Garmin Nuvi simulator

Road_Runner · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 06, 2008 Posts: 16

Has anyone any experience of using the simulator on a nuvi, particularly 670? I find it stops after a few miles and won't restart, although all the other functions seem to work. Do other nuvis work OK? Any feedback would be useful.

PaulB2005 · Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 5:55 pm Post subject:

Hi and welcome.

Mine runs for about 30 minutes (i think) and then it stops. I also think there is a set distance so it's something like 30 minutes or 25 miles, whichever is the shorter.

When you say "a few miles" how many is a few?

When you say "won't restart" what do you mean? If you mean it won't loop the demo, it doesn't do that.

Road_Runner · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 06, 2008 Posts: 16

Thanks Paul
I found the simulator stops dead after about the same time/distance as you did - about 25 miles or half an hour. It varies from as low as 3 miles to as much as 26. It reaches a certain point, then the 'car' starts to flip around, then point in different directions for around 10 minutes, then stops altogether. The touch screen will still respond, so I can go to a higher magnification for example, and do all the usual things, no problems, but I cannot make the journey continue from that point, except by doing a detour, which defeats the object of the simulator.

Garmin support's response was to think about taking the unit in; I don't really want to do that as my better half doesn't want to be parted with 'Daniel'! On top of which I can manage (just about) without the simulator, by reference to real maps. It's slightly annoying though, as it looks like a fairly basic software error. If there is a limitation on the range of the simulator, why isn't it documented?

Am I just being pedantic about this? I've found no other references to the simulator in the various forums, so perhaps nobody else bothers with it?

I'm grateful for your response - it's been almost impossible to find anyone to talk to about it! I did get a relation in Regina to check his unit (nuvi 760) and he had no problems.

PaulB2005 · Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 1:24 pm Post subject:

Road_Runner · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 06, 2008 Posts: 16

Ah Tolworth - the very name brings a lump to my throat.

I like to plan journeys ahead, if only to avoid the 'turn left onto the railway line' problem (the Norman's Bay diversion). But if the simulator doesn't work, I'll do it the old fashioned way!

(If you've seen any feedback on Garmin RoadTrip I'd be interested)

Thanks!
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Garmin 670T Europe and North America maps.

PaulB2005 · Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 2:09 pm Post subject:

Once you have the route plotted just say NO to simulating the route. You'll then be returned to the map screen at the start of your route. Tap the green instruction bar at the top of the screen and you'll get the turn by turn instructions to scroll through using the arrows at the bottom right of the screen. If you tap one of the instructions you'll also get a map of the turns which are zoom-able.

Garmin RoadTrip - I'll have a look later....

Road_Runner · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 06, 2008 Posts: 16

Thanks Paul.

Messing about yesterday I found a 'black hole' on the North Circular Road. Whenever I tried to simulate a route across it, eastwards or westwards, it froze, as previously described. The curious thing is that that point coincides with the Greenwich Meridian. Work that one out! Programming fault I'd say. Disappointing that Garmin let these things out, but this one at least is fairly harmless. We manage.
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Garmin 670T Europe and North America maps.

philpugh · Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 10:21 am Post subject:

Road_Runner · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 06, 2008 Posts: 16

Hi Phil, thanks!
The lat/long was from Google Earth - just as a common source of reference really. I should have mentioned that.

Anyway, I've discovered that the 'Black Holes' are not limited to the 'meridian' ones at:

51deg 35' 58.96"N 0E/W
51deg 16' 06.87"N 0E/W

(There are loads more on the 'meridian'.)

The same marks as mentioned before are at these co-ordinates (Google Earth again):

51deg 14' 57.87" N 0deg 30' 01.44"W
51deg 23' 45.71" N 0deg 29' 59.77" W

(So near enough 30', and there's lots more of those as well)

They are probably some sort of indicator for the sat nav software, and seem to have no effect on the normal route calculations. However, they do crash the simulator. I haven't found similar marks further out from Greenwich, but there may well be some out there. Users may well spot them and wonder what they are for a nanosecond. I'd be curious to know if other units have these marks as well. Only curious, not dying to know.

No response from Garmin support on the simulator problem; I guess it's not a priority.
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Garmin 670T Europe and North America maps.

PaulB2005 · Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 7:48 pm Post subject:

Do you have the latest firmware for the unit installed?

Road_Runner · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 06, 2008 Posts: 16

I believe so, just installed SV4.60 recently.
Audio version 1.10
GPS SW version 2.90.

Map City Navigator Europe NT 2009
City Navigator North America NT 2008

Just ran Webupdater which confirms I've got the latest software. I'm going to install the latest 'Daniel' voice (we like him) and Bluetooth firmware, not that I use it yet. Not sure about 'GPS Chipset type G' or firmware for GTMxx Traffic Receiver; would you advise installing them? (My unit is a Nuvi 670T, so with the Traffic Master option).

Thanks!
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Garmin 670T Europe and North America maps.

PaulB2005 · Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 8:23 am Post subject:

Road_Runner · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 06, 2008 Posts: 16

I've installed the GPS version 3.00 and GTM Traffic modules and re-tested, but there's no change in the effects, still the same problems. I even changed the car - well you never know. The marks on the roads are still there, and I assume they are common to all Garmin maps.

Thanks for the feedback; I'm going to keep an eye on these forums, as there's interesting stuff turning up all the time (and everyone's so polite), and perhaps Garmin will come up with a simulator that works one of these days. I'm not going to hold my breath!

jim208046 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jun 06, 2007 Posts: 2

I ran a simulation from London to Cornwall the unit (760 Traffic) ran fine all the way down the M4 - M5 - A30 etc took about 4 hours, did not stick. Would be useful to speed it up as it just seems to run at the allowable speed limit for the road.

Road_Runner · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 06, 2008 Posts: 16

Thanks, that's interesting. It may well be that the nuvi 700 series firmware doesn't have the problem. I'd be curious to know if you see those marks on the roads that I mentioned above, and if your simulation crosses them without problems. I assume your 'run' to Cornwall included roundabouts? My 670T seems prone to stopping the simulation at these - I assumed it was because they really don't have those in the USA, so were not programmed for!

I agree the simulator could do with a 'fast forward' button - your perseverance in running a four hour simulation is laudable! Perhaps if the simulator was more user-friendly more people would use it in planning routes? It sort of sounds like a reasonably good idea.
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Garmin 670T Europe and North America maps.

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