V8 Freak Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 It does have 3 USB ports.... Therefore should support any USB GPS devices that XP supports. With 4GB you ought to be able to load XP and essential applications. After that, individual maps on SD cards like Steve suggests, or as I do now for my Toughbook, I run an external USB Hard Drive with all UK maps on it for Memory Map. Mounting it in the cab should be easy enough as it's less than a kilo... Screen size will be a debate for everyone in here but it does have potential for a low cost truck PC that could help with navigation etc. Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark90 Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 Apparently MM works on Wine on Linux, but not 100% functionality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
will_warne Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 I agree - but it does talk about uploading photos & video - which would suggest a USB port at the very least.Although there is no Memory Map for Linux, there are loads of very good PC emulators, including one, one of my friends was talking about which is just like a wrapper for any application which just makes it run as if it was native. Supposedly it even works with CAD software - so MM or X-Nav should be easy! I agree that a bigger screen would be good - but even a toughbook with a 10" screen takes up a lot of space in the cab. I think 7" may be a pretty good compromise between PDAs and full size monitors Si Si, I agree about space which is why I was quite pleased to find one of these second hand. the screens a good size, its light, its semi rugged (plus has a very tough case) and has no hard drive to fail. As far as software goes I'll be using OziExplorer (I've heard MM eats power) and I was hoping to use X-Nav as well if it can be made to work with Windows CE - what do you reckon Si???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JST Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 I was NOT saying paper maps are better than a GPS connected PDA. I am!!!!! anyway i cant help you steve i am still coming to terms with my latest acquisition - cf-18 toughbook, if only i understood home networking! but once its done i will be after MM and the rest of it!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WALFY Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 I am!!!!!anyway i cant help you steve i am still coming to terms with my latest acquisition - cf-18 toughbook, if only i understood home networking! but once its done i will be after MM and the rest of it!!! So would I. Paper maps rule. Although I'm not afraid of GPS and all things electronic :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark90 Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 I am!!!!!anyway i cant help you steve i am still coming to terms with my latest acquisition - cf-18 toughbook, if only i understood home networking! but once its done i will be after MM and the rest of it!!! Welcome to the 21st century. Just don't use your highlighter pens on it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JST Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 i would like to point out that when said 4 or 5 GPS units failed in the lakes recently the highlighter pens worked well. now if only i could open the damn case on this thing.................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darthdicky Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 James, what failed in the Lakes? Just too many trees or the side of a mountain, or something else? Just shout if you need any help with home networking, it's fairly easy once you've got the right bits! I've got a 8" toughbook and the screen is just about big enough so this one would probably be fine. Main problem I had was mounting it... Down here I kept having to lean over it to see the screen, which is a nightmare when moving (I was in the passenger seat). It would be much better at windscreen level as you can see what's coming up and brace yourself for bumps. Still thinking about mounting it on the roof and having the screen flip down like the sunvisor but it's harder for both the driver and passenger to see it then. Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JST Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 James, what failed in the Lakes? i think they had user interface probs........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 The problem was that, while there were lots of in-car PCs, there was nobody who could run MM, run GPS and navigate concurrently. I had MM running on my PDA and some paper maps but since I was missing a navigator I could not do much with them. James came through though and did a manful job with the maps. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 We had no trouble in our group, Mark 90 did a magnificent job and we had 2 pdas and a laptop running MM at the same time ! Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8 Freak Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 We had no problems in our group once we had some routes... Memory Map performed flawlessly, our navigator/photographer (Thanks Rupert) even used it to route us through any Fords near the areas we were in.... If I discuss it's limitations, you don't have the resolution of a paper map when you zoom out and want to plan across a much bigger area. Planning in general is still better done on paper as more heads can discuss it, you can see any marked routes easily and routes are transferrable with basic technology and skills readily available by most of us Land Rover drivers. (Drawing) Memory Map designers are such fussy B$£*ards that no two versions are compatible, so if one person exports a route for other to follow (Which should be as simple as drawing) it invariably will not load on another system. It also doesn't do road navigation. (i.e. tell you when to turn right or left etc.) For that you need another program loaded on your PC like Autoroute, but that's not too much hassle. I still value MM and electronic navigation as when you do have routes, and a good GPS receiver you rarely lose satellite positioning and always know exactly where you are, which does help when trying to find the start of a route, junction or turn in a track when there are many tracks, or none at all ! Entering routes and waypoints isn't hard and once there, like the paper version, you can save them and use them again in the future. (Just wish MM would make every version of their software backwards compatible.) Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 It's a smart little thing but does make me wonder if it's really worth £220 when you can buy a used Toughbook with a bigger screen for less, or a brand new full size laptop for £330. Incidentally, all this talk of solid-state HDD's being more robust is fine but has anyone ever read the impact specs for a 2.5" hard drive? The manufacturers rate them for 250G shocks during operation, it would take a case-crushing impact to upset a HDD, let alone cause serious damage, at which point you've got bigger problems anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandyManLuke Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 Has anyone ever read the impact specs for a 2.5" hard drive? Regardless of the specs, they do fail. whether that's due to G shock, being in a small (=hot) case or being in a dusty moist environment who knows. wrt a laptop for £330 or a second hand one for less, in my opinion you're paying for the small form factor, and accepting that that comes at the cost of performance. If you look at a £300 laptop they're huge, there are small laptops about but they're all £500+. A fully functional PDA costs a couple of hundred quid, you're paying for the size not the outright performance. It all depends on horses for courses, if you want a laptop size screen, you'll put up with the bulk. if you want a non-bulky solution this product fits the bill quite well, at a reasonable price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 I was hoping to use X-Nav as well if it can be made to work with Windows CE - what do you reckon Si???? Err...not unless Microsoft decide to launch a dot net framework for CE - just for the retro charm of it! I could make you a set of stickers printed with the different screens? Until your truck is finished - they will work just as well as the real thing - and are fully CE compatible Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JST Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 Err...not unless Microsoft decide to launch a dot net framework for CE - just for the retro charm of it! I could make you a set of stickers printed with the different screens? Until your truck is finished - they will work just as well as the real thing - and are fully CE compatible Si PSML! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
will_warne Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 PSML! Low blow, Si !!!! How's your's going BTW? I'll give you a call next week about the joints. Dot net framework??? Straight over my head - computers aren't really my thing. Shame it won't work, though. The cards would be good, though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted December 10, 2007 Share Posted December 10, 2007 Sorry Will - couldn't resist! Mine is going well! It will be mobile on Wednesday with a bit of luck. Just need to build the cage, take it all apart, paint the bits, build it again and drive to Slindon! Joints apparently will arrive Jan 15th - later than I hoped! Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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