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rancho1
354 Posts |
 Posted - 10 janv. 2004 : 06:02:00
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PC Navigation Solutions as of June 2004:
At this time, the most "PDA-like" navigation solutions (3D, moving-map, streamlined UI, etc...) for PCs and Laptops are based on the Intellinav platform:
Deluo: Routis 2004 (Intellinav v1)
iNav: iGuidance v2 (Intellinav v2)
Pryme Advance: Prymenav (Intellinav v2)
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I decided to install Routis on my laptop and now I wish I hadn't bothered to buy my new iPaq 2215 and 256MB CD, plus powered PDA mount.
I discovered the old 400MHZ Win2K 14" laptop I had fits perfectly in the console of this column shift automatic car without any special mounting hardware.
I have an AUX input to the car stereo, so I can hear the navigation voice and music (from the laptop's hard drive) at the same time no matter how loud I turn up the volume. This is just like the $2000 built-in nav systems.
I was able to load the entire US on the laptop and create a route between northern CA and upstate NY without memory problems.
Since I already owned the laptop and had an AUX audio input to the car stereo, all I needed to buy was an 140 watt cigarette lighter power inverter, and a PC card adaptor for the CF GPS unit. Still much cheaper than buying a new mid to high end PocketPC plus all the accesories needed to mount and power it and I get better functionality with much more RAM and space for maps.
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gpspassion
93402 Posts |
Posted - 10 janv. 2004 : 14:58:05
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Yes the laptop version of Intellinav is absolutely superb...and it's going to get better.
The problem with laptops has been getting them to fit properly, to be readable in daylight and to have them in your line of sight while driving. Sounds like you've got #1 taken care of, how do you feel about the other 2?
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Discounts and Assistance/Réductions et Assistance (Club GpsPasSion)
Best "GPS" PocketPC/Choisir un PDA ou un Kit "GPS" |
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rancho1
354 Posts |
Posted - 10 janv. 2004 : 18:37:35
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quote:
Originally posted by gpspassion
Yes the laptop version of Intellinav is absolutely superb...and it's going to get better.
The problem with laptops has been getting them to fit properly, to be readable in daylight and to have them in your line of sight while driving. Sounds like you've got #1 taken care of, how do you feel about the other 2?
Yes, there is still room for improvement. Having water features colored in would help and it doesn't have nearly as many POIs as the built-in systems or even the Hertz Neverlost systems I've used. The "shopping" POIs in Routis seem to be mostly large regional shopping malls, I didn't see individual stand alone stores listed or places like Target, Wal-Mart Costco etc like in Hetrz Neverlost has. Routis also has far fewer restaurants in the POIs and they are not broken down by type (fast food, Mexican etc.). I didn't even see any Starbucks listed in the cities I checked. Maybe all that can't fit on a PDA, but it can on a laptop.
However, since the "basics" work well enough I'm satisfied for now.
The screen was bright enough to read in the daytime and, although it isn't in my "line of sight" since I did not bother to buy a mount to suspend the laptop higher up above the console (like in this photo), because the screen is so large, I only have to glance down at it for a quick second or so if the next turn isn't clear enough from the voice prompts alone.
Now the next time I go to buy a new car, two criteria that will go into the buying decision will be whether it can fit a laptop and whether it comes with either an AUX audio input already, a CD changer input that can be converted to an AUX input, or at least a cassette deck so a cassette adapter can be used.
Mounting kits are available for many vehicles though. See Jottodesk.net
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Edited by - rancho1 on 10 janv. 2004 19:41:16 |
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ve7mdt
Canada
170 Posts |
Posted - 25 janv. 2004 : 17:35:43
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Many of my friends have similar in car laptop for GPS (and/or other use), and facing similar challenges as gpspassion described.
For mounting, it depends on the car, and if you want to build your own mount or buy one. For small car (like mine), it's indeed a challlenge, even for a 12" mid size notebook. Smaller size like Toshiba Libretto series, Casio FIVO, Sony VAIO C1, Panasonic Toughbook small one, are easier to mount.
For line of sight, it's even harder, but depends on car. But even for my car, I could place my Libretto on the dash, and it fits fine, just a little far, and not as easy to see, things like text.
For viewing directly under the sun, it's even harder. Only NEC Daylite series have transreflective LCD in a notebook, for consumers. Some standalone 7" VGA LCD can be purchased with an ultrabright (a $200. USD add-on option!!) conversion, that makes it much much brighter. There are no known mini-notebook w/ built in transreflective LCD so far, but I'm waiting. (WinCE / CE.NET types don't count). A compromise is to put a sunshield hood on the side and top of the LCD, it makes any screen much easier to see, with much improved contrast. Simly make one yourself w/ some black cardboard and velcro w/ glue side and that's it.
Friends and I have had this challenge for years, and I'm trying to give our learned and researched experience here.
Good thing is the 7" LCD w/ VGA input is getting cheaper, about USD$200. these days, of course, if you need more features the price goes up. So you can use this screen w/ either a laptop put elsewhere, or a small shoebox PC (such as Shuttle etc) and hide it.
For Wal-Mart listing, you'll need Delorme's AAA Map'n'Go , which in itself is similar to Delorme's Street Atlas but with more POIs. It has complete Wal-Mart listing, because Wal-Mart has some RV parking agreement I think (often seen RV parked at night at many Wal-Mart in US).
For other stores, it's really a hit and miss, for example, Costco is not always listed, but sometimes it is. I can't think of other solution except using wireless Internet or look up a local phone book etc. (I have North America wide unlimited GPRS, as long as I'm under the footprint of the carriers, so that can work for me).
Restaurants are similarly. Overall, I use both AAA Map'n'Go and Microsoft MapPoint (Streets and Trips has same) for the best POI experience (combined). This is also the reason that PDA cannot replace notebook for very extensive mapping use, in my own opinion. If you need the most POI but can only use PDA, for example, while on foot-mobile in downtown area (taking out a notebook would be awkward, and in bad area, might be robbed!), you can use Pocket Streets and downloaded a small area (not even a full city, unfortunately) selected on Windows, and copied to PocketPC, then all the POIs follow with it (so that's the good part).
Depending on your notebook, you might be able to skip one step on power, by buying a DC-DC power supply made for laptop. The cheapest one is made by Radio Shack, and has multiple voltage, 9 - 24 V in 1V resolution, and multiple connectors to connect to. However, since it's easy to mess up polarity and voltage, don't use this method if you are not comfortable to deal with Volts and Amps (if you can't tell Volts from Amps, then don't do it). Make sure you measure polarity and output before plugging into laptop for real.
For audio, having an AUX front panel input is the best, but then you also disable the in car music source (unless you have a good selection of MP3 etc on your laptop, and you don't need to listen to local traffic report on the radio etc). I recommend installing a mid-size pair of amplified speakers (for example, those computer speakers or those for walkman etc), and put them at a convenient position (that you think work, but accept esthetically). Get it powered by your car 12V source, by getting a high enough current DC-DC power supply (those new switch mode ones sold at WalMart and KMart are great and cheap), get something that matches the rating of the AC-DC wall-wart that it came with originally (or exceed). That you can run both sound at the same time, and can balance the loudness independently.
The challenge of Windows based system is the boot up time. However, with Windows XP and hibernation mode, it's kept to a tolerable level.
On my trip from Vancouver to southern California and back, I use 2 - 3 systems together. One is my in-car Clarion AutoPC with Odessey 2000 and NavTech maps. 2nd system is my Libretto running either Delorme Deluxe (which has course up display), or Microsoft MapPoint + AGPS add-on. Due to the problem w/ my then Holux GM-270 (sold) not working w/ my Toshiba e740, this system is not used in my last trip. (next trip ok, since I bought a Fortuna Bluetooth Clip-On lately).
For all the challenges, I think getting the mount right, is the most difficult task, for a small car.
HOpe this helps!
Garmin Legend, Venture
Rand McNally "mouse", Palm III, modified for IIIc (not working now, needs troubleshoot)
Clarion AutoPC GPS Odessey 2000
Magellan Springboard GPS on Visor 2MB
Holux GM-270 (LED not working) on Toshiba e740
Garmin or Rand McNally mouse for laptop (usually Toshiba Libretto 50CT) running Delorme Deluxe, or MapPoint 2002 w/ AGPS, or Delorme AAA Map'n'Go 7.0 typically. |
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pli7
USA
82 Posts |
Posted - 28 janv. 2004 : 13:00:25
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ve7mdt,
This is interesting. I have two questions:
1) How about security? Do you take your laptop (and other gear) with you every time you leave the car for an extended period of time (e.g. going into a restaurant)?
2) Can you elaborate on the $200 7" LCD screens? Where can you find that online?
Thanks.
pli7 |
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tedmozer
USA
104 Posts |
Posted - 16 mars 2004 : 03:36:46
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I just dropped my Axim X5 one too many times. Screen display is dead. Even though Mapopolis will not function in my tablet PC, my CF GPS card will. If I can find software for the Toshiba Tablet that will do what Mapopolis did on my Axim (at least until I can get it replaced), I will not be missing the X5 near as much......
Suggestions please???
Since I could never see the screen on my Axim in daylight, and will probably suffer the same with the tablet, spoken directions are of prime importance.
Ted Mozer
Brick, NJ
Axim X5 - PPC2003
GlobalSat BC-307
Mapopolis |
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gpspassion
93402 Posts |
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ve7mdt
Canada
170 Posts |
Posted - 22 avr. 2004 : 13:47:51
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My answer to the questions:
I will leave my stuff in my car if I go to a fast food restaurant which I can see my car in view, if the area seems ok enough. If the area seems dangerous, I won't even eat there, let alone thinking about that in the first place. I have an alarm in my car, and should have added wireless alarm as well. What I do often is cover the mini-notebook by a jacket, if I am a little worried. Same for going to restroom in a rest area. I basically did the same thing all along my trip, and only clean out my stuff when I leave my car overnight. I also have another notebook as well, but didn't use for navigation, it's a 4lb ultra-portable, and could be used if absolutely necessary.
For the $200. USD 7" LCD display, do a search on eBay or Internet and you will find all sorts of diff. labels of the same or similar thing. I am thinking about buying the cheaper kind, w/o the ultra bright mod since the mod is way too expensive ($200. upgrade). I'm thinking about building a very small PC (using book PC or similar kind of stuff) for my car, or a used notebook.
Various software can give voice nav. but w/ diff. degree of quality: Delorme, Microsoft MapPoint w/ AGPS add-on, Routis, etc. Voice nav is great, and voice command is even better, but usually not great. I love the sound from the Alpine system, even the oldest version, it's digitized real voice, and it's nice and clear, even w/ the built in speaker.
I found out that the new Fujitsu tablet PC (slate style) has transreflective screen, and it's only US$200. more than the non-outdoor model. At 10.4" screen, it's great, and since it is not a traditional notebook, mounting should be more reflexible, since you only need to worry about mounting it, as if it is a display, so to speak. It'll have touchscreen, and so you don't even need mouse or keyboard, as long as you can reach it. The price is slightly above $2000. USD listed, so it's not cheap, but probably one of the very few solutions that can solve the various problems presented in this thread (and for reason that users want bigger map display as well!). Compared to my Tablet, which is the old Frontpath (Sonicblue)'s ProGear, which cannot be read under direct sun at all, this is what I've been looking for! When the price gets to a more affordable level, I think I'll switch to this model/platform, and drop the 7" idea, since a 7" display is really not much for a computer style format display anyway (if you use it as a PC, then you want full control, so even w/ the best skin mobile frontend app. it won't cover everything).
However, I'm now also very interested in the units that have accerometer (sp?) built in, and w/ a PC based solution, it's not available yet. Now it's a dilemma on that aspect.
For the picture w/ the woman and the laptop, what could be an easy improvement is a sun shield (similar to what you expect in a boat!), and it can be built like I described earlier. It does help the contrast. I have done that w/ CRT outdoor w/ the same method.
Garmin Venture
Rand McNally "mouse", Palm III
Clarion AutoPC GPS Odessey 2000
Magellan Springboard GPS on Visor 2MB
Fortuna BT Clip-On + Socket Bluetooth + Toshiba e740
Toshiba Libretto 50CT, Sotec 3120X, SonicBlue FrontPath 1050SE tablet
Routis 2004, Mapopolis, MapPoint 2004, Delorme Deluxe, AAA Map'n'Go 7, etc. |
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bLind
USA
7 Posts |
Posted - 26 avr. 2004 : 00:35:48
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| Man ve7, I can't believe you still have and actively use your libretto 50ct. That thing doesn't even meet the minimum requirements to play Starcraft hehe. I have a libreto 70ct but it was painfully slow and bulky for mounting in the car. I'd get delorme but it doesn't have any 3d view and there are many things many people are saying that are bad about it. Microsoft's gps support isn't anything special because it doesn't have any navigation. Too bad TomTom doesn't have a PC version of their software, because even if it was ridiculously expensive, I'd still buy it. |
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gpspassion
93402 Posts |
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naysmitj
Canada
3 Posts |
Posted - 24 mai 2004 : 19:30:30
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I have ordered on eof these. I will let you know how it works out, I wanted it primarily for the boat.
Cheers |
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naysmitj
Canada
3 Posts |
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xcanuk
Canada
77 Posts |
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gpspassion
93402 Posts |
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xcanuk
Canada
77 Posts |
Posted - 09 juil. 2004 : 17:47:23
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I've tried a few other programs, but fall back to streets and trips. Clear, easy and light enough to load everything into the laptop without needing a CD.
While I'm a big believer in my set-up, it still becomes a distraction and I try not to glance at it too often. I'll magnify it 100% and refer to it at stoplights as I approach my destination, otherwise I use it for my overall position at a glance. Its an aid, but not a tool. |
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gpspassion
93402 Posts |
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Laptop and TabletPC Solutions
