Sunday Times Review of GPS Systems

[tympg]

Right now, some of us (bro sabre34t and izani for example) have laid out the Nuvi 310 in a hexa-editor. We are experimenting the 2 bytes are page 4B and 8D to lenghten the timeout at 2 minutes. We figure this is about adequate for most tunnels (but not for KPE). It gets unstable beyond that. Wait dulu.

[cruiser]

By the way, if my memory serve me good, the reviewers are all females....so that is a clue for you.

Hahaa... next, the blondies will be in the line up airing their reviews...

I think we need our own "bombshell" sista to give her version...
erghh, I meant the unit side of shape, size, performance and all jokes aside too, seriously la... c'mon....

If I was there, I would organize a GG Meet cum family arrangement where its not a big event but large enough to award some serious sponsorship which gathers the attention for the market leaders as well as help set the prospects and perspectives right which includes spotlight given by the Press/Media at the weekend event. This also promotes the activity that will enhance the genuine goals for MFM to pursue with one "agenda"... i.e. to assume the status it declares itself to be in... with the free provisions of the maps... and this you will gain with better and positive coverage as well.

It beats the media to their bi-partisan publishings through protracted reports and pathetic experiences taken off from users who may only be more concern if their nail polish will also be damaged by an old looking GPS screen while looking for the switch... to give you an idea.

[tks]

Bro tks, be patient. We are aware that Garmin navigation software typically 'freezes' the map for about 30 seconds when you go into a tunnel. If greater than 30 seconds, it will say it lost satellite till you exit the tunnel. Right now, some of us (bro sabre34t and izani for example) have laid out the Nuvi 310 in a hexa-editor. We are experimenting the 2 bytes are page 4B and 8D to lenghten the timeout at 2 minutes. We figure this is about adequate for most tunnels (but not for KPE). It gets unstable beyond that. Wait dulu.

Thanks! But can you explan in layman's language what you are doing? Coz I have no clue. Basically, even if the devices loses satellite connection, the minimum I need is just to check which exit to take. Right now, once satellite connection lost in tunnel, everything gone. No route, no exit, nothing. If you don't guess the exit, you drive all the way till the end of CTE or KPE.

[ayam390]

from my point of view, if half way in the tunnel have an accident or some stupid lorries and buses block your way and reduce your speed, or traffic jam in the middle. So.... you will lost your way also. I think the simulation function will keep showing your car running in certain speed even you have already slow down or even stop. That's why is always better have a map and compass with you all the time when you go to a place that you're no familiar. Doing some home work first before you go to a not familiar destination. And reading map is always a poor thing for most female.... including my wife

[tks]

By the way, if my memory serve me good, the reviewers are all females....so that is a clue for you.

One male, three females.

By the way, even the expert quoted by the lead reviewer did not know what he was talking about. Probably a newbie GPS retailer.

For example, the owner of car navigation sytesm dealer A-- S--, Mr E-- C-- says: "A portable set would have cost about $399 three years ago, but now can be had for as little as $299."

Back in 2005, you think you could get a portable GPS unit for $399? As far as I remember, as late as last year, the cheapest Nuvi was going for $500+. It was only early this year (or late last year) that parallel imports flooded the market and the price of GPS units nose-dived. $299/$399 is the current price for the basic Garmin Nuvis with the latter price being for the wide-screen version.

[lost4ever]

Thanks! But can you explan in layman's language what you are doing? Coz I have no clue. Basically, even if the devices loses satellite connection, the minimum I need is just to check which exit to take. Right now, once satellite connection lost in tunnel, everything gone. No route, no exit, nothing. If you don't guess the exit, you drive all the way till the end of CTE or KPE.

If I read Jag's reply correctly, that's what he's trying to fix/delay. Currently, the moment the GPS acknowledges that it has "lost satellite connection", one would not be able to do anything to manually check which was the tunnel exit that was in the route plan. So by delaying the "lost satellite connection" message a little bit more, one would be able to try to check the tunnel exit before the GPS declares that it has "lost satellite connection". CAVEAT: that's what I think he is trying to say
Normally he gets much clearer after two glasses of beer, then it starts to slur again after the fourth. And personally, I read better after I've had 6 hours sleep ... alas, I haven't.

[ace]

That's one way to overcome the problem...

The other way they are looking at is to make the alogrithm switch to a mathematical model simulating your speed and direction of travel once the antenna loose the connection to the satelites and guessing which exit in the tunnel you are suppose to exit... However the caveat is that the device must be on a planned route.. If it is not, than it cannot work. So cross your fingers that they can find the equation to make it work... so far they have taken the works into the tunnel to test... could be promising.. like what Jag says.. wait dulu.

If you see Jaguar in the KPE tunnel frequently, he is probably testing the simulation...wave to him and wish him good luck..

I'm like Lost.. I need to go back to

[tks]

from my point of view, if half way in the tunnel have an accident or some stupid lorries and buses block your way and reduce your speed, or traffic jam in the middle. So.... you will lost your way also. I think the simulation function will keep showing your car running in certain speed even you have already slow down or even stop.

If you do run into an accident in the tunnel, I think the last thing you care about is your GPS whether it is still working properly. But still, you will know which exit to take if you need to make a hasty dash out of the tunnel.

That's why is always better have a map and compass with you all the time when you go to a place that you're no familiar. Doing some home work first before you go to a not familiar destination.

Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of having a GPS system in the first place? Many of us use GPS even for familiar but not regularly taken routes. For example, you may alway be travelling to Suntec City. But usually it is from your home in the East or office in the West. Then one day you need to come down via CTE North. So, you simply follow the GPS and take the CTE South. Then you enter the tunnel and ........ the GPS freezes on you. Wait.. which exit to take? Cairhill, Havelock or what? While in the tunnel, how to look at map and compass.

Now, If you need to bring along a map and a compass, and study it before your journey, then I say to you what everyone will say to you .. why do you need a GPS?

[izani]

But I agree on one thing: the inability of the Garmin to work in tunnels or in-between buildings. I feel it is a major flaw. There are so many tunnels in Singapore now. You enter CTE tunnel and your Garmin freezes. There is no information at all. You don't know which exit to take. You try to preview the route, but now that your Garmin has lost its satellite lock, there is no route to preview. It's frustrating.

Basic rules - GPS signal need line of sight from GPS geostationary satellite to the receiver. In tunnel - of course no signal. Hence GPS won't work. Lots of solution been implemented. But not in Garmin Nuvi at the moment.

[tks]

Basic rules - GPS signal need line of sight from GPS geostationary satellite to the receiver. In tunnel - of course no signal. Hence GPS won't work. Lots of solution been implemented. But not in Garmin Nuvi at the moment.

this basic rule is of course known to us. All we are asking for is not for the gps to work even w/o satellites but not to leave us in the lurch e.g. Follow TomTom's solution of continuing the route in some sort of simulation mode. Or minimum just allow us to see which exit to take.