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[Entwood]

I have both the built-in colour Satnav and an old tomtom700.

For ease of use, and practicality I'm afraid the TT wins every time.

The touch screen, postcodes, favourites, programmable Points of interest (that allow speed cameras), position of screen (just a slight glance off driver view line) and the fact that it is easily updateable on-line all make it a far more user friendly system IMHO.

The built in screen is bigger, but due to the age of the software, has less detail, it takes a definate "head down" movement to view. Setting a destination is a total pain, and IME many addresses are "missing", or not logically obtainable.

I agree a modern built-in Sat nav is probably better than a TT, but my car is 8 years old, therefore the SatNav is at least that, and probably older, and it has not been updated.

The TT is physically old, but the software and maps are new as I have updated at regular intervals. The latest Operating System and Maps were September 2008 (I'll shortly have even newer versions installed )

Just my 2 p's worth .. nowt else ..

[TheBoy]

I have both the built-in colour Satnav and an old tomtom700.

For ease of use, and practicality I'm afraid the TT wins every time.

The touch screen, postcodes, favourites, programmable Points of interest (that allow speed cameras), position of screen (just a slight glance off driver view line) and the fact that it is easily updateable on-line all make it a far more user friendly system IMHO.

The built in screen is bigger, but due to the age of the software, has less detail, it takes a definate "head down" movement to view. Setting a destination is a total pain, and IME many addresses are "missing", or not logically obtainable.

I agree a modern built-in Sat nav is probably better than a TT, but my car is 8 years old, therefore the SatNav is at least that, and probably older, and it has not been updated.

The TT is physically old, but the software and maps are new as I have updated at regular intervals. The latest Operating System and Maps were September 2008 (I'll shortly have even newer versions installed )

Just my 2 p's worth .. nowt else ..

See, I think that the Police should pull anyone sticking gadgets on the screen, blocking view.

How many times have you followed some idiot who has the thing halfway up the screen, right in the middle? Idiots.


I frequently follow this retard in some little shitbox car to work.  He has 2 phones and a large satnav (looks like one of the larger navmans) scattered across his screen.  What a prize pillock he is.

[DC]

Still not a patch on factory fit items, which can work accurately even without and valid gps signal

.

but an improvement

Have a look at a price of any factory-fit sat-nav for a new car and compare it to the price of a new Tom-Tom, Garmin etc. They may be better, many are actually not, but in my eyes are just not worth it when mobile ones do so much for so little.
BTW, I had a special holder made that keeps mine at the level of climate controls.

[TheBoy]

Still not a patch on factory fit items, which can work accurately even without and valid gps signal

.

but an improvement

Have a look at a price of any factory-fit sat-nav for a new car and compare it to the price of a new Tom-Tom, Garmin etc. They may be better, many are actually not, but in my eyes are just not worth it when mobile ones do so much for so little.
BTW, I had a special holder made that keeps mine at the level of climate controls.

I'm actually a TomTom (imho the best of the portable ones) user. Even the old Carin one works better than a new TT unit.  Not as many features admittedly, but its core function working well is the most important thing for me.

[DC]

Actually I have seen some comparison tests where Tom Tom didn't do too well

[Merlindriver]

There is no way that a £99 Tom Tom will work anywhere near as well as a dedicated In Car Sat nav that uses gyroscopes and speed sensors to determine vehicle positions, and then confirms this by checking the data with the gps location.

Tom Tom and similar can only ever work within the accuracy limit of the gps signal.

Not to say that Tom Tom`s do not have their place, they do, but they cannot be compared to a true in car system.

I don't think even Siemens car navigation systems are that good!  My company vehicle uses inertial navigation as well as GPS and to integrate those in a car would cost significantly more than the £1000 tag on most in car GPS units.  I think the benefit of an in car system is twofold:  first the power up location is almost always the same as the power down loction so the system is less reliant on the almanac to determine the satelite location and its own position; second, the aerials are a whole lot better than the portable ones and are outside, not shielded by the car's structure (esp the reflectiev front screen which is a killer for GPS lock-on).

Sadly, for the money I think TT Navigator 6 on a PDA beats the NavTeq offering by a country mile for functionality and value for money.

[TheBoy]

There is no way that a £99 Tom Tom will work anywhere near as well as a dedicated In Car Sat nav that uses gyroscopes and speed sensors to determine vehicle positions, and then confirms this by checking the data with the gps location.

Tom Tom and similar can only ever work within the accuracy limit of the gps signal.

Not to say that Tom Tom`s do not have their place, they do, but they cannot be compared to a true in car system.

I don't think even Siemens car navigation systems are that good!  My company vehicle uses inertial navigation as well as GPS and to integrate those in a car would cost significantly more than the £1000 tag on most in car GPS units.  I think the benefit of an in car system is twofold:  first the power up location is almost always the same as the power down loction so the system is less reliant on the almanac to determine the satelite location and its own position; second, the aerials are a whole lot better than the portable ones and are outside, not shielded by the car's structure (esp the reflectiev front screen which is a killer for GPS lock-on).

Sadly, for the money I think TT Navigator 6 on a PDA beats the NavTeq offering by a country mile for functionality and value for money.

Even the older Carin works with the GPS disconnected (OK, it loses accuracy over time without the GPS)

[Sad]

I get really annoyed with the idiots using TomToms in the middle of the night without changing the screen to night colours, meaning they're driving along with a big glowing beacon in their line of sight.

I've been using a Tom Tom 910 for 3 years (it has up to date maps) and have no problem with it and just give the windscreen a quick wipe to remove any suction cup marks.

I don't like Nacteqs, my cousin has one.

[TheBoy]

I get really annoyed with the idiots using TomToms in the middle of the night without changing the screen to night colours, meaning they're driving along with a big glowing beacon in their line of sight.

I've been using a Tom Tom 910 for 3 years (it has up to date maps) and have no problem with it and just give the windscreen a quick wipe to remove any suction cup marks.

I don't like Nacteqs, my cousin has one.

See, I think all windscreen mounted shite should be banned, as some people are just plain retarded and stick it right in the middle of their screens, and obviously that leads to visibility issues.

[Marks DTM Calib]

I have to say that the NCDC with CID is a great bit of kit!

The graphics are not as fancy as the tomtom and it has fewer features but, it does work very well!

I like the interchange auto zoom feature to.

[Sad]

I've got the pre-facelift satnav system in my car, but no disc so I've never used it.  Are the discs expensive and where could I get one?  I wouldn't mind having a play with it...

[TheBoy]

I have to say that the NCDC with CID is a great bit of kit!

The graphics are not as fancy as the tomtom and it has fewer features but, it does work very well!

I like the interchange auto zoom feature to.

Unsure if I prefer GID or CID.

CID Advantages (for me)
Always a clock on the screen (GID shows no clock in Nav screens)
Nav shows distance to go (if not using Map display)
Intersection zoom

CID Disadvantages
Intersection zoom can sometimes be too slow to draw, esp with map view on (not a problem for GID as it doesn't have this function)
Quite bright at night, even with the dark colours
No 'alternative' colour scheme for night when in Map view (obviously not a problem for GID, as it doesn't have this function)

[TheBoy]

I've got the pre-facelift satnav system in my car, but no disc so I've never used it.  Are the discs expensive and where could I get one?  I wouldn't mind having a play with it...

Navteq, around £70.

Carin can be a little sluggish with the latest disks.

[TheBoy]

I have to say that the NCDC with CID is a great bit of kit!

The graphics are not as fancy as the tomtom and it has fewer features but, it does work very well!

I like the interchange auto zoom feature to.

Unsure if I prefer GID or CID.

CID Advantages (for me)
Always a clock on the screen (GID shows no clock in Nav screens)
Nav shows distance to go (if not using Map display)
Intersection zoom

CID Disadvantages
Intersection zoom can sometimes be too slow to draw, esp with map view on (not a problem for GID as it doesn't have this function)
Quite bright at night, even with the dark colours
No 'alternative' colour scheme for night when in Map view (obviously not a problem for GID, as it doesn't have this function)

That said, most of the disadvanatges on the CID can be disabled anyway, so thinking about it, I'd rather have the CID.  But the GID isn't too bad at all, and I'd be perfectly happy with it (and am in the tractor until I get a CID part back from MDTM next time I see him)

[Sad]

I've got the pre-facelift satnav system in my car, but no disc so I've never used it.  Are the discs expensive and where could I get one?  I wouldn't mind having a play with it...

Navteq, around £70.

Carin can be a little sluggish with the latest disks.

Thanks, think I'll stick with the TomTom though...