My wife and I each have a Garmin DriveAssist combination GPS / dash camera.

She is leaving next week to visit kids & grand-kids in Ohio, so she asked me to make sure that the map data in her unit is up to date.

I could not get her GPS unit to connect to the Garmin program in my computer. WTF? Never had a problem before.

Three hours, THREE HOURS, of screwing around, back and forth with Garmin tech support, and finally the light bulb comes on over my head, like in the cartoons.

There was a DriveAssist showing in the Garmin program on my computer, but the serial number was for my GPS, not hers. "Add A Device" and now there are TWO DriveAssist GPS units showing, hers and mine. Click on the correct one, and Bob's your uncle.

As my daughter would say, very sarcastically

"Old people and technology"

quote:

Originally posted by BigSwede:

As my daughter would say, very sarcastically

"Old people and technology"

Doubly dumb on my end. Before I was an "Old Person," I made a living as a software developer in the UNIX™ environment, and teaching courses in same.

My trouble-shooting skills have atrophied.

The Garmin support guy was no better though, I was the one who realized what the problem was, during our chat session.

Don't beat yourself up. 12 year olds could make a fortune off me.

I still love you, cowboy.

Your tales are always appreciated.

Recalculating...

In a similar vein, it takes for-freakin'-ever to get a route or destination entered in to the nav system on my wife's new Toyota. If I am successful, it seems that it's a random stroke of luck that I'm not able to repeat.

We have gotten into the car and I've said, "Go ahead and start driving, I'll put the info into the GPS." Nope, that doesn't work. No input accepted while the vehicle is in motion, never mind that I'm not the driver.

Frustrating stuff! Especially since I was an early adopter of GPS navigation in the airplane, and I can twist those knobs and push those buttons while flying in rough air and negotiating clearances with Air Traffic Control.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
In a similar vein, it takes for-freakin'-ever to get a route or destination entered in to the nav system on my wife's new Toyota. If I am successful, it seems that it's a random stroke of luck that I'm not able to repeat.

Indeed! I love the idea of in-dash GPS/nav systems, but the implementation is often lacking. I carry a Garmin unit, and I can get an address poked into it and be ready to roll much more quickly than with built-in systems. The Toyota/Lexus system is the most cumbersome I've dealt with so far.

If my next vehicle has in-dash navigation, I'll almost certainly still carry a Garmin unit. It's just easier and quicker. I wonder why none of the carmakers have teamed with Garmin for in-dash nav....

Apologies for the thread drift.

quote:

Indeed! I love the idea of in-dash GPS/nav systems, but the implementation is often lacking. I carry a Garmin unit, and I can get an address poked into it and be ready to roll much more quickly than with built-in systems. The Toyota/Lexus system is the most cumbersome I've dealt with so far.

If my next vehicle has in-dash navigation, I'll almost certainly still carry a Garmin unit. It's just easier and quicker. I wonder why none of the carmakers have teamed with Garmin for in-dash nav.

There might be a work-around for the Toyota GPS entry puzzle.

The vehicle has Apple Car Play. I'll try it, and see if a navigation app on the iPhone -- Apple maps, Google maps, Waze, etc. -- will display on the vehicle's screen and do the navigation job.

I feel your frustration. I used to love Garmin products, but their software has pushed me away. I have a GPS that hasn't been updated in years because their update software won't work on any of my 3 computers. One it won't install at all, and the other two always hang at some point in the install process. I've never had any problems with any other software, and it's very frustrating.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
The vehicle has Apple Car Play. I'll try it, and see if a navigation app on the iPhone -- Apple maps, Google maps, Waze, etc. -- will display on the vehicle's screen and do the navigation job.

Yes it should work fine, it does on the HD GPS interface through the Harmon Kardon Head unit, and same with the Apple Car Play on the wifes MKC.

You should check the settings for the radio for ACP, you may have the option for APC to start when you plug the phone into the USB, or delay it and start from an Icon.

We prefer the Icon because when ACP starts it takes over the unit and you can't see the other controls such as AC Radio etc. You can get to them but it takes a step, so if you don't want ACP firing up everytime you plug in your eyeFone you need to setup the Toyota head unit to do this, not the phone...

When ACP is up you can say, "Siri, directions to Costco" none of the restrictions of input.

quote:

Originally posted by Perception:

I feel your frustration. I used to love Garmin products, but their software has pushed me away. I have a GPS that hasn't been updated in years because their update software won't work on any of my 3 computers. One it won't install at all, and the other two always hang at some point in the install process. I've never had any problems with any other software, and it's very frustrating.

Garmin tech support is outstanding. U.S. based, they speak English! Well, actually I don't hear them speak since I'm hearing impaired, so I select "chat" on their support page instead of calling them, but they are good at what they do. Contact them, they will help you.

First, make sure that you have the most current version of their software on your computer, in order to update your GPS. That might solve your problem without even contacting tech support.

I've relegated my Garmins to the bin, there isn't real value in them for automobiles if you have a new smart phone you can get an app from Garmin or run the phones built in software and get free updates.

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:

I've relegated my Garmins to the bin, there isn't real value in them for automobiles

Depends. Neither my car (2010 Ford Edge) nor my delivery truck (2001 GMC 3500) have nav system nor display panel, so the Garmin DriveAssist 50 serves three purposes:

1. GPS nav,
2. Dash camera, and
3. display screen for Garmin BC-30 backup camera.

More modern vehicles with fancy-schmancy built-in stuff, the Garmin GPS would not be as useful.

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
I've relegated my Garmins to the bin, there isn't real value in them for automobiles if you have a new smart phone you can get an app from Garmin or run the phones built in software and get free updates.

Until you drive into an area where cellular service sucks.

Honestly, that's why I keep my Garmins -- the only time I've lost signal on those is when I'm in a tunnel or a parking garage. Cell service, by comparison, is not nearly as good -- it's easy to drop cell service, especially here in the mountains and valleys.

Well, that plus the fact that my car is 17 years old with no built-in nav at all....

My Garmin units are inexpensive (compared with built-in nav systems), cheap (read: free) to update, and easily moved from one vehicle to another. I like the idea of having built-in nav in my next car, but given the initial cost and the cost of upgrades, I'll carry a Garmin.