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Bieffe Occasional Visitor
Joined: Jul 11, 2007 Posts: 5 Location: Whitehaven, Cumbria
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Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 11:25 am Post subject: Speed Camera databases, 3 different types, which is best? |
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Hi,
I have just bought a Garmin nuvi 1490T, and would be gratefull for some basic advice for a novice ( at novice level please ).
I have read that the nuvi has a 257 poi limit, and also that there are 3 types of speed camera database, Single File, Consolidated, and Speed Zoned.
I do not anticipate loading a huge number of other poi but that may change as I become more familiar and confident with the unit and downloading/updating it.
I have downloaded the Garmin poi loader, and believe that all poi need to be loaded in one go on my garmin 1490T.
I have read Sticky's Beginners Guide, FAQ, and a lot of other pages, but am still uncertain.
So the question is, assuming that each of the database 3 types has the same camera info, which is the best speed camera database for me to use, how many poi in each, and also what are the differences, or more importantly, the benefits, of one database over the other?
My apologies if the info is already included somewhere, but I have been unable to find it.
Many thanks. |
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PaulB2005 Pocket GPS Moderator
Joined: Jan 04, 2006 Posts: 9323 Location: Durham, UK
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Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 12:04 pm Post subject: |
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I would use the Consolidated database personally. However you can try the Speed Zoned database too and see which you prefer. You subscription allows unlimited downloads of either type.
The differences are
Consolidated: Cameras grouped by type (GATSO, Mobile, RedLight etc)
Speed Zoned: Cameras grouped by type and speed. (Gatso 30, GATSO 40 etc)
They both have the same number of POIs but the Consolidated database has less categories, and it the number of categories that the 257 number relates to. Not the number of POIs. |
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Andy_P Pocket GPS Moderator
Joined: Jun 04, 2005 Posts: 19991 Location: West and Southwest London
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Posted: Sat Jun 05, 2010 1:42 am Post subject: |
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Also, the main advantage of the speed-zoned version on a TomTom is that it alerts you to the speed limit in force where the camera is sited, but I believe that Garmins gives you that info anyway even if you only use the "consolidated by type" version. |
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M8TJT The Other Tired Old Man
Joined: Apr 04, 2006 Posts: 10118 Location: Bexhill, South Sussex, UK
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Posted: Sat Jun 05, 2010 8:18 am Post subject: |
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PaulB2005 wrote: | and it the number of categories that the 257 number relates to. | I wonder why it's 257, this is not even a good binary number, or does it mean that '257 is too ******* many, and I'm going to not work properly'? |
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PaulB2005 Pocket GPS Moderator
Joined: Jan 04, 2006 Posts: 9323 Location: Durham, UK
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Posted: Sat Jun 05, 2010 9:33 am Post subject: |
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M8TJT wrote: | PaulB2005 wrote: | and it the number of categories that the 257 number relates to. | I wonder why it's 257, this is not even a good binary number, or does it mean that '257 is too ******* many, and I'm going to not work properly'? |
I think the max number is 256. 257 is "one too far..."
Also the problem seems to be limited to the display of the POI icons. Only the first 256 category POI icons will display, those above that will show a grey dot instead. |
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Bieffe Occasional Visitor
Joined: Jul 11, 2007 Posts: 5 Location: Whitehaven, Cumbria
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Posted: Sat Jun 05, 2010 9:47 am Post subject: What's the difference |
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Hello Again,
Can someone clarify/explain what is the difference between Consolidated Speed camara database, and the Speed Zoned version, in terms of the actual result on the Sat Nav (Garmin Nuvi 1490T) |
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PaulB2005 Pocket GPS Moderator
Joined: Jan 04, 2006 Posts: 9323 Location: Durham, UK
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Posted: Sat Jun 05, 2010 9:53 am Post subject: |
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With the Consolidated database you get an icon that indicates the camera type.
With the Speed Zoned database you get an icon that indicates the camera type and speed. However i found the numbers too small to be of use when driving.
If you have a subscription you can download the databases and have a look at the icons yourself. |
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Andy_P Pocket GPS Moderator
Joined: Jun 04, 2005 Posts: 19991 Location: West and Southwest London
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Posted: Sat Jun 05, 2010 1:09 pm Post subject: |
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Sorry, sounds like I was giving duff info then.
I thought I'd read that even with the Consolidated by type version, the Nuvi showed the ID number/name of each camera including its speed as you approached it.
If your Nuvi has an mp3 player, you can also have real voice alerts telling you the camera type and speed. I presume that only happens with the "speed-zoned" version. |
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PaulB2005 Pocket GPS Moderator
Joined: Jan 04, 2006 Posts: 9323 Location: Durham, UK
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Posted: Sat Jun 05, 2010 7:31 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: | the Nuvi showed the ID number/name of each camera including its speed as you approached it. |
It's a mixed bag i'm afraid. My old i3 and 760 used to display the
GATSO:12345@60
alert but i'm sure the 765 used to just show Speed Alert: 60
However with the Speed Zoned icons i found them too small to be useful and the Consolidated ones where easier to recognise, so you still got both bits of info - camera type and speed.
Been a while since i used it with the database and it's still out on loan.... |
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MaFt Pocket GPS Staff
Joined: Aug 31, 2005 Posts: 15156 Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire
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Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 10:09 am Post subject: |
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M8TJT wrote: | PaulB2005 wrote: | and it the number of categories that the 257 number relates to. | I wonder why it's 257, this is not even a good binary number, or does it mean that '257 is too ******* many, and I'm going to not work properly'? |
i keep meaning to change this as it should be 256 and, as paul mentions, it was the bitmaps NOT the csv files that enforced the limit!!
when i was testing it (and regularly bricking the nuvi - thankfully garmin were nice enough to give me some restore software usually limited to their internal staff!) i reached 257 succesfully and any more would kill it. hence '257' was announced. however, when garmin released the fix for these it's change log mentioned something along the lines of 'fixed a bug that would stop device loading if there were too many bitmap files for custom pois'. when i went back to look at my process i had 1 poi file that did not have an associated bitmap file. i.e. i had 256 bitmaps and 257 csv files...! it was the extra bitmap killing it not the csv.
still, i'm pretty certain this was fixed in all the relevent firmware anyway?
MaFt |
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MaFt Pocket GPS Staff
Joined: Aug 31, 2005 Posts: 15156 Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire
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Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 10:13 am Post subject: |
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re the text display on garmin's:
older devices/firmware (eg streetpilot i3, nuvi 300) used to (not used them for aaaages) give the full POI name i.e.: GATSO:12345@30. newer devices and firmware simply give the generic '30mph Speed Alert'. the only way to get the full text (i.e. displaying the id number and type) is to use either Ash10's CameraManager or CBROMs GPX convertor and set it to display icons all the time. this simply doubles up all the speed camera files leaving one with the @30 (which gives the speed waring in garmin) and the duplicate with #30 (so the name is displayed on screen - the @30 version gives the actual warning).
clear as mud, no?
MaFt |
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Andy_P Pocket GPS Moderator
Joined: Jun 04, 2005 Posts: 19991 Location: West and Southwest London
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Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 1:21 pm Post subject: |
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A lot clearer than my description! |
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