ThinkNavi GPS Mount review

MikeB · Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 9:50 pm Post subject: ThinkNavi GPS Mount review

There seems to be a trend in PDA design towards smaller speakers and reduced audio levels and as we are using PDAs more and more for in-car navigation systems this lack of volume is becoming a critical issue. A newcomer in the field of amplified speaker GPS mounts is ThinkNavi.

The ThinkNavi range of GPS mounts feature a nicely designed compact cradle with an integrated amplified speaker and a flip up 12 channel GPS receiver and it is powered via a single cable.

Is this a viable solution to GPS and low volume ourput PDAs? Click here to read Richard's review and find out...
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Mike Barrett

paulbo · Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 10:32 pm Post subject:

I've often wondered if we'll see a holder which has an amplifier/speaker built in, but which is able to get the speaker signal from the connector at the bottom, rather than having to plug a 3.5mm jack into the top of the PDA. Has anybody seen one of these?

MikeB · Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 10:43 pm Post subject:

There were some rumors about Seidio producing one for the 5400/5500 iPAQs, but I havent seen any. These are about the only PDAs where the audio output socket is on the underside. They are supposed to connect using the serial connector for power/data and the audio plug for sound. Looking at the Seidio website it is very difficult to work out if this ever saw the light of day.

As far as I know the audio signal is not output on the normal serial/sync connector.
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Mike Barrett

emjaiuk · Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2005 12:42 pm Post subject:

Mike

Do you mean the G2500? I've been using one of these since they first came out for 5450/5550. The first one failed after about 3 months with a loss of power, but I was impressed with the way in which it was replaced, and I've had no problems at all with the replacement. I'm very impressed `with the way it just slips in and slips out with no seperate plug in connections. Good sound volumn and the ability to charge my ematc.

Malcolm
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Go740L App 9.510 Europe 985.8155
RDS_TMC mount
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Oldie · Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2005 12:53 pm Post subject:

mdj1 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Aug 03, 2005 Posts: 10

Hi All,

New to PDA's Just purchased a Axim x50v and have been told that the THINKnavi mount will be available mid August for these.

I have seen a couple of other GPS / Speaker cradles, but their design is bulky. One of them has the speaker underneath and it makes the bottom of the cradle about half the size of the PDA itself!!

Just my 2pence worth
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Regards.

Mark

Oldie · Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2005 8:07 am Post subject:

Mark,

The ThinkNavi mount is certainly very neat and I would have bought one for my iPAQ h6340 if it had been compatible.

Richard
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Various TomToms, Garmin eTrex Legend, GPSMAP 60CSx, Oregon 550t, Forerunner 405

nileshpateluk · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 10, 2005 Posts: 1

Hi,

I have tried to use this cradle with an I-mate PDA2K.

The GPS works fine.

But when I receive an incoming call, I get a great deal of feedback from the speaker on the PDA. I have a Parrot Bluetooth Evolution car kit (Without GPS) I think the speaker on the cradle is interfering with the speaker on the phone. The only way to stop the feedback is to :

1. Remove the phone from the cradle and put down phone approx 12 inches or more away from cradle ( But you will lose GPS connection because its not in the cradle).

2. Disconnect the 5V adapter from the cradle, (But this also loses the GPS Connection, because there is no power to the cradle).

You would have thought that thinkware systems corp (the people who make this cradle) would have tested this scenario, especially when the cradle is specifically designed for this PDA ( I-mate PDA2k/QTEk 9090/XDA 2s), which has a built in phone also.

I would like to know if anyone has found a workaround for this problem.

I would like to use GPS navigation and Phone together. I am sure it is possible. Anythings possible !!!

PLEASE HELP !!!

Thanks,

Nilesh.

harjman · Occasional Visitor Joined: Aug 12, 2005 Posts: 1

can anyone please tell which options to choose when setting up tomtom5 with the thinknavi cradle and mda3

is it other cable connection, if so which port as none of them seem to work

thanks a lot, I know this is my first post and I am asking for things already but I am desprate to get this working.

cheers

ashleey · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 15, 2005 Posts: 31

Looks like a very good gps mount as my seidio g2500 is bulky and doesn't even have a gps receiver built in (and the speaker doesn't work).

Does anyone know if this Navitec mount has a connection for an external antenna (my car has to have one as it has the reflective glass)?

Would it work with the power supply I have hardwired to the ignition for my seidio mount?

Appreciate any help, thanks in advance

MikeB · Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 4:15 pm Post subject:

The ThinkNavi Mount that I have does not have a socket for an external antenna. So that would not suit your requirements.

It does have a normal iPAQ style 5v power connector.
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Mike Barrett

ashleey · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 15, 2005 Posts: 31

thanks for the info, shame about the external connection

astrocompass · Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 10:49 pm Post subject: ThinkNAVI

Bought this on the strength of the review. Service from Handtec very good - very fast delivery, problem free.

Had a bit of an issue with gaining a first satellite fix. Thought it might have been a problem with the unit, but an email from Handtec suggested up to 45 mins wait for first connection. Bit like the railways, then. Eventually got a first fix after 42 minutes - the original GPS unit supplied with TTN 3 fixed in under a minute. Now the ThinkNAVI fixes almost instantly.

That aside, this is a neat bit of kit - much less wiring lurking on the dash than with the TTN 3 GPS, sound is good, fixes to the airvent and can be stashed quickly. Excellent stuff. Plus - just for the record - I don't have any issues with TTN 5! Thanks to you guys for the info and review - this is exactly what I've been looking for.

Now, can anyone provide help and support about how to use a 1943 Air Ministry AstroCompass? It doesn't show the M6 Toll Road......

iPaq 2210, TTN3, TTN5.1 GPS 1.2, PNY 256Mb SD, PNY 512Mb CF, ThinkNAVI cradle.

Oldie · Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 11:17 pm Post subject:

I am pleased to read that you like the mount, it certainly is very neat and well made. Mike Barrett had tried the mount before sending it to me for the review so I did not experience the 45 min first fix wait - like you I would have been a bit worried as I have never had to wait that long when using a new GPS receiver.

Any comments Mike Question

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Various TomToms, Garmin eTrex Legend, GPSMAP 60CSx, Oregon 550t, Forerunner 405

Handtec · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jun 27, 2005 Posts: 9

Hi All

Our first shipment of Thinknavi cradles were tested in the far east to eliminate any faulty units - thus their internal memory had Korean GPS Data.

This is the primary reason why the first fix may take a long while and the internal memory needs to re-adjust itself - however following this initial first fix any future fixes should be much quicker.

when using the cradle with mapping software such as Tomtom. Please use the following settings

Serial Cable on Com 1
Baud Rate 4800

Please make sure that on XDA devices that the Beam (under connections) is disabled.

Any further info or help can be obtained at cservises@gpsk.com

Azer
www.handtec.com
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