Sat Nav (1 Viewer)

[bailey]

I am looking to buy a sat nav system for my M.H i want ont that you can input Height and Width any thoughts

Thanks

Bill:Cool:

 

[madbluemad]

I think your wasting you time, to my knowledge there arent any out there like that, that actually work.
Jim

 

[DESCO]

I think your wasting you time, to my knowledge there arent any out there like that, that actually work.
Jim

Hi Bill

Must say I agree don't think the mapping is up to it yet keep hoping when I see a new one announced but from what I've heard nothing yet. Think the only ones are truckers ones that only do main roads, if you come off these they only work as others.

Dave :thumb::thumb:

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[GJH]

The software may be up to the job but the data maps are not. At the moment neither Navteq nor Tele Atlas supply maps with comprehensive road widths recorded.

All the sat navs can do is avoid roads defined as narrow by the fact that there is a legal width restriction in place (same with weight restrictions). The vast majority of roads which are actually narrow in terms of towing a caravan or driving a motorhome down them have no such legal status so, in the absence of the data being held in the mapping datasets, the software cannot avoid them.

Graham

 

[Geo]

Just to explain possibly why they dont or ever will work to our satisfaction
It would be a huge task to take a physical measurement of all the available roads
so the only data that can be used is the legal entitlement to use any given road
obviously if your 3 metres high it wont/shouldn't send you under a 2.5 meter bridge as for narrow unsuitable roads ,I believe it will continue to send you down those because there is no legal reason or restriction on that road not too
Geo

 

[oldun]

The point is simply this.

Even if the Sat Nav knows the dimensions of your vehicle from where can it get the data to make use of this knowledge? The answer is of course the map and I doubt very much whether there is sufficient data available from the map.

Imagine the work needed to check every road for its width along its entire length, weak bridges, low bridges etc. Some generalisations could be made for different classes of road but these would be only approximate.

It would be interesting to see what the Sat Na vs designed for large vehicles actually perform.

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[grumps147]

I have seen a press release somewhere for one used by the freight trade, and from memory either the Freight Transport Association or Road Haulage Association were involved in its production. I recall the price as around £250. It was in something I have read in the camping/caravaning press - may even have been on this site. Sorry my memory is so bad.:Confused:

 

[Onderweg]

Hi Bill

We are using a Navigon 6310 and are really pleased with it.
The only draw back is that only 500 points of interested can be entered

Although we have not got the Camper and Caravan module nor the Truck Navigation module it might be worth while to check it out.

But, before you buy/pay, make sure it does what you want it to do !!!

 

[grumps147]

found it - start here,


Link Removed

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[olley]

Just to explain possibly why they dont or ever will work to our satisfaction
It would be a huge task to take a physical measurement of all the available roads
so the only data that can be used is the legal entitlement to use any given road
obviously if your 3 metres high it wont/shouldn't send you under a 2.5 meter bridge as for narrow unsuitable roads ,I believe it will continue to send you down those because there is no legal reason or restriction on that road not too
Geo

If google can photograph every road, why can't Tele atlas measure them?

Olley

 

[WinnietheBrave]

I use a normal satnav but always check the route on my truckers atlas, at least that way I can listen to the satnav and trust I'm going to get there.

 

[GJH]

If google can photograph every road, why can't Tele atlas measure them?

Olley

Because it would take some effort instead of just generating revenue?

The most disappointing thing to me about sat navs is the mapping. Tom Tom (who now own Tele Atlas) make a real song and dance about the number of roads which are changed each year so need updating but, in reality, there's a heck of a lot of planning and documentation go into such changes (especially to major roads) over at least months and often years. All the information is there in the local/central government databases so goodness knows why it should be such a production to apply the updates to the maps and why the updates should cost so much.

Graham

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[GJH]

found it - start here,

Link Removed

The Pronav suffers from the same problems as mentioned in previous posts - the mapping data is insufficiently detailed. See Link Removed for Navevo's own admission of that.

Another potential difficulty with products like the Pronav and the Snooper ranges is that (unlike mainstream products like Tom Tom & Garmin) you can't load your own PoI datasets, you can only load individual ones.

Graham

 

[W18BLA]

I found this people for all you sat nav loons....

Link Removed

Bridge heights etc etc...

 

[mikamada]

The Pronav suffers from the same problems as mentioned in previous posts - the mapping data is insufficiently detailed. See Link Removed for Navevo's own admission of that.

Another potential difficulty with products like the Pronav and the Snooper ranges is that (unlike mainstream products like Tom Tom & Garmin) you can't load your own PoI datasets, you can only load individual ones.

Graham

A lot is made of the need to program your own POIs but I question the real need. The Snooper comes with downloadable POIs, depending upon model, which provide details on site such as camping sites and forecourt lpg and almost all manufacturers provide general information POIs such as banks, hoteles, service stations etc.

The problem with POIs added by users is that they do not form the part of the routing calculation so are just for information. This applies to almost every unit and includes Autoroute, Mappoint and the Garmin PC version (I have two and trialed Mappoint - all with GPS dongle).

We have a Garmin Nuvi 660 for the motorcycle and car. It comes with Mapsource which is a PC routing application which allows calculated routes to be loaded onto the Navigation unit. We purchased the Low bridges POI data for width, height and weight and I have calculated the route for the MH using Mapsource ensuring that there were no "blocks" and then transferred to the 660.

Loading the POI data inton Mapsource is not the easiest thing as there is duplication of names ion each dataset meaning you have to manually edit the dataset names before generation of the gpx format for load into Mapsource. The same issue will result from a direct load into a Garmin Unit using the Garmin supplied POI Loader pakage (at least Mapsource warns of the duplication).

The 660 had to be run with out recalculate so that any minor diversion would not result in the planned route being discarded.

It has been a lot of effort and the worst thing was that even then there have been at least two occaisons when the route calculated has failed to detect where the MH cannot go. Whilst it is a difficulty and irritation when we are both in the MH when Kim is travelling on her own that type of error is a real problem.

In addition there is a physical liimit on the 660 regarding POIs (waypoints or favourites - call them what you wish) and because of this I can load the low bridges or the narrow roads or the weight restriction but not all.

And this is from the top of the range Garmin unit.

I looked at the TomTom unit and the Snooper S7000 and, for me, the crunch was the screen size. The TomTom Truck/Caravan one seemed to only come with a 4.3inch screen which is small when the sat nav is several feet away from the driver. In the end decided on the Snooper S7000 and bit the bullet even though it does not allow user load of POI. It was the screen size that decided it.

Having tried it first in the car on Friday travelling down to Malvern using the backroads because the M6 was traffic bound I reckon it did a pretty good job. Rerouteing was quick and, to me seemed appropriate, including diversions that I took coz the countryside looked pretty. The little person inside the machine was not too irritatiing with her voice. Some vof the menu structures and system navigation is not that intuitive but it is easy to get to grips with.

Coming back from Malvern with the 660 I checked how many POIs I had loaded that were not low bridges etc a found just a handful which were cluttered in all the low bridges POIs so would have been difficult for me to find. So I am not really sure we need to load user POIs.

As to the accuracy of the data. It will be years before any dataset on widths etc will be complete and until then, even with the low bridges datasets, a SatNav should only be used as a tool to assist navigation and not to remove the responsiblilty of the operator in planning and using the route.

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[GJH]

The need for PoI databases will obviously differ between users. For me, with a PoI dataset containing more than 1600 entries, it is perhaps more important than to some others.

I have seen criticisms on GPS forums from HGV drivers of the fact that they cannot add datasets containing their company's depots and/or regular drop-off points.

If the provided PoI sets supply all that is needed then fine.

Graham

 

[Landy lover]

We have had the Snooper 7000 now for over a year - on startup you can select motorhome /caravan or car - you can set height and weight which are your main issues - when you set the route in you can select different options on road types and you can exclude certain things ie tolls - motorways etc - As Geo said there is no legal restrictions on most narrow roads and in some cases the narrow road is your only sensible route to destination. Over the years I have tried a number of different units including Tom Tom personally I have found the Snooper the best to date - It came with an extensive campsite data base and you can easily add your own favourites as you find them for reuse at a later date My son in law was with me the other day and he is a confirmed supporter of Tom Tom and his comments after a mile or two was a grudging 'that seems a lot clearer than Tom Tom' If I have any complaint it is in the manual which is written for those that understand all the computer speak etc for those that are somewhat computer challanged shall we say it may take a while to get to grips with - I'm just about there now

 

[robnchris]

garmin

Ours has the option of choosing the type of vehicle you are driving, ie motorbike, car or truck, I guess if you select truck like we have the route chosen will attampt to keep you on major roads rather than "B" roads but sooner or later you are going to have to look for that sign that says "Low Bridge" or similar.

Good luck.

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[W18BLA]

I will try again for anyone that never seen it..

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Satnav with Bridge heights etc.. Just what your all talking about its out there....

Craig

 

[robnchris]

Have a look here same sat nav cheaper.

Link Removed

 

[agilityeye]

Tom tom do a truck version
http://www.tomtom-navigation.co.uk/site/TomTom_Truck_Software.php
will probably have the same issues as all the others lol

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