Is the upgrade worth it?

DocInTheBox · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 01, 2004 Posts: 13

Been reading about the new upgrade to 3.0.75. If I remember correctly, we were promised many "upcoming" features when we bought 3.0. I was gratified by the free upgrade to 3.0.54, and then to 3.0.65, even though they were entirely bug fixes.

Has anyone forked over cash for the upgrades, and do you feel its worth it?

lynnk · Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2004 1:59 pm Post subject:

I've been wandering too. I have been disappointed in the company. D3 has some nice features but many things just don't work like they should and most of the upgrades we've seen have simply been fixes to things that should have worked correctly out of the box ... I'm not exactly thrilled about paying more to get what should have been there before. When you report a problem, you get a "thanks well pass it to the developers" message but no other feedback. Their webpage is a joke... especially the "Community" forum.... nothing ... absolutely nothing.

I have moved to CoPilot 5 Live as my primary PDA GPS system. They have some problems too but in general I think it is a better system. Too bad because I thought D3 was better than Copilot 4 and I had a lot of hope for the product but have lost the enthusiasm primarily because of poor company response. It would be nice to hear from somebody that tries the upgrade.

jellied · Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 12:06 pm Post subject:

I would love to know somebody how has upgraded, I have asked both support dept. if it is really an upgrade or a new install. Plus how easy is it to export/import POI. Can you say "show me the nearest xxxxx" or does it remain as in the old version where it assumes you know which POI you want to go.

lynnk · Posted: Wed Dec 01, 2004 1:19 pm Post subject:

Well ... I guess we're never going to know .... doesn't look like anyone is buying the upgrade........ or a least none of the people on this forum. I would think that a company would recognize when the public is not completely onboard with them and try to connect better. I know there were some Powerloc people reading the forum at one time. It would be prudent to show some good faith by correcting problems and making some upgrades and pass them along to current users at no cost ... not simply making some undescribed changes and then asking their customeres to pay more............ at the very least communicate with them so they know what to expect. This simply confirms my convictions on how they view their customers. Crying or Very sad

DocInTheBox · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 01, 2004 Posts: 13

Actually, check on GpsPassion - their forum give some user reviews. They also give a website that has a free download (as a CD ISO) of 3.0.75 from www.destinator.hu (hungary)

lynnk · Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2004 2:11 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the point tp Passions ... well it doesn't sound too bad .. I may give it a try for $25.

GPSinC3 · Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2004 8:24 pm Post subject:

The download gives you the software and a Hungary map, no cost, I have't tried to install it and I have gone mad Rolling Eyes

and ordered software with 2004 maps from GPSNOW, dollar rate is very attractive and they undercut Destinator direct anyway

May not be worth it, but I like the idea of turning off U turns, and faster recalc as well as updated maps and maybe installimng speed camera database

I find that now I have D3, I am reluctant to change, especially as most others Europe maps are quite an expensive add on.

I will report bavck when I get it installed and working hopefully Smile

DocInTheBox · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 01, 2004 Posts: 13

I have D3 also, and downloaded the free Destinator Console (v3.1) and upgrade (v3.0.75) and free Major Roads of Europe.

Has anyone been able to use their older (3.0.54 - 3.0.65) maps with the new Destinator Console program? Specifically the Map Cutting features. The new Route Cutting feature is pretty nifty, but there's not much point in upgrading my console if I can no longer cut parts of my european countries. Only Hungary shows up on the console, and other maps are absent. It sees my old cut maps, but you can't manipulate them in any way except to install or uninstall them to the device.

GPSinC3 · Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2004 8:52 pm Post subject:

Got 3.075 and maps from GPSNow, great service, total $149 incl 3 day shipping, with good $£ rate not a bad price

Installed OK and reloaded maps, I have UK, France, Iberia and cut Benelux to get Belgium on 256 CF card

Also restored my favourites Ok, but forgot history file, and have copied speed cameras from other thread here.

Notice its slow to initially load D3 program, presumably reading all the cameras, but Destirobot which automates the start up still works OK.

Haven't tried on the road yet for alert. New maps Navteq Q3 2004 it says, and it has M6 Toll rd, but you can permanently avoid this like you do with French Autoroutes on toll.

Also U turn on/off selection

Will try out in action and report back for anyone interested.

DocInTheBox · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 01, 2004 Posts: 13

I'm very interested.

I'd love to know how I can use my Destinator 3.0.54 Western Europe maps with the new (3.0.75) console. I see no way to get them to show up in the new console. I really have no need of new maps until I get back to the US.

jellied · Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2004 7:50 pm Post subject:

Just ordered my upgrade - some how I thought it might be a download - but it's a new disc.

At least I know how to back-up my existing favourites, and in the course of doing that I wonder about the following:

Each category has it's own icon - could you design your own, useful given how limited D3 is with regard to ones you can use.

Could the D3 community plunder the extensive TomTom POIs?

Where is the history kept in order to restore that after the upgrade?

Has any one found out the format of the POIs? GPSpassison published the format, but when I view the .DAT file it looks nothing like it.

lbendlin · Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2004 8:32 pm Post subject:

The DAT file is a HEX file. Having said that, it's structure is very simple, and you should be able to craft a quick Excel macro that converts POI lists into that format. Let me know if anyone is interested.

By the way, have you noticed that you can greatly influence the way the alerts are done? Both the icon and the voice prompt can be changed. It's all in the DestinatorVoiceManeuvers.inf
_________________
Lutz

Report Map Errors here:
TomTom/TeleAtlas NAVTEQ

jellied · Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2004 10:17 pm Post subject:

I only just ordered it, so it will be a week or two before it arrives. Normally do Destinator upgrades on a Friday to allow a whole weekend to get it working.

I would be very interested in the excel stuff/formats/macros etc etc. Would do you reckon to the chance of using TomTom POI?

lbendlin · Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2004 11:18 pm Post subject:

It's been done already in the german forums. No big deal.
_________________
Lutz

Report Map Errors here:
TomTom/TeleAtlas NAVTEQ

DocInTheBox · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 01, 2004 Posts: 13

Does anyone know how to use the new corridor-cutting feature of the 3.0.75 console with the 3.0.54 maps? The $25 upgrade to the newest software isn't much use otherwise.

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