Garmin Drive SmartDrive 86, Second Take
   13 years
|
The feature set of the DS86 is so large that a document larger than the Garmin Owner’s manual would be required to cover all of it. This report will cover some of the unique things I have discovered as well as the few “Downers” that have found.
My comparison will be between my DS 65 and my new DS 86.
1 The current street or road you are traveling is displayed at the bottom of the screen. The text on the DS 65 is large enough to be read at a single glance – like glancing at the speed. That text on the DS 86 is so small that it is unsafe to read it while traveling. have contacted Garmin about this fault, and they have entered it into a request list with the programmers, but don’t hold your breath.
2. With the DS 65 you can see the local weather by saying, “OK Garmin, Weather.” Then you can see the Radar by pressing a single icon. The only way to see and hear the weather by voice is with Alexa, and no way to see the Radar by voice command. Two icons must be pressed to see the radar. You can always se and hear the weather by using the weather App.
3. I am rarely able to even get Alexa to work, and when it does it rarely does anything. I expect that there are those here who can do great things with Alexa.
4. That’s it for my downers. The standard GPS functions, including route functions are in line with the latest Garmin innovations and are great, and I will only comment on two features that are new to me.
5.The sexy female voice with the turn directions now includes phrases like, “Turn at the stop light”, and “Turn at the end of the street.” That can be very helpful in congested streets.
6. have now lived with using my Honda stereo for the DS 86 audio for more than two weeks. I hope I never need to go back to the GPS speaker. The stereo speaker is great for what the GPS says, but over the top for phone conversations. It can be activated by Bluetooth if your stereo has it, or AUX input if not.
7. Even though “OK Garmin” lost the ability to get the weather, it gained a world of powerful, and friendly abilities. It now responds to phrases and has unusual intelligence. It is the star of the show. It allows you to command almost all navigation items by voice. The list is too long to write here, but a fuller description is available at:
https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=rRMqcpI0e56IeQ4fCbzr97...
And that link doesn’t say it all. You’ll just have to discover all its wonders by using it. Here’s one that is not mentioned. We take our poodle to Georgetown Animal Clinic in Georgetown SC. One of the DS 86 Categories is “Veterinary Clinics.” I had not listed the clinic in “Saved” and it was not in “Recent.”
8 I said, “OK Garmin, Vet in Georgetown.” I did not select a category or anything else. The DS 86 reply was a list that included Georgetown Animal Clinic with its address and phone number and constructed a route when I responded. It seems that “OK Garmin” searches the categories, Foursquare, Trip Advisor, Saved, and Recent to find your request without having to specify a category.
9. The “OK Garmin” phone function has also been updated. It now makes calls to any name in your iPhone phone book. You can say “OK Garmin, call Pat”, and the DS 86 will make the call if she is in the phone book.
10.This is a final caution about the USB C cable that now powers the DS 86, and allows connection to Garmin Express, and the AUX stereo audio cord for your automobile stereo.
All USB C cables are not alike. The cable must allow both power and data. The one supplied by Garmin does that and is also color coded to connect to the proper USB slot on the 12V adapter. It is recommended by Garmin to use the supplied cord for all DS 86 work.
I must say that I have enjoyed working with this unit more than any other I have owned. I’ll be pleased to answer any questions as best I can.
Thanks for your
Thanks for your feedback.
Can you post a pic of just how big/small the current street name text is? Maybe the two units side by side?
Does it improve any in portrait mode?
Re usb C cables. I've experienced this myself when flashing samdung phones. About the only way I could get the firmware to take (odin) was to use a rear motherboard usb port with an 18" type A to usb C (data of course) cable. The one included with the phone kept failing. That is, it would start flashing then fail a few seconds later. Had the same result with a monoprice type a-c cable that was ~2' long.
Ironically enough, but cables work just fine on a front usb type a female port when it comes to copying pics and other data from/to the phone. The firmware flash is more demanding, it's sending gigabytes (5-6GB for the s9+) of data.
Just look at the video
Just look at the video at
https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/720310/pn/010-02471-00
wil01
Great take thank you. How is
Great take thank you. How is the viewing turns font ? Does it have the next three / four turns ? Is it easy to skip waypoints on a multi stop route? How fast are calculations on a Waypoint heavy route? How’s the traffic optimization ? Thanks for taking the time to review the unit!
While on a route: 1. Click
While on a route:
1. Click the top panel.
2. A list of turns is displayed in text with the next turn at the top.
3. A map section around the next turn is displayed with the route identified.
4. You can scroll through all of the remaining turns on the route.
I haven't tried to skip a turn. I'll try that today.
wil01
No smartphone, any limitations of new Garmins
I don’t own a smartphone as I get about 5 calls a month and an equal number of texts. Hence I use a prepaid “dumb phone” that costs me $5/month. Is there any reason to pursue one of the new devices or do they depend heavily on the use of a smartphone?
John from PA
The new phones all have
The new phones all have built in Traffic, but as you know, it's limited to the Metro areas. If you want reliable traffic coverage almost everywhere you will need a smart phone connected.
Traffic, Weather, and available parking are the only functions dependent on a Smartphone. Otherwise the unit functions just as well as it's prececessors with out it,
Frank DriveSmart55 37.322760, -79.511267
DriveSmart 86 Mount
Are there any other mounts that are available for the 86 other than the suction cup?
Not from Garmin and unlikely
Not from Garmin and unlikely elsewhere because Garmin changed the way the unit attaches to the mount starting with the DS 65. and made an additional change with the DS 86.
The mounting system is very secure, and the suction cup works better on the DS 86 than earlier ones did.
I mount the unit on a third party modified dash bean bag.
wil01
My 61 and 65 both use the
My 61 and 65 both use the same mount. You sure it was changed after 65?
You are right about the 61
You are right about the 61 and 65.
The 66 and 76 look to be like the 65. The 86 is different and more secure with a locking nut to secure the GPS in place on the mount.
That nut can be loosened so the GPS can be easily rotated.
wil01
Mount.
Unless they changed the size of the ball, it seems like you should be able to adapt it to any of the Garmin or 3rd party mounts. The locking nut is a great idea and something they should do with all their models.
That said, I still prefer my powered magnetic mounts on my nuvi 3597's and DriveLuxe's. On those new large screen models though, the locking nut on the ball seems like a great idea.
Alan - Android Auto, DriveLuxe 51LMT-S, DriveLuxe 50LMTHD, Nuvi 3597LMTHD, Oregon 550T, Nuvi 855, Nuvi 755T, Lowrance Endura Sierra, Bosch Nyon
DS61 does too
~snip~
5.The sexy female voice with the turn directions now includes phrases like, “Turn at the stop light”, and “Turn at the end of the street.” That can be very helpful in congested streets.
~snip~
My DS61 does that, kind of shocked me the first time I heard it, "turn left at the drugstore", "turn right at the stop sign". (it also names the exact street names in another message)
. 2 Garmin DriveSmart 61 LMT-S, Nuvi 2689, 2 Nuvi 2460, Zumo 550, Zumo 450, Uniden R3 radar detector with GPS built in, includes RLC info. Uconnect 430N Garmin based, built into my Jeep. .
Bean Bag
Just got my 86. The ball on the suction cup mount is bigger than the previous models.
Wil01 - where did you get your dash bean bag, and how is it modified?
Read the piece I just posted
Read the piece I just posted for the whole story.
wil01
So is it still using a 17mm
So is it still using a 17mm ball/socket design or has the size of the ball changed?
It has all changed. Just ny
It has all changed. Just ny latest rport.
wil01
I don't have the latest and
I don't have the latest and greatest (just the garmin drivesmart), but what I do like in the app is the traffic info. It helps me plan to see if I can get to a destination in time. Traffic in my area can easily double my commute time so its helpful for planning purposes.
Recently, I discovered that several of the Garmins that normally depend on smartphone for traffic can also get traffic information from special car adapters that have a built in receiver. The GTM-60 for example, can receive "HD Traffic" even for a GPS that normally depend on the smartphone.
So even if you don't use a smartphone (or want to download the dedicated app) and want traffic info, you could grab one of these receivers and get traffic.
Yes, but...
I don't have the latest and greatest (just the garmin drivesmart), but what I do like in the app is the traffic info. It helps me plan to see if I can get to a destination in time. Traffic in my area can easily double my commute time so its helpful for planning purposes.
Recently, I discovered that several of the Garmins that normally depend on smartphone for traffic can also get traffic information from special car adapters that have a built in receiver. The GTM-60 for example, can receive "HD Traffic" even for a GPS that normally depend on the smartphone.
So even if you don't use a smartphone (or want to download the dedicated app) and want traffic info, you could grab one of these receivers and get traffic.
Yes, if you live in a large US city, these traffic receivers may offer adequate traffic info but heaven help you away from the big city radio stations that offer HD or standard traffic. The smartphone traffic will work wherever there's a cellular signal which includes most of North America. Before looking to buy and replace your Garmin cigarette lighter cord with a traffic/power cord, check the FM and HD traffic maps to see where you'll have coverage.
Since I'm a Tracfone user, I'm very conservative in using cellular data but as has been described elsewhere, the Garmin smartphone app uses very little data.