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Date:         Mon, 6 Aug 2007 22:41:13 -0400
Reply-To:     Sudhir Desai <sudhir.desai@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Sudhir Desai <sudhir.desai@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Some Comments on GPS Systems and Audio Electronics (Not Short)
In-Reply-To:  <C2CF69FF.8C3E%mwmiller@cwnet.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

> > She Who Must Be Obeyed

any relation to He Who Must Not Be Named?

:D :D :D

... ok, i admit i'm a pott-head.

sudhir

> > > > Nonetheless after several navel introspection's, I have come to convince > > myself that there are at least two critical accessories to maintain the > > quality of > > life as I have come to know it. The first of these is a thumping, brilliant > > and diverse sound system and the second of these is a GPS system. > > > > For years, I have traveled the civilized world in rental cars using the Hertz > > Neverlost nav system. This included the massive first and second generation > > trunk mount Magellan systems and continues to the current 800/900 derived > > portable system. At first, I looked at the early generation systems and was > > stunned > > to find refurbished and hard used systems going for $1200. So I purchased > > (eventually) a DeLorme Earthmate Bluetooth system , used the Bluetooth to > > interface it with my Mac Powerbook (then G3) laptop, purchased the early beta > > version > > of Route 66 GPS software with maps for Europe and North America. Worked fine, > > but for two minor problems. The sun glare on the laptop screen and the detail > > in the Route 66 maps sent me on many an unanticipated tour. Then there was > > the near collision with the beer truck near the Hofbrau House in Munich. And, > > secondly, this era of Mac Nav programs did not include the option for voice > > prompts and direction. With the Vanagon, the problem was exaggerated by the > > tendency of the laptop to launch upon braking and acceleration, not to mention > > turns. I experimented with mounts, but the best put the laptop too far away to > > read > > (bad eyes!). > > > > So I have watched with drool as the prices of GPS systems dropped - at first > > slowly, then more rapidly until many worthy units got to the $400 retail > > level. During this window, our primary family transportation went from a Ford > > Expedition to an Audi A4 CVT (love that transmission) to the current BMW 330i. > > The > > BMW (2005 vintage) is equipped with the Factory Nav system. As the eyes got > > worse (cataracts) and the print of unfamiliar roadsigns went away, the BMW nav > > system became a treasured member of the family - and SWMBO willingly drove to > > more exotic places. So, I determined that it was time to add discursive GPS to > > the Westfalia. > > > > So began the study of available goodies. At first, I examined the single DIN > > combo stereo and GPS units that flipped a screen out of the unit to rest at 90 > > degrees to the radio GPS combo face. Alas, they broke easily and were too > > pricey to slip past the family ruling class. I then looked at the portable > > units > > and proceeded to devour all the reviews both by experts (read in the business > > of selling GPS units or magazines or both) and by amateurs. Too quickly I > > found that the so-called professional reviews closely followed the factory > > press > > kit and the amateurs offered little factual substance. The user reviews > > generally ranged from "unit X is wunnerful, buy it now" to "biggest POS I ever > > wasted > > my money on, gave it to the dog for teething stress". > > > > Now at the lab three of my colleagues are the very guys who designed and > > built most of the world's satellite GPS transmitters and radios. We had a few > > discussions about receivers, decoders, antennas software and maps and I walked > > away with a few pointers for experiments to separate the men from the mammals > > (to > > turn a phrase). So I embarked on a low dollar anecdotal study of GPs portable > > units to find something adequate for my needs. Of course my needs are not > > your needs etc. etc. > > > > I decided that the performance of the final unit must be at least as good as > > the classic Magellan 800/900 series, but substantially cheaper and better > > looking. Finally, my wanderings settled on the Pioneer AVIC-S1. This unit was > > designed around 2005/6 and was to be retailed at $1200, discounted to $900. > > The > > unit now is in its next sales generation as the AVIC-S2. The differences are a > > more updated Map set and a library of about 5x more points of interest. > > > > The unit is available as a refurbed unit out of ebay and several internet > > retailers for $199 with free shipping and no tax if you don't live in NY. (Why > > would someone want to live in NY when NJ is so close?). OK, so many of the > > reviews (users) were bad with specifics. But the tech specs were excellent. > > Liked > > the look. Comes with dash and windshield mounts, AC and 12 vdc power supplies, > > USB cable, DVD software disk, carrying case, internal antenna, internal > > battery with a few hour lifetime, AND bluetooth. Now the Bluetooth goodie lets > > one > > use the AVIC-S1 as a hands free telephone if your cell supports Bluetooth. > > Mine > > does, I like it. Holds its one phone directory, etc, etc. Good. > > > > So I got one. Looks good. Uses NavTeq map database in the US. Has a 2005 > > version MAP. Pioneer says 2007 Map upgrade by end of summer. They probably > > lie. > > But it so happens that the BMX was delivered with the identical 2005 map > > database. By nefarious means, I also have Navteq DVD's of their 2006 and 2007 > > updates > > and am currently running 2007.2 in the BMW. Now, it turns out that I can > > report that in my travels with the BMW across the lands west of the Rockies, I > > have found no difference in the Maps (2005 vs. 2007). I tend not to examine > > the > > Points of Interest feature because I never found anything I needed save a gas > > station anyway. My primary test case is the campus of UC Santa Cruz. Isn't > > there! > > > > So I proceeded to test, twixt Death Valley and San Diego, Malibu to Palm > > Springs, the attributes of the AVIC-S1. Including the specific negatives > > raised > > by previous reviewers. Bogus. Turns out that they were just ignorant or tried > > to use it in the tried and true Mac Fashion (Manual, who needs it!). It fact > > the thing performed superbly. According to my GPS friends, resolution is a > > biggie. Lots of access roads parallel to freeways in this part of the world. > > Factory BM W messed up a few. The Pioneer got em dead on. The second issue is > > a > > combo of software algorithms and microprocessor power. Namely, if you miss a > > turn, > > how quickly can the Nav system give you a calculated detour to get you back > > on track. Here the BMW is worth a few blocks at LA street speeds along with a > > few softly uttered expletives. The Pioneer, over the same course, was like a > > damn machine gun. Spits out a new route for every street passed. Impressive! > > Finally, does it get lost in concrete canyons of high rise buildings. Answer > > in > > downtown LA --- BMW lost lock several times, but the dash mounted Pioneer > > never skipped a beat. > > > > OK, the point of this ramble is that I think the Pioneer AVIC-S1 > > (refurbished) is a steal at $199 shipped. I bought the 3 year warranty (only > > comes with 90 > > days) for $20 additional. > > > > Now for those not yet sleeping, a paragraph on sound. As described in the > > archives, I have a substantial sound system in the Westfalia including BA > > speakers(8) headphone jacks aplenty, power amplifiers for all speakers and a > > powerful > > subwoofer system mounted under the driver's derriere. It includes cassette > > (!) capability, a CD changer and auxiliary inputs. But times have changed. In > > the BMW I listen to CDs (rarely) Sirius radio and my iPod all through the BMW > > sound system. Well, out with the current head unit, and out with the CD > > changer. > > I have now added a JVC KD-HDR1 head unit that include the traditional AM and > > FM tuners along with a CD player. BUT it also includes a full HD radio tuner > > for AMHD and FMHD. It also has an optional Ipod interface that is controlled > > by > > the head unit or the remote control, displays selections on the head unit > > while charging the ipod. The JVC head also has an optional Sirius radio tuner > > that is controlled through the head unit. The line-outs are controlled through > > a > > built-in graphic equalizer. The refurbed KD-HDR1 head is $115 plus shipping. > > The ipod adapter KS-PD100 is $25 plus and the Sirius tuner SIR-JVC1 kit is > > $70. > > So for $210 plus shipping one gets the current collage of broadcast, > > satellite and custom music sources. So I blew $460 and change for a complete > > modernization of the electronic care package! > > > > Hope somebody gets something out of this missive, > > > > Frank Grunthaner > > > > > > ************************************** > > Get a sneak peek of > > the all-new AOL at http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour >


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