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Smart Phone VS Garmin et al as a GPS tool Smart Phone VS Garmin et al as a GPS tool
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Navigation - Maps, Compass, GPS How to find your way - traditional map, compass and road signs, or GPS and more
Photo by George Guille, It's going to be a long 300km... Bolivian Amazon

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by George Guille
It's going to be a long 300km...
Bolivian Amazon




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  #361  
Old 16 Jun 2015
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Thanks. I'll reinstall that one.

I'm not able to install my .map files though. Is there another thing to do other than copying it in the correct folder?
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  #362  
Old 17 Jun 2015
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Dunno what I did but it's loading them in now.
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  #363  
Old 12 Jul 2015
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I've actually done all my SA planning in Bascamp and despite selling my Garmin Quest, I'm thinking of buying a dedicated device just for ease of working with basecamp. Shame Garmin don't have an andriod app considering they have an android device in the Monterra.
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  #364  
Old 13 Jul 2015
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It smells a lot like they don't want to write off past investments. Feels a bit like Nokia with Symbian.
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  #365  
Old 13 Jul 2015
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New ideas to try
Feeling that Garmin is being a little cheap in terms of screen real estate, I am tempted to try one of these, waterproof, dustproof, shockproof, microSD fitting, 8 inch tablets.

Samsung's new Galaxy Tab Active looks and feels rugged in the hand | Android Central

Since RAM are now making lockable mounts for tablets ...

RAM Tab-Lock™ Locking Cradle for 7" Screen Tablets including the BlackBerry PlayBook, Google Nexus 7 & Samsung Galaxy

How are you guys attaching the phones / tablets to the bikes?
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  #366  
Old 13 Jul 2015
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Just on the handle bar clamp. You can get ram balls for that.

Not sure if that holder is robust enough.
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  #367  
Old 14 Jul 2015
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Originally Posted by tmotten View Post
Just on the handle bar clamp. You can get ram balls for that.

Not sure if that holder is robust enough.
what would you recommend Taco based on your experience using them? Something custom?
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  #368  
Old 14 Jul 2015
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Is a 5 inch screen optimum??
Quote:
Originally Posted by colebatch View Post
Feeling that Garmin is being a little cheap in terms of screen real estate, I am tempted to try one of these, waterproof, dustproof, shockproof, microSD fitting, 8 inch tablets.
I do wonder about the need for an 8 inch screen; the bigger the screen the bigger the power draw from the battery.

Playing about with a Nexus 7 (7 inch screen therefore) a while ago, the 1 amp USB connection would not keep it charged.
I then tried out a USB connection that was supposed to be providing 2.1 amps, according to its' labelling. The Nexus still was losing charge while using the GPS capability and with the screen display switched on.
IIRC, with the screen display not showing, the tablet would charge.
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  #369  
Old 14 Jul 2015
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what would you recommend Taco based on your experience using them? Something custom?
You know I love custom! Well, used to anyway.

Something that big would be a challenge on the bars. Isolating vibes would be tough. Most phone cases have a thick rubber bedding for that. Not sure how heavy they are so not sure on the stress on the ball socket neither. May need to look at the 1.5" ones.
Map pocket of a tank bag comes to mind without going custom on the dash (if you have a dash). I never liked the distance to reach on the rally dashes.
For phones I really like the handlebar clamps. It's never in the way and easy access.
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  #370  
Old 14 Jul 2015
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The heat argument is a valid one. Not an issue with sufficient air movement but most of the cases are black which I guess heats the trapped air enough to really get the temps going. Painting it white might help, or just don't leave it in the sun for prolonged stationary periods in above 25C weather.
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  #371  
Old 14 Jul 2015
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I am thinking bolt the lockable holder to the rally dash (probably with a rubber sheet between it and the dash) ... it weighs a similar amount to a Montana, which i have mounted to rally dashes before. Shouldnt be a problem. Just keep the font size large enough to be legible while riding.

Will play around with it.

Same with the powering. I think a hard wired 2.1 amp usb charger is the best bet. The cig lighter sockets are not idea for powering devices. Hard wiring the charger to the battery I suspect is going to solve the charging problem. I see uber drivers using 7, 8, 10 inch tablets as GPS powered big screen navigators all the time. They get by with a cig lighter charger. The vibration on the bike added to poor connections available from cig lighter sockets is almost surely the difference for bike riders having charging problems that uber drivers dont seem to have - and is solved by hard wiring.
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  #372  
Old 15 Jul 2015
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Sounds viable. I had problems with the connector to the phone. Same on the Garmin. May have to secure that on the dash a well. 2a should be plenty.
That plastic looks brittle though.
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  #373  
Old 15 Jul 2015
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2a should be plenty.
That was my assumption also, based on the output of mains electricity chargers stated to be 2 amp; but when charging at the mains the screen is not usually displaying data.
It's the screen leds that draw a lot of power.


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Originally Posted by colebatch View Post

Same with the powering. I think a hard wired 2.1 amp usb charger is the best bet. The cig lighter sockets are not idea for powering devices. Hard wiring the charger to the battery I suspect is going to solve the charging problem. I see uber drivers using 7, 8, 10 inch tablets as GPS powered big screen navigators all the time. They get by with a cig lighter charger. The vibration on the bike added to poor connections available from cig lighter sockets is almost surely the difference for bike riders having charging problems that uber drivers dont seem to have - and is solved by hard wiring.
Below is a quote from an online review for a 3 amp hard wired charger:-

"Just remember that if you want it to charge smartphones or tablets, you have to short the data pins on the USB socket so the device thinks it is connected to a mains charger"

They may be on to something; certainly I didn't do this in my experimentation.
This would be very relevant if the vehicle in question is of the modern variety; the connected device could interpret the signals to mean that it is connected to a computer - in this case, the ECU of the motorbike/car/truck.
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  #374  
Old 15 Jul 2015
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I wasn't aware there were 3a chargers. Interesting. Not sure it's required though. 2a is a lot. Not sure on the draw from that large screen thing, but easily tested. I've found screen mirroring to use the most amount of power. The thing really warms up. So using full brightness with GPS and maybe Bluetooth to headphones wouldn't be a problem. Wish the thing could go on Bluetooth on flight mode though. It does for GPS. Turning the cell reception off saves a lot of power.

It's a shame a lot of the maps don't have more contrast. Often it's light colors on white. Some can be manipulated or just put it in might mode. But the glossy screens do produce a bit more glare. It's manageable the same as Garmin screens but I'm thinking of experimenting with a little shade cap. Should also mitigate the heading a bit.
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  #375  
Old 16 Jul 2015
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I wasn't aware there were 3a chargers. Interesting.
My earlier quote was taken from an advert on Amazon for such a fitting.


Quote:
Originally Posted by tmotten View Post
Not sure it's required though. 2a is a lot
Agreed.
In any case, the power draw will be in relation to the bit of kit that is attached to the charger i.e. it varies.
So, we are referring here to maximum capacitiies of chargers; I checked the "small print" on a variety of chargers that I possess - small print because I need a magnifying glass to be able to read it and it is the kind of information that we all tend not to bother with, usually.
2 of them are for mobile phones and they are rated at 0.3 amp and 0.6 amp.
The third one is for the Nexus 7 and it is rated at 2 amp.
All 3 are of that type which plugs straight into the mains supply, thereby connecting that power and lowering the output to a constant 5 volt DC passed on to the bit of kit via a USB type A cable.

Quote:
Originally Posted by tmotten View Post
I've found screen mirroring to use the most amount of power. The thing really warms up. .
Screen mirroring??


Quote:
Originally Posted by tmotten View Post
It's a shame a lot of the maps don't have more contrast. Often it's light colors on white. Some can be manipulated or just put it in might mode. But the glossy screens do produce a bit more glare. It's manageable the same as Garmin screens but I'm thinking of experimenting with a little shade cap. Should also mitigate the heading a bit.
Yep, I too have played around with a home made shade made of a bit of plastic covered in black tape to reduce reflection and attached to the GPS with more black tape and blu-tack.
Pretty it wasn't, but effective it was.
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