CoPilot PPC4 on Mitac Mio

Casper · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 04, 2004 Posts: 5

Hi All

Been using my new PDA/CoPilot setup and find, apart from the small mapping annoyances (it can't find places that my StreetPilot III finds immediately!) it works quite well.

However, there is a MAJOR problem with the screen on the Mio. The tiniest hint of sunlight (yeah - I know that's rich in the UK!) and the screen is totally invisible and useless.

Has anyone managed to solve this problem? Without resolution of the awful relections on the glass and no anti-reflective coating, the kit is completely useless to me - I drive a convertible!

Look forward to hearing from anyone with ideas on how to solve the problem.

Regards
Chris

Dave · Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2004 3:41 pm Post subject:

If you are driving a convertible, then nearly all Pocket PC's and Palm's will be useless to you, because the screen isn't enclosed with a roof above it. You really need to look at something like a Garmin Street Pilot III, 2620, 2620, 2650, Navman iCN630 as these have anti-reflective coatings and much brighter (non-pda) style screens.

TomTom GO unfortunately will be the same as a PDA as it uses Pocket PC Screen Technology.

Casper · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 04, 2004 Posts: 5

Thanks, Dave

I thought that would be the case. A pity - because I rather like the CoPilot software. I do already have a Garmin StreetPilot III which I really like - the only issue I have with it in the convertible is its size, otherwise it's the business.

One other thing about the Garmin vs the CoPilot is the length of time the Garmin takes to realise you're off route. The recalculation time, too, is slow compared to the CoPilot.

Thanks again for your reply.
Chris

Dave · Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2004 6:48 pm Post subject:

Hi Chris, Garmin have updated the re-calc speed dramatically in the newer 2600 series StreetPilot's which make them much better, and they are a little smaller, but still pack a high price compared to PDA offerings.

There is another solution, I saw a couple of years ago several companies coming out with Digital Camera LCD viewer attachments which basically gave you like a cube that velcro'd to the back of the LCD screens that enabled you to look at the LCD's in bright sunlight. I haven't seen any for Pocket PC's, but you might be able to make one together with a few bits of velcro. It wouldn't look as nice, but may help a little.

Casper · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 04, 2004 Posts: 5

Hi Dave

Thanks! Funny.... just been doing a little browsing for pricing. Looks as though the better bet is the 2610 even though it's older, because of the Microdrive vs proper install disks etc. I know one can now get CF cards of 1Gb so shouldn't be a problem unless the newer models are better than the 2610. Can you advise on that?

The only other issue I can see with the 26xx models is the fact that they seem to have done away with the earphone plug on the rear in favour of a combination power/sound/dead reckoning plug. I am just about to try and plumb the sound via a little "home made" box so that I can play it through the car speakers (convertible = VERY noisy!) and now I'm not sure whether that'd be possible with the 26xx range. There's always something, isn't there!? <g>

Regards
Chris

Dave · Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2004 9:19 pm Post subject:

Casper · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 04, 2004 Posts: 5

Hi Dave

The speaker is great in a "normal" car but in the convertible it's completely lost. I am after plugging it into the radio system so that when it launches the voice the phone mute for the radio cuts in and the sound from the StreetPilot will come through the speakers.

Regards
Chris

Dave · Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2004 8:10 am Post subject:

One thing I'm seeing a lot of is these mobile phone hands free kits now, where you clip a microphone over say the speaker of your mobile phone and it then amplifies it to a speaker. Some do it where you can put it into a cassette deck. Not sure how well this would work on the SPIII, but it may be worth a try.

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