Question on SP III

[markie_wales]

OK so I'm off to Staples for an SPIII lunch time, but....

1) saw a couple of threads "complaining" about speed for screen re-draw and route calculation. How bad is it exactly, 2 seconds, 2 minutes? Are we talking when you zoom in/out? or some thing else?

Any examples of how long route calculation takes?

2) If I buy today, and wait until 5/1/04 before unlockng my V5 mapsource, how do I go about getting V6 CD, and is it a problem to unlock that later? Or can I unlock the V5 and still get a free V6?

Come on help me out I want to spend some dosh (even though I've got a big car service this Friday - booo)

Thanks all

Mark

 

[adamski49]

Mark

I've only just got mine as well so can't comment on the redraw/recalculation time for the SPIII. The V redraw can be 10 seconds to a minute (sometimes seems like more) depending on the length of the journey, how far off route you are etc.

Out of town this isn't a problem but in town it's sometimes better to pull over if you don't have a rough idea of where you should be heading as it will keep recalculating everytime you pass a turning it wanted you to take. If you feel lucky you can always turn off the recalculation part and make your own way back onto the route.

As for unlocking V5 - the code is in the box so you can be up and running straight away. Send an email or phone Garmin requesting the V6.00 CD and when you receive it go online and register the unit to get the new unlock code for free

It's an impressive piece of kit but I'm still unsure due to it's size, I need a few more runs out to convince myself it's better than the V.

HTH

Adam

 

[MiGSel]

1) Calculation of a long route (200km or so) can take minutes. Which is not a problem if you ask me, as long as you turn OFF automatic route recalculation.

That means that if you get off your planned route, you watch the display and get yourself back to the marked route. If you really wish to recalculate the route, you can still do that, but it takes a while.

Screen re-draw is slow if you are zoomed out. Let's say, if your map zoom factor is at 5km or more. Then it can take 5 to 10 seconds. I'm estimating here, no chrono times. If you zoom in, it gets much faster (1 second), as there are a lot less roads and places to show. So that's not really an issue for me either, as I usually keep the map zoomed in to about 800m.


2) If you buy an SPIII today, you can unlock your v5.0 maps today. Registration is something else, has nothing to do with unlocking really. You only need to register if you want something like a free update. They encourage you to do it right away, but it is not necessary. So the thing to do is: unlock now with the code you get in the box, register in a week or two and get your free update.

I have had my SPIII for almost 2 years now, and I'm happy with it. The 2610 may be faster and better, but the SPIII will stay mine for a while I think. No doubt there will be even better and faster systems in the next few years.

Good luck,
Michel