Gps Newbie Questions

[buzzer]

Hi,

After wasting hours making bad driving decisions, especially in BKK, I've decided to look into buying a GPS unit. The one being recommended to me is the Garmin NUVI 310. At about 28,000 baht (discounted price at the Apple Shop in Dukcom, Pattaya), it's a lot. The same unit sells for a great deal less in the UK, etc., albeit without Thai maps.

Is that the unit of choice?

Does anyone know of a better price for it, or suggest an entirely different unit?

The question I can't seem to find a clear answer to is, "How does one use it with a laptop?" Is this a cheaper or better alternative? It seems that if I could merely buy a receiver and connect it to my laptop, then, IF I could find suitable software, and IF I could download comprehensive maps, and IF they provided driving directions (even spoken directions), then that might be the way to go. Now I don't know if such things are even provided for computers to begin with. Most of what is mentioned on websites dealing with the subject deals mostly with waypoints.

Another problem is that my computer is a Mac, but I'm thinking about getting one of the new laptops that run both Mac and Windows programs.

While you're using these units is it possible for others to track you?

Any sage advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Buzzer

[jcgodber]

http://www.garmin.com/

Hello Buzzer—

Several years ago I too was looking for a GPS for use here in Thailand.

While still living back in California I had bought a Garmin V, which was a small dash, mounted GPS with a very small screen. It came loaded with all the software I needed for navigation around the western U.S. and as I remember it also had city select. I wanted to take that old model with me to use in Thailand but discovered that there really was not any maps available for it Except the World map. I went ahead and used it here in Thailand with a world map for a year or 2. I kept writing to Garmin if they would ever sell a map for Thailand. They never did.

I finally got an answer from Garmin that they had licensed a company here in Thailand to use the Garmin source code and adapt their Thai maps as 3rd party software for all Garmin GPS.

Without the Thai maps the GPS would not be very useful.

The name of the company here in Thailand is

ESRI

http://www.esrith.com/Eindex.cfm

A couple of years ago I bought the GARMIN STREET PILOT 2610 here in Thailand at the ESRI office. Boy am I happy that I did that. I had almost made the mistake of buying the same model back in the states, cheaper BUT with no Thai maps.

The Garmin Street Pilot I use sits on the dash on a “bean Bag” mount so is portable. For me the most valuable features are-

Auto routing- you select where you want to go and it will compute the route.

Voice directions.

Touch screen-

Color screen

ESRI has all the maps for Thailand Plus all the gas stations, restaurants, shops government buildings etc, etc.

Every year or so I take the unit back to ESRI and get my map software UPDATED. This is useful as many new roads are being built here in the kingdom.

I have traveled 400,000 kilometers in the past several years and never get lost. I would just hate to go bumbling around Bangkok with no GPS

The model Garmin I bought cost 50,000 baht

OK, I know that is a lot of money, but I bought the 10th one that ESRI had adapted for Thailand.

It is probably the smartest thing I have ever bought. I use it daily.

I enter many rallies with Isuzu and depend on the Street Pilot.

I hope this has helped you. I spent a lot of time and emails years ago trying to solve the GPS in Thailand question.

One final thought, I have found that if you have film mounted on your windshield (windscreen) the signal won’t get thru. You need to use a small external antenna with a magnetic base. ESRI has these.

The only time I ever use my computer for the Garmin is if I want to copy and save a bunch of waypoints and routes.

The Street Pilot is stand alone and just plugs into your cigarette lighter.

[corkscrew]

http://www.garmin.com/

Hello Buzzer—

Several years ago I too was looking for a GPS for use here in Thailand.

While still living back in California I had bought a Garmin V, which was a small dash, mounted GPS with a very small screen. It came loaded with all the software I needed for navigation around the western U.S. and as I remember it also had city select. I wanted to take that old model with me to use in Thailand but discovered that there really was not any maps available for it Except the World map. I went ahead and used it here in Thailand with a world map for a year or 2. I kept writing to Garmin if they would ever sell a map for Thailand. They never did.

I finally got an answer from Garmin that they had licensed a company here in Thailand to use the Garmin source code and adapt their Thai maps as 3rd party software for all Garmin GPS.

Without the Thai maps the GPS would not be very useful.

The name of the company here in Thailand is

ESRI

http://www.esrith.com/Eindex.cfm

A couple of years ago I bought the GARMIN STREET PILOT 2610 here in Thailand at the ESRI office. Boy am I happy that I did that. I had almost made the mistake of buying the same model back in the states, cheaper BUT with no Thai maps.

The Garmin Street Pilot I use sits on the dash on a “bean Bag” mount so is portable. For me the most valuable features are-

Auto routing- you select where you want to go and it will compute the route.

Voice directions.

Touch screen-

Color screen

ESRI has all the maps for Thailand Plus all the gas stations, restaurants, shops government buildings etc, etc.

Every year or so I take the unit back to ESRI and get my map software UPDATED. This is useful as many new roads are being built here in the kingdom.

I have traveled 400,000 kilometers in the past several years and never get lost. I would just hate to go bumbling around Bangkok with no GPS

The model Garmin I bought cost 50,000 baht

OK, I know that is a lot of money, but I bought the 10th one that ESRI had adapted for Thailand.

It is probably the smartest thing I have ever bought. I use it daily.

I enter many rallies with Isuzu and depend on the Street Pilot.

I hope this has helped you. I spent a lot of time and emails years ago trying to solve the GPS in Thailand question.

One final thought, I have found that if you have film mounted on your windshield (windscreen) the signal won’t get thru. You need to use a small external antenna with a magnetic base. ESRI has these.

The only time I ever use my computer for the Garmin is if I want to copy and save a bunch of waypoints and routes.

The Street Pilot is stand alone and just plugs into your cigarette lighter.

I agree with you completely. I have the Garmin StreetPilot 2720. It gives me a whole new freedom of mobility.

Shortly after I bought it at Pantip I purposely drove myself to an area of Bangkok where I had never been before (using a lot of random turns). I then pushed the "HOME" button and the Garmin effortlessly guided me back.

Also available is something called a 'signal repeater'. If your windscreen is coated with a film you attach a magnetic aerial to any outside part of your car and allow the wire to run inside the car. This device rebroadcasts the signal to your Garmin without actually being connected to it.

[John 1]

Guys,

My brother has a Garmin street pilot in Australia, it's loaded with Australian maps, he want's to give it to me.

Question, can I get it loaded with the Thai maps and a rough cost, it a freeby as he's going to buy a newer model.

[corkscrew]

Guys,

My brother has a Garmin street pilot in Australia, it's loaded with Australian maps, he want's to give it to me.

Question, can I get it loaded with the Thai maps and a rough cost, it a freeby as he's going to buy a newer model.

I think you can as the Garmin I bought here in BKK also came with the US maps.....but ERSI reloaded it with Thai maps. The other poster has their web site in his post....you should check there.

[John 1]

Thanks for the info, will get it sent to me then get it loaded with Thai maps.

[corkscrew]

Thanks for the info, will get it sent to me then get it loaded with Thai maps.

You might want to ring up the company first to make sure that they can load their Thai maps on a machine that has been preloaded with Aussie maps. The Garmin that I bought new from Pantip came loaded with Thai maps....but in the box there was a disc of US maps.

[buzzer]

Hi,

Thanks all, and a special thanks to JC for your great answer. I guess I'm going to plunk down some Baht on a Garmin. I'm currently looking at the NUVI 310 because I'm told it's superior to the others (about 28,000 baht).

Does anyone have an opinion about available models?

Thanks,

Buzzer