CoPilot 6 Review

Bazzer · Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2005 4:09 pm Post subject:

Hi Elmo, I hope you are having fun with your new toy. You do realise that you will be inundated with requests to check certain aspects of CP6.

One of my bug bears with CP5 was the text to speech. Is this any better than CP5 ? Are the instructions any clearer ? Does it still pronounce 'Miles' as 'Meeles' ??

Additionally, I used to find when joining motorways, the instruction would be very vague. For example, leaving M58 to join M6. Currently my TomTom says; "Cross Roundabot 2nd Exit and then take the Motorway". In this case, the 2nd exit is the sliproad to join the M6, which is accurate.

All CP5 would say is; "Take Preston J", which is complete nonsense.

Does CP6 give clearer and more accurate instructions at motorway interections ?

I won't bombard you with too many requests at the moment as I'm sure you will be very busy Wink

Cheers

Baz
_________________
Garmin DriveSmart 61 LMT-D
TomTom Go 50 - Going in the BIN
TomTom Go 730 (RIP)
Garmin Montana 650
Garmin Oregon 45oT
Garmin Edge 1000
Tracklogs Digital Mapping

iankb · Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2005 4:23 pm Post subject:

BMWBiker · Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2005 4:28 pm Post subject:

Bazzer · Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2005 5:02 pm Post subject:

Hi BMWBiker, that's fine, but it still doesn't tell me which way to go at the roundabout.

Heading the other way along ther M58 towards Liverpool, you reach a major junction where M58, M57, A59 & A5036 meet. CP5 would only announce 'Take Liverpool J'. As you say, the 'J' can be replaced with almost anything you want, but it still does not tell you which way to go; 1st exit, 2nd exit, 3rd exit or Turn Right.

I know that I'm heading for Liverpool, but I need it to tell me which way I should actually turn (spoken turn-by-turn instructions).

My question to Elmo was whether CP6 addressed this particular problem.

Cheers

Baz
_________________
Garmin DriveSmart 61 LMT-D
TomTom Go 50 - Going in the BIN
TomTom Go 730 (RIP)
Garmin Montana 650
Garmin Oregon 45oT
Garmin Edge 1000
Tracklogs Digital Mapping

PONDEROUS · Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2005 8:10 pm Post subject:

I've never found the sound of the TTS voice a problem, and that includes the "Meeles" issue. Perhaps I have been preoccupied with issues that actually affect navigation - like ambiguous or otherwise unclear instructions.

The audibility of CP 5's TTS certainly was a problem. As with iankb (if I understand him correctly), I resorted to external amplification. In my case, this was a Bluetooth Headset paired with the PDA. With one in each ear (the other for my 'phone), I really look the part!!! This has not proved necessary with TomTom, whose voice is sufficiently audible straight from the PDA.

Having said this, although it would not be one of my own priorities when choosing between applications, I think that a proper recorded human voice is likely to be a selling point. TomTom not only looks pretty, but it also sounds pretty. Surely this will influence purchasers - many of whom, like me when I first started, don't know how well the various brands will actually work.

As for Copilot's own WAV voice, it appears that, even in CP 6, it still only gives a small percentage of instructions, so it is of no use (I think elmo described it as "POOP"). The inevitable question is, then, why include the ****** thing at all?
_________________
Dell Axims X50v & X30 (both WM 2003 2nd Edition). Copilot BTGPS3 and Fortuna Clip-on BT receivers. Jabra BT 250 audio headsets. Welltech 40032/AF32 BT handsfree audio. Copilot 6.0.4.110. TomTom Navigator 5.21. MS Autoroute/Pocket Streets 2005

PONDEROUS · Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2005 8:22 pm Post subject:

Further to my most recent post regarding audibility, I should perhaps make it clear that I use the car radio or CD player, which are a must, for me at least, on long journeys. I still want to hear the navigation instructions.
_________________
Dell Axims X50v & X30 (both WM 2003 2nd Edition). Copilot BTGPS3 and Fortuna Clip-on BT receivers. Jabra BT 250 audio headsets. Welltech 40032/AF32 BT handsfree audio. Copilot 6.0.4.110. TomTom Navigator 5.21. MS Autoroute/Pocket Streets 2005

elmo · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 08, 2005 Posts: 5

well well well, where to start

BMWBiker · Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 1:16 am Post subject:

Thanks very much, Elmo.

I will order US V6 soon.

I look forward to more of your first impressions.
_________________
Doug
CoPilot 6.0.1.24 (USA)
Compaq iPaq 3970, with PC2003
Navman sleeve (3400)
Blue Tooth GPS

efjay · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 03, 2005 Posts: 29

BMWBiker, i would be interested in your opinion of copilot for the US especially the map data. I am currently using Destinator PN and it doesnt look like they will be updating it to run properly on WM5. Thanks

dpdurst · Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 8:45 am Post subject:

I should have my CP6 next week and will post some info as well for the US as I run WM5 on my new IPAQ.

PONDEROUS · Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 9:33 am Post subject:

BMWBiker asked:

PONDEROUS · Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 9:37 am Post subject:

Apologies. Correction.

In the above post, I meant to say

"... when Shortest routing and 100% favour the smallest roads are both selected, shortest routes (or reasonably near to them) are obtained and the smallest roads actually used wherever possible between start and destination".

(Missing word added in bold).
_________________
Dell Axims X50v & X30 (both WM 2003 2nd Edition). Copilot BTGPS3 and Fortuna Clip-on BT receivers. Jabra BT 250 audio headsets. Welltech 40032/AF32 BT handsfree audio. Copilot 6.0.4.110. TomTom Navigator 5.21. MS Autoroute/Pocket Streets 2005

dpdurst · Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 1:19 pm Post subject:

Ponderous I believe this was answered half way in one of the first posts but he has not elaborated yet further on any other routing. it would appear that at least it works somewhat better getting you there on the correct roads which was one of the things it was not doing before

<snip?
the calculation route thingy. the shortest route works well, London City Center to Dublin City Center does take you via holyhead. havent had time, to do the rest, lemme no if u want more details on it, i.e route, time etc
<snip>

However other peoples impression on how this works may be wildely different than your perception on how it would/should work. Relying on others opinion may not be a good idea as we have seen in CP5, it did work for others, yet for you and others it did not. As in all things, your the only one that will know by you using it if its really working as you wish. Which means buy it! It can't be really any worse? and you should be able to return it for knowing your results should take less than 30 days if its not any better.

PONDEROUS · Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 2:19 pm Post subject:

Thanks, dpdurst.

As BMWBiker has said, this is a question of reasonableness. Where a route exceeds truly shortest by 30%, 50% or even further quite simply is not a question of taste, preference, perception etc.

When it comes down to excluding or including road preferences, reasonable means no less than absolute requirements in some cases. For example, if it says "exclude motorways" or, perhaps "exclude motorways 100%", then that is what it must do - unless there simply is no alternative route. It simply won't do that it MIGHT exclude them, not least because a learner-driver might be confronted with a motorway, then have to go miles further than expected. I won't pack the thread with more examples, but hopefully you can see what I mean.

I have my own Copilot 6 now, so will be able to make up my own mind. I shall try to keep my input to a minimum until I have had time to see the position vis-a-vis all of the historic issues, and how the product is performing generally. When I do make further comment, I shall, as always, take pains to acknowledge where there may be other opinions, etc., and I hope that this can be a key principle for everyone from now on.

What I shall not be doing is worrying whether I dare state bald facts because someone might imagine that they too are matters of opinion. The problem for anyone who believes this is their problem, and the same goes for believing that one must not mention something that is not working properly.

I am looking forward to a much-improved product, and to singing its praises ASAP.
_________________
Dell Axims X50v & X30 (both WM 2003 2nd Edition). Copilot BTGPS3 and Fortuna Clip-on BT receivers. Jabra BT 250 audio headsets. Welltech 40032/AF32 BT handsfree audio. Copilot 6.0.4.110. TomTom Navigator 5.21. MS Autoroute/Pocket Streets 2005

dpdurst · Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 3:52 pm Post subject:

Hope all works out for the best, I know I'll be waiting for mine as there were a few weird routing issues when using the home setting on the fly and driving. btw: is the input keyboard really big enough to use fingers only???

	PocketGPS
	Web