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PC Navigator Camera Database


David Sparkes

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Now I've got the in-car PC to transmit the Voice of Navigator 7, I've realised that while the product has the capability of sounding off about cameras, it doesn't have the required database of Speed Camera locations.

What do other uses of PC Navigator do?

Are there free databases around, or are they always bundled with piece of hardware?

Cheers

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I haven't found one yet- but then i haven't even found a way of changing the womans voice, nor altering when she talks. Unfortunately she tinkles me right off, so if you come across a way of changing her then please let me know.

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Pocket GPS World keeps the most up to date version of the database.

You can get other databases for free, http://poiplaza.com/en/poi?poi=431 , http://poiplace.oabsoftware.nl/ (free registration), but they are not updated so frequently.

It doesn't matter if the database is in a different format than Mapfactor. Use http://www.poiedit.com/ to translate it to something PC Navigator can import (xls, csv whatever it imports).

As for the PGPSW database ... well .... it can be found ... :ph34r:

As for the voices, I presume they can added/modified in PC Navigator. They can be extracted from TomTom/others anyway.

If someone who has it installed can investigate this then the rest is dead easy. I don't have PC Navigator and don't really want to "find" it just for this.

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"As for the voices, I presume they can added/modified in PC Navigator. They can be extracted from TomTom/others anyway.

If someone who has it installed can investigate this then the rest is dead easy."

I'll leave that to Pugwash, as I don't have a problem with the PC Navigator voice as it is.

Re the Database, I've realised this is 'promised' on the cover of the DVD, as are free updates for 3 months.

As I've never seen the database at all I've put a support request into Mapfactor, just to see what happens.

When that fails I'll look elsewhere :-))

Cheers

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SNIP

Re the Database, I've realised this is 'promised' on the cover of the DVD, as are free updates for 3 months.

As I've never seen the database at all I've put a support request into Mapfactor, just to see what happens.

When that fails I'll look elsewhere :-))

It looks as though my "when that fails" prediction was spot on.

I wrote to Mapfactor

" ... The notes on the DVD case say "Hear audible warnings as you approach speed cameras", and "Updates free for three months".

When I tried to switch the Speed Camera function on, an error message told me that there was no Database.

When I visit your site there is no Database available, nor is there any opportunity to 'sign up' for database updates.

I have updated the software via a Patch, from v7.2.41 to v7.2.51-1.

Will you explain the situation please?"

Their Response:

"yes I can explain to you, you must make some radar database nad import it in Navigation Software.

It's been writen in manual topic - Import

Regards Nidrle"

There is clearly a translation problem somewhere, from "Hear audible warnings ...Updates free for three months" to "you must make some radar database ...".

As I'd not expected them to supply a database I'm not going to get upset about it, but I just thought I'd let the rest of you know the situation.

Cheers.

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I've read somewhere about 6 months ....

Then you can register here: http://directions.ltd.uk/register and get the database (which I presume is the one from PGPSW).

Ha,

I hadn't followed your link as soon as you posted it because I was waiting for the Mapfactor response, with whom I'd already Registered for support.

Having just posted that, I was reminded of your link, and also realised it's from Directions Ltd, who supplied the PC Navigator product to me in the first place.

I've just registered and downloaded the database, now to load it in the car.

The registration screen didn't ask for date of purchase, or Invoice number, just the Product Code, so we will see how long the service lasts. I'll calendar updates in 2.5 months and 5 months :-))

I've looked at the Directions Invoice, and there is no mention of Registering for 'Directions' support, perhaps I missed something on their site when I ordered the DVD.

Whatever, thanks, because I hadn't though of going back to Directions.

Cheers.

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My last post was clearly too upbeat, by a long, long, way.

The whole experience is like extracting someone's teeth, with a cocktail stick.

After several e-mails to different Support teams ....

There IS a speed camera databse on the Navigator DVD, but it isn't installed due to a bug in the installation programme....

The file is 'speedcam*.mca' in the folder \Navigator7????\data. On my DVD it is Speedcam0711.MCA.

In the installed programme the User has to create a folder called 'Import' as a sub-folder to Program Files\Navigator7\PC_Navigator\.

The user then manually copies the Speedcam????.mca file to the newly created Import folder.

The update download from Directions Ltd is a complete waste of time, as it is for previous versions of Navigator, despite the web site saying it is for Navigator 6/7.

Landymanluke.

As you imply, while the sound files MAY be WAV files, I can't prove it, as there is only one wav file on the DVD. This is for the Geofence application that is part of the Tracking programme.

There are a lot of files called Sounds_??.MCA on the DVD, the file of most likely interest to us being Sounds_en.MCA.

In the installed programme this file is in the path \Program Files\Navigator7\PC_Navigator\Data\

I don't know of an external application that plays any WAV files that are encapsulated within this MCA file, nor do I have the knowledge / application to de-construct the MCA file.

Note that the speed camera database is also an MCA file, so I assume it's a proprietory format or wrap created by MapFactor.

HoSS

Thanks for the link, but although you use the database, do you use it on any version of PC Navigator, by MapFactor?

The downloads seem to be specific for different Programmes or Navigation systems.

Needless to say, PC Navigator is not mentioned.

What format is the download in?

Perhaps we can use http://www.poiedit.com/ to translate it to something PC Navigator can import (xls, csv, whatever it imports), as advised earlier by cipx2, although if we can't make it into the MCA format I'm not convinced the automatic early warning feature of PC Navigator will be able to use any database so formed.

Currently it looks as though the Pocket GPS World database might be the way forward, but it's one thing to display the camera sites on the map, which I'm sure that will do. It's another thing make the database integrated to use PC Navigator early warning functionality.

I'll write again to MapFactor to see if I can get a more accurate and useful response from them.

Cheers.

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Slowly, Oh so slowly.

I asked MapFactor support how I could make sure any imported database would be actively integrated into Navigator, rather than just present blobs on the map.

MF Support said "you must use DiggerQt for import external databases."

Nice, comprehensive, detailed instructions.

I've seen Les's thread, a Paddocks rear crossmember repair section is more bloody use than these people.

Google - they may be control freaks, but on current showing they can run my life for me, any day - found me page 8 of a thread in an MP3 Forum, posted on 2nd March this year.

The edited highlights of the MP3 Extract starts.

Copy these files off the DVD into the PC Navigator folder:

DiggerQT.exe - dataDigger.dll - QtCore4.dll - QtGui4.dll - QtNetwork4.dll - QtSql4.dll

Now <Run> - DiggerQt.exe

Follow the instruction to find and select your database <seems to be very flexible>

Save it <Run Import>

Re-Open Program and Either go to <FIND and NAVIGATE> then <IMPORTED DATA> or use the <I> option from the Map to <Find Nearest> and choose <IMPORTED DATA> then your own Named Set.

Update on Importing Data into PCN 7.

I was getting a crash on:

Find and Navigate / Imported Data / <Left Click> on 'Data List Title'

By trial and error have discovered that the Prog. does not like:

[ ’ ] but will accept [ ' ] as part of the fields in the data.

MP3 extract ends.

Needless to say, it's too early for me to try this yet, especially as I don't have a database file to try it with.

If someone cares to donate a copy, I suspect in any bleeding format you like, then I'll be able to experiment further.

I'll leave it to you as to whether you post a zip as an attachment, or PM me for my direct address.

For anyone else already running PC Navigator 7, (I assume there will be no new adopters after this) the full MP3 thread may be interesting. I've just looked on Page 1 of 9 and someone is giving details on how to make the programme run in a window, rather than the mandatory full screen. This should make easy changes between Navigator and Memory Map, say. There may be other good ideas hidden in the thread.

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/gps/106706...r-7-europe.html

Cheers

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LandyManLuke.

Thanks for the update, the change from v6 to v7 obviously explains the discrepancy.

HoSS

I submitted an enquiry online to see if http://www.scdb.info/ recognised PC Navigator7.

They have responded to say Not Certain, and to ask which type of database did PCN7 recognise?

They also said if I used their database and it didn't work they would refund my money, which is nice, considering I haven't spent any with them yet :-)

I'm going to test the database that came hidden on the installation DVD, and study what if any differences there are, between the database services of SCDB and Pocket GPS World, before making the purchase decision.

I bought PCN7 because it covered France, Holland, & Germany, as well as the UK. I suppose it makes sense to subscribe to a service that logs the cameras in all four countries, if such a thing exists.

In a triumph of optimism over experience, I have convinced myself that the DiggerQT application will convert any standard format database into the special MCA configuration that PCN7 demands.

For the record, DiggerQT wll recognise any of the following: ODBC, MCB, XLS, SHP/DBF/SHX, MIF/MID,CSV, or DBF.

Cheers.

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In a triumph of optimism over experience,

Oh that's brilliant- really made my day lol

i've been trying to replace the wav file voice directions with the TomTom set but i've been really struggling.

Would be happy if i could just get the woman to say something twice as opposed to 4 times, and even better it would be nice to link the sounds fader to it's own volume control, which must be possible but i can't work out how!

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...

Would be happy if i could just get the woman to say something twice as opposed to 4 times, and even better it would be nice to link the sounds fader to it's own volume control, which must be possible but i can't work out how!

See that MP3car.com thread I linked to in post 15 - http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/gps/106706...r-7-europe.html

I suggest you have a look through there, and consider subscribing. I know, 9 pages, 123 posts, but some of them have been experimenting with an independant volume control, and it's always useful to know where others have failed. The experts on there need the occasional encouragement of new interest, so a contribution from a new member might wake them up a bit more.

Reading between the lines of that thread, it seems PCN has changed, let's say progressed, as it's moved from v6, through v7.0 in Jan 2008, to v7.2.51 in March 2008, so I'd say the first thing is to download the latest patch from the MapFactor site.

Also post a question with MapFactor support to try and establish the current situation re alternative voices, warning repetition, etc.

Having the latest version may well mean that something the others have tried and failed will now work.

Cheers.

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