A navigation system uses an antenna to receive information from Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites to determine a car's location. (External antennas are an option if the integrated antenna can't get an adequate signal.) There are 24 orbiting GPS satellites that serve as navigational aids for military, civilian, and commercial purposes. To get a two-dimensional fix on your location and track movement, a navigation system triangulates signals from at least three satellites at once. With data from a fourth satellite, it is also possible to determine altitude. While built-in systems use an external antenna to receive GPS signals, portable units have an integrated antenna.
Once a navigation system has determined your longitude and latitude, it indicates your location on a map retrieved from its database. Typically, the car's position and direction of travel is indicated by a large arrowhead-shaped icon.
Manufacturers of navigation systems buy their map data from specialty map-making companies, such as NavTeQ and Tele Atlas. These outfits create the map database through their own real-world surveying, as well as by aggregating roadway and point-of-interest data from government sources, municipal agencies, and satellite imagery.
No map databases are perfectly accurate or completely up to date, because on any given day, new roads are opened and old roads or parts of roads are closed. Likewise, gas stations and ATMs come and go. Sometimes the map itself isn't accurate, so you appear to be driving across a river rather than across the bridge nearby. And it is possible that a perfectly serviceable road just isn't drawn in on the map you're using. But map-making companies strive to regularly update the maps they produce. The map flaws we've found are quite minor and easy to tolerate, but the problems can vary by region. For example, developing cities can quickly render maps outdated. Generally, updated maps are made available for future purchase and installation.
Working with navigation systems
Find Out More About How Navigation Systems Work
Click Here To Purchase An In Dash or Multi Mount Navigation System or Device
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Improve your factory system
The options have never been greater, or more exciting, when it comes to improving factory sound systems. Although factory systems have become more advanced, it's still just as fun and rewarding to upgrade one of today's sophisticated automobiles as it was in the simpler vehicles of just ten years ago!
More sophisticated interfaces are required for today's vehicles, but that's the sole reason for SoundGate and PAC's existence. We firmly believe in the 'weakest link in the chain' adage. If you take your brand new, expensive in-dash DVD player and run it through a cheap, under-performing interface, the performance of your new DVD player is going to be reduced to the lowered performance level of the interface. On the other hand, connect that new DVD player to a SoundGate or PAC interface, and you're going to rock!
Let's look at some different ways you can improve your system…
Change that factory radio!
Let's face it, many factory radios just don't have the features that we've come to expect in a modern receiver or CD player. Unlike the cars and trucks of the eighties and early nineties, most of today's vehicles have factory amplifiers included as part of the sound system. To make your new receiver or CD player work correctly with your factory amplifier you need an interface which will match the audio signal of each device to one another. SoundGate and PAC provide the right interfaces for the new receiver or CD player you're installing in your vehicle.
Add Amplifiers!
Read More About Inproving Your Factory System Here
Buy A Car Stereo System Here
GPS Navigation Shopping Advice
The next best thing to having your own local guide is becoming more affordable and feature packed
If you often travel to new places, have trouble reading maps, or simply hate to ask for directions, you might want to consider a portable GPS navigation system. Once you give it a destination, the system can plot out a route, deliver spoken directions, and display each turn as you drive, or in some cases, walk. Most units let you choose guidance options that include plotting the shortest, fastest, and even a toll-free route. An internal database also includes common points of interest such as gas stations and ATMs, and the nav system can route you to the nearest one. You can even choose a nearby restaurant by the type of food.
Although not always as easy to use as the in-dash systems available on many new vehicles, portable systems are catching up. Features like internal, rechargeable batteries and pre-loaded North America map databases are now commonly included on budget systems. More premium features such as real-time traffic reporting are becoming available on more affordable units, although those often require additional hardware.
Portables have the distinct advantage of being easy to move from car to car, enabling a family to share a unit or lend it to others. Their low weight and small size are well suited to long-distance business travel and vacations by plane (for use in a rental car when you arrive), or for walking and biking tours (for use as a handheld device).
And with prices from about $250 to $700, portable units are much less expensive than the typical price tag of up to $2,000 for an integrated, in-dash factory system.
WHAT'S AVAILABLE
Many manufacturers offer units that will get you where you need to go, and more are entering the market as sales continue to skyrocket. Systems from Garmin, Magellan, and TomTom have historically scored highest in our ratings. Those navigation-focused companies now face competition from Delphi, Harmon-Kardon, and Rand McNally--none of which were available for our previous test. Our latest report also includes units from Alpine, Audiovox, Cobra, Lowrance, and Navman.
Units have decreased in size since the first portables came on the market, but too small a device is hard to read or operate. We find that the common 3.5-inch screen, measured diagonally, is a good compromise between portability and usability. We found the Gamin nuvi 660 to be particularly easy to use with its wide-screen format, while remaining portable.
Special features like photo viewing, video player, hands-free calling, and live traffic reporting are available in an increasing number of units.
HOW TO CHOOSE
None of the navigation systems we've tested is perfect. They don't substitute for local knowledge, and all databases had minor errors. But a portable system will usually get you there, guiding you on the way and providing you with peace of mind when you are traveling to unfamiliar areas. The highest-rated models make it especially easy to enter destinations and they give the most helpful directions.
Read More About GPS Navigation Here
Buy In Dash or Multi Mount GPS Navigation Systems Here
If you often travel to new places, have trouble reading maps, or simply hate to ask for directions, you might want to consider a portable GPS navigation system. Once you give it a destination, the system can plot out a route, deliver spoken directions, and display each turn as you drive, or in some cases, walk. Most units let you choose guidance options that include plotting the shortest, fastest, and even a toll-free route. An internal database also includes common points of interest such as gas stations and ATMs, and the nav system can route you to the nearest one. You can even choose a nearby restaurant by the type of food.
Although not always as easy to use as the in-dash systems available on many new vehicles, portable systems are catching up. Features like internal, rechargeable batteries and pre-loaded North America map databases are now commonly included on budget systems. More premium features such as real-time traffic reporting are becoming available on more affordable units, although those often require additional hardware.
Portables have the distinct advantage of being easy to move from car to car, enabling a family to share a unit or lend it to others. Their low weight and small size are well suited to long-distance business travel and vacations by plane (for use in a rental car when you arrive), or for walking and biking tours (for use as a handheld device).
And with prices from about $250 to $700, portable units are much less expensive than the typical price tag of up to $2,000 for an integrated, in-dash factory system.
WHAT'S AVAILABLE
Many manufacturers offer units that will get you where you need to go, and more are entering the market as sales continue to skyrocket. Systems from Garmin, Magellan, and TomTom have historically scored highest in our ratings. Those navigation-focused companies now face competition from Delphi, Harmon-Kardon, and Rand McNally--none of which were available for our previous test. Our latest report also includes units from Alpine, Audiovox, Cobra, Lowrance, and Navman.
Units have decreased in size since the first portables came on the market, but too small a device is hard to read or operate. We find that the common 3.5-inch screen, measured diagonally, is a good compromise between portability and usability. We found the Gamin nuvi 660 to be particularly easy to use with its wide-screen format, while remaining portable.
Special features like photo viewing, video player, hands-free calling, and live traffic reporting are available in an increasing number of units.
HOW TO CHOOSE
None of the navigation systems we've tested is perfect. They don't substitute for local knowledge, and all databases had minor errors. But a portable system will usually get you there, guiding you on the way and providing you with peace of mind when you are traveling to unfamiliar areas. The highest-rated models make it especially easy to enter destinations and they give the most helpful directions.
Read More About GPS Navigation Here
Buy In Dash or Multi Mount GPS Navigation Systems Here
Friday, February 1, 2008
Here's A Site Called 12Volt-Travel. . .
They seem to have an incredible selection of products. Not only travel stuff. A good amount of car stereo stuff too!
It's places like this that we should be turning to for our car stereo needs. I mean as long as its name brand, what's the difference? My point is this, 12Volt-Travel.com has a pretty nice selection of stereo equipment for the home the car and the boat.
Just think, if everyone thinks - ehhh I'm just gonna go where car stereo is all they do. Well then that mean lots of places have car stereo equipment around that people aren't buying.
Surely they're going to lower the prices to see if that sells it. Check them out. Another site with great car stereo prices! www.12Volt-Travel.com
It's places like this that we should be turning to for our car stereo needs. I mean as long as its name brand, what's the difference? My point is this, 12Volt-Travel.com has a pretty nice selection of stereo equipment for the home the car and the boat.
Just think, if everyone thinks - ehhh I'm just gonna go where car stereo is all they do. Well then that mean lots of places have car stereo equipment around that people aren't buying.
Surely they're going to lower the prices to see if that sells it. Check them out. Another site with great car stereo prices! www.12Volt-Travel.com
Save Money Buying Car Stereo Equipment Now!
Are you interested in buying car stereo equipment? If so, you can't afford to miss this information! There's a site that's known for incredible products and great prices. Well here's what they're up to now. For a limited time you can expect to see prices that a true wholesale buyer would pay! These sales are going to cover just about every name in the house! Imagine getting a Bluetooth Tell4200 for just $168.99! Have you ever seen a HiFonics OLM2412 on sale for only $218.39?!
This is going to be nuts. Lots of stores and websites claim to offer great savings. It's tough to find one that doesn't first hike up the prices so they can appear to have a big reduction. We all know how that goes.
So this website, www.StompAudio.com. They are likely going to have everything you'll need for a killer system. They Showcase stuff like mobile video from pioneer and boss audio. Other stuff like navigation from names like Boyo, Garmin, Jensen, Lowrance, Magellan and Nextar
Folks, you really must see this!
This is going to be nuts. Lots of stores and websites claim to offer great savings. It's tough to find one that doesn't first hike up the prices so they can appear to have a big reduction. We all know how that goes.
So this website, www.StompAudio.com. They are likely going to have everything you'll need for a killer system. They Showcase stuff like mobile video from pioneer and boss audio. Other stuff like navigation from names like Boyo, Garmin, Jensen, Lowrance, Magellan and Nextar
Folks, you really must see this!
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