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Tv On Your SatNav - It Appears It's The Future...
Article by: maft
Date: 22 Dec 2009
 Love it or hate it, it appears that TV on your SatNav is going to be even more prevalent in the coming months and years. Mobile TV Chip company, Siano, have announced new deals with Garmin, Navigon and Mio/Navman. Personally I would prefer it if they got their routing software and map updates up to scratch first and then add the fancy extras. As much as I love watching Family Guy I doubt I would ever want to watch it on my SatNav...!
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 Posted by MikeB on Tue Dec 22, 2009 4:51 pm |
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Shortly after receiving the press release I was phoned by Siano requesting a meeting at CES in January. If you have any questions regarding TV on a PND post them here and I will ask Siano about them when we meet.
Mike Barrett |
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| Posted by worried on Tue Dec 22, 2009 6:02 pm |
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Its illegal to have a TV (Or DVD) in the eye sight of a driver
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| Posted by Darren on Tue Dec 22, 2009 7:27 pm |
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| worried Wrote: | | Its illegal to have a TV (Or DVD) in the eye sight of a driver |
"Whilst the vehicle is in motion".
But regardless, this is not something I wish to see, there are more than enough distractions as it is and given the number of posts you see on car forums where cars have TV fitted by the manufacturer asking how to defeat the safety locks, it is clear that drivers can't be trusted to exercise common sense when using these services.
The only saving grace is that for now at least DVB signal is so poor in the UK that outside of a few city areas it will be all but impossible to receive a TV signal using the built-in aerial.
Darren Griffin |
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| Posted by ernstn on Tue Dec 22, 2009 7:44 pm |
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I completely agree with Darren. You can almost see the headline 'mother and child killed because driver was watching TV'. Drivers should watch the road not TV!
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| Posted by NickG on Wed Dec 23, 2009 9:34 am |
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| worried Wrote: | | Its illegal to have a TV (Or DVD) in the eye sight of a driver |
It's not in some countries.
EDIT: rest of post deleted because I was wrong!  - see below.
Twitter: @nickg_uk |
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| Posted by Philip on Wed Dec 23, 2009 9:49 am |
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| NickG Wrote: | | For instance in the UK, it's totally legal and some high end cars come with TVs and DVD players built into the dashboard. |
My 2001 BMW M5 has a TV built in. However, the picture only operates when the handbrake is on, and I understand that this restriction is in place to comply with UK Construction and Use legislation.
I can never understand why anybody would want to have a TV picture visible while they are driving, but the BMW forums are always active with questions about "TV In Motion" overrides.
Philip |
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| Posted by Darren on Wed Dec 23, 2009 9:50 am |
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It is unlawful to have a TV in a car where the driver can see it whilst the vehicle is moving. This is a specific offence rather than the catchall of careless driving.
I can't locate the actual legislation in a quick Google but it is there somewhere!
Darren Griffin |
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| Posted by NickG on Wed Dec 23, 2009 9:59 am |
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Sorry you're correct! I was told by two different people it was an urban myth.
| Quote: | Under Regulation 109 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, it is an offence to drive a motor vehicle on a road if the driver is in such a position as to be able to see, whether directly or by reflection, a television screen showing anything other than information:
(a) about the state of the vehicle or equipment;
(b) about the location of the vehicle and the road on which it is located;
(c) to assist the driver to see the road adjacent to the vehicle;
(d) to assist the driver to reach his destination. |
Source: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200102/ldhansrd/vo020114/text/20114w03.htm
Twitter: @nickg_uk |
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| Posted by MaFt on Wed Dec 23, 2009 10:19 am |
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| NickG Wrote: | | Quote: | Under Regulation 109 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, it is an offence to drive a motor vehicle on a road if the driver is in such a position as to be able to see, whether directly or by reflection, a television screen showing anything other than information:
SNIP
(d) to assist the driver to reach his destination. |
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i can just imagine some muppet claiming that he needed to have the tv on to stay awake while driving - thus it assisted them to reach their destination!!
one question i'd like to ask is the intended use of the tv - is it for in the car or for in your tent while you are camping? if the latter then, realistically, how long will the battery last? or will satnav manufacturers start including proper power supplies instead of a usb lead that simply puts the device into 'connected to computer' mode?!
MaFt
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| Posted by Darren on Wed Dec 23, 2009 10:24 am |
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I would hope that the TV function will be secured such that it won't work once the vehicle is moving using GPS data.
But even so, it could be easily bypassed by blocking the GPS signal.
Darren Griffin |
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| Posted by MikeB on Wed Dec 23, 2009 10:54 am |
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| Darren Wrote: | I would hope that the TV function will be secured such that it won't work once the vehicle is moving using GPS data.
But even so, it could be easily bypassed by blocking the GPS signal. |
That would make it an expensive portable TV though. There are much cheaper options out there.
One could argue that is is reasonable to give the "TV" to the kids in the back whilst driving down the motorway.
I have been out in Hong Kong and Taiwan and experienced Taxi Drivers watching TV whilst driving and I can tell you it is pretty scary, not a habit to be encouraged.
Mike Barrett |
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