China GPS

hondaaddict

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I found this "3.5 inch Motorcycle GPS" on chinavasion. The website says:
"The unit includes an evaluation GPS software - we recommend purchasing a GPS software package from your home country that best covers your region of the world."
Click to expand...
Where do I buy software? I am planning to use this in west Texas and Arkansas.

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http://www.chinavasion.com/portable-gps/cvugtr16/
 
Personally I would stay away from this unit. I have no idea how one could find "a software" that would work on this unit. Would it be compatible with any known vendors out there (and probably violate copyrights, etc. in the process)? I bought a Garmin 550 which is water resistant and cost about $249, but you can probably do better with a bit of a search.

freezingalaskan
 
That sounds more like an OEM solution that a GPS company that doesn't do their own hardware buys, and then slaps their own software on and puts in their own branded box to sell..

I would rather pay the extra and have something with some support, software that works and maybe some nice features..
 
I bought one of chinavasion's cell phone, and it works great. It looks exactly like a Blueberry, but 1/3 the price and the interference software is slightly different.

The GPS does come with "evaluation GPS software," whatever that is. Look, I'm not looking for a GPS to find the nearest Starbucks. I just want something that gives me a general idea of where I am when I'm alone in the middle of west Texas desert. I can't afford $400 for a Garmin. Just spent $600 on handlebar riser and helmet. Is there no GNU software or freeware for GPS?
 
There probably is somewhere. Wouldn't surprise me if versions of google maps/navigation are available out there. Just a guess... I'd start googling! Or search for that specific unit you have and you might stumble on some forums where people share what works and what doesn't.

Good luck!

Sent from my Android phone via Tapatalk
 
Ok, I took a better look at the link and found the crucial part - It is running WinCE 5.0 ..

There are a number of WinCE GPS apps, though most are old and out of date, so if you want up-to-date maps, look for the software before buying the unit.. There is even a TomTom app.. I also found i-go and a few other I haven't heard of before.. Nothing modern.. It hasn't been a current platform for some time..

I found a generic Chinese WinCE based GPS on youtube: http://x.co/ZZjk .. Yours is likely to be similar.. Notice the part where he goes into settings and can run installers, and again near the end when he brings up the start menu.. That is how you would get your software installed..

Even if you find software, there is no guarantee that it will run.. That's the gamble - if it works out you get a bargain, if it doesn't you get a brick..
 
Thanks for info. I'm not very tech-literate. What do you consider "out of date"? I mean, roads don't change much fast.
 
I am learning a lot--very fast about electronics. We recently had our boat refitted, and part of the refit was electronics. The trick is to get Raymarine to talk to Garmin and Furuno. Each company has its own language. Raymarine has Sea-Talk, and Garmin and Furuno use NMEA 0183 and 0180 and 2 000. We started to interface all the instruments, and were fine until we got to the autopilot--which is Sea-Talk and will talk to NMEA 0183 but will onlu do so with Version 2. Our Garmin GPS is Version one and will talk to Sea Talk, but talks too slowly, which makes the new autopilot respond slowly--not good. The pilots on this forum can relate to this because they deal with Avionics all the time. When I flew, that was true as well, but to a lesser degree. We did not have GPS then. In Navionics the GPS is central, and everything evolves from that.

I would be hesitant to buy a GPS made in China--although most of the cables and fittings on our all new Garmin instruments are made in China. I like Garmin for their customer service. When the GPS turnaround happened some 15 years ago, GPS units made by Trimble, Northstar, Magellan, and others, all needed to be sent back to the factory for recalibration. With Garmin, all it took was a toll free call. We were instructed to write in all our waypoints and then enter a numerical sequence on the keyboard--and everything was recalibrated. The Garmin cost a fraction of what a Trimble or Northstar cost. Garmin is a proven entity.
 
I will say that if you scroll down the page until the row of images just above "Manufacturers specifications," the picture of the Chinarider GPS mounted on a "TnT 1190" (whatever that is) sure does make it look like a highly desirable unit. :)
 
I would count 'old' as being anything from the last ten years.. I think the newest you could hope for is about four years old.. This is just an educated guess though.. You might stumble across an old app made by a company that is still in business that can read their newer format maps.. That's far more effort than I am willing to put in though.. Ill spend the extra, have it work immediately and have a warranty in case it doesn't work..

There are some threads on using Nuvi's and similar car GPS's.. They get down to a similar price and you know what you will get and what maps it will take in advance.. They are not waterproof though!
 
That thing costs $129 and then you have to add software. You can walk into any Best Buy and get a Garmin Nuvi, ready to go, for $105.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Garmin+-+nüvi+1300+GPS/9937316.p?id=1218197750339&skuId=9937316
And there are other models. Look around in any of the chain stores and you'll find a unit for less than $129. They may not be waterproof, but you can fix that with a ziplock bag.
You're wasting your time looking at that Chinese piece of sh*t. Sorry to be so blunt.
 
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Motorcycle GPS are made to survive vibration and the elements. Are they not? I don't know how well a $100 Garmin will last under vibration for hours and hours.

I wouldn't call china GPS P.O.S. just yet. My china cell phone works great, and as far as I know, it's made in the same factory as the ones made for T-mobile. They cut out the middleman, and save you a lot of money.
 
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Erm, where are most of your GPS units made?

I'll give you a hint... It's not the USA.

Go on look on the unit or the paperwork.

The problem with the unit is the fact that you need to buy software elsewhere. This is not a problem as most of the older GPS Software for the Windows Phone 5 to 6.5 will probably work. I have a copy of TomTom for Europe which will work on this unit (I'm using it on an old Windows Mobile Pone).

If you decide not to buy Chinese made electronics your choices will be severely limited.
 
It isn't about where or which factory something is made at, it is about the units specifications and the quality control the vendor enforces. The same plant on the same production line here, in China, or anywhere else, can turn out junk or a quality product based on those two criteria.

As far as motorcycle specific requirements for vibration my Magellan 4250 I moved on to the NT is doing fine. When it rains I put a clear plastic sandwich bag over it with a couple rubber bands...not elegant but it works...
 
I would count the weatherproofing as the biggest benefit over a cheap car GPS.. Any vibration protection could be the latest superdooper NASA tech, or it could be a rubber band around the circuit board (and that may work!)

It sounds to me that you (hondaaddict) understands the risks/benefits as well as anyone, so if it makes sense to you, give it a try.. After all, if there was only one best answer for everyone, then all bike riders would be riding NT's. . :)
 
I liked my auto Garmin nuvi 255w so much I bought a 2nd one for $65 new on ebay. Yes, the maps are 1 year old, but I knew it would be bright enough, and was durable as proven by using the original for hiking and as second GPS on saltwater boating. Add Ram mounts and it is secure, add a USB charging....done. It's isn't waterproof, but neither am I....I'll just put it away in serious rain. Hey, it was $65, no biggee if it fails. I like to turn it off while riding and use a compass, makes me feels like a motorcycler from way back in the 1980's.
 
According to the specs shown on GPSCity.com, the nuvi 255, although it is an "automotive" unit, is waterproof. You can get 'em new for $249.95.

I still like my refurbished Street Pilot 2720 that I got for about $200. Lifetime map updates were $95 I think.
 
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