CoPilot the only way to go for GPS!

lbk · 03-07-2003, 10:21 AM

I've spent a while reviewing many GPS programs and sort of hesitated to spend the $329 on the CoPilot. However I just got it last night, and tried it out. This is the best GPS setup out there. If you want your system to do this function and do it well, CoPilot is absolutely the only way to go.

The voice recognition is actually pretty good, and I got luck my head unit actually processes two inputs at the same time. So I can be listening to my music, hit pause ask the GPS something then it answers back. Put CoPilot to sleep, start playing the MP3's and then when it comes time for the directions it automatically comes through the speakers without me having to do anything and while the music is still playing. The only trick is having the volume setting just right so that it is loud enough to be heard over the music but no too loud that it freaks you out.

This is finally putting huge hope back into my project. Well that and Armen got back to me about his in dash screens, so if all goes well I might have this thing setup and working for a trip I plan on taking to Savannah at the end ot the month.

Oh yeah and it is even polite, if you tell it thank you it replies with "you're welcome"

A million features in this program, including a popup touch screen keyboard that automatically appears when a text box is available. It also shows the full map at under 10mph then over 10mph it switches to a mode that is easier to read and follow. It automatically calculates routes within seconds of making a turn. It first figures out if there is an easy way to turn around and go back. If so it tells you how to do that, if not it figures another way to get where you are going.

You can also be driving along ask it for a detour and it shows you alternate routes. I just can't say enough about this product. I'm extremely pleased with it. Plus it is setup to where when launched all you have to do is tell it the address of where you are going, and hit "go" it does the rest. The screen with the map has the most needed buttons right on there, that should be plenty large enough to use with a touch screen.

No I don't work for them, I just want everyone to know that a product that is so expensive is worth it, and anything else you will simply be putting together pieces of software to try and get it to do the same and even then it won't do it as well. So if you want GPS CoPilot is the only way to go in my opinion.

Trust me I've tried a lot of other software programs, some I really liked, but for in Car navigation this is the best!

Side note here is a list of the following software packages, and even one other hardware package I've tried.

Tha Navman combination with RandMcNally (DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY)

Microsoft Streets and Trips 2002 (Some good points, but ease of
use in the car leaves something to be desired)

Teletype GPS (Runner up I think, but loading maps is a pain)

Delorme Street Atlas 7.0 (Another good one with nice features but again controlling it in a car gets hectic)

Sorry for the long post, but hopefully this post and my experience saves someone else the time and frustration I've been through evaulating all these.

t0ffluss · 03-07-2003, 10:34 AM

Sweet!

why isnt there a copilot for europe as well ?

richard

cproaudio · 03-07-2003, 11:46 PM

Yes CoPilot is the best and easiest car nav setup for PC use but it lacks 1 thing, understandable english. It's using text to speech engine from 1997. And you cant change the speech engine either. See my thread http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/show...threadid=12194 Street Atlas 2003 allows you to change speech engine and speaker. The closest human voice is Mary but it still sounds like a robot. Some Copilot users also complaint that theres no SDK for it. It also doesnt show the longitude latitude and altitude.

digitallexus · 03-08-2003, 05:50 AM

You could always pickup a super cheap secondary GPS unit to capture lat/long data.

Originally I was going to find or write a virtual comport driver to sniff the GPS stream data without interfering with copilot. I ordered the USB version of CoPilot though, so that may not be nearly as easy to hook into as a com port. Also I am not sure how different the driver model is on NT/XP for COM ports. The last time I looked at it was when I wrote VCOMM VxD in the early days of Windows 95. I suppose the DDK has some samples.

cproaudio · 03-09-2003, 12:56 AM

I do have a second GPS receiver. It's a Garmin GPS16 with WAAS. I use Street Atlas 2K3 Plus strictly for "where in the hell am I at" navigation purpose. It provides more accurate speed, compus, map detail, long, lat, alt. It's perfect for around town driving. I use copilot 2K3 for actual "take me to your leader" step by step navigation.
Someone had already "sniff" the GPS data from the CoPilot receiver so that he could hack other GPS receivers to send the same data so that Copilot could work with other receivers, no success.

phil.45 · 03-10-2003, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by t0ffluss
Sweet!

why isnt there a copilot for europe as well ?

richard

There is, its called Destinator, and it doesnt use the appalling text to speech system. It has a proper sampled female voice.

lbk · 03-11-2003, 02:30 PM

I used this over the weekend didn't check anything about where I was going before I left, just plugged the address in and drove. Since I didn't have my display yet drove blind, with nothing more than audio and talking to the system. Worked great. Now add touch screen and a display to watch and this definitley will be the ultimate GPS.

Yeah the text to speech is computerized but hey it does the job. I'd personally rather have acurate navigation then just a cool sexy voice to talk to me while I'm driving, my wife fills that need.

ares · 03-11-2003, 03:14 PM

Quote:

mint condition Travroute CoPilot 2001 GPS system that I purchased and then never used. This has the USB antenna. You can upgrade the software to the current version (CoPilot 2003) through Travroute for $99. A brand new Copilot 2003 package costs $400 through their website. This is an opportunity for significant savings. I do not have pictures, but the antenna and CDROMs are in mint and unused condition

is all of that true? would this be a good deal assuming final bid plus 99$ is less than 330$?, or is there things that cant be upgraded in the hardware?

lbk · 03-11-2003, 04:04 PM

To the best of my knowledge the software is the only thing that has changed. Sounds like a logical way to approach the purchase, but someone else might be able to tell you more about it. For me I just bought the 2003 new. It was expensive but like I said I think it was very much worth it.

samc · 03-20-2003, 08:54 PM

I hope Copilot 2003 works that well. my gps antenna should be here next week.

Relentless06 · 03-25-2003, 01:47 PM

Where can I get Rand McNally GPS (Serial) to work w/ CoPilot??? Do you know of any other receivers that are fairly inexpensive?

cproaudio · 03-25-2003, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Relentless06
Where can I get Rand McNally GPS (Serial) to work w/ CoPilot???

You can get Rand McNally GPS to work with copilot in your car.

Relentless06 · 03-25-2003, 03:41 PM

My bad on my previous message. Where can I purchase a Rand McNally GPS receiver or any other GPS unit that is compatible w/ Co-Pilot.

Zip · 03-25-2003, 05:05 PM

So are you saying that the upgrade is actually the entire program minus the hardware. Or do you need to have a previous version in order to install 2003 version of copilot?

gavinzbitz · 03-26-2003, 05:55 AM

So just trying to work this out....
Have I understood correctly- Is Destinator EXACTLY the same as Co-Pilot only with UK and Europe maps or is it a different piece of software that comes under recommendation.

My Uncle has promised me some disks with all of Europe mapped in the SDAL format. (From VDO Sat Nav)
Is it possible to "import" these maps into CoPilot (Is this the right word???)