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Joined: Dec 29, 2005 Posts: 222 Location: teesside
Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2006 10:41 am Post subject:
alan_t wrote:
at the end of the day, does it really matter if the i3 routes different ways???
i see like this, as long as it gets me to a unkown place, i could'nt care less.
_________________ **********************************
Hi ho - Hi ho its off to Arran i go,
with my i3 and a cup of tea hi ho, hi ho
hi ho hi ho.....
**********************************
www.ride4smiles.co.uk
at the end of the day, does it really matter if the i3 routes different ways???
i see like this, as long as it gets me to a unkown place, i could'nt care less.
Fine - then don't worry about it. If it doesn't matter to you, then it doesn't matter to you.
As to the routing inconsistently - I'm not suggesting that the overall result is that bad - more like I'm just finding a lack of confidence in a device that can't be consistent over very basic funtionality.
I wouldn't complain about the lack of features found in other GPSs, or known limitations - that are merely that - capabilities perhaps found in more expensive units.
But what I do expect, is that it gets simple navigation, consistent. Otherwise, it makes me question WHY it's not getting the navigation consistent. Let's face it - this is the most very basic, core function of the i3 - not some value add, or some additional feature - but it's most fundamental point.
Now sure, it may always get you there - but when you're travelling with your family and the i3 decides to take you on some rather funky routes, it's not just me who treats the device with suspicion.
The i3 being a basic, limited, no-frills sat nav device, isn't likely to make me look elsewhere - because that's all I really want - something to make life easy getting from A to B. The "safety camera" thing being a big bonus to me. But having a device that can be quite inconsistent in route planning, is going to make me lose confidence, and eventually consider whether I should be using something else.
Joined: Dec 29, 2005 Posts: 222 Location: teesside
Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2006 1:28 pm Post subject:
Lester did you ever get to try two units side by side? _________________ **********************************
Hi ho - Hi ho its off to Arran i go,
with my i3 and a cup of tea hi ho, hi ho
hi ho hi ho.....
**********************************
www.ride4smiles.co.uk
I too found the i3 to be "apparently inconsistent" but came to the conclusion that it is actually ultra accurate and ultra sensitive.
I found that sitting in my drive, switching the unit on, waiting for Sat lock and the route being calculated Before driving off gave me a different result to doing exactly the same thing less than half mile down the road and a different result again, less than half mail further down the road (not just just down side streets but three quite completely different directions - all of which were perfectly reasonable).
I found that if I parked in those same 3 spots and repeated the test, the route was always exactly the same as the previous time I parked there and so was completely consistent. At one point I found that moving less than 20 yards along the road made the difference from one route and another.
I concluded that if the i3 believes one route is as little as 1 second second quicker or 1 foot shorter, it will pick that route.
Joined: Dec 29, 2005 Posts: 222 Location: teesside
Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2006 1:41 pm Post subject:
BAVC10 wrote:
I found that if I parked in those same 3 spots and repeated the test, the route was always exactly the same as the previous time I parked there and so was completely consistent. At one point I found that moving less than 20 yards along the road made the difference from one route and another.
I concluded that if the i3 believes one route is as little as 1 second quicker or 1 foot shorter, it will pick that route.
Seems both plausible and logical _________________ **********************************
Hi ho - Hi ho its off to Arran i go,
with my i3 and a cup of tea hi ho, hi ho
hi ho hi ho.....
**********************************
www.ride4smiles.co.uk
yeh it do seem logical, though it seems a abit strange that some use the i3 to navigate to somewhere they know where they are going.
Did you read the reasons why I, and others, gave for using the i3 on routes I know? And is it still a bit strange, then???
I may know the route I take. If I get diverted, then quite possibly I won't. And rather than have to fiddle with the i3 whilst I'm driving - not easy or recommended, or pull over and stop - which again may not be easy depending on the road, it's easier to have it navigating, and let it recalculate.
Why shouldn't people do so? Because it might highlight something that others may not be comfortable with?
It's the one thing I don't get - people raise what seems like odd functioning of the i3 - and others completely miss or ignore that, and start a commentary on why people use the i3 - did you ever stop to realise why that might be?
I too found the i3 to be "apparently inconsistent" but came to the conclusion that it is actually ultra accurate and ultra sensitive.
I found that sitting in my drive, switching the unit on, waiting for Sat lock and the route being calculated Before driving off gave me a different result to doing exactly the same thing less than half mile down the road and a different result again, less than half mail further down the road (not just just down side streets but three quite completely different directions - all of which were perfectly reasonable).
I found that if I parked in those same 3 spots and repeated the test, the route was always exactly the same as the previous time I parked there and so was completely consistent. At one point I found that moving less than 20 yards along the road made the difference from one route and another.
I concluded that if the i3 believes one route is as little as 1 second second quicker or 1 foot shorter, it will pick that route.
Whilst I understand and don't dispute your logic - the scenario I find isn't explained away like that.
Sure, I buy with slight variances in road position to start, there may be some slight variances in how it gets you to main roads - I get that.
What I wouldn't expect is that to influence motorway and junction choice towards the middle of a journey.
The routing algorithm can take all or some of the below factors into consideration.
Distance
Number of links (road segments)
Class of road (similar to Motorway, A and B road, but not a one to one relationship)
Speed Category of the road
Speed Limit
Number of intersections
Where you start your journey especially if you are not on the digitized map data will also have a huge bearing. If you start your journey whilst on your driveway the routing will not start to calculate until you hit the map network. When it does start routing it will perform a rough guess to make sure you get directions as soon as possible. It will then recalculate when it has time.
If you enter your destination on the road network, it may calculate fully before you drive off, giving you different directions.
The routing algorithm can take all or some of the below factors into consideration.
Distance
Number of links (road segments)
Class of road (similar to Motorway, A and B road, but not a one to one relationship)
Speed Category of the road
Speed Limit
Number of intersections
Where you start your journey especially if you are not on the digitized map data will also have a huge bearing. If you start your journey whilst on your driveway the routing will not start to calculate until you hit the map network. When it does start routing it will perform a rough guess to make sure you get directions as soon as possible. It will then recalculate when it has time.
If you enter your destination on the road network, it may calculate fully before you drive off, giving you different directions.
Accepting all the factors that are used by the routing algorithm, 2 questions:-
1. Would you expect something like MS Autoroute to calculate differing routes, based on slightly differing starting points (if we accept the suggestion that the variance in based on that). If so, why so, if not why not?
2. Would you expect or do you believe that A N Other GPS device - eg a Tom Tom, to produce variances / inconsistencies in the routes provided? If so, why so, if not why not?
Now clearly something that another poster pointed out, around small streets, and based on starting orientation - the i3 is unlikely to direct you to do a u-turn, if it can easily circumvent by another means. However, I don't buy that initial local and small scale road selection - perhaps to get you on main roads / main routes out of a city, would affect the major aspect of the route chosen (ie motorway selection and junction usage).
Joined: Dec 29, 2005 Posts: 222 Location: teesside
Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2006 4:38 pm Post subject:
A brave man...
alan_t wrote:
yeh it do seem logical, though it seems a abit strange that some use the i3 to navigate to somewhere they know where they are going.
... a very brave man! _________________ **********************************
Hi ho - Hi ho its off to Arran i go,
with my i3 and a cup of tea hi ho, hi ho
hi ho hi ho.....
**********************************
www.ride4smiles.co.uk
Joined: Nov 04, 2003 Posts: 2225 Location: Bedfordshire, UK
Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2006 4:42 pm Post subject:
Lester_Burnham wrote:
2. Would you expect or do you believe that A N Other GPS device - eg a Tom Tom, to produce variances / inconsistencies in the routes provided? If so, why so, if not why not?
Yes, I think I would.
If I ask my car built in SatNav (over £1600 RRP) to calculate the route to my main place of work whilst still in my close it asks me to go left onto the main road to go one way to work. If I make it to the main road and turn right (my preferred route) before it finishes calculating, it accepts that and keeps using that route. Sometimes if I am nearly at the roundabout, it tells me to turn right, but further back up the road it would have said turn left.
2. Would you expect or do you believe that A N Other GPS device - eg a Tom Tom, to produce variances / inconsistencies in the routes provided? If so, why so, if not why not?
Yes, I think I would.
If I ask my car built in SatNav (over £1600 RRP) to calculate the route to my main place of work whilst still in my close it asks me to go left onto the main road to go one way to work. If I make it to the main road and turn right (my preferred route) before it finishes calculating, it accepts that and keeps using that route. Sometimes if I am nearly at the roundabout, it tells me to turn right, but further back up the road it would have said turn left.
I'm not talking about route alternatives on fairly local roads.
I'm talking about a difference in the route 15, 20, or 25 miles away.
Clearly with variable start points, local aspect of a route may vary - no problems with that.
What I'm talking about is a fairly obvious route, with main motorway segments, and variation in the motorways / junctions used, some distance into the journey.
The routing algorithm can take all or some of the below factors into consideration.
Distance
Number of links (road segments)
Class of road (similar to Motorway, A and B road, but not a one to one relationship)
Speed Category of the road
Speed Limit
Number of intersections
Where you start your journey especially if you are not on the digitized map data will also have a huge bearing. If you start your journey whilst on your driveway the routing will not start to calculate until you hit the map network. When it does start routing it will perform a rough guess to make sure you get directions as soon as possible. It will then recalculate when it has time.
If you enter your destination on the road network, it may calculate fully before you drive off, giving you different directions.
Accepting all the factors that are used by the routing algorithm, 2 questions:-
1. Would you expect something like MS Autoroute to calculate differing routes, based on slightly differing starting points (if we accept the suggestion that the variance in based on that). If so, why so, if not why not?
2. Would you expect or do you believe that A N Other GPS device - eg a Tom Tom, to produce variances / inconsistencies in the routes provided? If so, why so, if not why not?
Now clearly something that another poster pointed out, around small streets, and based on starting orientation - the i3 is unlikely to direct you to do a u-turn, if it can easily circumvent by another means. However, I don't buy that initial local and small scale road selection - perhaps to get you on main roads / main routes out of a city, would affect the major aspect of the route chosen (ie motorway selection and junction usage).
1. Yes I would expect (and have seen) variances depending on where you start.
2. As 1.
If the route has not fully calculated before you start your journey, the system will try to route you towards the nearest main road.
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