Prius DVD Nav vs other Nav System

[qbee42]

Bob, I think part of the confusion with the maker of any GPS system is that the maker of the GPS box is never the company supplying the map data. There are only a couple (3, 4?) of major players in the map database world, who supply maps for all of the GPS companies. As users of a mapping GPSs, we mostly see errors in the map database, so that's where we want to direct our complaints.

Tom

[ctbering]

Last year, my wife and I bought a Nuvi 360 as our Christmas toy. Then in April we bought the Prius, package 6. While I am hardly a GPS expert I found it easier learning the NUvi than mastering the GPS on the Prius (I still havent mastered voice) With that said, there are pluses I like about the Toyota's system like the ability to suspend voice command when you detour and the navigation system 'concluding' when you reach your destination. The voice on the Totota giving directions is much easier to listen to. I didnt like the 'recalculating' voice feature on the Nuvi...after awhile it sounded like a bored teacher frustrated with her student. I love the big screen on the Totota and I think part of learning curve for owners is mastering the voice commands and blue tooth phone capabilities.
For the Nuvi owner cosidering the package 5, its real nice to ditch the bean bag......just like it was easy to ditch it after the 70's. The most frustrating aspect of the Toyota system is the safety feature often mentioned. It's ridiculous and it might be worth the money to hack it so it works while the car is moving. This safety feature probably causes more safety problems than prevents them, like road rage or having to pull over to the apron in heavy traffic to reset the system or enter data.

[KayakerNC]

Originally Posted by ctbering

For the Nuvi owner cosidering the package 5, its real nice to ditch the bean bag......just like it was easy to ditch it after the 70's.

Makes a great sun-shade for my MFD.
Bracketron UFM-100BL Nav-Mat GPS Friction Dash Pad

[ranchogirl]

Originally Posted by uicandrew

in general, i find garmin to be better than tomtom because garmin uses "Navteq" maps (better for USA) and tomtom uses "teleatlas" maps (better for europe)

I know this thread is comparing portable with the factory but I agree with the above. TomTom had the nearest embassy as one of it's featured destination selections. Like I need to know??

We would up buying the Garmin 350 but that was before I had my Prius. Now it's sitting on the dining room table. I do like the Garmin better than the factory as a navigator, but having a built-in one I think is a better idea due to theft reasons. We will keep the 350 for traveling, however.

An even BETTER idea is if a company like Garmin would get together with a car manufacturer and create a built-in version.

[cwerdna]

Originally Posted by ranchogirl

An even BETTER idea is if a company like Garmin would get together with a car manufacturer and create a built-in version.

Suzuki did. See 2009 Suzuki SX4 to have standard GPS: Consumer Reports Cars Blog.

[Genoz World]

MAYBE a bit off this thread, but what's the BEST WAY TO GET real time navi? can the factory be upgraded to this?

Also, what is the solution when i cannot input (it says not in existance) an address that has been around for 10+ years?

My caddy had a DVD that was replaced every two years. what kind of system do we have? (2008) someone mentioned a DVD, but is that true?

[hschuck]

Originally Posted by Genoz World

Also, what is the solution when i cannot input (it says not in existance) an address that has been around for 10+ years?

Sometime an address cannot be found due to differences in little things (like N, S, E, or W) between what the software will accept and what is commonly used. Also, a suburb name or city name may be required by the software.

Try starting by entering the city name then the street name without modifiers such as drive, road, N, S, E, W and the like. The system will list available streets for you to select from with available modifiers. Once the street is selected it will show the range of address it will accept. If the street cannot be found in the city, try another commonally used name for that area (or vis versa). In the metropolitan LA area there is considerable opportunity for different names to be used while the software will usually only accept one.

[ranchogirl]

Originally Posted by cwerdna

Suzuki did. See 2009 Suzuki SX4 to have standard GPS: Consumer Reports Cars Blog.

Wow - that's cool! The only one thing is that is looks to be a regular Garmin (customized by Suzuki) that attaches to a docking station, so theft would still worry me.

It's a step forward though!

Toyota are you listening? Get together with Garmin and create a BUILT-IN version before some other car manufacturer contracts with them first!

[cwerdna]

Originally Posted by ctbering

Last year, my wife and I bought a Nuvi 360 as our Christmas toy. Then in April we bought the Prius, package 6. While I am hardly a GPS expert I found it easier learning the NUvi than mastering the GPS on the Prius (I still havent mastered voice) With that said, there are pluses I like about the Toyota's system like the ability to suspend voice command when you detour and the navigation system 'concluding' when you reach your destination. The voice on the Totota giving directions is much easier to listen to. I didnt like the 'recalculating' voice feature on the Nuvi...after awhile it sounded like a bored teacher frustrated with her student. I love the big screen on the Totota and I think part of learning curve for owners is mastering the voice commands and blue tooth phone capabilities.
For the Nuvi owner cosidering the package 5, its real nice to ditch the bean bag......just like it was easy to ditch it after the 70's. The most frustrating aspect of the Toyota system is the safety feature often mentioned. It's ridiculous and it might be worth the money to hack it so it works while the car is moving. This safety feature probably causes more safety problems than prevents them, like road rage or having to pull over to the apron in heavy traffic to reset the system or enter data.

Yep. Each of them has their pros and cons. I have a Nuvi 350 (Bluetooth-less version of the 360) for my nav-less Z.

Below is a post I made on Tivocommunity long in 1/08 listing some pros and cons. Now that PND (portable navigation devices) have become so cheap vs. factory nav systems, I actually would hesitate buying factory nav units in future cars now unless they became more price competitive.

(begin quote)
"I have a Nuvi 350 (for my nav system-less car) and I also have an 06 Prius w/factory nav system. The Toyota/Lexus nav systems from around that era are all very similar in functionality and UI.

Each definitely has its pros and cons. I wish I had some screenshots and/or time to take them to illustrate.

The cons of my Nuvi 350 include:
- hassle of having to carry around and remove the unit along w/hiding the bean bag friction mount
- suction cup mount doesn't work too well w/the plastic disc (I don't use it anymore) - it's fallen down a # of times already
- the screen's resolution is too limited and thus the info it gives is limited, esp. when it comes to upcoming exits and turns (the Prius w/map view on left and turn on the right shows more info and shows details of the intersection/turn/highway exit or portion to stay on)
- beacuse of above, there's no dual map view (can't be looking at 2 different parts of map, esp. at different zoom levels)
- map lines are too thick combined w/low res screen so it hardly shows any street names (just useless outlines)
- has no voice recognition
- no steering wheel controls
- no lookup by phone #
- no integration w/stereo (stereo volume doesn't go down when GPS unit makes annoucements)
- no "bread crumbs" feature (not that I use it on the Prius much)
- no real equivalent of the filtered points of interest display as icons (like restaurants, ATM, fast food, etc.)
- having to worry about charging the battery or plugging it in
- yet another wire in my car (that makes 3 cigarette lighter devices for me: radar detector, GPS, iPod charger/FM transmitter)
- doesn't display the approximate address you're at when you press a button (on Prius, when you press Map button, it'll indicate 1234 Elm St. - this beats looking around for house numbers in the dark)
- more cumbersome to switch between North Up and Track Up view (1 touch on the Prius)

pros of my Nuvi 350:
- has text to speech (reads street names aloud)
- can use in another cars
- displays upcoming street name when not in guidance mode
- many voices to choose from
- map updates will likely be cheaper than my Prius'
- can work w/FM traffic receivers (not that I have one)
- has useless (to me) features like MP3 player, picture viewer, language guide, etc.

I can name many more pros and cons if I spend more time to think about it. I've played w/systems in recent Infinitis and IIRC, they let you use a dial to zoom in and out quickly. I wish I had more in depth knowledge of nav systems beyond Toyota/Lexus ones. Once you get used to something, you tend to realize there are some features you miss and things some do better than others."
(end quote)

[acidburn517]

I'm about to get a package 5 (it became available before the package 4 that I wanted). I really didn't think I needed another GPS but I would much rather have a car than be a stickler about the nav. I already have a Garmin nuvi 360 (I love the text to speech). Does the built in nav have TTS as well?