Text based navigation?

jbraddoc · 02-21-2005, 03:27 PM

Okay, Since I am obviously not going to find the screen I want, are there any "Text based" navigation programs that I can output to a serial display, the directions, and still have Voice nav? Along with that I would need something so that, when I approach a turn, it 'pauses' or mutes anything else coming out of the radio? Like basically.. Im going to mount a text LCD on my dash, somewhere.. have it wired to a computer, the computer wired to an amp, that works with the car's stock audio, and I can play my MP3's and what not, when the stock head unit isnt on.. *Im keeping most of the car stock, because I have a convertible, and I dont want my top slashed, because they decide they want my HU* . That and I can't find a colored lcd screen that I want.. But.. what was I saying?.. Oh Yea.. I would want it to work with a screen that has like 4 directional arrows, and an okay and cancel button, so I could input from the screen.. I know its tedious, but my mom's escalade isn't even touch screen, so I am used to it. And it would be perfect If i could find something that worked with Linux.. Thatway I can use the screen as an output, and not worry about crashes.. But.. Sorry.. LOL I kinda got distracted in the middle of this, and couldnt remember what all I wanted..

jbraddoc · 08-12-2008, 01:35 AM

Okay so I am going to dig this back up again to see if anything has changed in the past 3 years...

Is there a software that provides text based directions using cached maps of some sort that would be able to be exported to a text file that could be read by a text to speech converter? Or even accept input from a voice recognition program?

I am not afraid to get my hands dirty with this, but I have been scouring google and what not and I am not getting anything that seems to be what I want... I have MS Streets and Trips 2k8, if something can be done with that, but linux based would be excellent.

2k1Toaster · 08-12-2008, 02:01 AM

I dont understand why... You have a CarPC right? Any GPS program can give you A to B navigation. Then use its API to get the directions or even use something like google maps and parse the html if you have an internet connection or google earth if you cache it, or parse the image of the street name and directions from program like iGuidance and then use that to send to a character LCD such as this: http://www.pertelian.com/joomla/inde...d=43&Itemid=48

But really, GPS and routing needs some sort of a screen unless you live in the boonies where the roads are far apart. Otherwise you will be going down the wrong road constantly. And with a CarPC anyways, why not have a display too.

The GPS systems from long long ago where basically what you describe. Usually a monochromatic low res display, but even they showed basic line maps with a position. Pure text is useless.

jbraddoc · 08-12-2008, 07:04 AM

There was a company (I swear it was Blaupunkt) that made a HU that had text based navigation. Basically the screen said "turn left on arrow drive" etc, and then had text to speech as well. If I remember I saw it in CrutchField long ago.

Basically I like the stock radio, I like the way it looks and I am not sure I want to add a screen. I was just hoping I could find something that could display, on a text display, the street etc, so it would be line by line navigation as I am driving. I understand the reasons for needing a screen, but if I am going to go that route I may as well keep my garmin without integrating it into the car stereo.

A different alternative I wouldn't mind is to have something that is screen-less, like the Onstar Directions and Connections package. It'd be cool if I could just press a button and have voice recognition to take the address or whatever info I can give it, or have the ability to read a file off of my smartphone and get the address (meaning I could use google maps on my phone, make a text file that it expects to see upon sync and it takes the address and starts navigation from there).

I like things to have a simple elegant look. I don't really want to modify my dash, but would love to integrate something just for the coolness factor.

GeToChKn · 08-12-2008, 09:04 AM

Just buy a gps, stick it to your windshield or dash and call it a day. Lol. seems rather complicated to be downloading text files from phones and all kinds of stuff like that when you really just want a gps.

jbraddoc · 08-15-2008, 03:13 AM

I hate to pull the defense card, but here goes...
I have a garmin that I use in my car. Heres a few things I want to point out... I live in an area that is known for people busting out windshields because they see suction cup blemishes on them and think people have something nice in their car.

Next, isn't the point of this forum to exactly this? I want a PC in my car because I want my music with me. I have an iPod, yes, but I would like something a bit more integrated, and voice driven. I don't really like taking away from the stock look on this car and that should explain my not wanting a screen (not to mention I can't hide it, or take it out when I leave the car unattended).

I don't want to sit here and defend my responses, because its not necessary.

I know it is possible, but I am not sure what I am looking for, or what the terms are that I am looking for. I am sure most mapping software well let me send data back and forth between applications. I guess I would be looking for plugins of some sort, and recommendations for voice recognition software... This is a time where knowing someone at voicesignal would come in handy... I guess the vr program I would use would have to be capable of taking commands and either running scripts, or communication with, at the very least, my gps program. I mean there wouldn't be a problem installing a screen temporarily until I deemed it ready to go 'headless'... But something that is completely screen-less and available at either the push of a button or mention of a word (like the vocera communicators) is what I am really wanting... I guess I am trying to mix Microsoft Sync with Onstar Directions and Connections... If I knew what I had to read, or where I had to look, or at the least, what I had to look under/search for, I would. I guess that is why I posted this in the technical forum..

jbraddoc · 08-15-2008, 04:29 PM

Something I just saw : http://gizmodo.com/5037396/kapsys-ka...ring+sized-gps ...

GizmoQ · 08-16-2008, 02:41 AM

Geez, talk about going east to get west.

Quote: Originally Posted by jbraddoc

I live in an area that is known for people busting out windshields because they see suction cup blemishes on them and think people have something nice in their car.

So do I, but I refuse to let the vile treachery of others control my life.

Quote: Originally Posted by jbraddoc

Next, isn't the point of this forum to exactly this? I want a PC in my car because I want my music with me. I have an iPod, yes, but I would like something a bit more integrated, and voice driven. I don't really like taking away from the stock look on this car and that should explain my not wanting a screen (not to mention I can't hide it, or take it out when I leave the car unattended).

This too, I can understand, but there are several clever stealth techniques discussed here for hiding screens. Cadillac makes a nav for the STS, so bevels are no problem and one stealth technique is a fake radio covering that snaps in to cover the screen which is easily doable for this car (I know because I have disassembled several radios trying to put my computer's slot-load DVD drive into the stock headunit and the faceplate disconnects from the rest of the radio and is less than 1/2 in deep).

Quote: Originally Posted by jbraddoc

I know it is possible, but I am not sure what I am looking for, or what the terms are that I am looking for. I am sure most mapping software well let me send data back and forth between applications. I guess I would be looking for plugins of some sort, and recommendations for voice recognition software... This is a time where knowing someone at voicesignal would come in handy... I guess the vr program I would use would have to be capable of taking commands and either running scripts, or communication with, at the very least, my gps program. I mean there wouldn't be a problem installing a screen temporarily until I deemed it ready to go 'headless'... But something that is completely screen-less and available at either the push of a button or mention of a word (like the vocera communicators) is what I am really wanting... I guess I am trying to mix Microsoft Sync with Onstar Directions and Connections... If I knew what I had to read, or where I had to look, or at the least, what I had to look under/search for, I would. I guess that is why I posted this in the technical forum..

Well if you really must go this route, here;s some tips. One of the users here (met him at one of the Chicago meets) is developing a Linux-based CarPC with full voice I/O. Maybe you should get with him and he can add text output to the package. If I'm not mistaken he's run into some issues with nav software for Linux, but everything else looks and runs good.

There is also a hardware device(don't remember where I saw it) that fits into a drive bay that has an LCD and buttons for controlling your music player. Somebody help me out here, I'm getting old. You might could extend the wiring for this device, put it in place of your ashtray and have everything you want via commercial product and hide it when not in use.

If you want to go with existing CarPC software, RoadRunner can send text to an LCD natively and Destinator/Freedrive has the capability to send all kinds of GPS info to labels that Roadrunner can then send to the LCD. Roadrunner also has built in voice control as well as two or three external voice I/O plugins are available for it.

I personally find Voice I/O irritating. Between road noise and having to reduce the volume of the radio, its too much work, still too unreliable, and goes against my philosophy of "Laziness is the mother of invention." I had voice I/O running my house in Vegas and as long as the room was completely silent everything worked fine, but as soon as you introduce a TV, Radio, or just natural conversation recognition dropped significantly. I used Dragon Naturally speaking in my car back the late 90s and have toyed with Ford's Connections and neither are good compliments for the way I drive, the cars I have, or make it any easier to interface with the PC than what I currently use. You may want to get a laptop, install voice I/O on it, and try to use it in your car. It may change your mind about not wanting a touchscreen. I went thru four or five mics with my original attempt at car Voice I/O and the type, the placement, the sensitivity, echo/noise canceling, it was all too much hassle.

Lastly, en route diagnostics is impossible with voice only interface. Most of my roadtrips are 4-16 hours and if my system barfs an hour into the trip, half the time I can fix it while I drive otherwise I can pull over and fix it. With voice only the only option is reboot and pray.