bought a Magellan 4210 for $199 from Best Buy. It comes with the 4.3" screen instead of 3.5". It does make a difference when it is attached to the windshield. My other sister also bought the 4210. Now, when I do buy the map update ($79 US!!), we can share the cost three way.

On our last day in SF, all three vehicles got mixed up on an interchange and we all went different directions. Miraculously, we all got to our destination (Jelly Belly, an hour away) within minutes of each other. My sisters were not good with maps and my brothers in law were too busy looking at the highway signs and the 10 lanes freeway to know where they are going. The GPS saved the day! As soon as it detects that you have deviate from the route, it will re-calculate and provides an alternative route to reach your destination.

Oui Oui · Oct 09 08 05:54

Some features you must have:

1) Voice command directions - You don't need to look at the little screen while driving.

2) Lots of Points of Interest - Most comes with 6 millions.

3) Larger screen - 4.3" or more.

4) Touch screen - I think most of them do but just to be sure.

5) Reputable brand - Garmin, Magellan, Tom Tom, etc.

6) Quick recalculation - I have heard that some takes a while to recalculate. Can be very annoying if you got lost while travelling on the freeway and it keeps trying to calculate.

Michel · Oct 09 08 06:19

purelife · Oct 09 08 08:51

That was very informative, Oui Oui. Thanks.

Did you end up buying your upgraded GPS from Canada Best Buy or the States? Why was it better to put on windshield compared to your dashboard?

I'll have to look into that brand you mentioned because I'm only familiar with Garmin. I like the POI's that you mentioned.

Lise · Oct 09 08 10:05

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my GPS. We don't drive anywhere far without it. So handy to have, you'd wonder how you do without it.

We have a Magellan which we adore. The only requirement I had to have was the text to voice command. I don't care about other fancy stuff but I need my wee machine to tell me what's the next street.

purelife · Oct 09 08 10:15

What's the model of your GPS, Lise? And how much did it cost you? Is the text to voice when it tells you the street name instead of saying "turn left, turn right?"

Oui Oui · Oct 09 08 10:56

purelife wrote:
[div style="font-style: italic;"]What's the model of your GPS, Lise? And how much did it cost you? Is the text to voice when it tells you the street name instead of saying "turn left, turn right?"[/div]
Hmm.... I haven't used one that actually says out the street names. I bought it from Canada Best Buy because I wanted to get familiar before I land in LAX.

Michel, these Road units are more for use on marked roads or highways. It can get very confuse when you get off road. Although it does give you the coordinates wherever you can hit three satellites. Mine usually lock on to about 6-7 satellites. But, of course if you are in a valley or underneath some structure, you won't get any signal.

Russ · Oct 09 08 10:58

Im going to be buying one soon as well, the windshield type with teh big screen. I dont want a smaller handheld one like the one you saw me with PL.
The catch is I want the bigger one to be able to use the maps for the backroads as well as record trails that are not on the regular street maps.. hopefully I can find one. It would have to be a hiking one like what pl wants.. although for a hiking one you dont want a 4 inch or so screen, too cumbersome.

Michel · Oct 09 08 11:04

Russ · Oct 09 08 11:17

Michel wrote:
Oui Oui wrote:
[em]Michel, these Road units are more for use on marked roads or highways. It can get very confuse when you get off road. Although it does give you the coordinates wherever you can hit three satellites. Mine usually lock on to about 6-7 satellites. But, of course [font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);"]if you are in a valley [/font]or underneath some structure, [font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);"]you won't get any signal[/font].[/em][/p] [/p] Oh oh, most pictographs are in valleys in BC... Hum, I will have to study the issue more carefully before spending. Best thing for me would be to borrow one, or buy one and retrun it after a weekend trial if it doesn't do the job as Costco is good for return policy.[/p] Any model in costco you would recommend as I might try that for this weekend? Talking one for the car and portable for the hike in mountainous terrain? If such a thing doesn't exist, the portable part would be specification number one to get.[/p]
[/p]Michel, my brother got a handheld portable unit for this very reason. Its meant for hiking and camping with being under trees. Ill ask him later what one he got...
[/p]

Michel · Oct 09 08 11:20

Russ · Oct 09 08 02:50

Russ wrote:
[em]Michel, my brother got a handheld portable unit for this very reason. Its meant for hiking and camping with being under trees. Ill ask him later what one he got...[/em]
[/p] Michel wrote:[/p] [p style="font-style: italic;"]Excellent, ask him also if he knows how many meters this thig seems to be precise to if he knows.[/p]
[/p]We use this thing for boating as well so it had to be really durable. If you look you can find these cheaper than what the garmin site is saying.
[/p]https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=351

http://www.trailspace.com/gear/garmin/gpsmap-76csx/review/12178/

http://gpsinformation.us/gps60c/g76Creview.html

[font face="Arial,Helvetica"]SA Watch Plots Under Moderate Tree Cover[/font]
(The reference point here is only known to about 1m, and therefore the WAAS Spec of 3m is not expected) [/p][font face="Arial,Helvetica"][font size="+1"]GPSmap 76Cx with New Chip Software and Unit Firmware[/font][/font]
[img]http://gpsinformation.us/gps60c/76Cx.JPG" width="609" border="2" height="390"]
[font face="Arial,Helvetica"]GPSmap 76Cx Summary: 95% of errors are 4.4m or less, average error is 2.0m, and drift is 3m/min[/font]
Note: The unit is now receiving WAAS Sat #51. [/p][img]http://gpsinformation.us/gps60c/76C-plot.jpg" width="609" border="2" height="390"]
[font face="Arial,Helvetica"]GPSmap 76C Summary: 95% of errors are 7.1 m or less, average error is 1.3m, and drift is 5m/min[/font]
Note: The unit is receiving both WAAS Sats #51 and #48.[/p]

Thus the new software and firmware for the GPSmap 76Cx has improved its accuracy (under tree cover) from about 10m to 4.4m 95% of the time. The GPSmap 76C accuracy remained in the neighborhood of 7m. [/p][font face="Arial,Helvetica"]Comparative Accuracy:[/font]
Using a moderate tree-cover test site, we ran 30-minute test runs with[a href="http://www.gpsinformation.net/main/sawatch.htm"] [font face="Arial,Helvetica"]SA Watch[/font][/a] comparing the GPSmap 76C to the Magellan SporTrak Color ([font face="Arial,Helvetica"][a href="http://gpsinformation.us/gps60c/76C-trees.html"]HERE[/a][/font]). The 76C seemed quite "erratic". 95% of the 76C errors were 9.7 meters or less, where the SporTrak Color were less than 1.6 meters. [/p]

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purelife · Oct 09 08 03:01

Oui Oui and Lise - Does your GPS include the new changes done at the Queensborough bridge area? (if you drive in this area...)