How does it work?

[Lennart]

Hi all,

I only used PDA/PC navigation apps in tha past.
Now I have bought a Toyota Avensis -2005 with built-in fullmap gps

The sales staf had no knowledge about it, it took him ½ hour just to find the DVD player, so I couldn't ask him. And the documentation only covers how to handle the navigation stuf (guess that is enough for most people)

I hope someone here knows

The maps are located on the DVD but what about the GPS application

- Is it also on the DVD and loaded everytime you start the system?
- Or is loaded through some firmware?
- In case of firmware, how is that updated? Can I do it myself?
- Do different car makers ever upgrade the GPS apps, or am I stuck with this for ever? (It works nicely so I'm not complaining)
- Is the GPS Apps and possible the maps replacable with some other brand, lets say from Volvo or other 3'rd party supplier?
- Does anyone know where the GPS receiver/antenna is located?
- Does it support WAAS/EGNOS?
- Tried to make a backup copy of the DVD but noticed that its more then 7G in size. Has anoyone managed to create a workable backup copy of the DVD (Haven't got any Dual side/Dual layer DVD's yet)

/Lennart
_________________
TomTom GO LIVE Camper & Caravan, Fugawi ENC

[AllyCat]

Hi Lennart,

I don't have an Avensis, nor factory-fitted satnav., so can't give definitive answers, but:

- The application is possibly on the DVD but it's doubtful if it will be updated, and very unlikely you can do anything yourself. But they might want to change the application to accommodate any alterations to the map data format.

- Also very unlikely that you can use any other other manufacturers discs. The mapping is almost certainly provided by Navteq, so you can look at their website to see if any "upgrade" discs are available, and if they are common to different manufacturers (which I doubt).

- I bought the workshop manual for my Corolla, and the GPS antenna (maybe including the receiver) would be mounted under the centre of the dashboard, above the radio, "looking" up through the windscreen.

- It is very unlikely to support WAAS/EGNOS. The extra accuracy is not needed for car navigation, and the GPS won't normally "see" the required geostationary satellite(s) for sufficiently long periods to be of any use (they're at quite a low elevation, particularly in Sweden :-) ).

- I believe the DVDs are copy-protected because they sell for such a high price ! You could copy the files to your HDD "just in case", but I doubt if you'll be able to burn a working copy.

I have a friend with a 2005 Prius and he had similar problems finding out anything useful about the satnav..

Cheers, Alan.
_________________
Garmin GPS72H/76/60/45, Etrex H, Mapsource v6.5.
Acer N50,HP114,Loox N560,Dell x50,CF/SD cards to 4/32GB.
RoyalTek,Holux236,Navman B10 & Copilot(Globalsat) BT GPS,TomTom5/6.
Memory Map (v5.4.2 & v5.1.3 OS & Euro), GPS gate,OSGPSconverter.

[Lennart]

Thanx for the input Alan,

You confirmed my own suspicions. I am always using the 3D Map mode
on TomTom but that is not an option in the car system. I was hoping that these kind of features could be added later on

When I do the first service I'll ask the service stafe. Maybe they know more then the sales staf

The only concern is if the DVD gets damaged or stolen that I have to pay the full price to get a new one. I have created the backup but can't verify if it is working or not

The display is located where you described, on the dashboard
but do you think that the antenna is there also?

Due to the protective cover on the windscreen I never managed to get a good signal when I used the PDA/TomTom system and with the antenna near the front windscreen

I had to extend the cable to an extra antenna which I placed inside one of the rear windows

/Lennart
_________________
TomTom GO LIVE Camper & Caravan, Fugawi ENC

[AllyCat]

Hi Lennart,

I've usually found the Toyota "parts" service staff very helpful, so it's certainly worth asking. It's just their salesmen that don't seem any better than any other, er, salesmen

Having paid nearly as much for a workshop manual as your replacement DVD is likely to cost, I know that the GPS antenna, when fitted on a Corolla "looks" up through the windscreen. My PPC GPS works fine through the windscreen. I didn't know that the Avensis has an athermic windscreen, or is it a heated windscreen for Sweden?

Maybe the GPS antenna is in the same place as the radio antenna, but where is that! I can't see a "whip" on any of their photos; do I vaguely remember that the radio antenna is built into the windscreen, or the rear window?

Sorry I don't have any more answers, I'll be interested to hear if you find any (since the Avensis had been high on my purchasing short-list).

Cheers, Alan.
_________________
Garmin GPS72H/76/60/45, Etrex H, Mapsource v6.5.
Acer N50,HP114,Loox N560,Dell x50,CF/SD cards to 4/32GB.
RoyalTek,Holux236,Navman B10 & Copilot(Globalsat) BT GPS,TomTom5/6.
Memory Map (v5.4.2 & v5.1.3 OS & Euro), GPS gate,OSGPSconverter.

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