Better Safe Than Sorry

[BSTS]

Dear Forum,

Having decided to take the plunge, I will soon buy an HP iPAQ hx4700 PDA (the laptop is just too slow to boot if all I want to do is check my agenda). I’ve further decided to go the whole hog and get 'navigation' as well.

Whilst Pocket GPS World is a fantastic resource in this topic area, it's a little daunting to read every review before coming to a purchase decision. So basically, I'll list my questions in the hope that this thread will provide me with all the info I need. Here goes...

1. The PDA will need to be cradled whilst in car, and I don't want 'unsightly' cables running between the power source (cigarette lighter socket), the cradle and the GPS antenna. I read the Holux CR-100 review of Dave Burrows (a man whose departure from P-GPS-W is a blow to many) and believed this to be the product for me. I then spoke to 'an IT expert' at my place of work (please picture the IT guy from BBC's 'The Office')...! He explained that unless I used a GPS antenna mounted externally, or in the worst case, on the dashboard, right next to the car windscreen, I would suffer from significant reception problems - he explained that the car bodywork would block signals to the antenna and that the 'anti-glare' coating of most vehicle windscreens also causes hindrance to reception.
Does IT guy speak the truth - is the Holux CR-100 likely to cause me the suggested problems, or does IT guy need to be shot with a ball of his own excrement? Am I likely to get a lower performance if I use the device in ‘landscape’ mode?

2. All of the ‘big name’ retail computer outlets I’ve visited seem to be pushing the TomTom NAVIGATOR 3 product (either bundled or standalone). P-GPS-W has alerted me to the potential pitfalls of the upgrade path to version 5, and the TomTom website is not unambiguously clear on the matter either, but the product appears to be one that ‘does what it says on the tin’. If I go for this product as a ‘software only’ purchase (along with the HP4700 and maybe the Holux CR-100), am I likely to need expert help installing / setting up / using the TT product or does the TT product have a good reputation for ease of installation / set up / use by a GPS novice? As a side question, what’s their Customer support like?

3. On this topic, is there anything else I should be considering - is it all really as simple as device (PDA), antenna, and software?
I’d appreciate any response that doesn’t mock my ignorance…

Better Safe Than Sorry

[Pocketgps]

Not sure about other questions, but this is the windscreen answer:

Heated windscreens found for instance on the Ford Focus and Mondeo, do not effect the performance of a GPS system. Please bear in mind however that the new Renault Laguna and Scenic and the Citreon C5 and Picasso (plus others makes coming on the market) may come as standard with a metalacised 'Heat reflective' windscreen which will (can) prevent any GPS unit from operating correctly. If you do have a vehicle with this type of screen fitted you should probably consider installing the GPS antenna in the back window of the vehicle, thus illiminating the heat reflective glass.

[Robin2]

Just to deal with the CR100 question. I have a VW Golf Mark V which is supposed to have "heat insulated tinted glass" windows. My CR100 works perfectly, and on the open road I typically have a fix from 7 satellites.
Robin

[BSTS]

Thank you to both for the feedback.

The Renault Grand Espace does not have a metalacised 'Heat reflective' windscreen so I now don't believe that this will be an problem. I will however also be looking at solutions with an independent antenna as further review reading shows some with incredible specifications on the market.

Thanks again

BSTS

[Lorax]

I have an HX4700, tomtom nav3 and a globalsat bt-338 gps receiver and everything is working well.

I don't know the gps receiver that you mention but i can recommend the 338.

Installing and setting up ttn3 was no real problem but i guess it depends how computer literate you are.

I haven't heard of any issues with regard to upgrading to tomtom nav 5 apart from the fact that we will have to pay more money.

There should be no drop in performance if used in landscape mode apart from the fact that Tomtom nav 3 WONT run in landscape made (so i guess that is quite a drop in performance ). tomtom nav5 DOES work in landscape mode however.

Don't forget to get a nice big CF or SD card (you will need one for the maps). I have a 1GB CF card that seems to work fine.

I think you should shoot the IT guy with a ball of his own excrement just for the fun of it, but i'd rather not know hoe you get hold of the afore mentioned Sh*t!.

I only got my set up a few days ago so I not an expert, but the above is based what i've just gone through and learned from this great site.

Hope all that helps

Lorax

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