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GPS
Sept 6, 2016 10:32:46 GMT
Post by shin on Sept 6, 2016 10:32:46 GMT
Any folks here ever buy one of those GPS or rear camera combos for their car?
I'm thinking of getting a new GPS, not sure whether to get a fancy larger one with all the bells and whistles or more of the same. Bigger screen, voice recognition, cost a bit more, but it's a safety issue so probably worth it. The older I get, the less easy driving is, especially to unfamiliar places. Figure on getting another Garmin like I have now, since I'm used to it, but also looking around at the other options.
My current Garmin's maps are 2010, and I can't update them, and it's given me enough trouble because of that figure it's time to get something that can be updated.
Garmin has a rear camera kit for their bigger models, but pretty expensive, probably better just to get a separate rear camera in the end.
I know some folks use their cell phones for all this sort of thing, but I'm not the type who likes to use a cell, I just keep one for emergencies, so I wind up using other substitutes.
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GPS
Sept 6, 2016 12:38:28 GMT
Post by shin on Sept 6, 2016 12:38:28 GMT
Nope, no links saved, but I'll keep looking. I just did a search for "rear car camera", and seeing various options, a lot of Chinese ones of uncertain quality, and then some more expensive more local products. I remember reading one kit where it seems like you can hook up the power to the rear lighting electric for one, if you want to do it yourself, but the folks who sell the kits, recommend it to be professionally installed.
It really is I think nothing more than a tiny camera, drilled and plunked in a hole somewhere in the back of your car, with a wire leading through one part of the body or another to the dash. The Garmin proprietary one was I think $180 bucks, and you need the high level Garmin too, but the separate solutions I browsed were cheaper, price depending largely on the size/quality of the lcd.
I might prefer having a permanent one besides the Garmin, with a view to help when changing lanes on the highway.
I probably would love one just like you! I don't have the best sense of how much space the car occupies, a camera would help with parking.
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GPS
Sept 6, 2016 20:38:46 GMT
Post by farmchix on Sept 6, 2016 20:38:46 GMT
Mine came with my car. It was a challenge to get used to at first, but now I don't know how I lived without it! It only works in reverse. Camera is above handle on the back hatch.
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Post by shin on Sept 8, 2016 14:48:07 GMT
Still researching away what GPS to get. I now have found out it is possible to get a GPS with a different voice than the rather annoyed sounding woman who has been ordering me around for years.
Given that she sent me a circle and tried to get me to drive through two different 'private property' 'no trespassing allowed' roads today, one that looked like to a police station and the other a mental hospital, I am grateful I now have new options. . .
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Post by shin on Sept 10, 2016 4:35:30 GMT
Well, in the end, even though I looked a lot at the other brands, and liked a lot of what I saw, I got a 6" "Garmin DriveSmartâ„¢" 60LMT on sale from a liquidation outlet. Hope it arrives safely and works well. It's very odd with their product line -- the bigger viewscreen models often have less features than the smaller ones, there's no, big screen has it all model. If you want some things you like "Driver Assist" or an integrated dash cam you have to go smaller. I decided against that, but I liked the dual screen function where they show the map, on the left, and show the lanes you're supposed to be in and the upcoming road on the right, so I had to sacrifice going for the biggest 7" display.. which you would think would have such a feature.
Well, if this thing still has me running in circles despite map updates and newer technology, I'll send it back or sell it. Since it has camera hook up features, including it says, the ability to have a rear camera on whenever you want, up to about 4 cameras, I'll wait till I have a little more in the bank in a month or so and consider either it or a separate camera system. Looks like Garmin's rear camera is wireless, which would make a slightly easier install, but I like wired better.
I also like that it can receive voice commands, don't want to fiddle with the thing while driving. Hopefully that feature actually will work decently.
May God grant us safe journies.
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