Comercial GPS Nav vs. PC Navigation

david_liz · 09-16-2003, 03:55 PM

I was just asking my self a simple question. Can a custom-made GPS solution (using Destinator, Copilot, or whatever) be as good an have the same accuracy as a comercial unit (those mounted on BMW, etc, or alpine, pioneer...). It's a simple question...

hijinks21 · 09-16-2003, 04:04 PM

yes

jol · 09-16-2003, 04:22 PM

nothing that says it's not even better

david_liz · 09-16-2003, 04:30 PM

I've used a BMW navigation system, and I think the "feel" I got was better. As someone says on another post, it seems to have faster position updates, and maybe use other type of sensors to detect turns an so... but I'm just starting to test PC system. I've used only destinator and Mappoint/AGPS so far, but I don't know why, I can't get the same feeling. Maybe the use more accurate GPS receivers? Or what?

cproaudio · 09-16-2003, 09:09 PM

Its not the receiver that made you feel less than the stock nav. Its the software. stock navs are made for dumbass people who dont know squat about anything. It's made so easy to control, its a joke. PC based nav on the other hand are made for laptops with super high resolution and a mouse and keyboard for input and for people who knows computer. I've played with Acura and Toyota navs Both have integrated AC control and touch screen and are so easy to use. The closes thing to stock nav for US, software wise, is Copilot 2003. I want to try out Destinator but am not willing to spend $250 just to find out I dont like it.

david_liz · 09-17-2003, 05:34 AM

Maybe the soft... maybe not. Destinator has a very good visual-appeal, but a not-as-good working-appeal. I'm not very happy with it's routing algorithms, nor his
voice-guidance (this is my opinion). But... yes, I think PCnav could be as good or better than stock Nav.

DocBru · 09-18-2003, 04:43 PM

Built-in Navs often (or always?) use sensors for turning, detecting backward movement and other stuff, so that they can work in tunnels or when receiving poor GPS signals... and their user interface is probably simpler (=easier?). But they have less features usually and the PC display is usually better (higher resolution, ...)

cproaudio · 09-18-2003, 05:33 PM

factory nav uses gyro sensor for compass. speed sensor from the transmission and a gps sensor to locate the car. Thats why if you're in reverse, the GPS screen still shows your true heading. The update speed is faster than once a second. The vehicle on the LCD screen doesnt move at all but the map moves. It makes the screen look like a radar so you know exactly what roads are coming. it even tells you what street you're on. The look and feel is truely an in car GPS navigation. PC setup however has only the GPS receiver to work with. Thats why when you hit reverse, you're vehicle heading on the LCD screen flips and showing your heading the same direction as reverse. The map doesnt move, the little arrow on the map moves, sometimes toward the edge of the map before it recenters again. PC navs have too many pushable/clickable buttons on the LCD screen and limits the actual map display which makes it feel less than a gps nav. factory nav shows super large gas station icons on the map while PC nav only show the street and unreadable/small street name. Factory nav's voice control is easy to use unlike any PC nav. You can just say "Chinese food" and it'll direct you to the nearest chinese food place. Say "Chinese food" to a PC nav and it'll say "I don't understand"

krystar · 09-18-2003, 08:40 PM

cpraudio, i can foresee pc nav taking on the car nav in the voice recognition area. we already see lots of voice recognition (not voice matching) apps out there. if only some company would combine that technology with their "interest points" or whatever they call them, u'd have "find me a good burrito"