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Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:45 pm Post subject: Can you use Memory Map OS maps on SatMap ?
As title really - I had a Road Angel Adventurer 7000, and have lots of OS Maps for that. Has anyone figured out a way of being able to use them on a SatMap? Presumably a simple change of file extension would not work...?
It was mainly that the battery life was awful, and it was not that great at getting a fix. To be honest the whole thing was a little quirky and amateurish as well.
I'm trying to decide if a SatMap or a Garmin 60Cx/CSx would be better.
The main thing with both is the cost of getting map data again. I'm also not at all sure what the MapSource Topo map of the UK (for the Garmin) is like. it says comparable to 1:25k and 1:50k, but doesn't indicate under what circumstances it is like 1:50k -- I really need the detail of a 1:25k OS map, but the speed, accuracy and build quality of the Garmin.
Joined: Nov 12, 2003 Posts: 94 Location: Lancashire, England, Great Britain
Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 9:39 pm Post subject:
I think you'll find a SatMap's battery life isn't going to be a whole lot different to a RA 7000. True - using a RA 7000 for street navigation it is possibly is one of the worst BUT for running Memory Map its not much different from a pda. The Garmin TOPO maps are nowhere near as good as OS maps by all accounts, missing tracks and paths that suddenly stop in the middle of nowhere whereas OS mapping will show them.
I think if I was buying from new and paying full price for a RA 7000 and had no OS Memory Map mapping on my PC then I'd possibly/probably go for a SatMap and hope they make some PC mapping software available - if they don't then you're screwed cos you'll soon get hacked off route planning on a 3.5 inch screen, but the reality is that you can buy a RA 7000 on Ebay for £150 (theres plenty about and some people are disallusioned with the street navigation side of it), you don't need to buy a Adventurer because the MM program files are available from MM's website to put onto a RA 7000 Navigator and if you've got MM on your PC then you've cracked it. Despite the hype about the SatMap (and I'm not surprised there was a lot of hype as theres very few products that do what a RA/SatMap does with OS mapping) at the end of the day the RA and SatMap are not a million miles different from each other, its just that a SatMap costs a lot more to buy (with mapping). As for getting a fix, my RA is brilliant .. I've mentioned this before but mine will get a fix in my living room and I live in a three story house! If yours won't then there is something wrong with it!! _________________ Aprilia Tuono, Zumo 550
Ipaq 2210/Fortuna/TomTom Nav6
& Road Angel 7000 + Memory Map
I found the RA pretty bad to be honest - the road nav was very poor as you mention. It would seem that the battery life of the SatMap device is better than the RA, and ability to change batterys on the fly is very useful (if the RA dies on walk, which it regularly did, there is no such option). The touch screen use of the RA wasn't great either - almost as if the CPU was not powerful enough to keep the screen up to date and it was very jumpy; not smooth scrolling at all.
As for fixes - I was in open ground in the Lake District with nothing above or around, and it took more than 30/40 mins to get a fix. It regularly failed to get a fix in my car quickly enough as well (no coatings etc on windscreen). Compared to my new TomTom, the speed of getting a fix, and the accuracy of the fix was appalling.
For what it is, it's ok, but I wouldn't get another. If the SatMap does a similar job but will allow me to change batteries if needed, and is able to get a fix slightly more quickly, then I think it'll be worth it.
Looks as though a Garmin device with the Topo GB map is a no go as they are no where near up to the quality and detail of OS mapping.
I'm trying to decide if a SatMap or a Garmin 60Cx/CSx would be better.
The main thing with both is the cost of getting map data again.
-- I really need the detail of a 1:25k OS map, but the speed, accuracy and build quality of the Garmin.
In my view there is no contest. You're right about the cost of mapping. But only Satmap is using the OS maps and you cannot beat the 1:25k scale. I think everyone agrees Satmap have got the mapping sorted. Once you experience the pan/zoom functions I'd say you'll be convinced.
Speed - I always get lock after around 2 minutes.
Accuracy - spot on! It shows me precisely where I am, easily seen by the passing landscape, whether walking, biking or driving. (I've also found that Satmap agrees with roadside speed indicators, whereas up to around 50mph my speedo overreads. Interesting to see it for myself after being told so by many people!)
Build quality - solid, feels high quality, well engineered, can be dropped onto rock without fear of affecting function, replaceable screen cover.
Re battery life; I'm getting 8 to 10+ hours depending on how much I employ the powersave option. (When biking I have the screen permanently on.) Cheapo batteries get eaten after only a couple of hours, so it's best to follow the advice.
The touch screen use of the RA wasn't great either - almost as if the CPU was not powerful enough to keep the screen updated
I doubt that, I run TCPMP video player on mine and can use it to watch movies (see Memory Map forum)
py6km wrote:
.. As for fixes - I was in open ground in the Lake District with nothing above or around, and it took more than 30/40 mins to get a fix.
Well I can only speak for mine .. 20 seconds for a fix from a cold start .. looks like yours had a problem.
At the end of the day its your money, the RA didn't do it for you, get a SapMap _________________ Aprilia Tuono, Zumo 550
Ipaq 2210/Fortuna/TomTom Nav6
& Road Angel 7000 + Memory Map
Last edited by Brian on Wed Jan 09, 2008 11:35 pm; edited 2 times in total
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