Anyone used route 66 2004 in UK?

tekta · 03-01-2004, 02:36 PM

I can't work out if this program can give you real time directions, or is just a route planner. The thing that tempts me is the real-time traffic updates you can get over the web, which it says automatically alter the route. That would be great in the car (via phone), but if it's just a route planner then it's not so hot..

only £20 from Amazon, I might just try it anyway.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00009KNST

kryptics · 03-01-2004, 02:52 PM

Well i used the Europe version from France to Spain (Andorra) and it worked pretty well, i haven't used it in England yet, maybe this summer, it's not bad for 20quids..

Quote: Originally Posted by tekta

I can't work out if this program can give you real time directions, or is just a route planner. The thing that tempts me is the real-time traffic updates you can get over the web, which it says automatically alter the route. That would be great in the car (via phone), but if it's just a route planner then it's not so hot..

only £20 from Amazon, I might just try it anyway.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00009KNST

tekta · 03-01-2004, 03:41 PM

Andorra hmmm...snowboarding?

Can it give you directions as you're driving though?

cheers
Mark

Ricky327 · 03-01-2004, 05:02 PM

I have used the older version, the 2003.

Its just a route planner, no nagivation, no voice, map dont rotate, no reroute. Its abit like MS autoroute. The map look nice and very detailed, but you have to navigate yourself.

wizardPC · 03-02-2004, 01:59 AM

a european mapping software named "route 66"?

SACRILEDGE!

for any non-americans who may not know this, Route 66 used to be the only road in america that went from coast to coast before we got these mass-transit interstates.

Tyrael · 03-02-2004, 02:09 AM

As of what I know, I just got the program but didn't have the time to test it. It is gps compatible. You can see where you are, not sure if it gives you on route information. Hope it is good.

Falken · 03-02-2004, 08:38 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by tekta

I can't work out if this program can give you real time directions, or is just a route planner. The thing that tempts me is the real-time traffic updates you can get over the web, which it says automatically alter the route. That would be great in the car (via phone), but if it's just a route planner then it's not so hot..

only £20 from Amazon, I might just try it anyway.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00009KNST

As far as I'm aware it's only a route planner. Makes a good cheap alternative to Autoroute. If you want voice guidance, rerouting etc etc across Europe then a good budget option is Infomap Navigator at £49.99.

Enforcer · 03-02-2004, 12:05 PM

Yeah, I have route 66 2003, just route planning with GPS, doesn't reroute on the fly, doesn't talk to you

NJay · 03-02-2004, 12:39 PM

I have route66 2004 and you're correct in your assumptions

It will auto-reroute when you are planning a journey and have internet acess to get the latest traffic news. It won't do this when you are just following the route using a GPS link (update on www.66.com to set this to 1s updates)

It doesn't talk to you.

It doesn't reroute if you go offtrack

Maps are always north upwards

The text breakdown of the route isn't stepped though as you go passed waypoints in your journey.

The maps are very accurate since it only came out in Dec2003. I've yet to have the GPS point not on a road when I'm travelling.

It doesn't autostart the gps tracking (i.e you have to manually start it each time you load a route) but I've yet to find a PC SAT/NAV program that does.

The followed road is bright pink (no way to change it) but any other roads are offwhite on a beige background i.e hard to see map when off track.

It does work quite well with Mediacar as an external app and I use Click-n-type to enter place names. Would love mediacar to allow any external app to use its OSK, hint, hint

Basically its a cheaper alternative to AutoRoute (which I also had) and prefer it. Might have to upgrade to Infomap though at some point.

HTH

tekta · 03-03-2004, 08:09 AM

Thanks NJay, very thorough

(is that a 190 btw?)

Having read their website, Route 66 NAVIGATE 2004 is the one that I would actually like, but that is only for pocket PCs. That one does nav, voice etc. on the go - whether they'll bring out a PC version I don't know but it's about £200 so quite pricey anyway.

How helpful/accurate is the traffic info thing? And how much data does it download each time? I've found a couple of web sites that show traffic problems, but having it integrated into yer route planner would be a lot better, as long as I don't have to pay big bucks to Orange for the privilege

NJay · 03-03-2004, 08:56 AM

Just so happen to have it installed on my work laptop machine too so just checked it out

Created a journey from where I live and due to there being delays near the M3 and m4 it took this into account and re-routed me via some backroads to the come out near the M25.

Tried it again 10mins later and the delay on the m3 had cleared so when I hit calculate it routed me down the M3.

Its appears to download the TMC data for country you are in, at an interval you specify. You get a little pop up scroll box with ALL delays in country and the map shows all the roads affected by highlighting them in red. You get various signs (roadworks, no-entry, etc) depending on the delay type.

tekta · 03-03-2004, 10:33 AM

Nice one, so you would describe it as helpful then?

Any clue as to how much data/how long to download? Just that if it's something like 2MB then it might be too expensive to use in the car.

NJay · 03-03-2004, 04:56 PM

Well the best I can do is give stats on TMC data retrieval on my carpc when its connected to my home wireless 54g network that has a 512kbps broadband link.

Time to download TMC data (it get it from www.66.com) of 24 roadblocks throughout England = 6seconds
Packets received in that time according to belkin wireless utility = 12

I've no idea how much data that represents though.

HTH

Tyrael · 03-04-2004, 04:19 PM

That depends on the packet size. Probably not much if it is at standard sizes. I guess below 100KB should be more likelly.

chenko · 03-23-2004, 08:09 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by NJay

I have route66 2004 and you're correct in your assumptions

It will auto-reroute when you are planning a journey and have internet acess to get the latest traffic news. It won't do this when you are just following the route using a GPS link (update on www.66.com to set this to 1s updates)

It doesn't talk to you.

It doesn't reroute if you go offtrack

Maps are always north upwards

The text breakdown of the route isn't stepped though as you go passed waypoints in your journey.

The maps are very accurate since it only came out in Dec2003. I've yet to have the GPS point not on a road when I'm travelling.

It doesn't autostart the gps tracking (i.e you have to manually start it each time you load a route) but I've yet to find a PC SAT/NAV program that does.

The followed road is bright pink (no way to change it) but any other roads are offwhite on a beige background i.e hard to see map when off track.

It does work quite well with Mediacar as an external app and I use Click-n-type to enter place names. Would love mediacar to allow any external app to use its OSK, hint, hint

Basically its a cheaper alternative to AutoRoute (which I also had) and prefer it. Might have to upgrade to Infomap though at some point.

HTH

Autoroute will start tracking if you save the directions you have marked etc... solution is to just save a blank one with GPS on, and run that instead of Autoroute...