Garmin RV GPS

[jcanavera]

In dealing with GPS devices, especially with Garmin, when you drill down to the basic components, the bottom line is the map itself. And if you are like me, I use it for driving directions. So the guy with the top of the line Garmin and me with the bottom line 7" Nuvi 50 that I bought for $100 with lifetime map updates, all operate off the same baseline maps. The extra $$ you spend are for features and detailed descriptive data. So if you want to get from point A to point B, my low end Garmin will get me to the same location as the high end one. Now maybe the high end unit will add additional parameters that allow me to customize that trip but map quality is the same for all intents.

As noted by others the source of the maps may truly be the major difference between brands and that may be a big factor in making a choice. So far my Garmin has kept me on the right roads to date. I plan to continue to use it until Garmin determines that they no longer will provide map updates for free. That I guess will occur when they say that my Nuvi 50 is functionally obsolete. When that time comes I'll shop the market, but part of my criteria will be the free map updates. My old GPS required purchased maps ($50) and after the first update, the manufacturer declared that the unit was obsolete and that I could no longer buy updates. So one of the things I would look for in buying any GPS with free map updates would be the age of the product line. I'd stay away from those units that have been around for several years. The Nuvi 50 (when I bought mine) was a new product. So far I seem to get one to two updates each year.

My old GPS messed us up a couple of times. Once in Florida when returning from Destin. I was approaching a highway intersection (state highways) that I knew I was going to need to turn left on. I was about 3 miles from that intersection when the GPS told me to take a right. It didn't seem to make sense to me but I took the right. 3 miles from that point I intersected the same highway that I would have if I had not taken the turn. Mileage was about the same, but the road quality on the road I turned on wasn't as good as the road I was on. What blew me away is that after making that left turn on the proper road, I got to an intersection (which was the one I was heading for if I had ignored the GPS). The GPS told me to go left and I realized I was now in a loop retracing my directions back in the direction I came from. I decided to ignore the GPS and continued on the highway that I knew was correct. After about 2 miles it gave up telling me to turn around and figured out I was going in the right direction.

I wondered after that incident whether it was a matter of buggy software, bad maps, or potentially not having enough satellites connected to the GPS unit. I did learn a lesson from that, and it pays to review the route prior to driving. Especially when the route gets you off US or Interstate highways. And if a directed turn makes you uneasy, pull over and review where you are from an actual map.

Jack

[Ag&Au]

The one thing I have noticed about my Garmin GPS that annoys me has to do with its routing logic. I will admit that on long distance trips this is not often a factor. however on short jaunts it is a big nuisance.

When you get off the Garmin assigned routing, it continues to try to route you back to its original route. When you are ready to proceed to your destination, you must start a whole new route in order to get to your destination via the new quickest route. I am positive that my old Garmin GPS (pre Nuvi era) would keep checking for the correct quickest route and keep updating to the new routing.

Jack,

One reason there are different models is different users have different expectations from their GPS. I have an Garmin interfacing APP that connects my cell phone to my GPS via blue tooth. Any time I am in Verizon data coverage, I get real time traffic, road construction, and weather alerts about conditions all along my route automatically. This allows me to avoid these things in advance if I so desire. Also when I am close to a city, the GPS receives traffic update via select FM radio stations that broadcast the traffic alerts in data format. In addition the GPS serves as a Blue tooth device to make and receive calls on the cell phone.

Also I carry my 10.1 inch tablet in the TV with me. It wirelessly connects to the cell phone for Internet connection. That allows me to research all sorts of useful things. If I receive a weather alert on the GPS, I use the tablet to download the appropriate animated NOAA weather radar data for the area of the alert. This allow me to see if it will be a factor, by the time we get there.

Ken

P.S. I can do all this stuff, because there are two of us. Everyplace I said I or me, substitute we or us.

[Skater]

The routing is key.

When we're going to Pennsylvania, our GPSes consistently route us a way that has a lot more traffic lights. We've never timed it, but I remain convinced the faster route is the one with fewer traffic lights - the speed limits are mostly similar otherwise. I think the issue is that the routing logic doesn't incorporate a "penalty" for traffic lights - so, for example, each traffic light should add 10 seconds to that route, because: Between slowing down, waiting, and speeding up again, you've lost way more time than that, but you're not always going to hit the red light, either. I made up the 10 second number, but you get the point. I don't think most GPSs do this - instead they assume you'll be going the speed limit the entire time.

I will say, despite my prior comments about the issues with the Waze and Google Navigation, Waze nails my ETA every time even with traffic. It's pretty amazing. Obviously its estimate will change and improve the closer I get to my destination, but even before I start out it's pretty good about saying, "You'll arrive at 5:58 p.m.," and that's exactly when I get there.

Waze is also VERY good about automatically zooming in and out of the map relative to your speed. If you're navigating a neighborhood, you need to zoom in more so you can see what street you're on, but when you're on the highway, you want to know about the exit a couple miles ahead - Waze automatically zooms to a good level. It's so nice that I miss that feature a LOT in the GPS we have in our truck (a 3+ year old Magellan model). The default zoom on that is so close that I can usually see the street out the windshield before it shows up on the display, rather than knowing what's coming in advance. I usually zoom it out a couple notches but it always reverts to the microscope view.

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by SARGE/AF

Something similar like that happened to me too with my garmin (it is also high end), Problem with Garmin and TomTom they are not from this country and do not have map makers actually traveling the roads of the U.S. and the updates they do get are from inquires to various agencies and then has to be determined by someone who has never been here. That is why I am placing my money with Rand McNally who is a U.S. based map maker and do travel the roads of this country, not to mention they have been making maps for the U.S. for so long.

My further research has discovered this fact. Although your statement in bold is correct, it does not apply to Rand McNally GPSs. Rand McNally GPSs use map data from NAVTEQ which is the company owned by Garmin and the source of Garmin GPS map data. So perhaps Rand McNally could have better logic, but it is working with the same maps.

Ken

[SARGE/AF]

Originally Posted by Ag&Au

My further research has discovered this fact. Although your statement in bold is correct, it does not apply to Rand McNally GPSs. Rand McNally GPSs use map data from NAVTEQ which is the company owned by Garmin and the source of Garmin GPS map data. So perhaps Rand McNally could have better logic, but it is working with the same maps.

Ken

Yes they use NAVTEQ, but if you check you will find that RM compares that to their maps and makes the adjustments as needed to my understanding.

[switz]

Two days ago I saw the green TomTom mapping car heading east on US60 on the east edge of the Phoenix area and it came back on the same road late that afternoon. It has TomTom painted on the side, an antenna on the roof and lots of electronics beside the driver.

So in response to a prior post, the folks at TomTom are actually verifying information and speed limit changes.

[Ag&Au]

You mean, like this?

Apparently they all do it all over the world.

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by SARGE/AF

Yes they use NAVTEQ, but if you check you will find that RM compares that to their maps and makes the adjustments as needed to my understanding.

I'll tell you what? Since you have apparently read this somewhere, why don't you tell me where to check? I can find no reference to that whatsoever. I also have no way of checking your understanding.

If they do that, since NAVTEQ datasets are copyrighted, I would guess all they could do is send corrections to NAVTEQ to be incorporated into the data sets, then all the NAVTEQ users would get them.

My point is simply that today's commonly available GPSs use one of two databases, with NAVTEQ being the most common. Therefor the differences are going to be in how they utilize that data. So far, I have not seen a GPS intended for highway use that seems to consistently make sensible decisions.

Ken