Hema Navigator vs Laptop
Submitted: Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 19:43
ThreadID:
66613
Views:
3521
Replies:
5
FollowUps:
17
This Thread has been Archived
Sixty at Last
Hi all, I am running an old Toshiba laptop with Ozi etc and it does what it's supposed to do. However, the set-up is cluncky, heavy, cables everywhere.
I could go to a newer mini notebook or to a Hemi Nav. I have read somewhere that a 'crack' is available for the latter which will greatly enhance functionality. Which would be good because I assume the Hemi would be far less cluncky set-up.
However, would I still get the functionality that a full (laptop) keyboard provides??
Cheers. S@L.
Reply By: Member - reggy 2 (VIC) - Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 20:08
Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 20:08
Hi S@L
I have the same as you and have been looking at Hema also .
I went to the Hema site and it shows you what it consists of and how to get around it .
I heard that a new model is coming out so i am waiting to see if it does.
The only thing that i would like is a bigger screen.
I will keep an eye on this site of yours and hope someone makes up our minds.
cheers reggy2
AnswerID:
352792
Follow Up By: Isuzumu - Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 20:17
Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 20:17
What the hell is a "crack"?
FollowupID:
620955
Follow Up By: Russ n Sue - Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 23:39
Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 23:39
What? Have you never seen a plumber working?
Cheers
Russ
FollowupID:
621023
Follow Up By: Skippy In The GU - Sunday, Mar 08, 2009 at 23:01
Sunday, Mar 08, 2009 at 23:01
and you can park your bike in it
FollowupID:
621182
Reply By: Crackles - Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 20:15
Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 20:15
No the Hema unit can't possibly give you the functionality of a laptop, 2 completely different products. They are however an excellent compromise which you can navigate with & doesn't take up all that much space.
An alternative that is a little larger & has a few more features are the
7" ebay GPS units. These units aren't locked so extra mapping can be loaded onto the Oziexporer CE program. Additionally they have reversing camera's, MP3, MP4, Bluetooth etc & the 7" screen is a touch easier to read.
Cheers Craig.........
AnswerID:
352796
Follow Up By: Isuzumu - Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 20:27
Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 20:27
I am with you Craig, I have a Asus EeePC 901 8.9 inch screen.
I run OziExplorer with Natmap/Hema desert maps, also DiscoverAus (Magellan) mapping thru either SD card or external hard drive. then I have a full functioning computer with internet on a Telstra mobile wireless broadband modem. The EeePC you can buy as little as $450 with 30GB hard drive, I only have 12GB so use EHD and SD cards
FollowupID:
620956
Follow Up By: Sixty at Last - Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 20:40
Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 20:40
Hi guys. Thks for the quick responses.
What I meant by a 'crack' Bruce is that I' think that the Hemi is locked up to additional software but that there is a program to crack the lock so as to open it to greater functionality.
I am sure I've seen a lengthy post on it on the
Forum but I'm damned if I can find it again.
Cheers.
John.
FollowupID:
620959
Follow Up By: Isuzumu - Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 21:00
Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 21:00
No problems
John, do not know of it (Hema) I also have a Garmin Nuvi 760. I am shortly putting a touch screen in the EeePC makes it a lot friendly to use as
well.
FollowupID:
620967
Follow Up By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 22:48
Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 22:48
I maybe wrong but as far as I know the Hema is a Mio 520 rebadged.
So if you get a Mio and unlock it you ca turn it into a Hema
Try the GPS Australia forums for "How to"do this and for about half price
FollowupID:
621005
Follow Up By: Member - Willie , Sydney. - Sunday, Mar 08, 2009 at 07:30
Sunday, Mar 08, 2009 at 07:30
Hi Craig,
I am not sure I am understanding this correctly . Are you saying that the 7 " unit has Oziexplorer as software o it and that I could say load the 250,000 rastor map into it ?
Can you put waypoints into it ?
Thanks,
Willie.
FollowupID:
621032
Follow Up By: Crackles - Sunday, Mar 08, 2009 at 09:05
Sunday, Mar 08, 2009 at 09:05
No for $300 you just get the unit with a reversing camera which only has road navigation maps preinstalled.(Like a Tom Tom) You would then need to get a copy of Ozi CE & whatever maps you want to load onto the memory card/s. You can end up with the same mapping software as a Hema but for a couple of hundred dollars less, plus has the bigger screen & additional options like hands free bluetooth, FM transmitter & ability of loading any Raster map you already have.
Unlike the Hema which has it's maps preinstalled, there is a little setting up of this unit to get Ozi working. There are step by step disscussions of how that's done on the Nissan & Jeep forums.
I am yet to buy
mine but everyone I've spoken to have had no issues working perfectly even out on rough outback roads.
There are higher resolution units out there but for the dollars these are one of the better featured models currently available.
Cheers Craig...............
FollowupID:
621050
Follow Up By: Member - Willie , Sydney. - Sunday, Mar 08, 2009 at 15:34
Sunday, Mar 08, 2009 at 15:34
OK , that's all clear. Thanks a lot, Willie.
FollowupID:
621118
Reply By: Member - Chris & Debbie (QLD) - Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 21:49
Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 21:49
I have been running a dell laptop, which sits in the back, and have cables running to an 8" screen in the front. I control Oziexplorer with a bluetooth mouse. It would be better in the front to have use of the keyboard but find it is too big.
I have also been playing with a Mio 520 which is what you would have heard of people using a crack on. It is the same as a Hema but has normal Sensis maps for street level navigation. Once you apply the crack you have WindowCE allowing you to put on OziCE and load what maps you like. You end up with all normal windows apps and can run Sensis as
well.
I have just purchased a Dell Mini-9 from office works, what a great liittle laptop, great screen and keyboard. The hard drive is only 16gig but being solid state should negate the problems with vibrations damaging a hard drive (I hope). This is still plenty of room for all my mapping, which is all it was bought for.
Chris
AnswerID:
352830
Follow Up By: Sixty at Last - Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 23:11
Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 23:11
Many thks Chris, that solves the conundrum!
John
FollowupID:
621017
Reply By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 22:57
Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 22:57
Good thing about the old tosh is that all the cables come out of the back. I combine the power/USB/COM cables in split conduit so only one "cable". Main hassle with mine is that its too old to run the city maps. And the newer laptops have cables coming out of each side which is a pain.
My phone has a GPS and city maps, so I've not bothered with something like the Hema Navigator.
AnswerID:
352842
Follow Up By: Sixty at Last - Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 23:13
Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 23:13
Never would have thought about the cable/laptop interface location issue. Many thks Phil.
John.
FollowupID:
621019
Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Sunday, Mar 08, 2009 at 00:56
Sunday, Mar 08, 2009 at 00:56
This photo shows you what I mean. I can easily store a laptop in a pocket if it doesn't have cables coming out of the sides. And the split conduit makes it all tidy.
FollowupID:
621027
Follow Up By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Sunday, Mar 08, 2009 at 09:37
Sunday, Mar 08, 2009 at 09:37
Be careful you dont block the ventilation holes for the fan storing it like that.
I have mine in a mesh rack on the cargo barrier.
Allows it to breath.
Mine is a Medion and has a 160gig HDD so have all my music on it as well and its connected to an 8in screen for navigation and plays the music thru an FM transmitter to the radio.
Havent managed to make it skip when playing so far.
Only prob is the connectors are at the sides but the rack is wide enuf not to matter.
I use a Projecta 6000ma Converter to power it.
Cheers
FollowupID:
621059
Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Sunday, Mar 08, 2009 at 10:37
Sunday, Mar 08, 2009 at 10:37
Good point Gaham. The fan is on the LHS of the Tosh, not underneath. It stays cool and the fan rarely turns on - might be a plus for running the old W98 with
Oziexplorer as the only program on the computer! The Tosh runs directly off 12V and has a simple video out which is why I haven't upgraded it.
FollowupID:
621065
Follow Up By: paulnsw - Sunday, Mar 08, 2009 at 10:42
Sunday, Mar 08, 2009 at 10:42
I also bought the Aldi Medion Akoya which is a MSI Wind rebadged. Sensational 10" laptop with Bluetooth wireless, XP, 160G HD, 3 USB ports, ext monitor port. Laptop powered by Jaycar laptop power supply on 19v $39.95. Same power plug as Toshiba.
Put Bluetooth GPS in canopy roof permanently mounted in pocket with Velcro. Powered when ignition switch switched on. Control laptop with Bluetooth mouse connected to 7.6" VGA daylight screen. Everything cost me under the price of Hema Navigator including software.
The Medion is so much more and useful compared to Hema Navigator. Connect to NextG for email on $10 150Mb plan. If you stick to email 150Mb is heaps. I love having a proper keyboard on the Medion a big hard drive and can do my photographs and everything else you want.
FollowupID:
621068
Follow Up By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Sunday, Mar 08, 2009 at 16:54
Sunday, Mar 08, 2009 at 16:54
The fans may be on the end but most usually have slots underneath where the fan either sucks cold air or blows the hot out.
My Medion/Wind does and so does my 15 in Compaq
FollowupID:
621128
Reply By: Bob of KAOS - Sunday, Mar 08, 2009 at 17:41
Sunday, Mar 08, 2009 at 17:41
S@L
The free hack for converting a Mio/Hema Navigator into a Wiondows CE machine is here
Mio Pocket 2.0
You can pick up a Mio for $300
here
I have used several systems since 1994:
Magellan
Meridian in car mount
Magellan Map 330 in mount
Magellan Sportrak Color
OziExplorer in Toshiba laptop with external display
OziCE on iPaq
OziExplorer on Mac Mini (Parallels) with external display
The two above with external touch screen
EeePC900 with
OziExplorer - yet to be tried on a trip
I am yet to find the perfect
solution but I'm working on it
The Mio option with OziCE looks good, and I may have to give it a go because I like hacking things. At around $300 it would be cheaper than the EeePC at $430.
Bob
AnswerID:
352948