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Joined: May 09, 2007 Posts: 454 Location: Worcestershire
Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2008 12:04 pm Post subject:
Expansys were quick as ever and the SD card arrived today.
Adding the PGPSW speedcams I noticed that the icons for pmobile and specs tba did not show. Looking at the file sizes these were all 384bytes in size instead of 1.47Kb for all the others. I opened them in Photoshop and saved them again using 8bit BMP. This increased the file sizes to 648bytes but the icons showed up.
Adding the alerts is a pain though (especially using the speed zoned files) as the software appears to go back to the map after each alert is set. It would be much better if it stayed in the warn menu until the user chose to go back to the menu.
Joined: May 09, 2007 Posts: 454 Location: Worcestershire
Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2008 4:34 pm Post subject: Re: Where to put the converted to upi files ?
SEJ016 wrote:
So when I have the OV2 files and have converted them to UPI files, I copy them onto the McGuider SD card...but into which directory please
SEJ
Copy them into the SDCard\Maps\GBR (for the UK cams) directory and the icons into the SDCard\Res\Icons directory. The only caveat is the icons must be 256 colour (8 bit) max otherwise the application will crash when you try and manage/use the POIs.
People are finding this software good? Im finding it quite dire, especially next to Garmin XT and copilot live 7.
Lots of issues, mainly that theres a bug some people get where some postcodes will not input properly.
I dont have this anymore, due to having access to their FTP server, but there is no update process in place so anyone suffering this bug will not be able to sort it.
And I have found instructions to be spotty. For instance it pays no attention to multiple roads. If there is another turnoff just before yours, it doesn't say 'second left' or anything, its just 'turn left'.
Personally Im looking forward to Garmins new versions in September.
Joined: May 09, 2007 Posts: 454 Location: Worcestershire
Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 3:26 pm Post subject:
I cant speak for Garmin as I haven't used it but I prefer it to CoPilot 7 that came with my XDA Orbit2.
So far it has routed me well and the alerts make sense.
I do have some usability issues which I will feedback to sygic when I get the chance. Unfortunately I found the TeleAtlas support to be poor when I asked them for assistance. They helpfully told me to basically go away and speak to the supplier - despite the McGuider website listing them as the supplier.
Joined: 19/07/2003 08:36:08 Posts: 20 Location: Berkshire, UK
Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 7:56 am Post subject:
Bartmanekul wrote:
People are finding this software good? Im finding it quite dire, especially next to Garmin XT and copilot live 7.
I've just got a review copy of McGuider (version 7.70 / map version 7.80) for my Nokia E90, having also tried and dismissed CoPilot Live 7, Route 66 and Navicore. I honestly couldn't write a review of any of the last three without trashing them (see here).
So far, I've done one three-stage trip using McGuider. There ARE things I like about it, but it's not a patch on Tom Tom.
For instance:
The first big disappointment was the lack of full postcode support. You can enter the first part, and the first digit of the second part of the postcode, and then match road names from there. However, some partial postcodes are listed twice (RG40 1 and RG40 5, for instance). RG9 3 is listed 3 times. The different versions have different numbers of roads listed under them (some with just 2, (the) other(s) with many more than that, as you'd expect for a partial post code), and I can't for the life of me see why there would legitimately be more than one entry for any of them.
There's no integration with the Contacts database (though to be fair, their website does say this in their FAQs).
The layout of the "buttons" is disorientating for keypad phone users, as they're laid out
1 2
3 4
5 6
rather than the phone's
1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9
* 0 #
so using the keypad to select 3 or 4 is downright confusing as the icon is on the opposite side of the screen from the button used to select it. Not a problem if you have a touch screen device, of course.
Whilst driving over a motorway on a piece of road called The Straight Mile (there's a clue in the name), we were told to "turn slightly left" with no junction in sight.
There is no indication that you've reached a waypoint ... just a sudden instruction to make a U-turn (assuming your next waypoint is back the way you came).
Having chosen the option to get the most economical route (which may or may not be relevant), we were directed down a dirt track early on in part 3 of our route. Naturally (as we knew where we were going), we declined.
Spoken instructions at roundabouts are a bit hit and miss. There is no consistency about the direction you're told to take (unless you're going left). We've been told "Go right on the roundabout; Take the 2nd exit" for something that was clearly straight on, and "Go straight on at the roundabout; take the 3rd exit" for something that was clearly a right.
The worst case was that we were told "Go straight on at the roundabout; take the 4th exit" when there WERE only 3, and the third was unequivocally a 90 degree right turn.
Although I like the general layout of the bottom of the screen, and its customisability, it's still not as clear as Tom Tom's, and bits of it get truncated (e.g. a leading 0 in a time gets chopped off and looks like a 1 when you're driving). Having said that, the map itself looks really cluttered, the zoom doesn't get close enough when you're negotiating junctions, and the bit you need to see seems to get overlaid with place names, road names, etc. right in the spot just ahead of your current position - making it virtually impossible to see where on the map you're going.
I already have two pages of typed notes and another couple of pages of reporters notepad scribblings to report back to the manufacturer, and I haven't finished by a long way.
Now maybe there are things that I can do with the setup to improve things once I've had a look at the manual, as the on-board quick guide - buried inexplicably under "Settings"! - just skims over the basics.
I started out quite impressed with McGuider, but I'm already glad I haven't paid for it. Still, at least the price is reasonable compared with some of the alternatives ;-)
Joined: Jan 14, 2005 Posts: 19638 Location: Blackpool , Lancs
Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 10:46 am Post subject:
Julie, I would stick to using the TomTom One or even get a newer one with Traffic receiver, as that could be setup to reroute to avoid traffic issues (This is in answer to the linked web article).
I know where you are coming from though with the current mobile phone software for navigation as it seems to have stagnated in the past 12 to 18 months, phones have become more sophisticated, equipped with integral GPS but few packages can make full use of what’s available in the market place. Higher screen definitions, larger screen formats and the standardisation on the Micro SD memory card format - why is software still supplied on standard SD cards when you cannot fit the card into anything!
One other package for you to test out though is TelMap Navigator, see Here for some details, and there is a version that supports your E90, it works very well but does require a date connection as part of your mobile phone tariff. I was sceptical about this to start with as I prefer to carry maps on the device, but in use I have found it rather good - certainly worth a try - Mike
Joined: May 09, 2007 Posts: 454 Location: Worcestershire
Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 11:04 am Post subject:
The Symbian version does appear to be more limited than the PocketPC version then. On my PPC copy of McGuider 7.70 I have full 7 digit UK postcode access.
In use I have found a couple of oddities with being advised to bear left/right when there is no junction around, but nothing major. I am also sure it tried to navigate me over a Welsh mountain on a gravel track as well - I only got as far as the farm yard before deciding the road was simply not good enough for my Ford Focus.
I also know what you mean about roundabouts and being advised to go straight over when you are clearly going left for right.
Overall though, I do find this version on a Pocket PC to be worth it and to be about the same as TomTom in use (but with much more up to date maps).
Julie - Mcguider/sygic DOES support 7 digit postcodes. I wouldnt have bothered otherwise.
On the version I bought, it did have a bug. Something to do with letter/number input on postcode entry. I contacted sygic, and they allowed me to download and install later versions from their FTP server. But thats because I was reviewing the software.
But what about the masses who have the same bug? I have no idea if they tolerate it, get a refund, etc.
This fixed the bug (which maybe is your problem?)
I have used it many times, and can safely say that due to some of your issues, and others you didnt get to, it's right at the bottom of the pile. Im very suprised you were impressed at all, the only impressive thing is the interface.
Even more suprised you would look at it over Copilot 7 live. Granted, theres a fair few niggles, but having used both for many journeys, some long, I wouldnt touch sygic in any guise at the moment.
It's just yet another throwaway symbian satnav. Yet again, there is no (legal) method for updating maps.
So, as with almost all other ones on Symbian, you have to buy the whole new package if you want a map update.
Currently, only copilot 7* allows you to buy new maps seperatly and update them without buying the whole new package.
*There are a few exceptions. First I am not counting any which need a data connection, because thats not proper GPS if you need a network signal to use it. I utterly hate this reliance on the data connection, its a trend that needs to be gotten rid of. By all means allow it to enhance the program, but allow the GPS stuff to work offline also. It's no good if I dont have signal and need to find an address or look at the map! - mini rant over.
Nokia Maps allows you to update it, but this software is so amazingly overpriced, featureless and unreliable, I count it as beta software.
Wayfinder preloaded allows you to, which unfortunaly its exactly the same version of Navicores 2007 one, just rebranded. And that also has a lot of flaws.
So still nothing on the Symbian scene. I have given up looking for the moment, I just rely on my Garmin version.
Ironically a friend tells me his cracked version of Mcguider is a lot more functional than my legit version.
And guess what? theres no way to upgrade the program either...
Joined: May 09, 2007 Posts: 454 Location: Worcestershire
Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 8:16 pm Post subject:
Bartmanekul, what version of McGuider did you review? In 2009 (which is software revision 7.7) there is a seperate app called McGuider Assistant on the SD Card. This will be used to provide updates to maps, programs and POI files when they are available. From speaking to TeleAtlas support, they plan on this starting sometime this month.
The biggest issue for some will be MGA requires a Windows PC to work.
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