NAVMAN - MY85XLT – GPS. Your views
Submitted: Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 at 15:04
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Member - Gordon T (NSW)
At last I have given into temptation & am looking for an in-car GPS device as we will be undertaking some long off-road journeys this year. I have been attracted to the Navman My Escape MY85XLT – 5” screen. It has been out for nearly a year now & I have read some of the earlier reports on it which generally seem favourable, but I would like some current user feed-back. My readings tell me that, just like the long running Holden/Ford or Coopers/BFG debates, there are as many people for and against the various brands of GPS making rational decision making difficult. However, I will solicit readers
views – not so much as to whether Navman is better/worse than Garmin or Uniden but more as to any major defects in the MY85XLT that I should be aware of?
It must be simple to install & use. I don’t want to do a uni course (done those in my younger days) to set it up and then take a refresher course when I need to do map updates - I am not overly tech savvy & very much a ‘plug & play’ guy. I don’t have teenagers at
home any more to toss equipment to & say “set this up please”. So if you have and use an MY85XLT GPS would you please tell me:
• Is it easy to set up and use?
• Are the voice commands loud, clear & easy to follow?
• Are the directions accurate, at least for the great percentage of the time?
• Are the maps easy to read (I am good at hard copy map reading)?
• Does it have a quick response time to requests ?
• I assume it comes only with street maps & not rural (off-road) maps – it seems 4WD maps need to be purchased separately? Are they easy to load and not in conflict with existing maps? Which maps will the unit accept?
• Is the screen easy to use in sunlight?
• Is the screen
well lit for night use & is it dimmable?
• Anything else you’d like to add?
Finally, Navman and many other sites (not e-bay) have the unit listed at $599 which includes 3 years maps (which ones?) and 2 years warranty. Other sites (including Harvey Norman) list the unit at between $198 & $295 including 3 years maps (beginning 2011) & 2 years warranty. Is there anything I need to be aware of here with pricing?
Thanks for your help.
Reply By: toohey - Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 at 16:24
Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 at 16:24
g'day gorden
i have the my60t'easy to set up on my laptop,auto download of map updates.had to buy the 4x4 maps 2yrs subscription,also safety cameras, this does an update on the 24th of each month,easy to use,good voice comands,various light settings for day or night use, been accurate map guidance so far.
hope this helps.
cheers
toohey.
AnswerID:
474672
Follow Up By: toohey - Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 at 16:27
Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 at 16:27
sorry about the e in
gordon,one finger typist
cheers mate
toohey
FollowupID:
749629
Follow Up By: Member - Gordon T (NSW) - Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 at 16:41
Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 at 16:41
Thanks Toohey - doesyou MY60T accept FULL versions of HEMA off-road maps or only an abbreviated (basic) version as supplied by Navman? Have you used your GPS for remote off-road work & if so how accruate was it?
FollowupID:
749631
Follow Up By: Yanktigers - Saturday, Jan 14, 2012 at 02:17
Saturday, Jan 14, 2012 at 02:17
Gordon I have just purchased a Navman My85XLT and comparing it with a Tomtom XXL540 the navman is streets ahead. It very easy to set up on a computer, the voice directions are clear and it more accurate then Tomtom sensis maps. Navman uses Navteq maps. I purchased mine from Harvey Norman post christmas sale for $194. I do not know if they are still this price but on the box there was a sticker with $394 on it
Garry
FollowupID:
749822
Reply By: Member - Gordon T (NSW) - Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 at 16:36
Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 at 16:36
After posting this, I phoned Navman & made some enquiries which resulted in the following:
• The $599 version is known as “My Escape” – it is the same as the MY85XLT to which my post referred but it gives additional information suitable to larger/heavier vehicles such as: height/load restrictions on roads & bridges & it includes the HEMA off road map (basic version)which is not included in MY85XLT. This much higher priced unit is of little value to a 4WDriver.
• “My Escape” also includes HEMA off-road maps (basic) which are not included in the MY85XLT version – in that version you have to buy the maps at $39 extra.
• The HEMA off-road maps used are for only main tracks and are not the full HEMA off road maps. Likewise, the maps supplied will not include points of interest information which will be found on the full HEMA version. Neither Navman unit will take full HEMA maps so I wonder how I would go if I wanted to load say HEMA’s
Googs Track map?
• The “My Escape” unit is said to be a heavier duty version – dust & shock resistant.
This
places me in a new position: I really want to load full off-road maps & the inability to do so on either of the Navman’s (“My Escape” & MY85XLT) considerably reduces the usefulness of these units to me. So now I am open to other suggestions, please.
(Warning: None of these limitations are noted in any of the on-line reviews I have read in 4WD or e-tech sites, confirming with me the limited value of these sites as an information source when the reviewer has not had practical long term experience with the unit. There is no substitute for personal enquiry. )
AnswerID:
474673
Follow Up By: Sand Man (SA) - Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 at 18:40
Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 at 18:40
Gordon,
Firstly, you need to decide the primary purpose of any GPS device you are considering.
If the primary purpose is off road & country wide travel, then you would be much better off purchasing a Hema Navigator, (with all hema maps included, plus OziExplorer navigation software) or a chinese "clone" that will do the same after purchasing OziExplorer and the Hema range of maps.
The advantage of the Hema Navigator is that all apps, maps, etc., are preinstalled and it comes with iGo street navigation software as
well.
Another choice is the Garmin Nuvi which is also quite good but perhaps more restricted with the more "proprietary" nature of their product. Additional maps may need to be purchased to get more complete functionality out of the device.
If your use is purely voice guided street navigation, then the Navman may be suitable but bear in mind, the Navman is rated behind both the TomTom or Garmin products as far as street navigation is concerned.
FollowupID:
749641
Follow Up By: Member - Gordon T (NSW) - Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 at 19:30
Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 at 19:30
Thanks Sandman – sound response & appreciated.
The GPS will have a dual role: street navigation & off-road/country travel. I have a good sense of most
places in NSW & can effectively use & memorise a paper map/directory to get around most residential areas – the GPS would be a handy back-up & just might save some travel time. Predominately, I would use it for off-road travel hence my focus on the full Hema maps rather than a truncated version as supplied with the Navman.
Do you have a preferred model within the Hema Navigator range? I do like the larger size models – 4-5 inches.
FollowupID:
749645
Follow Up By: Sand Man (SA) - Thursday, Jan 12, 2012 at 07:51
Thursday, Jan 12, 2012 at 07:51
The HN5i is the current model and the iGo street navigation software is supposed to be much better that the original Route66 crap I have on my original HN5. It has a 5" screen.
Just be aware that only one application (eg OziExplorer or iGo) can be run at any one time, so you need to shut one down before starting the other.
This may be a problem if you are recording a route on Ozi, as you will interrupt it when switching to street navigation.
None of the devices I am aware of allow concurrent use of applications.
I use both a Hema Navigator and a TomTom for each different use.
You woundn't be disappointed with the Hema. It comes with australia wide Hema maps, plus a range of regional and desert series maps. All you will ever need.
The Hema also has a topo based Memory Map application but I don't use it, preferring Ozi Explorer.
FollowupID:
749666
Reply By: Member - Gordon T (NSW) - Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 at 16:38
Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 at 16:38
After posting this, I phoned Navman & made some enquiries which resulted in the following:
• The $599 version is known as “My Escape” – it is the same as the MY85XLT to which my post referred but it gives additional information suitable to larger/heavier vehicles such as: height/load restrictions on roads & bridges & it includes the HEMA off road map (basic version)which is not included in MY85XLT. This much higher priced unit is of little value to a 4WDriver.
• “My Escape” also includes HEMA off-road maps (basic) which are not included in the MY85XLT version – in that version you have to buy the maps at $39 extra.
• The HEMA off-road maps used are for only main tracks and are not the full HEMA off road maps. Likewise, the maps supplied will not include points of interest information which will be found on the full HEMA version. Neither Navman unit will take full HEMA maps so I wonder how I would go if I wanted to load say HEMA’s
Googs Track map?
• The “My Escape” unit is said to be a heavier duty version – dust & shock resistant.
This
places me in a new position: I really want to load full off-road maps & the inability to do so on either of the Navman’s (“My Escape” & MY85XLT) considerably reduces the usefulness of these units to me. So now I am open to other suggestions, please.
(Warning: None of these limitations are noted in any of the on-line reviews I have read in 4WD or e-tech sites, confirming with me the limited value of these sites as an information source when the reviewer has not had practical long term experience with the unit. There is no substitute for personal enquiry. )
AnswerID:
474674
Follow Up By: V8 Troopie - Thursday, Jan 12, 2012 at 01:21
Thursday, Jan 12, 2012 at 01:21
Don't know the MY85 but I do hope they improved the ON switch from the one they put on the MY75 model I have.
Its a combined slide switch, slide one way to switch ON, slide the other way to reset.
This feature is a *real* pain as its too easy to reset the thing while trying to switch on. These should be two separate switches IMO.
Also,my unit does not self power off when the ignition is turned off, another pain as then the internal battery runs flat and causes problems the next time the unit is used.
FollowupID:
749659
Reply By: Navman - Monday, Jan 23, 2012 at 15:34
Reply By: vk1dx - Monday, Jan 23, 2012 at 16:29
Monday, Jan 23, 2012 at 16:29
Firstly I am NOT familiar with any of the Navman units.
But may I bring up two points in off road navigation. I have not read all the critiques of the other posters here also. So I hope I am not repeating anything.
I am yet to hear ANY off road, not just dirt tracks, GPS navigator with turn left etc, speed camera warnings and so on.
Our VMS runs WindowsCE and the off-road navigation application that we use is OziexplorerCE. It displays maps that are loaded into it and shows your position, direction and speed on the screen. It is up to the driver to elect where to go. You can in a pre-drive session place route markers with voice files attached that will play when you get close to that marker but you cannot enter an address and have the off road map application tell you which way to go. I also have the full PC version on which I can set up route markers such as "We are entering
Cooktown. The park is just down the road on the right". I did that for a family convoy to
Cape York. The two sons had it in their cars as well and as we drove into
Cooktown it explained heaps about the place including about
Cook himself, the town and where we were staying.
You can run street navigation application on the VMS for town and non remote country roads with voice and speed commands/warnings. Ours is called IGo or something like that but we rarely use it.
The other thing that I would like to mention is about in-car entertainment. Ours has the full suite of radio, dvd, cd and wakman inputs and also blue tooth hat run in the background so that you can listen to your favourite CD on the move while a map is displayed. Some don't. One son has a box he got from the internet and he cannot listen to the radio the same time as navigation application is displayed. Watch this problem. His is not Navman.
Long winded but I hope helpful.
Phil
AnswerID:
475784