Tom Tom or similar system ifo required

Mainey

Take a look at this post on the Patrol forum:

http://www.patrol4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18135

Also check Ebay - lots of suppliers there.

Peter

I bought one of these http://cgi.ebay.com.au/BN-4-3-BLUETOOTH-GPS-NAVIGATOR-NAVIGATION-PLAY-MP3-MP4_W0QQitemZ300221972628QQihZ020QQcategoryZ34288QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
It has a 4.3 screen, uses Win CE 4.2 OS so will run the latest Oziexplorer CE version, bluetooth h/free, a/v input for reversing camera (can flip the image etc), plays mp3's & 4's, video's, uses a standard Nokia battery which can be easily changed, 20 channel receiver, has an external GPS antenna connection, headphones,etc etc quite amazing for just over $200 inc postage.
The nav software supplied (route 66 & another which I've forgotten) works well with warnings for red light, speed camera and thousands of POI's. Very quick with rerouting and alternative routes if you miss a turn and seems to remember your preferred route .
Great unit, no connection to seller etc etc.

Mainey,

I have a TomTom 720 and for metropolitan use it is excellent as an electronic "street directory" with verbal directions included.
I have only trialled it in the country on the York Peninsula and it shows the roads, but not much other detail. You cannot save the trip as a route and cannot record waypoints along that route.

For Country wide use in the more remote areas and with the ability to record (and optionally save) route and waypoints, I would recommend a PDA running Oziexplorer with NATMAP Premium, or similar loaded. This will give you a detailed electronic display as you would expect from a good road map, but with the addition of a constantly moving map as you travel.
A further option with a PDA, is the ability to load the TomTom or CoPilot applications and run them concurrently if you are looking for a single piece of hardware.

A more "proprietary" solution but still similar to a PDA/Ozi/CoPilot would be a Garmin Nuvi plus "accessories" and Doug would be the man for this option.

Personally, I prefer the "street directory" and "road map" functions to remain separately controlled and viewable on different devices although this requires a higher cost outlay.

A good site to research is GPSOZ as they are retailers for all the main brands of hardware and software and will give sound advice, once you known what you are focussing on.


Bill.

Basically these things have two internal systems that must interface perfectly... The Mapping software must engage perfectly with the Navigation Software..... From experience I found that the "route 66" mapping was superiour to the sensis mapping outside the metro areas.... Not that that helps at all but if you want electronic mapping then perhaps "Track Ranger" is what you need.
I bought an elcheapo off Ebay with a HUGE screen for $199 with route 66 maps and Navmate Pro navigation (and that part of it is on an SD card so can be updated easily via CD without having to plug your navigator into your PC... so if you get my drift you only need 1 CD to update all the Navigators you own). This gizmo finds roads that don't exist anymore...