| greyskr |
I am curious about the built-in navigation system. Can anyone give me a quick overview or point me to a web site with details? I wonder about if/how a computer can be used to plan routes, add waypoints, etc. and then download to the onboard unit.
greyskr |
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| renov8r |
The NAV system in the Acura is excellent, best in the business.
The touchscreen and voice input make it among the most flexible easy-to-use systems. Period.
You can plan a trip around the corner or across the country in just a few seconds.
You can enter way points, and re-order them with ease.
The NAV is designed to be fully functional with the touch screen, there is no need or provision to do this from an external computer.
I have used laptops with GPS systems as well as external portable stand-alone GPS systems and the capabilities are totally different.
You would pretty much not be able to use the laptop based system in car to change routes, quickly scan the area maps, instantly call up POI's and other Acura systems.
With the Acura system it is always in the car and that is of course different from the other systems.
BTW As the driver must be in control/not overly distracted I feel the Acura system meets that critera well. For situations where the passenger entertainment is more important (like for the DVD RES, I do not feel that is the same... |
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| JAMESHALM |
I ordered a dual layer DVD burner last week and it should arrive any day.
Pulled the Navi DVD from the MDX and loaded it in my computer.
All it has is a bunch of data files on it (about 7 gb).
Has anyone tried to make a backup of their Navi DVD in case something happens to the original?? I've copied the files to my hard drive, they are not encrypted.
Is there any reason why it can't be done?
Is it illegal?
I think I'll try it when I get the new burner installed and see what happens. |
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| shootist |
| The Navi manual has a loooongg legal section about how if you copy the disk, you will go to hell. |
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| JAMESHALM |
Well I guess I had better not try it then! But it seems to me that something I purchase is my property and if I want to make a duplicate copy for my own use, I should be able to.
I know that copying Movie DVD's is legal, it's just that you are not allowed to decrypt them. If they are not encrypted you can legally copy them. Why not the same with the Navi DVD??????
Jim |
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| shootist |
quote:
Originally posted by JAMESHALM
Why not the same with the Navi DVD??????
Jim
You're peaching to the choir. Now try to convince the devil, and his minions, the lawyers.
(with apologies to certain attorneys) |
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| greyskr |
Well, maybe. But I find it very convenient to plan, check routes, add waypoints, etc, etc, on my laptop in the comfort of my pad, and then load the data into the onboard GPS. Until Acura and/or other auto makers provide that capability, I will continue to use my Garmin Street Pilot.
Thanks for the reply, Jim
quote:
Originally posted by renov8r
The NAV system in the Acura is excellent, best in the business.
The touchscreen and voice input make it among the most flexible easy-to-use systems. Period.
You can plan a trip around the corner or across the country in just a few seconds.
You can enter way points, and re-order them with ease.
The NAV is designed to be fully functional with the touch screen, there is no need or provision to do this from an external computer.
I have used laptops with GPS systems as well as external portable stand-alone GPS systems and the capabilities are totally different.
You would pretty much not be able to use the laptop based system in car to change routes, quickly scan the area maps, instantly call up POI's and other Acura systems.
With the Acura system it is always in the car and that is of course different from the other systems.
BTW As the driver must be in control/not overly distracted I feel the Acura system meets that critera well. For situations where the passenger entertainment is more important (like for the DVD RES, I do not feel that is the same...
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| JerryinTO |
quote:
Originally posted by greyskr
Well, maybe. But I find it very convenient to plan, check routes, add waypoints, etc, etc, on my laptop in the comfort of my pad, and then load the data into the onboard GPS. Until Acura and/or other auto makers provide that capability, I will continue to use my Garmin Street Pilot.
Thanks for the reply, Jim
You are better off buying an off the shelf software program like MICROSOFT STREET AND TRIPS or ROUTE 66. There is a LOT more coverage on these two programs in terms of small towns and villages. I'm planning a trip to Mont Tremblant in March. This ski resort or town does not show up in either my Volvo Navigator or the MDX. It' is detailed in both STREETS AND TRIPS and ROUTE 66.
J. |
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| vlam |
Well I guess I had better not try it then! But it seems to me that something I purchase is my property and if I want to make a duplicate copy for my own use, I should be able to.
I know that copying Movie DVD's is legal, it's just that you are not allowed to decrypt them. If they are not encrypted you can legally copy them. Why not the same with the Navi DVD??????
Jim, if you really feel the need to have a backup of the DVD, go ahead and do it. Store it away just in case if your original DVD gets damage. Just don't talk about it on here.
In my opinion, I don't know why you would ever need it. This is the way I look at it. The only possible way that the DVD could get damage/lost is if you take it out and play with it or someone break into your X and deliberately steal the DVD. Otherwise, you be covered under warranty if it gets stuck in the unit and is destroyed somehow. What about after the warranty period? By then, I would probably have ordered an updated DVD.
Just my .02 |
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| JerryinTO |
| Or it gets damaged in an accident |
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| vlam |
Or it gets damaged in an accident
An accident that damages a DVD would probably destroy the DVD player too. I can only conclude that's a major accident and that's what car insurance is for. |
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| jahjr |
Navigation DVD cannot be copied with current blank DVD's available to the consumer.
The Navigation DVD from Acura is burnt using a Parallel Track Path
(PTP), current DVD+R DL disks can only be burned with Opposite
Track Path (OTP). The new DVD-R DL disks may provide a solution to this however they won't be available until later this year. |
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| G. COLTON |
quote:
Originally posted by greyskr
I am curious about the built-in navigation system. Can anyone give me a quick overview or point me to a web site with details? I wonder about if/how a computer can be used to plan routes, add waypoints, etc. and then download to the onboard unit.
greyskr
As far as I have been able to determine there is no way to work your navigation problem without being in the vehicle. This is one of the reasons that I have a Garmin unit that I take into whatever vehicle I am using, including rental cars.
With it I can sit down at the computer and play all sorts of what if games. I can figure out all main and side trips and have it programed before ever leaving the house.
If you have one small enough it can also be fun to take onto an airplane and watch where you are on the ground trace.
G |
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| JerryinTO |
| Using a GPS unit in an aircraft could interfere with the navigation equipment on the aircraft. I though about using my notebbok in this manner, but the pilot might confiscate it for this reason. Best not to. |
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| Dr. Ken |
I like to use Streets & Trips for long range planning as it does a very nice job of listing times, mileages, interesting points, etc., giving me a total picture. I then use my navigation on the X for waypoint routing with my paper copies as handheld reference. Perhaps this is way too much paperwork and detail, but paper maps help a lot.
Once I tried to get from where I was to another spot that I wasn't familiar with, and I couldn't figure out how to do it with the navigation screen alone. What I am saying is that it can't all be done electronically. |
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| JerryinTO |
Yes it can. I use ROUTE 66, which has a lot POIs built into in.
If I am going to somewhere within a city or from city to city, The MDX nav is great. If am going somewhere that NAV does not cover, that I let guide me to the neasrest major city and then use a printed guide from 66. |
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| G. COLTON |
quote:
Originally posted by JerryinTO
Using a GPS unit in an aircraft could interfere with the navigation equipment on the aircraft. I though about using my notebbok in this manner, but the pilot might confiscate it for this reason. Best not to.
I think most airlines allow use, but always check with the flight attendants.
G |
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| JerryinTO |
| I don't think so. If you read the EMERGENCY PROCEDURES card that is in the back of the seat in front of you, there is a warning not to use devices that can receive signals on board the aircraft, such as cell phones, radios and the like. GPS devices would certainly fall into this category. |
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| G. COLTON |
quote:
Originally posted by JerryinTO
Using a GPS unit in an aircraft could interfere with the navigation equipment on the aircraft. I though about using my notebbok in this manner, but the pilot might confiscate it for this reason. Best not to.
Airlines have no problem with the GPS unless you want to use a remote antanae that you stick to the window. At least I know Delta does not want you to stick the antanae to the window. The GPS does not radiate. The Airlines do not want you to use equipment that radiates.
The big problem on many aircraft is reception as you are enclosed in an aluminum shell. You need to be by a window and even that is no guarantee that you will get good reception.
I just got back from a week in the San Francisco/Monterey area. Sure was nice to have that portable chart plotter out there. I had all of my side trips laid out before I left home and programmed into the unit.
G |
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| eurohazard |
quote:
Using a GPS unit in an aircraft could interfere with the navigation equipment on the aircraft.
GPS is a receiver by design. It doesn't transmit, so I doubt highly it would interfere with aircraft systems.
quote:
If you read the EMERGENCY PROCEDURES card that is in the back of the seat in front of you, there is a warning not to use devices that can receive signals on board the aircraft, such as cell phones, radios and the like.
This agree with. The last few flights I have been on, the flight attendants would say, "please turn all electronic devices off at this time." But this is during takeoff and landing only. |
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| Texas |
quote:
Originally posted by eurohazard
GPS is a receiver by design. It doesn't transmit, so I doubt highly it would interfere with aircraft systems.
This agree with. The last few flights I have been on, the flight attendants would say, "please turn all electronic devices off at this time." But this is during takeoff and landing only.
Yup, only during takeoff and landing. During flight, I use my handheld Magellan all the time w/o any complaints from the flight crew.
Paul |
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| catzx6 |
quote:
Originally posted by JerryinTO
Using a GPS unit in an aircraft could interfere with the navigation equipment on the aircraft. I though about using my notebbok in this manner, but the pilot might confiscate it for this reason. Best not to.
A handheld GPS is considered a "Personal Electronic Device", and is subject to the same rules as a laptop or PDA. Off for takeoff and landing, OK any other time. Although, I would really like a StreetPilot... |
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