GPS

[Danss]

I want to be sure and get the same kind of GPS that told youall to turn around immediately on tha 2 lane narrow mountain road!!!

[CAPT MOGUL & Sandy]

That would be the same Garmin Nuvi 660, Dan! I will never forget that! Winding around a mountain, looking over the cliff, and the darn thing says, "Make a U-turn immediately!". Ed said that you could have ours and we are getting one that you have to pay each time for an upgrade.
Sandy

[flloyd]

I'm a big fan of GPS and have several units on the bus. I use two of them while driving. One, a Nuvi 760, is just your run-of-the-maill Garmin that I have lifetime updates on. It's "ok", most of the time and it's a windshield mount. It has a bunch of features that I don't use, like Bluetooth, Picture storage, and and RF modulator to send the audio out to the car stereo.

I've been using Garmin's for a long time and these newer units disappoint me on several fronts. First, they don't give any decent satellite status, just a 5-bar display of signal strength. Second, they don't give sunrise/sunset times and perhaps the most infurating, they are S L O W to search the database. The slowness is due to Garmin's decision to put in a cheaper microprocessor.

Earlier this year, I picked up a Garmin GPSMap 378 at a swap meet for $150. It had a fresh data update and a new hard point mounting bracket, and power cord. The 378 came out a few years ago around the same time as the Aviation model, the GPSMap 495 and uses all the same hardware. It even supports XM Radio with an expensive external adaptor. Like the aviation unit, it also doubles as an automobile unit with the full roads database. It does not have a touch screen but instead a bunch of buttons on the front panel.

I mounted it overhead the driver's position, in the left corner where the digital clock was originally installed. It is easily viewable without taking my eyes off of the road and does not block any of the windshield view whatsoever. What I like most about it is that it can do what the little dumbed-down consumer model can't do - it has a fully configurable display that allows you to select from a long list of parameters like speed, altitude, ETA, you name it - more than two dozen parameters. Most of the time, I have min set to display 4 things in large type: Voltage (12v system), Elevation, Time of Day and Speed. It also does regular road guidance like the Nuvi but I don't need it for that. The other things it has are also great. For example, it's got a Tide Calculator, Sunrise/Sunset Calc., Moon and Sun position, Heading, Track, Distance, ETE to next Turn, Course to Steer, etc., just a bunch of real navigation information.

Ok, so it's true that I don't use a lot of these things very often, but on the rare instance that I'm interested in a bit of this info, it's there and it's there FAST. Heck, it even has mileage to upcoming exits and rest areas on the interstate, another thing that the little Nuvi can't kick out.

So, I love the unit and consider it a great $150 investment. If I were to buy a replacement for the dash unit right now I'd be looking at Garmin's DEZL model which has the Trucking database.

[Abaco]

Hi Guys- I read through all this thread and another. I'm wanting one of the large in dash complete units including GPS. Are there any Iphone or Ipad freaks that have been happy with the way these units integrate and commune with Apples stuff ? Looks like Pioneer and Kenwood both do and sounds like the vote is for the Garmin driven GPS on the Kenwood so far.

I'd also like to use the head unit for the Silverleaf Electronics system that works with a lap top by getting a dedicated mini computer and running an output to the head unit. I would just use the display on the mini computer but I can't find a mini lap top that allows the screen to unfold completley flat which is what for the method I was going to use to make a slot for the mini to drop down in between the drivers dash and the front window.

[johnbrowder]

Mark,
As far as Silverleaf goes, have you seen the SilverLeaf VMS330? It is a "black box" that has a single composite video-in for your rear camera, and a single video-out to go to any monitor. This will overlay your choice of data over your rear camera display. There is a small dash-mounted controller (about 2" x 2").

You use this control to choose data. You can also select no data display, overlay data, or data only with no camera. It's easy to cycle through these options. It will also display PressurePro tire pressure data.

This unit was just what I wanted, and I have been very happy with it.

[Abaco]

Mark- I didn't know about that new unit but I looked at on Silverleafs site. I have a feeling it doesn't record engine fault codes and is not as robust as the cable that works with the software and laptop but maybe for the sake of simplicity is it worth it to forfeit some of the info. I think the engine faults are useful and guess I would need another type of reader for those unless I want to interpret the "Morse code" from the flashing lights which I found tedious. I dropped a line to Jim Sheppard who I got the umbilical cord from for the laptop software to see what he can tell me.

I've been checking out some YouTube videos this morning and found some pretty cool in dash installations of I-Pads which from a GPS stand point is the best in my opinion because of the large viewing size. I use a paid app called Co-Pilot preferred over the stock GPS the Ipad (or Iphone) comes with. Many of the other features build into the $1,000 plus in dash do it all systems are not essential for me. I'll wait for Jerry W maybe to point out what I might regret not having since he's using the unit I'm eyeballing. I think one thing I'd forfeit is being able to access the phone book and make calls through the sound system which is something I would get use out of. Check out this bad to bone I-Pad install on the dash of a truck. http://www.youtube.com/user/torres1708 One advantage that comes to mind is that because this installation lets it come in and out with ease, it makes it easy to relax somewhere else besides the cockpit and browse for points of interest or plan your next stop and then slide er' back into place and go. I don't think a motorized release is needed like the video installation shows. Just something that drops in from the top would work. Getting rid of the old fashioned back up monitor would free up about half the needed space and it would depend on the rest of your dash layout whether an Ipad would fit.

This installation allows to put new I-pads as they are introduced (as long as they don't change the dimms). One problem using this as the back up monitor is that the I-pad only has a way to put video out, not video in. But researching this morning I found some posts that could be of interest to other Ipad enthusiasts on a forum which also comments on some advantages for incorporating it aircraft mapping apps so I'm including here for those of you that fly and may find this useful. There is also a work around for the video input problem. The thread is here and post number 17 and 19 discuss the two references. http://www.ipadforums.net/ipad-gener...o-input-2.html

[johnbrowder]

The VMS330 does record the codes. Silverleaf's website is subpar. Call them to get the scoop. I ordered direct.
John B

[Abaco]

I’m installing a new multifunction style head unit in the dash today. It will replace the old dedicated back up monitor. Any problem tapping off the reverse wire on the push button Allison control to allow the back up view to work in automatic mode ? Anything I should be aware of other than finding the right lead off the bottom of the transmission control panel to run the signal to the dash head unit when reverse is engaged ?

[Jon Wehrenberg]

I get very afraid of tapping into devices that might be sensitive to loads. It may be perfectly fine, but I have learned on some systems it is not. I know the distance is an issue, but have you considered seeking the forward connection to the back up lights and using that? If the load is high it would be pretty easy to use a relay to carry the new unit.

Prevost wiring diagrams are on line at the Prevost Car site and those diagrams will help you find the specific location of components and the wire numbers. If you have trouble and can wait one of the seminars in Austin will be a tutorial on how to navigate the diagrams and Prevost Car site.

[Abaco]

Jon- The distance is only a few feet from the electronic transmission controller to dash camera. I do not need to make a run to camera in the back. What other "forward connection" do you refer to ? Thank you.