Looking for a Garmin to talk thru speaker system

About the only models allowing this today are the Zumo line developed for use with motorcycles.

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=401

These are

Some of the older models used to have an output that you could plug into the car systems with an aux input.

But that was something else Garmin removed from their models.

My old 750 can broadcast over my radio using the built in FM transmitter that the 750 has.

I use the Garmin iPhone app on an iPhone, and that talks through Bluetooth. Very nice.

Doesn't all smartphones come with that possibility? You can get free (Open street map) app's for navigation to your android phone.

Thank you all for your response. I think the app for the smart phone is great however it eats up my data plan and I do not have unlimited data. I was thinking along the lines of what "WalkThisWay" has. Does anyone have a newer model that automatically broadcast over the car radio, or do you think I have to shop for a Garmin 750?

The only models that "broadcast" are the Zumos built for motorcycles. Some of those models will pair with the Bluetooth headset used in some helmets.

This is just my opinion. I've used the FM broadcast function in the past.

For me, there are two problems:
1 - On a long trip you have to frequently search for an unused station.
2 - You "lose" the radio (news, sports, etc.)and CD functionality.

Personally, it isn't worth the bother.

Let me clarify better, I am trying to find if anyone knows a GPS unit , Garmin or other, that would be able to interrupt a factory OEM radio via bluetooth.

Say, you listen to your radio, have your cell and GPS paired with the car radio.

The phone rings, the radio stops and pick up the call. That's all fine.

Now about GPS, you listen to the radio, a new direction statement is given, but I want it to go through the car radio instead of the tiny speaker of the GPS.
so it would stop the music, gives the direction and enable the music again.

I looked at the Garmin Nuvi 765, but it doesn't look like it's doing it. Just A2DP and you can connect a phone to it.

Basically the GPS should act as a cell phone to the car radio and mute whatever is playing to give directions.

Any unit doing this? I hope I am clear in the question.

I think this function would need to be in the radio amplifier as some type of smart mixer for the audio inputs. I don't think any nuvi would be able to control these functions.

The 7xx and 8xx series used to have a MP3 player which would be interrupted by the GPS. This is why I have 2 765Ts. They do not interrupt the radio, just the MP3 player built into the gps. They have an external speaker jack that can be patched into an Aux port in a auto radio.

This is the main reason I still use the nüvi 760. I listen to audio books from audible.com through the car's sound system. I bought a spare to have as a backup unit. Excellent GPS. I think it's lame that Garmin removed this feature from their units.

When I listen to a book the 760 will pause the book, give me directions, and then pick up the book from about one second before the pause. It's great. It also plays .mp3 files so I can have music or audio books in that format.

It can send the audio via bluetooth or also via an audio-out jack.

I'm sticking with the 760 as long as possible.

that the automatic pause of the 7xx and the auto-volume dimming on the 8xx of the MP3/audio book players are nice features. I have both nuvi models and prefer the way the feature is implemented on the 7x5 over the 8x5. That said, it is not the same thing that Brentr asked for (interrupting radio). I will stick with my earlier statement that this would need to be implemented in the car audio system and could not be controlled by the nuvi.

I have never owned a car with a built in nav system, but I wouldn't be surprised if some of them have a feature like this.

My now older 855 will transmit on FM, but it means no radio or stereo in the car. only GPS transmissions.

My 3790 has a loud enough speaker to hear what ever it wants to emit. But then again I do not have my car radio/stereo on to blast my ears off or "entertain"! everyone outside my car!!!

Hi all that have replied, I guess there must not be a huge demand for what I am wanting. I know when I play pandora music or music for the the iphone, when I get a phone call the music is stopped and I pick up the call hands free. When I hang up the phone the music resumes. It would be nice to have the GPS to be able to interupt the music when it is instructing you of turns etc. and then the music to resume after the instructions. I believe that the cars with manufacturer navigation systems does that however they are a $2,000 upgrade.I welcome all comments and direction.
BTW my CRV has a usb port and when I hook up my iphone to it I can select music and pandora using the Imed system controls and I see all selection on the 5 inch screen for the Imed system.

The Garmin app has all of its maps and does not use your data plan.

It does interrupt your radio to announce. At leat it does with mt setup.

Diesel this is good to know. I will download the app and play with it. I downloaded an app called "Waze" and played with it some. Thank you for your input. Any other input will be welcomed.

An additional plus to doing this is that Jill sounds MUCH better when playing through your big speakers. I was surprised at how much clearer the navigation prompts were when doing this.

It is the Garmin StreetPilot app, I have the North America version. I find myself using this app more and more. It is integrated with the iPhone very nicely. And it was just updated, I'm downloading it right now.

Diesel, I looked for that app and they want $44.99 for it. It is Garmin N. America. Is that what you are referring to? Thanks in advance

Garmin did a pretty good job with that app.

I have that app and the Navigon app. I heard so much about both, I just got both. I prefer the Garmin branded app over the Navigon branded app. Both are good, but I am accustomed to the feel of the Garmin "OS", and the Navigon app can seem a little out of sorts. Like the difference between using an RPN calculator and algebraic calculator, or if you were a Mac user and then had to use a Windows machine. If you had the Navigon app and used it regularly I'm sure you would become fluent with it. But I see no reason to do that when the Garmin app works as I am already familiar with Garmin OS on a Montana and 60CSx. I am not aware of a feature or features that the Navigon app has that the Garmin app does not.

The Garmin app is shipping with the latest release of CN.

Diesel, thank you for your input, however I guess I am so accustomed to using a stand alone gps, so I guess I will still continue to pursue looking for a GPS that would communicated to my CRV audio. I do not have the unlimited data plan for my iphone and the wife found out that she quickly used up her data plan by using pandora. Thanks in advance for all input, suggestions and direction.

It has FM transmitter and it also sends out Bluetooth signal.

The 765 is no longer manufactured. The OP was looking for CURRENT devices. When Garmin went to the 4 digit model numbers most of those features were dropped and none are found in the current lineups.

The Garmin app has all maps onboard, no access to the cell system needed, hence will not consume data.

If you want something to talk through the car audio, just think of the Garmin app as a $45 GPS to do that, and get the standalone GPS you like, regardless of BT capability. It's nice to have the backup GPS on the iPhone.

The Zumo 550 will connect with Bluetooth.

Have you used this in your car? Does it come thru car speakers and interupt you when listening to music, cd or ipod? Thanks

1. The Zumo 550 is discontinued.

2. The Zumo has a Bluetooth (headset) connection. All the Zumo audio (navigation, MP3s, cell phone, but not XM Radio) will be transmitted over the headset pairing. The cell phone call will stop the navigation and MP3 audio from being broadcast when a phone call is in progress.

Alternately, the auto cradle has a speaker and the sound will come out of that. Also, it has a 3.5 mm audio jack which can output to the car stereo if it has a 3.5 mm audio input. But it will take over that input so nothing else can be using the stereo. (As noted, the Zumo 550 does have a MP3 player built in.) Sound from the audio jack does not interrupt any other audio stream other than its own.

Thank you for your response. Like I said earlier, there must not be much of a need for a stand alone GPS to do exactly what a factory installed one does. Maybe I may need to look into getting one installed however I know it may not be a better technology unit. I read that Honda bought a bunch of GPS units back in 2008 and they still are installing the ones they did not sell in vehicles today.

Unfortunately Garmin really limits the utility of their GPS systems so that we'll have to keep buying new models to get access to features many of which could easily be implemented through firmware. For example my 2595 can be used as a BT speaker phone but cannot access my Android phone's address book (my headset can). It should be easy for them to make their GPS appear to the car to be a phone and do what the OP wants and to access smartphone address books but that wouldn't be conducive planned obsolesce through slowly trickling out 21st century features.

With smartphone screens getting bigger and Google navigation and standalone smartphone navigation apps getting better they're going to have to eventually get on the stick or be reduced to being a niche player like Blackberry.

I think that this is very likely the case.

I wonder if Garmin officials monitor this website. I would think that this would be a great thing to add to one of their GPS line. Most all new cars sold today have blue tooth and hands free integrated in the systems.

Since the desired functionality comes pretty much as OEM in newer cars, an aftermarket device really won't be needed, hence not that many options will be available. It is going to be tough to fill this order.

I am beginning to agree with you. I am on a couple of CRV forum sites and it seems like that is the consensus. Apparently lots of unhappy people out there with the NAV system that Honda sold them for a very hefty price and it cost them $189 to have the maps updated yearly and the GPS is sometimes accurate. Many of them have said that they would have been better off with a Nuvi or using maps on their phones.

I think buying a built-in NAV system is so wrong. It will be obsolete or out-dated in a couple years. So these cars with OEM NAV systems will have aftermarket GPSr devices suction cupped to their windshields in a couple years. I couldn't imagine having to go to a dealer to have the OEM NAV system maintained and updated.

the very reason I can't see using it. As is it is loud enough fo me...

Good information, fully agree with you. Now I wonder if I should upgrade my current GPS or stick with it. I borrowed an outdated sony GPS from a friend and was surprised at the amount of information it had on it compared to my C550. Example his GPS had the gas stations and pharmacies and banks that showed up as little icons, the c550 does not have that capability.

But I have yet to figure out how to set it up.

The Garmin's I know work with bluetooth, but they work just as peripherals (as headsets or hands-free systems), receiving and amplifying the sound, and as an external Mike.

What you're looking for is a GPS device that pairs to an amplification device (such as a headset, or your car's radio), not one that acts as an amplification device. Motorcycle GPS are the ones you're looking for.

Before you buy one, keep in mind that most people use their radio's bluetooth connection to pair their cellphones for calls and music, and only one device can be paired at a time, so if you pair your GPS, you won't be able to pair your phone.

That sort of information such as banks, gas stations, pharmacies, etc. comes with the mapping software. It could be OEM or an aftermarket addition. City Navigator is not just maps but includes the database of restaurants, shopping, gas stations, hospitals, travel services, etc., those little icons.

My GPS devices did not come with mapping and the POI database as OEM. I had to chose and install the mapping I needed for my purposes. The TOPO maps don't have the database of shopping and similar POI, but City Navigator does. So there is the hardware to consider and what software (mapping and database) that is installed on that hardware.

Can you install the newest City Navigator on your current device which would then give you the database of all those points of interest? Or do you want to get the Garmin iPhone app that now ships with CN2013.40, with the database of Points of Interest? I think you'll be pleased and impressed with the Garmin iPhone app. I was pleased with it, and mostly because of what functionality it delivered for $45.

You info is well appreciated ( I wish my Honda system could pair up multiple devices, I will have to do more research on this) and now I am beginning to understand about blue tooth devices and how they intergrate with my car's hands free and blue tooth.
So here are my choices if I am understanding all of this.
1. Install an aftermarket NAV system. Cost may be very expensive, may void Honda warranty, may not intergrate with Honda I-mid system and cost of about $189 per year to upgrade maps.
2. Get Garmin app on iphone and use this with my hands free system and blue tooth. Cost is $45 for app however I do not have an unlimited data plan.
3. Stick with with garmin c550 or upgrade to a newer Garmin like the Nuvi LMT series cost about $399

Diesel, I upgrade my maps 4 times a year and have it selected on the highest detail. I was not aware that the detail can be upgraded to show various icons of POIs. This would be a question that I would have to research. Maybe some of the owners on this forum of the c550 can provide some direction and input. It would be nice to see icons of banks, gas stations etc on my GPS while I am driving.
Also getting the Garmin app is not a problem however I do not have unlimited data plan and this would be very expensive.

The Garmin iPhone app does not need a data plan, does not use the data plan. It is resident on the phone, does not use the cell system.

I had one with that functionality. Problem was that you would go in and out of areas that broadcast on the "vacant" frequency you chose. Never really worked well for me. Glad it's old technology.

This is good to know. Do you know how much space it take up as I have quite a lot of music stored on my iphone?
Update anyone?

Total installed storage space for the Garmin North America app and maps on my iPhone is 2.2GB