Medion v 3.1 -> Navigon 4

BigSecret · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jun 03, 2004 Posts: 42

I recently bought the Aldi/Medion package and would now like to add the detailed French maps. Unfortunately Medionshop appears to be out of stock of the France CD-ROM and has not answered repeated e-mail requests for information on future availablity.

I have two questions

1) Is the French map coverage in the full Navigon 4 package the same level of detail as the extended Medion map or is it the same as the major roads coverage supplied with the base Medion software?

2) What's the chance of using the Medion software to get an upgrade price from Navigon? If the Navigon default maps are detailed rather than major road then the upgrade price of 99 euros is very good when compared to the £70 per disk price that Medion are after.

Any thoughts?

Mark

keithf · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jun 03, 2004 Posts: 3

So it's not just me who can't get any response from Medion UK. Interestingly enough Medion Germany (medion.de) claim to have the French CD in stock so am tempted to buy from them if I can persuade my wife to help me with the German. Does anyone know wether the map CDs are specific to each spoken language? We're holidaying in France in August so hope to have something sorted by then.

keithf

BigSecret · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jun 03, 2004 Posts: 42

Navigon are no better. They don't respond to e-mail and the only numbers on the website appear to be specific to Germany so I can't get an answer about the upgrade option. The Navigon upgrade path gives you 21 european countries so if this is the same level of detail as the individual country maps available from Medion AND you can get the upgrade price then it would seem to be the best option.

walpurgis · Occasional Visitor Joined: May 09, 2004 Posts: 32

There has been a lot of discussion on the German web site Pocketnavigation.de about upgrading to Mobile Navigator 4. There's even a FAQ devoted to this topic. The Google translation is here:

Link Here

As you can see from the answer to Question 7 (under Medion Navigator/Announcement/FAQ), you can upgrade from Medion Navigator (and any other navigation software) for ?99. The full price of the software is ?229. (The Google translation engine gives up the ghost soon after this question.)

One of the enhancements in MN4 is support for TMC traffic broadcasts, but for this you will need a new GPS receiver with a TMC module which seems to be a further ?228 (or ?279 if you want Bluetooth as well).

MN4 includes 5 million km of roads in Western Europe and the Czech republic and 210,000 POIs. But a map on the Navigon site shows that detailed coverage outside Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands and the UK, is limited mainly to cities. France seems rather patchy. I can't give a direct link to the page but you should find it under Products/MN4/Leistungsmerkmale/Kartenmaterial at

http://www.navigon.de/

Most of Navigon's MN4 products seem to be out of stock until "mid June"

You can also buy various country maps for ?99 each from Medion in Germany.

dejongj · Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2004 4:33 pm Post subject:

I have actually done the cross upgrade to MNBEE v1.5 which include all western european maps and TMC support...Worked great and for £206 including delivery and new hardware (combined GPS/TMC) good value for money...
I've found Navigon very responsive to e-mail enquiries, although sometimes they answer back in German...I was lucky as I upgraded on 2nd of April (per invoice) which meant I got a free upgrade to MN4 when available....This should arrive this week.....

Major advantages which was explained to Navigon...Better TMC support regarding message information when it comes in...Full skinable user interface with tools provided...Full interface overhaul..you can make it as busy or as clear as you like...A bit like portal personalisation...And for those who fancy it...a 3d birdseye view.....

Maps are exactly the same.....

Just hope it arrives in time for my journey to Italy.....

Go-on do the upgrade and save yourself a lot of agro...I am getting messages regarding software patches being available and other upgrades which you never get from Medion...Beng a full registered user really pays of with this company I think....

BigSecret · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jun 03, 2004 Posts: 42

Thanks for the info. I'll get the Navigon 4 software ordered this weekend and report back once it's installed and working.

noggin_the_nog · Occasional Visitor Joined: May 19, 2004 Posts: 41

I have had Navigator 4 on order (from the German Navigon website) for about a month. They take the money straight away (for 'technical reasons' they say) but so far I have had absolutely no communication at all from them.
Not even a receipt.
I have emailed both their 'shop' and 'support' addresses (in English and German) and they have not replied at all.

I speak German so I am now thinking of telephoning, even though its a German higher-rate number, to ask what the situation is and whether I will ever get my software.

I will report back if I manage to get anything out of them. Be wary before parting with your money though!

BigSecret · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jun 03, 2004 Posts: 42

Thanks for the warning. I must admit I was a little concerned about the "take your money straight away" approach so I was going to use the paper based order system that appears to be cash on delivery.

I'll let you know how I get on.

noggin_the_nog · Occasional Visitor Joined: May 19, 2004 Posts: 41

Hmm..

The 'cash on delivery' option seems to be a DHL service for which an additional 10Euro charge is made. Whether this works outside of Germany or not, I don't know.

Anyway, I have just e-mailed them again in German. I'll let you know if they reply.

dejongj · Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2004 11:44 am Post subject:

They may have changed suppliers as mine was delivered via UPS...I have used the COD option to get MNBEE 1.5 and can confirm it works in the UK...

In fact I got the product before I paid for it...A lot of confusion with the courier though...First they wanted cash but didn't announce delivery, next time they came back the driver said he wanted a UK cheque made out in Euros....Then they came back and returned the cheque as it didn't work (surprise, surprise...) so we were back to cash again...Anyway this is ofcourse not Navigon's problem, it is the couriers and the fact that COD is not that common in the UK as it is in Holland and Germany...

To be completely fair...MN4 is a completely new product with all the logistical problems associated. Now don't get me wrong, I think taking the money before shipping the goods is very bad practise in the UK but more normal anywhere else. Anyway I have learned it the hard way that if you want to be the first, you will have to accept a certain amount of pain...I think many would concur with that....

I asked Navigon to mail me when the product is actually available, which they promptly did last week...So hopefully you should get yours soon as well...

noggin_the_nog · Occasional Visitor Joined: May 19, 2004 Posts: 41

Well, I did expect some delay given that its a new product. The fact is that I have paid and they have my money, but not issued any kind of receipt, any indication of when it might be delivered etc. They have not replied to any of my four e-mails over the last month (sent to their 'support' address and cc'd to the 'shop'n address). Mine will be an upgrade so I'm not sure if they're expecting the old software back or not. There is a return form on their website (in English and German) but it is not clear how this is supposed to work.

Anyhow, I've e-mailed them yesterday (in German) so hopefully I'll get some information one way or another.

dejongj · Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2004 12:47 pm Post subject:

Ah you have just highlighted the key to this...Yes for an upgrade they will require the software...If you do an hardware upgrade to receive TMC you need to send in your current GPS receiver, power-adaptor and cables as well.....I had the exact difficulties and didn't read the order form correctly either...Ever helpfull Christian pointed out to me where it said that on the order form which I totally overlooked....

Yep they won't send you anything before returning the old software and if applicable hardware...Even for an upgrade from their own software...I have to send in the discset for MNBEE 1.5 in order to get the MN4 upgrade...

Still no excuse not to reply to your e-mails over the last month or taking the money from your credit-card...But not totally unusual to do so....
Just download the upgrade forms from the website, tick the appropriate boxes and ensure you send in all that is required to get the upgrade...Once I did that the goods arrived within 4 days of me sending it to them...

PS. Are you going to upgrade to TMC as well? It works great in the UK and other European countries...

fergus · Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 8:22 pm Post subject:

Has anyone had any success with upgrading from the bundled Medion navigator to MN4?
I was tempted by the whole TMC upgrade but can't see any connector for the PPC250 and i realised that where I live and do most of my driving it would be no benefit - very little traffic holdups. For the whole kit you're almost as well just buying it from one of the German websites.

I've decided I'd like to upgrade the software - for 99euro it's a bargain - as cheap as a single map from medion.

I have some concerns about the coverage. I had a look at a suspect copy of the Italy map before a recent holiday and outside cities ther was only major roads. Could someone with the proper version indulge me and have a look at Moniga del Garda in Italy and tell me if there are any streets shown

Fergus

Tomcat · Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2004 3:11 pm Post subject:

Hi fergus,

I recently have taken the plunge and have bought MN!4 with the Navigon Mouse + TMC. First impressions are very good, TMC works just fine here in Soth Bucks and around London.

I had a look at that town in Italy for you in Mapexport and it seems to be quite detailed. It even shows 1 Esso station in the centr of town Smile

Since I don't have access to a web site to post images, I can't send you a screenshot. so if you don't mind giving me an email address, I can send it to you.

Tom.

fergus · Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2004 3:34 pm Post subject:

Cheers that would be great - I've sent you a PM

Fergus

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