A request for advice on satnav thingys - ? may be in wrong thread?

[LEL]

After much discussion and sucking of breath, as i am car borne for LEL, it has been suggested that I use a satnav thingy.

I am technically incompetent. 

Has anyone any suggestions as to a nice easy one to use?
Are they easy to install?
Is there one thats not borkable?
Is there one that does not cost the earth as I am paying for it out of my own pocket?

[Oscar's dad]

I take it you are talking about GPS for bike use?  If so ...

I use a Garmin eTrex Vista HCx with Mapsource City Navigator Europe NT 2008 mapping software.  Most people seem to stick to Garmin hardware but there are loads of different options for mapping software.  I get on well with my choice but have no idea whether it's the best as I have only used City Navigator.

[Chris S]

Sounds like it's for car use, no?

If you are buying one just for use on LEL - could you not borrow one, or even rent one?

For in-car use, any of the Tom Toms would be reasonable. Arm yourself with the postcodes of the controls (if you are "car borne" in order to hop between controls) and let Tom Tom do the rest. They are pretty easy to use, but not infallible - I remember simonp's Tom Tom getting really confused in the Henley one way system (who can blame it?) once.

[Mike J]

We have a Garmin, and it seems to work so much better than our friends tom tom's.  When I have been away and we have been trying to find local points of interest, its much quick at finding them than a tom tom.

It's also quite resilient as I dropped it into a puddle and it is still working ok.

I personally wouldn't have a tom tom, but its down to individual choice really.

[simonp]

Sounds like it's for car use, no?

If you are buying one just for use on LEL - could you not borrow one, or even rent one?

For in-car use, any of the Tom Toms would be reasonable. Arm yourself with the postcodes of the controls (if you are "car borne" in order to hop between controls) and let Tom Tom do the rest. They are pretty easy to use, but not infallible - I remember simonp's Tom Tom getting really confused in the Henley one way system (who can blame it?) once.

Oh yes.  Forgot about that.  I get confused there myself, every time I try to follow an audax route through there.

[LEL]

Sadly it is for car use.

Unfortunately I actually know very few car users -  - and the oens I do know, don't actually use a nav

I have only been in a car once with a tomtom and it had the most annoying  voice over .
Is this standard for  sat anv and can it be turned off?

[Mike J]

Sadly it is for car use.

Unfortunately I actually know very few car users -  - and the oens I do know, don't actually use a nav

I have only been in a car once with a tomtom and it had the most annoying  voice over .
Is this standard for  sat anv and can it be turned off?

You can turn it down, but if you turn if off, you would have to watch the screen for visual clues as to when to turn,  not necessarily good when driving a car.

[simonp]

Sadly it is for car use.

Unfortunately I actually know very few car users -  - and the oens I do know, don't actually use a nav

I have only been in a car once with a tomtom and it had the most annoying  voice over .
Is this standard for  sat anv and can it be turned off?

Most of them can be changed.  I found the female one annoying myself.

gf has John Cleese on hers.  "Bear right, beaver left!"

[simonp]

I'd be happy to lend you my tomtom but I'm in Cambridge so I could probably only get it to you for Saturday.

[her_welshness]

Sadly it is for car use.

Unfortunately I actually know very few car users -  - and the oens I do know, don't actually use a nav

I have only been in a car once with a tomtom and it had the most annoying  voice over .
Is this standard for  sat anv and can it be turned off?

I got tomtom for Mr welshness, as it was apparent that without it we would be heading towards DIVORCE (I am not kidding you). But I would stress that its for guidance purposes and not to be relied upon, as sometimes it does go a bit bat-crazy!

The voice of Tomtom was annoying initially, but you can change the voice on it. My sis has got Irish Shaun on hers. Mmmmmmm....

[tonycollinet]

Tom Tom One works fine for us.