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Free NAV DVD update - the story so far...

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by mikepaul, Nov 14, 2005.

  1. onerpm

    onerpm New Member

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    Tobalt, make sure your region is set to the region that includes your state, otherwise the NAV will not show the full level of street detail. Possible it defaulted or got reset to another region when you upgraded disks.

    rpm
     
  2. naterprius

    naterprius Senior Member

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    And don't forget to check the scale. 700ft shows all roads.

    Nate
     
  3. Harper

    Harper New Member

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    So here are my questions...

    1) Is the NAV DVD 5.1 upgrade going to be free?
    1a) If not, how much will it cost to upgrade (approx.)?
    2) Does anyone know when we can get it (approx.)?
    3) Should we all start asking our local dealers now or wait until thet start selling the new '06 model?
     
  4. mikepaul

    mikepaul Senior Member

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    1) There's a free NAV update for (most?) 2004 and some early 2005 NAV-equipped Prius cars due to customer complaints. I understand that Toyota may have set aside a bunch of 4.2 DVDs to fill this update, and may have no plans to fill it with 5.1. It was implied that a dealer can get 5.1 to keep a customer happy, but the dealer may need to eat a cost that not all dealers may want to eat, like swiping a DVD from a newer 2005 then ordering a replacement.

    1a) $288 seems close.

    2) If you qualify for a free update at all, it's nearly over: December 31, 2005. The standard update procedure should work smoothly: I want 5.1, so I'm taking the long, slow route to maybe a 4.2 result anyway.

    3) I'm told that 5.1 isn't out for sale, and being out for sale allows dealers to get it (easily?). How some dealers got it for update customers (other than the swipe-from-2005 idea) is something I'd like to know...
     
  5. 3c3

    3c3 Junior Member

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    $288 is crazy. We have already paid close to $2000 for the NAV unit.
     
  6. Wayne

    Wayne Active Member

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    The problem is the software vendor can't sell millions of copies, so they have to charge more than you might otherwise see.

    Of course in this case they can't sell ANY copies! :huh:
     
  7. mikepaul

    mikepaul Senior Member

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    Got a call today. It's being looked into. 4.2 still mentioned as THE free update until somebody says otherwise...
     
  8. mikepaul

    mikepaul Senior Member

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    Heard back from the Service department. Somebody told him 5.1 wouldn't work in a 2004. :blink:

    So he's going to do his own test once a 2005 with 5.1 is around, and let me know. I pointed out a 2005 uses the same NAV, and I'm hoping for the best.

    Still looks like 4.2 will be delivered by default, though... :(
     
  9. Wayne

    Wayne Active Member

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    Hmmmm... I wonder -- Both the 2006 and the 2004/5 use database v5.1, but the 2006 displays it in enhanced resolution. We haven't actually seen the part numbers on a 2006 disk yet (hey kinged, up for pulling your CD?), but I wonder whether the disk was changed to accommodate the increased resolution of the '06. If so, THAT v5.1 disk may not work on the 2004/5.

    Just another possible point of confusion on an already tough nut!
     
  10. naterprius

    naterprius Senior Member

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    I know for a fact that the 5.1 disc works in the 2004. I've had it running in my 2004 for over a week.

    Nate
     
  11. bruceha_2000

    bruceha_2000 Senior Member

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    From my POV, the REASON they can't sell any copies (except for this 1 time 'recall') is BECAUSE they are charging nearly $300 for something that MOST people will never use even 5% of the data. Sure some people travel great distances all the time but most of us stay pretty close to home with the occasional trip afar. PLUS, you don't even know WHAT they updated. Buy a new disc and they might not have updated your area at all.

    If they charged maybe $50 AND had somewhere you could find out if the new disc had any value for YOU, I bet a lot more upgrades would be sold. They could make MORE money by charging less. The disc cost is almost zero, they are already paying people to go out and update their data.
     
  12. Wayne

    Wayne Active Member

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    Obviously I can't help you on the price, but we are working on a way to identify what has changed. Not completely, mind you, but to some extent. What we are doing is comparing 'detailed coverage' areas by photographing and posting the screens of the various versions. Then, should someone want to see if their area got pulled into a 'detailed coverage' area, they can just call up the pictures we posted. We have posted v3.3, v4.2, and both v5.1s so far. The thread can be found here:

    http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=12927&hl=
     
  13. wrprice

    wrprice Active Member

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    It's interpolated vector data (coordinates) in the database, not images, so the data isn't directly tied to resolution. The screen and graphics engine for the new NAV ECU is capable of drawing smoother-looking lines, that's all.

    That doesn't mean they didn't come up with some other way to obsolete the 04/05 hardware, but the KWI data won't be at fault if it's incompatible.
     
  14. Wayne

    Wayne Active Member

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    Well, we'll know better when we see a part number. It may be as simple as different display drivers on disk. I know the same screens display differently (words in different places, for example), so I don't think it's as simple as interpretation of data. Look at these two examples:

    [Broken External Image]:http://img455.imageshack.us/img455/7772/img01283vy.th.jpg
    [Broken External Image]:http://img455.imageshack.us/img455/5491/navcoveragev5104118mf.th.jpg

    You'll notice many differences in the position of the words, whether lines are drawn back to the areas, etc. The user interface is also completely different, not just drawn in more detail.

    I'm waiting for the part number. I PM'd kinged, and he said he'd do it when he gets back from a trip to Canada...
     
  15. mikepaul

    mikepaul Senior Member

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    You'd see a similar effect if you lowered your Windows Desktop settings to 640x480 from 1024x768 and displayed something that was drawn to a specific size and not to a relative size. These maps are a specific size.

    And on my Amiga I could use my own gadgets for stuff like buttons, so moving to round ones once the display supported drawing them well isn't a bad idea. The software can still be the same, but adapt to the hardware.

    I did notice the "3-D" effects in the 2006 map's borders, and I'm jealous. Where's that lottery ticket?...
     
  16. Wayne

    Wayne Active Member

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    Well, okay, when the dealer comes back and says they're incompatible, I suppose we can just take his word for it. No sense in considering he may be looking at a possible new disk from an '06, I guess.
     
  17. mikepaul

    mikepaul Senior Member

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    The Service guy seems to have the right test in mind: pull a 2005 5.1 DVD and see if it works in a 2004. If Denso managed to make one disk with 04/05/06 compatibility on it, great for them, but I don't really care.

    I just hope a few 2005's are going to be coming in soon. If he thinks 5.1 is the wrong thing to order, he might not want to just get it on my say-so. Having him test it successfully will help my cause...
     
  18. Wayne

    Wayne Active Member

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    We already know a 2005 v5.1 works in a 2004. That was confirmed by Nate, above. This is the first I've heard that he is going to specifically pull a 2005 DVD for the test, before that I only heard he was going to try a "v5.1" DVD, of which there may be two different versions (we just don't know yet).

    I'm just trying to help, honest to God! I'll shut up now, this isn't really worth the effort. I already have my 5.1 DVD... <_<
     
  19. mikepaul

    mikepaul Senior Member

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    Judging by the comment I heard from the lady at Toyota, "we" here on the web say LOTS of things that aren't necessarily so. I'm not thrilled to be considered a rumor-monger unless I hear it from some Toyota employee, but that's the way things seem to work.

    So when I tell my Service rep what I think is true, he needs to verify it for himself. Perhaps based on Toyota deciding "we" don't know everything, no matter how common the knowledge seems to be, and passing that caution down to their employees... :(
     
  20. Wayne

    Wayne Active Member

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    All I'm saying, and all I've said all the way through, is be sure they use a 2005 disk and not a 2006 disk. Okay, quiet mode re-enabled...