The maps were a little off, had me turning right onto a one way street at one point. found some minor street name errors... but had no problems finding all of the places we were going.
In Japan ..they have an optional rear view camera for the nav display... so when backingup, you don't need reverse sensing... you can see what is back there. TV applications are not legal however...
I've noticed a few problems with the maps, even though I'm in a high-detail area, like streets not connecting and such, but other than that it's great!
When I have my new audio system installed, I'm going to ask them if there's additional inputs on the screen that I can run cables to for future hookups.
The dash configuration is entirely different for the EX and EX-NAV. You would have to have the entire dash replaced which would probably be pretty expensive. But it wouldn't hurt to ask, I suppose.
Have 00 LX. Recently bought eMAP unit (weighs a mere 196.5 grams i.e. 6.7 oz for those who are metrically challenged), Metroguide CD cables and 16MB storage chip (www.garmin.com). Paid $430 for the bundle.The Metroguide maps are judged "Best"(no hanging streets or missing data). Very easy to use. Uploading the maps is a breeze so is trip routing and editing (on the fly). Jury rigged with velcro fasteners (using perfectly matching colors) for dash mount AND portability (to other vehicles). Kids love to play with it IN THE SAFETY OF BACK SEATS. A truly great gadget. Don't Leave Home Without It.
Sounds very interesting. Are you using this in Canada. Do you know how it performs in the states? Have you seen the NAVI system? If so how does it compare.
Our EX NAVI is in route to the dealer, if this is a reasonable substitute I would consider getting and eMAP instead of upgrading to NAVI.
Can you tell us what the map range is? For instance, could I drive from Seattle to the southern Oregon coast without having to upload new maps? Does it give voice instructions? Have POI? Reroute quickly and automatically if you detour or miss an exit?
I would have loved to have had a nice portable handheld unit (can't remember where you parked the car at Disneyland, just let the nav remember!), there were shortcomings in all the systems I looked into that made them unacceptable (to me).
We are picking up our NAVI next week. We REQUIRE a cassette player. I just posed this possible arrangement with my dealer:
"It has been suggested, however, that one might be able to install the LX head unit (which includes the cassette player) in place of the EX head unit, and then install the (under seat) CD changer. This way, one would have access to both cassettes and CD's in an EX-NAVI." Posted in Daniel Hyams FAQ Topic #1319, Post #3
The salesman said he would look into it.
1. Has anyone done this?
2. If so, did you loose ANY functionality with the Navi system i.e.. controls not working on the Navi or the music not muting to allow the Navi to give directions?
3. Do you have any other suggestions to get a cassette into the Navi?
I was once confused about the navigation's interaction with the stereo.
The answer is not much at all. The only thing the the navigation does to the stereo is to cut of the sound to the front channels to give voice directions. This is an intermediate wiring setup, and won't be affected by a different head unit. I'm planning on replacing the head unit myself and this will be no problem.
I happen to be out on the Honda Corp web site and found that they are offering an update DVD for the Nav at a cost of around $152.00 for version 1.09. I find that cost totally outrageous! It still doesn't appear that my city is been updated to a detailed coverage area, so I guess that is a saving grace for now.
I wonder if the sites that are selling Honda accessories/parts will also offer this upgrade at some point.
While I agree that the cost ($152) is high, please note that version 1.09 is the version that is ALREADY in the Odyssey. I bought my NAV in September 1999 (one of the first ones shipped) and it has version 1.09. So even if you do want to update, you should wait for a later version.
I also hope that the online accessory shops will carry the update at a discount, when it becomes available.
Also note that if you own the CD NAV version sold with many of the other cars, you need 7 to 9 CD's that cost about $50 to $100 each to cover all of the US. The DVD covers all of the US and also includes the OS (operating system) for the navi so that you get both map updates as well as operating system updates with each new version.
We bought our new Ody Navi yesterday. To get the cassette into the vehicle this is what we decided:
1. Replaced the EX CD head unit with an LX Cassette head unit.
2. Installed a Honda 6 disc CD changer under the drivers seat.
The CD's and cassette work nicely together and the system sounds great to me! In fact the salesman said that he has heard both the EX and LX system and although they aren't great, the LX head unit actually sounds better with the EX speakers than the EX unit does!
ONE (BIG) PROBLEM: The steering wheel controls as well as the voice prompts for the NAVI DO NOT WORK! Big problem! ANY SUGGESTIONS? Salesman thinks the technician may have just missed plugging in something and is picking up my car and giving me a loaner while they look at it. He thinks it is a 15 minute job but has hedged that it still may not work and we may have to go back to the original config. NOOOOOOOO!
Can someone PLEASE HELP with some technical info from your experience which I can share with the technician?
Since the voice prompts on the Navi and the steering wheel radio controls do not work the dealer agreed to return radio to specs; ie. CD player only.
So back to square one except I contacted Honda customer service in the North East and told them that it is unacceptable that I can not have a cassette in the vehicle. (Honda obviously sees value in a cassette unit or they would not be installing them in all LX units!)
I was told that a Honda technical representative will be sent to my dealer next week to go over the problem (ya, right) I will keep on their back.
My ideal set up for my Navi is a Cassette tuner for the head unit and a 6 CD changer under the front seat without loosing any of the functionality of the Navi or steering wheel controls. I have seen the posts about putting a cassette into the coin/cup holder spot but the dealer will not do it and I do not want to risk voiding the Navi warranty especially if we get an extended warranty.
I am assuming there are more Navi owners who would like a cassette so I will post the final result.
>I have seen the posts about putting a >cassette into the coin/cup holder spot >but the dealer will not do it and I do not >want to risk voiding the Navi warranty >especially if we get an extended warranty.
I too read the post about installing the cassette into the coin/cup holder with interest. I am also considering installing the Honda security system. Does installing Honda accessories yourself void the Honda warranty?
I just want to start by saying that the navigation system is one of the coolest gadgets to ever grace planet earth. It is also very helpful, as I am a sophmore at the college of William & Mary and this is the first time I'll be driving around the area. It's really helped when I don't know where I'm going (I usually do, but you know, you need help the first time).
Anyway, there's something that bugs me about the nav system, and it has to do with the voice commands.
Usually, the commands are very helpful. Instead of looking at the screen every few minutes to check for a new direction, it's nice to know when the next direction is coming up....BUT NOT EVERY DIRECTION!! Arrggh! It is sooo annoying to drive 80 miles going south on 495 to take 295 east, and have the voice--every time you pass an exit--say "stay on 495 south". WHY THE HELL DO I HAVE TO KNOW THIS?? It does the exact opposit of what it is intended. I hear that ding, I think that a change in direction is coming up, I start shifting lanes, and then it basically TELLS me to keep going STRAIGHT!?!?
I recently was looking through the Mercedes M-class nav system and while there are some things I like less about it, but there is an option for the FREQUENCY of the voice commands in ADDITION to the volume. (((In fact, I wish I could make the voice commands louder. The highest volume is plenty loud when no music is playing, but being a college student I often play music at fairly loud levels and when the fronts cut out to play the voice commands, the commands are much quieter.)))
Anyway, I don't know if there's anything I can do about this, but it would be nice to be able to stop that damn woman from telling me NOT to take an exit.
With that said, I like everything else about the navigation system, and I think it was definitely worth the money.
Hi, I know what you mean about the commands. I recently found that I was getting commands on a road even though my turn was miles away. It would tell me when to bear left or stay right when there was an intersection. I find that I like it better with the volume turned off. Then all I have to do is glance at the screen occasionally to see where to go. It's really useful when doing a lot of errands in areas that I don't frequent often because it gives me directions on roads that I wouldn't have thought of using.
to message user 229 when you play your music load have you tried turning the balance so more of the music comes through the front speakers instead of the back speakers, that way when the nav. voice comes on it will be loader than the rear speakers.
That's what I do too, but only when I'm driving in a small area. When I'm on a long trip and I have a very far distance to go, I'm not going to look down at the screen at the exact right time in order to catch the direction. That defeats the purpose of "navigation".
dmathews3--That doesn't make all that much sense. That would make the music volume even louder. I was saying that i wish I could get the voice commands louder, and the volume for that isn't controlled by the stereo. If I did what you're saying, all that's doing is making the volume in the front louder, and creating a greater difference in volume.
As it is now, I'll be listening to a loud, driving rock song, it'll suddenly cut out, I'll get the direction at what comparitively sounds very quiet, then I get blasted when the music comes back in! This is a bit annoying.
I am considering the Nav option, but I do not understand how you put in an address or name of a restaurant to find, Is there a keyboard. Please explain.
The navi system has a touchscreen. To input an address, you simply "type" it on the on-screen keyboard. You can also select restaurants etc. from predefined lists.
I have a 2000 Odyssey with NAVI that I got just a week ago. I have a friend that got his 3 months ago. The display on my friends NAVI seemed to be much brighter and easier to read than on my newer NAVI. It doesn't matter if the display is in day or night mode. Even the brightness settings on the setup screen can't compensate for the large difference. Comparing the 2 units more closely I noticed that the menu brightness appeared to be about the same. It is only the map display that looks different because of the colors used. On my NAVI the default background color in the day mode is a medium brown and night mode is dark gray. The database versions are both ADB 0520 and the software versions are both 1.09. My service manual just arrived and I noticed on page 22-293 that there is a color change screen. By changing the colors on the color change screen and then viewing the results on the map screen I can get some totally satisfying combinations. The problem is that I can't figure out how to save the changes and the service manual doesn't offer a clue. There has to be a simple way to save the color changes. I sure don't want to go through the whole drill every time I use the NAVI. Does anyone out there know how to accomplish this?
I just wanted to follow up on the posting by toys4iq... I am in the same boat and MUST have a cassette player. I am on a waiting list for a 2001 Navi and if I can't find a viable solution before it's too late, I may just want to switch my order to a regular EX. Has Honda gotten back to you with a solution? Has anyone else found any positive leads?
To be clear, I'd like to have the LX Ody AM/FM/Cass unit installed and a 6-disc changer set up under the driver's seat.
I thought at one point I heard... that you could put the cassette under the seat using the same extention cable the cd used... also that last I read about someone who did the LX switch... they could not get the navi voice to work through the LX radio...
Sorry, I've been out of commission for a couple of weeks (had a c-section) and now have a newborn. I am sending a letter to Honda today. Will post when I have more info because I really want both the cassette and 6 CD changer.
It would be helpful if you also wrote a note to Honda (if more of us who complain maybe they will take us seriously)
Tell me what state you are in and I can give you the US zone office that you should write to (there are 15 in the US)
Thanks toys4iq, That info would be greatly appreciated... good luck with the new baby. I can relate because I have 1 year-old twin boys and a 2 yr. old son to squeeze into my new Ody (whenever it arrives).
I live in Baltimore, MD and will write to Honda about our situation as soon as you forward the info. I might be in the area served by their mid-Atlantic regional office based out of Bethesda.
Way back in the posts, someone asked about RCA or other jacks (video, etc.) on the DVD player under the passenger seat. I'm no electronics expert. Are these jacks available? If so, couldn't you rig it up to an entertainment center to play DVD's? If not, could you work the DVD player to have these jacks? Just a few questions? Thanks.
I have been enjoying the new Nav system while driving around Boston, which is very challenging since the roads are so convoluted and branch off in so many odd directions with not a right angle in sight.
Overall, I like the Nav system a lot. It's tremendously useful, even in an area that I know very well. In just a few days, I've already found alternate ways to get to work that take me through sections of the city that I've never seen before, and I've shaved ten minutes off my 40-minute commute each way. It's really impossible to get lost, since the Nav system constantly recalculates a route that will get you where you want to go.
It doesn't always choose the most direct route, sometimes inexplicably routing you around three sides of a square instead of straight across, but I think it's because it prefers larger streets to smaller residential ones.
Some other observations: the Nav system knows one way streets, but doesn't know about signs such as No Left Turn. It took me along Comm. Ave (a busy street with trolley tracks down the center) and kept expecting me to turn left where I couldn't. Finally the system just said "Make a U-turn if possible" and left it at that. If you press the detour button the system is pretty good at finding alternate routes.
If you find a path that you like, there is no way to save it. You have to recalculate a path to your destination each time, and manually press the detour button or exclude streets until you get back to the one that worked well (or learn how to get there on your own.)
The convenience of having the in-dashboard Nav screen far outweighs any handheld system. At first, I was considering getting an LX and buying a Garmin handheld system or an eMap to use as a GPS system, but having actually driven around in the new Odyssey I just don't see those as workable options. The built-in Nav system is enough of a distraction -- I can't imagine having to look down in my lap or glance over at a small monochrome screen mounted to the dash in order to see where I am or to receive the next direction.
On the built-in Nav system, the voice prompts are very important because they allow you to keep your eyes on the road, and the screen is always in exactly the same place on the dash where you can glance at it. It's also very visible from any angle.
There seems to be a bug in the Nav system that affects the sound. Sometimes I'm driving and I decide to interrupt the Nav system directions to listen to a song, or I decide I just don't want to use the Nav system any more and turn it off. Basically, if you shut off the Nav system when the sound is muted, it stays muted until you turn the Nav system back on.
The details: Whenever the system is about to give a voice command, the sound from the radio is muted and the front speakers shut off. Then, after the voice command, the sound comes back on after a second or two. If there's another command coming right after the first one, the sound stays muted, sometimes until three or four commands are given if there are a lot of turns ahead. This is all fine.
The problem occurs when you shut down the Nav system by pressing the Menu button, then choose Off, which displays the clock and the shutdown button against a background of stars. If the sound was muted when you turn the Nav system off, there is no way to bring the sound back unless you start up the Nav system again (and it resumes giving voice directons), or park the car. Turning the radio off and on again doesn't bring the sound back.
Everything else about the Nav system works fine, so I think it's a bug, or an "undocumented feature." Has anyone else noticed this on their system?
Instead of shutting it down directly, try going to menu, plan new trip. That should cancel the voice prompts allowing the unmuted stereo. Then precede to shut down the system, if you wish.
Nav system has been very useful to me in finding shortcuts. Must be great up in Boston area, as those roads are just as you say.
I have a 2000 Odyssey EX but without the Navigation. Is it possible to install the Navigation system in-dash?
I regret not having gotten the navigation system and would love top be able to have it installed but only if it can be installed indash just as they ship with the EX-Nav model.
The dash of the nav ex is totally different then that of a lx. The change, if possible, would be cost prohibitive.
One of the things I find useful are the business telephone numbers that are displayed with the address. The navigation system and a cell phone work well together!
here's some comments i posted for honda navi in the mdx forum that may be useful for ody owners.
"mdx gps (navi) for $2k: while navi (and the honda/acura navi is one of the best per the car rags), it is limited and expensive. i went through the mapping gps decision and got a lowrance global map 100 (gps, streets and maps cd, pc cable adaptor, and a couple of street map software pkgs - delorme sa8 talks to gm 100 - $350); used it for the "summer vacation trips, and my interstate work driving trips.
let me comment: current gps devices are amazing! most midrange models are 12 channel, the recent (1 May 00) gov't disabling of selective availability (sa) has enabled a ten fold increase accuracy to these gps's so that they are typically accurate to +- 15 yards! they update once a second, and are more accurate than my vehicle speedometer (yes, my 99 ody is - 2.5 mph slow at 50 mph). the screen is monochrome 1.2" x 2.0" with a resolution of 100 x 160 dpi (quite good and readable if you don't expect too much detail).
my conclusion is that you need a laptop to exploit the gps. the mdx color screen looks about 5" x 6" max. this is about the same (virtual) size as my gm100 where i have it mounted strapped above the steering column just behind the steering wheel. too small. the laptop is about 11" by 13" and placed on the ody front center fold-down table with the screen leaning on the dash like a big console screen. this is visible from the driving position, and solves my concern of not knowing where i am. works great with delorme street atlas 8.0 for routing.
pc software is inexpensive (+- $50) as are laptops, so the $2k applied to a laptop, and software is more functional, and has a better resale value by itself than a navi system. the gps serves my purposes for hiking and biking, and can be moved to other vehicles.
summary: you buy a vehicle for vehicle features, you can buy a good gps/nav separately.
Do these hand-held GPS system view maps at street levels? In other words, will it tell me the closest route from my work to my home, like built-in GPS systems in Ody?
I am seriously looking into one of those hand-held unit, but I just can't see how it will be able to hold so much details without having CD/DVD drive integrated into the unit. It's not going to be very useful if I need to upload small regions (relatively speaking) of maps into the unit all the time....
you have to decide if it works for you, but on my recent trip to dallas/ftworth, i created and loaded the dfw area from lowrance ims city streets cd (quite detailed) to give me a base map of the area i would be visiting on the gps itself, though the plan was to use it in combination with the laptop and sa8 software. the office laptop is a dog and i was worried about short batt life and crashes. sure enough, the batts died after one hour (i didn't think i needed my dc power inverter, and wanted to travel light). i was doing great until the batts died, then fell back to the gps for my sightseeing tour. the gps got me home (hotel).
i have uploaded my local work area to partition one and use part two for visit locations. routes are created on the pc/laptop and tracked with gps activation. this is the most convenient.
i am graduating from up and dnloading routes onto the gps as this takes time and the laptop screen is preferred for vehicle travel. the delorme street atlas 8.0 can transfer routes to gm 100 while the ms streets and trips cannot, and both have gps tracking capability. i prefer the ms product for travel for the ease of planning/storing/revising routes (and you will revise routes as you correct even the latest software maps).
so you need to decide how you are using the gps: with laptop or stand alone. regardless get a 12 channel gps. if you are using gps only with a laptop or palmpilot you can get a non-mapping gps and save a few bucks. the palm device w/ gps is an option for some software which you might research if interested.
finally, another example: we visited hersheypark in pa last sunday as a kids last fling before the start of school. used the mapping software (both yielded similar routes) though the delorme indicated that 222 north would be faster though longer and curvier. went in the ody with a full 7 pass (3 big, and 4 little people - ody is great on the hilly, winding pa roads).
my neighbor is daughter of a korean war bomber navigator, and was a terrific co-navigator to the software. she verified the (printed) route and watched for the signs (in the day time), and i could see where we were the whole time. the map and gps deviated at times but were surprisingly accurate. going up we (and the little people) needed to stop several times over the 90 mile trip for lunch and necessities. that was in the day time with vfr (visual flight rules). two hours travel time.
returning home in the dark (we got our day's pass worth, kids were zoned), as we departed the park my wife (who is the navigator in the family and has very good 'direction'), suggested i follow the traffic and our usual long highway route. i turned the opposite direction, away from traffic, and followed the mapping/gps software. after some tense minutes driving (we (i) usually get lost at this point and revert to the known hiways), we were on a two lane highway that was numbered incorrectly on the maps, was a direct route south (home), and in line with pa drivers in a brisk march. i felt like a was a native pa! few more bends, connections and my expert co-navigator commenting that she would have missed the signs that the gps had led us to in the dark, and we were home in 1:35! awesome!
gps is here to stay, however you implement it, but you don't have to buy a vehicle to get it.
i did take my neighbor's advice to try the unimproved though more direct (272) road indicated on the mapping software as slower, and saved some time there.
bottom line: you have to use good judgement even if you have a gps, and all the gps devices have disclaimers of not using the gps as a compass, though they provide you with compass bearings. you should also plan on having a compass with you in case technology hickups.
The federal government bans TV or like presentations from the dashboard of vehicles. Now since cellular phones may be banned in moving vehicles, NAV systems may be also. There are insurance co regulators that say the NAVs are as distracting to the driver as a TV or video set. NC and SC are ready to ban cellphone use while in motion and NAV use may also be a casualty. Sounds like there was no thought to safety when NAV devices were installed....any opinions? And if the rulings go againsy NAVs, how would they be crippled from opoeration?
We have a 2000 EX Navi and the unit is very distracting. My husband and I are constantly bickering when he starts "playing" with the navi while he is driving. I tell him not to touch the screen unless we are at a stop light.
Then, when I had the vehicle on my own I found myself being distracted when using it to get to a new destination! Go figure.
Sorry, don't have a handheld but have had experiences with the built in version so I have a few questions for the hand held owners (unless you let me "borrow" yours). Do the handhelds tell you exactly when to turn? Does it "vocalize" the directions so that you don't have to keep watching the monitor? Does it have database on gas stations, ATM's, resteraunts and other POI? Does it reroute you automatically if you make a wrong turn? What happens when GPS signal is blocked (when in a bridge or in area with lost of tall buildings)?
Comments
Does anyone know if the monitor for the nav system have additional inputs? I suppose not, but it would be pretty cool if it did.
I've noticed a few problems with the maps, even though I'm in a high-detail area, like streets not connecting and such, but other than that it's great!
When I have my new audio system installed, I'm going to ask them if there's additional inputs on the screen that I can run cables to for future hookups.
Jury rigged with velcro fasteners (using perfectly matching colors) for dash mount AND portability (to other vehicles). Kids love to play with it IN THE SAFETY OF BACK SEATS. A truly great gadget.
Don't Leave Home Without It.
Our EX NAVI is in route to the dealer, if this is a reasonable substitute I would consider getting and eMAP instead of upgrading to NAVI.
Thanks!
I would have loved to have had a nice portable handheld unit (can't remember where you parked the car at Disneyland, just let the nav remember!), there were shortcomings in all the systems I looked into that made them unacceptable (to me).
"It has been suggested, however, that one might be able to install the LX head unit (which includes the cassette player) in place of the EX head unit, and then install the (under seat) CD changer. This way, one would have access to both cassettes and CD's in an EX-NAVI." Posted in Daniel Hyams FAQ Topic #1319, Post #3
The salesman said he would look into it.
1. Has anyone done this?
2. If so, did you loose ANY functionality with the Navi system i.e.. controls not working on the Navi or the music not muting to allow the Navi to give directions?
3. Do you have any other suggestions to get a cassette into the Navi?
Thanks!
The answer is not much at all. The only thing the the navigation does to the stereo is to cut of the sound to the front channels to give voice directions. This is an intermediate wiring setup, and won't be affected by a different head unit. I'm planning on replacing the head unit myself and this will be no problem.
I wonder if the sites that are selling Honda accessories/parts will also offer this upgrade at some point.
I also hope that the online accessory shops will carry the update at a discount, when it becomes available.
1. Replaced the EX CD head unit with an LX Cassette head unit.
2. Installed a Honda 6 disc CD changer under the drivers seat.
The CD's and cassette work nicely together and the system sounds great to me! In fact the salesman said that he has heard both the EX and LX system and although they aren't great, the LX head unit actually sounds better with the EX speakers than the EX unit does!
ONE (BIG) PROBLEM: The steering wheel controls as well as the voice prompts for the NAVI DO NOT WORK! Big problem! ANY SUGGESTIONS? Salesman thinks the technician may have just missed plugging in something and is picking up my car and giving me a loaner while they look at it. He thinks it is a 15 minute job but has hedged that it still may not work and we may have to go back to the original config. NOOOOOOOO!
Can someone PLEASE HELP with some technical info from your experience which I can share with the technician?
Thanks in advance!
So back to square one except I contacted Honda customer service in the North East and told them that it is unacceptable that I can not have a cassette in the vehicle. (Honda obviously sees value in a cassette unit or they would not be installing them in all LX units!)
I was told that a Honda technical representative will be sent to my dealer next week to go over the problem (ya, right) I will keep on their back.
My ideal set up for my Navi is a Cassette tuner for the head unit and a 6 CD changer under the front seat without loosing any of the functionality of the Navi or steering wheel controls. I have seen the posts about putting a cassette into the coin/cup holder spot but the dealer will not do it and I do not want to risk voiding the Navi warranty especially if we get an extended warranty.
I am assuming there are more Navi owners who would like a cassette so I will post the final result.
>cassette into the coin/cup holder spot
>but the dealer will not do it and I do not
>want to risk voiding the Navi warranty
>especially if we get an extended warranty.
I too read the post about installing the cassette into the coin/cup holder with interest. I am also considering installing the Honda security system. Does installing Honda accessories yourself void the Honda warranty?
the Honda warranty?"
No but you only get a 1 year warranty... if you have an extended warranty... it does not apply to the owner installed items.
Optional on Lexus (hope Honda gets it for 2001 too)
See www.insidelexus.com Navigation 2001 DVD GPS
Play DVD movies when in Park (plays sound only when in Drive)
Anyway, there's something that bugs me about the nav system, and it has to do with the voice commands.
Usually, the commands are very helpful. Instead of looking at the screen every few minutes to check for a new direction, it's nice to know when the next direction is coming up....BUT NOT EVERY DIRECTION!! Arrggh! It is sooo annoying to drive 80 miles going south on 495 to take 295 east, and have the voice--every time you pass an exit--say "stay on 495 south". WHY THE HELL DO I HAVE TO KNOW THIS?? It does the exact opposit of what it is intended. I hear that ding, I think that a change in direction is coming up, I start shifting lanes, and then it basically TELLS me to keep going STRAIGHT!?!?
I recently was looking through the Mercedes M-class nav system and while there are some things I like less about it, but there is an option for the FREQUENCY of the voice commands in ADDITION to the volume. (((In fact, I wish I could make the voice commands louder. The highest volume is plenty loud when no music is playing, but being a college student I often play music at fairly loud levels and when the fronts cut out to play the voice commands, the commands are much quieter.)))
Anyway, I don't know if there's anything I can do about this, but it would be nice to be able to stop that damn woman from telling me NOT to take an exit.
With that said, I like everything else about the navigation system, and I think it was definitely worth the money.
I, on the other hand, being a saxophone player got plates that say SAX-MCHN
dmathews3--That doesn't make all that much sense. That would make the music volume even louder. I was saying that i wish I could get the voice commands louder, and the volume for that isn't controlled by the stereo. If I did what you're saying, all that's doing is making the volume in the front louder, and creating a greater difference in volume.
As it is now, I'll be listening to a loud, driving rock song, it'll suddenly cut out, I'll get the direction at what comparitively sounds very quiet, then I get blasted when the music comes back in! This is a bit annoying.
Hope that helps!
To be clear, I'd like to have the LX Ody AM/FM/Cass unit installed and a 6-disc changer set up under the driver's seat.
Thanks.
Sorry, I've been out of commission for a couple of
weeks (had a c-section) and now have a newborn. I
am sending a letter to Honda today. Will post
when I have more info because I really want both
the cassette and 6 CD changer.
It would be helpful if you also wrote a note to Honda (if more of us who complain maybe they will take us seriously)
Tell me what state you are in and I can give you the US zone office that you should write to (there are 15 in the US)
I live in Baltimore, MD and will write to Honda about our situation as soon as you forward the info. I might be in the area served by their mid-Atlantic regional office based out of Bethesda.
I have been enjoying the new Nav system while driving around Boston, which is very challenging since the roads are so convoluted and branch off in so many odd directions with not a right angle in sight.
Overall, I like the Nav system a lot. It's tremendously useful, even in an area that I know very well. In just a few days, I've already found alternate ways to get to work that take me through sections of the city that I've never seen before, and I've shaved ten minutes off my 40-minute commute each way. It's really impossible to get lost, since the Nav system constantly recalculates a route that will get you where you want to go.
It doesn't always choose the most direct route, sometimes inexplicably routing you around three sides of a square instead of straight across, but I think it's because it prefers larger streets to smaller residential ones.
Some other observations: the Nav system knows one way streets, but doesn't know about signs such as No Left Turn. It took me along Comm. Ave (a busy street with trolley tracks down the center) and kept expecting me to turn left where I couldn't. Finally the system just said "Make a U-turn if possible" and left it at that. If you press the detour button the system is pretty good at finding alternate routes.
If you find a path that you like, there is no way to save it. You have to recalculate a path to your destination each time, and manually press the detour button or exclude streets until you get back to the one that worked well (or learn how to get there on your own.)
The convenience of having the in-dashboard Nav screen far outweighs any handheld system. At first, I was considering getting an LX and buying a Garmin handheld system or an eMap to use as a GPS system, but having actually driven around in the new Odyssey I just don't see those as workable options. The built-in Nav system is enough of a distraction -- I can't imagine having to look down in my lap or glance over at a small monochrome screen mounted to the dash in order to see where I am or to receive the next direction.
On the built-in Nav system, the voice prompts are very important because they allow you to keep your eyes on the road, and the screen is always in exactly the same place on the dash where you can glance at it. It's also very visible from any angle.
There seems to be a bug in the Nav system that affects the sound. Sometimes I'm driving and I decide to interrupt the Nav system directions to listen to a song, or I decide I just don't want to use the Nav system any more and turn it off. Basically, if you shut off the Nav system when the sound is muted, it stays muted until you turn the Nav system back on.
The details: Whenever the system is about to give a voice command, the sound from the radio is muted and the front speakers shut off. Then, after the voice command, the sound comes back on after a second or two. If there's another command coming right after the first one, the sound stays muted, sometimes until three or four commands are given if there are a lot of turns ahead. This is all fine.
The problem occurs when you shut down the Nav system by pressing the Menu button, then choose Off, which displays the clock and the shutdown button against a background of stars. If the sound was muted when you turn the Nav system off, there is no way to bring the sound back unless you start up the Nav system again (and it resumes giving voice directons), or park the car. Turning the radio off and on again doesn't bring the sound back.
Everything else about the Nav system works fine, so I think it's a bug, or an "undocumented feature." Has anyone else noticed this on their system?
Love the Nav! Two thumbs up!
--Doug.
Instead of shutting it down directly, try going to menu, plan new trip. That should cancel the voice prompts allowing the unmuted stereo. Then precede to shut down the system, if you wish.
Nav system has been very useful to me in finding shortcuts. Must be great up in Boston area, as those roads are just as you say.
I regret not having gotten the navigation system and would love top be able to have it installed but only if it can be installed indash just as they ship with the EX-Nav model.
Thanks
One of the things I find useful are the business telephone numbers that are displayed with the address. The navigation system and a cell phone work well together!
"mdx gps (navi) for $2k:
while navi (and the honda/acura navi is one of the
best per the car rags), it is limited and
expensive. i went through the mapping gps
decision
and got a lowrance global map 100 (gps, streets
and maps cd, pc cable adaptor, and a couple of
street map software pkgs - delorme sa8 talks to gm
100 - $350); used it for the "summer vacation
trips, and my interstate work driving trips.
let me comment: current gps devices are amazing!
most midrange models are 12 channel, the recent (1
May 00) gov't disabling of selective availability
(sa) has enabled a ten fold increase accuracy to
these gps's so that they are typically accurate to
+- 15 yards! they update once a second, and are
more accurate than my vehicle speedometer (yes, my
99 ody is - 2.5 mph slow at 50 mph). the screen
is
monochrome 1.2" x 2.0" with a resolution of 100 x
160 dpi (quite good and readable if you don't
expect too much detail).
my conclusion is that you need a laptop to exploit
the gps. the mdx color screen looks about 5" x 6"
max. this is about the same (virtual) size as my
gm100 where i have it mounted strapped above the
steering column just behind the steering wheel.
too small. the laptop is about 11" by 13" and
placed on the ody front center fold-down table
with
the screen leaning on the dash like a big console
screen. this is visible from the driving position,
and solves my concern of not knowing where i am.
works great with delorme street atlas 8.0 for
routing.
pc software is inexpensive (+- $50) as are
laptops, so the $2k applied to a laptop, and
software is more functional, and has a better
resale value by itself than a navi system. the
gps
serves my purposes for hiking and biking, and can
be moved to other vehicles.
summary: you buy a vehicle for vehicle features,
you can buy a good gps/nav separately.
good source of info on gps is:
http://joe.mehaffey.com/
I am seriously looking into one of those hand-held unit, but I just can't see how it will be able to hold so much details without having CD/DVD drive integrated into the unit. It's not going to be very useful if I need to upload small regions (relatively speaking) of maps into the unit all the time....
Thanks.
you have to decide if it works for you, but on my recent trip to dallas/ftworth, i created and loaded the dfw area from lowrance ims city streets cd (quite detailed) to give me a base map of the area i would be visiting on the gps itself, though the plan was to use it in combination with the laptop and sa8 software. the office laptop is a dog and i was worried about short batt life and crashes. sure enough, the batts died after one hour (i didn't think i needed my dc power inverter, and wanted to travel light). i was doing great until the batts died, then fell back to the gps for my sightseeing tour. the gps got me home (hotel).
i have uploaded my local work area to partition one and use part two for visit locations. routes are created on the pc/laptop and tracked with gps activation. this is the most convenient.
i am graduating from up and dnloading routes onto the gps as this takes time and the laptop screen is preferred for vehicle travel. the delorme street atlas 8.0 can transfer routes to gm 100 while the ms streets and trips cannot, and both have gps tracking capability. i prefer the ms product for travel for the ease of planning/storing/revising routes (and you will revise routes as you correct even the latest software maps).
so you need to decide how you are using the gps: with laptop or stand alone. regardless get a 12 channel gps. if you are using gps only with a laptop or palmpilot you can get a non-mapping gps and save a few bucks. the palm device w/ gps is an option for some software which you might research if interested.
finally, another example:
we visited hersheypark in pa last sunday as a kids last fling before the start of school. used the mapping software (both yielded similar routes) though the delorme indicated that 222 north would be faster though longer and curvier. went in the ody with a full 7 pass (3 big, and 4 little people - ody is great on the hilly, winding pa roads).
my neighbor is daughter of a korean war bomber navigator, and was a terrific co-navigator to the software. she verified the (printed) route and watched for the signs (in the day time), and i could see where we were the whole time. the map and gps deviated at times but were surprisingly accurate. going up we (and the little people) needed to stop several times over the 90 mile trip for lunch and necessities. that was in the day time with vfr (visual flight rules). two hours travel time.
returning home in the dark (we got our day's pass worth, kids were zoned), as we departed the park my wife (who is the navigator in the family and has very good 'direction'), suggested i follow the traffic and our usual long highway route. i turned the opposite direction, away from traffic, and followed the mapping/gps software. after some tense minutes driving (we (i) usually get lost at this point and revert to the known hiways), we were on a two lane highway that was numbered incorrectly on the maps, was a direct route south (home), and in line with pa drivers in a brisk march. i felt like a was a native pa! few more bends, connections and my expert co-navigator commenting that she would have missed the signs that the gps had led us to in the dark, and we were home in 1:35! awesome!
gps is here to stay, however you implement it, but you don't have to buy a vehicle to get it.
jeff munekata
havre de grace, md
i did take my neighbor's advice to try the unimproved though more direct (272) road indicated on the mapping software as slower, and saved some time there.
bottom line: you have to use good judgement even if you have a gps, and all the gps devices have disclaimers of not using the gps as a compass, though they provide you with compass bearings. you should also plan on having a compass with you in case technology hickups.
We have a 2000 EX Navi and the unit is very distracting. My husband and I are constantly bickering when he starts "playing" with the navi while he is driving. I tell him not to touch the screen unless we are at a stop light.
Then, when I had the vehicle on my own I found myself being distracted when using it to get to a new destination! Go figure.
Do the handhelds tell you exactly when to turn? Does it "vocalize" the directions so that you don't have to keep watching the monitor?
Does it have database on gas stations, ATM's, resteraunts and other POI?
Does it reroute you automatically if you make a wrong turn?
What happens when GPS signal is blocked (when in a bridge or in area with lost of tall buildings)?
Thanks.