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Directional Warnings for All (Well, Nearly...!)
Article by: maft
Date: 22 Sep 2009
 A small number of devices and software manufacturers offer directional support for speed cameras. An even smaller number allow such a feature for 3rd party data providers such as PocketGPSWorld.com. Anyone using one of our 'directional databases' will already know the benefits of far less false alerts and only being alerted to cameras that affect you (i.e. not those on the other side of the road).
We regularly see emails, support tickets and forum posts asking why the database alerts to those cameras on the wrong side of the road. Unfortunately, even though we have this data for a large proportion of our cameras, the devices simply cannot use it.
As a workaround until more manufacturers decide to allow this functionality we will be adding the approximate direction to the camera ID. For ease of use this will be simplified to N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW and with an extra R for reversible. The majority of downloads will feature this additional text and any devices that display the POI name will obviously display the direction of the camera. Clearly this method will not stop false alerts but you can see at a quick glance which direction the camera captures in.
So, expect to see W-MOBILE:53183@30 near you soon - well, if you live near Reigate!
| Comments
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 Posted by Wazza_G on Tue Sep 22, 2009 4:41 pm |
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I'd rather have things exactly as they are thank you.
I for one can put up with the odd warning of a traffic camera a few metres away on another road.
I think it's best to KEEP IT SIMPLE. 
PS. If it's to be done then let's have it as an OPTION alongside the standard setup.
Be alert.. This country needs more lerts. |
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| Posted by MikeB on Tue Sep 22, 2009 5:18 pm |
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| Wazza_G Wrote: | I'd rather have things exactly as they are thank you.
I for one can put up with the odd warning of a traffic camera a few metres away on another road.
I think it's best to KEEP IT SIMPLE.
PS. If it's to be done then let's have it as an OPTION alongside the standard setup. |
Nothing will change from the the user's point of view other than the name of the camera.
Only systems designed to take note of directional data can use it, so your Garmin or TomTom will still alert you in exactly the same way as it does now.
Mike Barrett |
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| Posted by Andy_P on Tue Sep 22, 2009 6:19 pm |
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In fact, a TomTom never actually shows the name of the camera on-screen as you drive past it, so you won't notice any difference at all in normal use. ( I think that's the brand you use?)
"Settling in nicely" ;-) |
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| Posted by Wazza_G on Tue Sep 22, 2009 6:54 pm |
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You're correct & thank you Andy_P.
That's exactly what I wanted to hear.
Although as I'm having battery problems with my TTG720, I may change it in the new year. Any recommendations?
Be alert.. This country needs more lerts. |
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| Posted by mikealder on Tue Sep 22, 2009 8:18 pm |
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I would look in to fitting a new battery and keeping hold of the 720 to be honest as its still a decent navigation device - DIY fix will cost you under £20 although if you don't feel up to doing the battery swap out (which isn't easy due to the way its glued to the PCB) you could send it away for repair which will still be far cheaper than a new device - Mike
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| Posted by darrengsaw on Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:43 pm |
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I think that's a brilliant idea. It's a shame the big boys won't allow you to provide directional data, it's the only reason to use the Garmin/Cyclops system, I guess they know that too.
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| Posted by p60 on Fri Sep 25, 2009 6:28 pm |
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I'am using Novus Talisman on my TomTom 920 for camera alerts which is directional and works well, is it not possible for the pgpsworld to use the same system.
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| Posted by Sallyann on Sat Sep 26, 2009 12:44 pm |
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| MaFt Wrote: | | For ease of use this will be simplified to N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW and with an extra R for reversible. |
@MaFt
What benefit is there in 'simplifying' the bearings like this? The directional data from the PGPSW file still has to be processed for each make of GPS unit that accepts it, so I don't see how 'ease of use' comes into it.
I'm very disappointed if this means scrapping the accurate bearings that many of us have been carefully calculating and submitting over an extended period.
The Speedcams Builder program that I wrote for Mio devices will not work with this new input format, although I don't know how many of these devices are still in use. Certainly I still use one.
@M8TJT
You did a lot of work on the acceptance angle of iGO - based units when approaching cameras round a bend. In your experience will a bearing error of up to 15 degrees cause any problems, either with a camera on-route or on an adjacent or crossing road?
Sal
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| Posted by PaulB2005 on Sat Sep 26, 2009 1:12 pm |
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| Quote: | | I'm very disappointed if this means scrapping the accurate bearings that many of us have been carefully calculating and submitting over an extended period. |
I can't see that scrapping the directional data has been mentioned. As far as i can make out from above this is in addition to the accurate bearings for devices that can't use directional data but do display the camera name on approach.
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| Posted by M8TJT on Sat Sep 26, 2009 1:56 pm |
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Hi Sal, long time no hear.
I'm certain that MaFt is (edit to include NOT) NOT suggesting that he ditches the accurate directional data that I am still involved with, but just to give an indication on non-directional devices of the direction of the cam . I have done a bit more research into the IGO speed cam stuff and found that the acceptance angle can be adjusted, by altering a setting in the sys.txt file. I am currently running mine at 45 Deg, but believe that the default is somewhere around the 25 degs that my original investigations indicated. There is also a setting by which you can set the distance off the road, so I have set mine to about 30 meters (Yes, OK, I've done it in meters, but that does not mean that I am fully metricized yet) and have tested it against cams on nearby roads and this seems to work a treat. You only get alerts from cams on the right heading AND on the road that you are on even with no route set. It's absolutely super, and possibly the best solution of all. Shame about the SPECS implementation not being very good, but I have also programmed my way around this as well.
| Sallyann Wrote: |
The Speedcams Builder program that I wrote for Mio devices will not work with this new input format, although I don't know how many of these devices are still in use. Certainly I still use one.
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Does your prog work for p-mobiles etc.? I havnt checked.
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Igo based software IS compatible and is a wondrous thing. Also with a bit of tweaking you can set how close to your current road (as a measurment in Meters) that cam has to be to alert, so if a cam is on an adjacent road, even with with the same heading the s/w will reject it as an alert. Wonderful 
