streetpilot, streetpilot 3 and delux

[Joe]

What is the differant between a streetpilot, streetpilot 3 and streetpilot delux...?

 

[Steptoe]

good question - also i've got the BMW version - motorad navigator - is that "more" different again ?

 

[PanEuropean]

A "StreetPilot" is a very old model GPSR, introduced in the mid 1990's. It had a black and white display. There was a follow-on product called a "StreetPilot Colormap", which also dates from the 1990's. Both of these products should be avoided now, because they do not have the ability to read data chips greater than a certain size (I think 32 megs, but I am not sure), and they cannot read more than 50 map segments from a data chip.

The "StreetPilot III" was introduced in 2001 as a replacement for the above two products. It had a much faster processor, and can handle any size data chip, and any quantity of map segments. I think it is still being produced and sold today, although it is pretty much at the end of its life so far as new product purchases is concerned. That notwithstanding, it is a very capable and competent GPSR. Until the introduction of the SP 26xx product family in the fall of 2003, it was Garmin's 'top of the line' GPSR.

The "StreetPilot III Deluxe" was simply a bit of repackaging, for marketing purposes, of the original SP III. When the SP III was first introduced, it shipped with a 32 meg data chip, and an unlock code that was valid for one region only of the CityNavigator CD. (FYI, Europe has 5 regions, North America about 9). In late 2002, Garmin decided to start shipping the SP III with a 128 meg data chip, and an unlock code that opened up all the regions of the CD. They stopped shipping SP III's with 32 meg data chips and partial unlock codes. The actual GPSR itself did not change in any way when they shifted to the 'Deluxe' packaging- you just got more 'stuff' with it.

If you are thinking of buying a new SP III, the only one that is being sold today is the SP III Deluxe package. If you are thinking of buying a used SP III, make sure you get one that has a 128 meg data chip, and if the vendor has not purchased (upgraded to) the newest cartographic CD, which is CityNavigator version 6, then discount the vendor's selling price by what it will cost you to upgrade the original CD (could be version 4 or 5) to version 6. Note carefully here that I am not talking about the version number of the "MapSource" program - upgrades to that are available free of charge from Garmin - I am talking about the version number of the CityNavigator cartographic CD, which contains the detailed maps that the GPSR needs in order to function. The current version is CN 6 (either Europe or North America). Over the life of the SP III, it has shipped with CN4, CN5, and CN6.

PanEuropean

PS: About the BMW variations - the BMW Navigator I was pretty much just a SP III with an added list of BMW dealers built in. The BMW Navigator II is based on the SP 2610, however, Garmin and BMW have bundled in quite a few features - both hardware and software - to differentiate this from the basic SP 2610. You do pay quite a premium price to get the Nav II, however, it would be a mistake to think that it is just a SP 2610 with a BMW logo on it.

 

[Joe]

GPS

A "StreetPilot" is a very old model GPSR, introduced in the mid 1990's. It had a black and white display. There was a follow-on product called a "StreetPilot Colormap", which also dates from the 1990's. Both of these products should be avoided now, because they do not have the ability to read data chips greater than a certain size (I think 32 megs, but I am not sure), and they cannot read more than 50 map segments from a data chip.

The "StreetPilot III" was introduced in 2001 as a replacement for the above two products. It had a much faster processor, and can handle any size data chip, and any quantity of map segments. I think it is still being produced and sold today, although it is pretty much at the end of its life so far as new product purchases is concerned. That notwithstanding, it is a very capable and competent GPSR. Until the introduction of the SP 26xx product family in the fall of 2003, it was Garmin's 'top of the line' GPSR.

The "StreetPilot III Deluxe" was simply a bit of repackaging, for marketing purposes, of the original SP III. When the SP III was first introduced, it shipped with a 32 meg data chip, and an unlock code that was valid for one region only of the CityNavigator CD. (FYI, Europe has 5 regions, North America about 9). In late 2002, Garmin decided to start shipping the SP III with a 128 meg data chip, and an unlock code that opened up all the regions of the CD. They stopped shipping SP III's with 32 meg data chips and partial unlock codes. The actual GPSR itself did not change in any way when they shifted to the 'Deluxe' packaging- you just got more 'stuff' with it.

If you are thinking of buying a new SP III, the only one that is being sold today is the SP III Deluxe package. If you are thinking of buying a used SP III, make sure you get one that has a 128 meg data chip, and if the vendor has not purchased (upgraded to) the newest cartographic CD, which is CityNavigator version 6, then discount the vendor's selling price by what it will cost you to upgrade the original CD (could be version 4 or 5) to version 6. Note carefully here that I am not talking about the version number of the "MapSource" program - upgrades to that are available free of charge from Garmin - I am talking about the version number of the CityNavigator cartographic CD, which contains the detailed maps that the GPSR needs in order to function. The current version is CN 6 (either Europe or North America). Over the life of the SP III, it has shipped with CN4, CN5, and CN6.

PanEuropean

PS: About the BMW variations - the BMW Navigator I was pretty much just a SP III with an added list of BMW dealers built in. The BMW Navigator II is based on the SP 2610, however, Garmin and BMW have bundled in quite a few features - both hardware and software - to differentiate this from the basic SP 2610. You do pay quite a premium price to get the Nav II, however, it would be a mistake to think that it is just a SP 2610 with a BMW logo on it.

Thanks Pan.