In car GPS for the bush

[Kenjo]

I am looking at in car GPS products. The main reason I’m leaning toward in car systems is to purchase it as a present for my better half. If she is presented with a neat unit which sits on the dash of her everyday sedan with voice navigation – well I think that says it all :wink: .

The ulterior motive is; I borrow her GPS to plug into the Disco when we go bush https://www.aulro.com/afvb/ https://www.aulro.com/afvb/ https://www.aulro.com/afvb/ . This means I need a neat unit with all the voice guidance for towns but with the capability of inputting way points and loading maps of trails etc. I may be wrong but I assume that the propriety software preloaded on most of the car units do not include tracks and fire trails etc though some web sites claim country coverage.

So far, the Garmin 2610 seems to come close. The Tom Tom seems to get the best raps for around town but is that all it is good for? If I get OziExplorer and create maps with trip planning, can these data be uploaded to the in car units?

Any suggestions would be welcome.

Cheers,
Kenjo

[Phoenix]

I haven't got a lot of experience with in car units, but I do know that unless you get a PDA type unit you can't load ozi onto them.

I have a basic Garmin GPS Map 60 which is fantastic. However I don't know how good most of the in car units are for anything other than on road driving. I'm sure one of hte others will be able to give you more detail though.

[Kenjo]

Yeah, I'd be happy with a hand held just for fixes to confirm where I think I am with reference to the paper map. The missus tends to get a bee in her bonnet when I buy new toys for myself so I'm hoping someone can suggest a top notch duel purpose GPS that she would like for her car. She wasn't impressed with the high lift jack I got her for Xmas 8O .

[LRHybrid100]

Ever thought of a PDA based one? I have the Acer N35 with built in GPS - runs Travroute Co-Pilot software for the urban area and then I have loaded Oziexplorer for when we go bush.

HTH

LRH

[Kenjo]

Yes LRH. I've thought of PDA based GPS. I like the idea but it would be a toy for me alone, unless you know of one that switches on automatically then operates by voice recognition from driver instructions. Unfortunately the missus is a non technical person. I have tried to teach her to switch on a computer; tried to show her how to view an SMS – forget it. Funny thing though, she can whip her fingers around the touch pads on the complicated washing machine and wall oven when I’d have to get the manual out 8O .
I’m after a very simple to operate in car GPS which gives voice directions, is transportable from one vehicle to another, and accepts trip plans produced from my home or notebook computer with a program such as Ozi. A tall ask and maybe there is no such animal. The Garmin 2610 seems to have most of the criteria. Hours of web searches haven’t got me any further, so I thought I’d ask you guys 8) .

Cheers,

[Maggot4x4]

I have the Navman PiN, It is a PDA based one and does all you want, execpt you cannot give it voice commands, it gives you voice commands though.

I don't believe there is anything on the market atm on the low side of $7k that will take voice commands, it it cant run off road maps.