CF GPS and maps for Australia

aussie123 · 10-19-05, 09:47 PM

Hi, still awaiting my x51 from dell.....

I might be interested in purchasing a CF GPS unit. (Feel free to recommend well priced units which have proven to work on WM5....yes I am aware of the other posts here on this...) Just wondering if anyone knows of a good street level nav program which will include maps of Australia. The few I found looked pretty cheap and nasty.
Cheers :approve:

G M Fude · 10-20-05, 05:41 AM

I can't comment on CF GPS as I have a Bluetooth unit.

But for turn-by-turn mapping software, there aren't a helluva lot of choices Downunder. There's Navman, their SmartST software is separately available and uses the Sensis/Whereis map database (Telstra, by any other name).

However my preferred choice was Destinator (very nice demo at the site in this link). I have version 3 but the latest, PN, is out now, there's a few places it can be purchased but I get tired of Aussie vendors ripping us off for software so I got D3 at buyGPSnow. Have used it extensively when visiting other cities and also for fun while driving around Melbourne. It uses a different map database to Navman, from MapInfo. Not too bad an interface and seldom messes me around, re-routes very nicely with missed turns etc.

aussie123 · 10-20-05, 10:33 AM

Thanks mate,

Don't you find it amazing that the few programs with Aus maps cost $100 more than maps of larger continents with 50 times more roads? What is it with down there?? I'm going to try to pick up a GPS (BT or CF) and get the software here in Canada before I return to Aus shortly..... :approve:

G M Fude · 10-20-05, 11:56 PM

Originally Posted by aussie123

Don't you find it amazing that the few programs with Aus maps cost $100 more than maps of larger continents with 50 times more roads?

I guess it's just economies of scale -- they'll sell a lot more maps in Europe and the USA than they will to a few techno-savvy Aussies, so they can amortise the coding cost far better. Odd, perhaps, that Navman is (or was) a Kiwi company.

Definitely buy your stuff before you come back home if you can; well, I guess I don't need to tell you software prices Downunder.

ddhytz · 10-21-05, 05:09 PM

Originally Posted by aussie123

Hi, still awaiting my x51 from dell.....

I might be interested in purchasing a CF GPS unit. :approve:

Get a SiRF III DF GPS receiver, like Globalsat 337 or Haicom 303III, which is more sensitive than old chip.

jarrica · 10-26-05, 08:12 AM

I just go my new cf gps its a Haicom Hi-305n, Very cool, It was $125 USD and it only took a week to get to Dubbo (Australia)

ravenit · 10-29-05, 04:41 PM

I have a hiacom cf gps aswell but an older version 303 I think works well for what I want. I have just started using Tomtom 5 with the australia maps and it is fantastic heaps of poi like petrol stations etc. I even loaded up some fixed speed camera poi
I was using oziexplorer before but I had to scan all my street maps in and it was taking up to much time.....

G M Fude · 10-31-05, 03:15 AM

ravenit, there are georeferenced street directories available for use with OziExplorer -- depending on where you live.

http://www.maptrax.com.au/streetmaps/

Not cheap but wow they are good.

rosco_nz · 01-15-06, 10:00 PM

I have been planning on installing Navman SMartST V 3.5 on my X50V. But the official line from NAVMAN is the latest version is not VGA compatible ... anyone have any experience here ...??

Tankman · 01-15-06, 10:36 PM

Try Dundee's maps! Crockadile Dundee knows!