Thinking about gps Navi or Navalert

What is your budget and what other features are important to you?

Miss Poi

Well, the Navalert runs about $250.00 so I know that's the least I'm going to spend since a good quality gps navi with mp3 function will be a bit more. Other than that I really don't need much.
I'm a great shopper for electronics and will find the best deal for the right unit with no problem. What I really need help with is seeing this in action. I just need to see what the gps navi looks like after the POI files are uploaded and a driver approaches one of the enforcement cameras.
Thanks for the quick response.

Or perhaps I am ignorant of some new technology. The Navalert ad says it "Detects ALL camera alerts." ALL is a pretty encompassing term, and is hard to believe. Second, I don't like their wording that it Detects anything. If you have to go online and periodically update the location database, it's not detecting anything, just doing proximity alerts, right? Or is there some technological way to detect cameras that I don't know about yet?

I just was on youtube and they have a lot of gps demo clips to watch.

Miss POI

I agree, the wording is a little incompatible with the technology behind the device. It does not 'detect' anything. It merely functions as a GPS unit with stored POI's for speed and red light cameras as well as school zones and speed traps. The database is similar to the one available on this site as the users provide input as well as the company itself monitoring government websites for new camera locations.

Here's what the Navalert has which they claim no other device offers: If you are going over the speed limit as you are approaching an enforcement camera the device warns you to slow down. As soon as you are going the speed limit the warning stops. They also claim the device is directional and will only inform you of a camera installed to enforce in the direction you are traveling. Seems to me the right gps navi should be able to do 90% of this function with a litlle modification.

Ok, I'll check that out. I'm not a frequent user of youtube so I didn't think to look there.
Thanks.

Amazon has the Garmin Nuvi 200 for $179. You can add a database that you know about, update and keep current and see what locations there are. It will do both speed and red light cameras if you want.

I have not researched the Navalert, but it looks like a regular GPS will do what it does and 10x's more.

daniel

I notice the Garmin Nuvi 200 does not support mp3 which I have found on this forum creates issues when creating audible alerts.

I did check the demos on Youtube but only found one device made for the US. It's the Cobra GPSM 5000. Unfortunately the reviews for this product are not very good. I guess they are still working out the bugs on this relatively new device. That's a shame because Cobra is the first, and only, GPS Navi manufacturer to support red light and speed camera data in the US.

Yes, if you are interested in having a specific mp3 sound for your alert you will need to get at least a StreetPilot c550 or Nuvi 300. These are going to run around $300 or so.

On the c3xx and nuvi 2xx you would only get a ding with text across the top with the warning. If you can affort the step up models it is worth it.

Daniel

When I consider the potential savings of not getting caught in these speed traps the investment is well worth it. The key thing for me is in the precise way the device functions in alerting the driver. The Navalert specifically tells you the speed limit in the enforcement zone and warns you until your speed matches the limit.
The reason this function is my main concern is because of this notice I received in the mail. I remember how frustrated I was driving down this street and trying to find a speed limit sign. By the time I saw the flash it was to late.
Simply knowing the camera is there is only a fraction of the information needed. If you have no idea what the speed limit is it does you no good.

I would really appreciate even an audio demo of a functioning gps unit. But I will settle for a detailed step by step explanation in text form.

Here are the key elements I need:
1. Tell me when I am approaching an enforcement zone
2. Notify me of the correct speed limit (verbal or text)

I recently read that Phoenix is considering upgrading all of it's red light cameras to function as speed cameras as well.

I do not have a camera in Kansas to test, but this is how the theory works.

You create a speed file in csv. The camera locations will be the coordinates. You assign a speed to the camera based on the road speed. If you are exceeding that speed in the file you will get the alert. There are some nodes on how to do this:

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/1167

Red light cameras alert on distance only as your gpsr has no idea if the light is green, red or yellow. You can set the distance as far as you like.