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SpeedAlert - Navig8r GPS

Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 5:43 pm
by SAM-24A
Has anyone ever purchased or used a Navig8r GPS product from SpeedAlert (Smart Car Technologies)
These Navig8r GPS units are sorced/supplied by Laser Corporation.

SpeedAlert: http://www.speedalert.com.au/index.php
Navig8r: http://www.navig8r.com.au/products.htm
Laser Corporation: http://www.laserco.com.au/profile.htm

Besides this product being used as a Sat Nav GPS.
My Highest Interest is it's ability to detect, advise and warn of Changing Speed Zones/Limits - Fixed Speed & Red Light/Safety Cameras and School Zones.

This product can be purchased as a stand alone Sat Nav unit in 3.5" or 4.3" screen sizes, which can be set-up to display either:

....................................Map Mode ......................................or................................Speed Alert Mode
Image.................. Image

The Speed Alert Mode can also be set-up and viewed as an Analogue or Digital Speedo:

Image


Operational Viewing Demo (10Mb WMP-Windows Media Player): http://homepage.mac.com/mpaineau/filech ... rt_g35.wmv

ABC 7:30 Repot & Channel 7 News Repot: http://www.speedalert.com.au/mediaLibrary.php?tab=1


Alternatively your can download the program SpeedAlert "LIVE" and use a compatible mobile phone as a viewing source:

Image Mobile Phone Compatibility List: http://www.speedalert.com.au/compatibledevices.php

Update Maps are routinely updated Monthly, and each update costs $9.90. However a $29 subscription will allow 12 months worth of Updated Maps.

I contacted SpeedAlert today by phone and spoke to the founder: George Germanos who supplied/directed me to all of the info posted above.

Cheers: Sam
PS: Does anyone have any comments or experience on this product's worth. I'm feeling interested in it.

Re: SpeedAlert - Navig8r GPS

Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 6:39 pm
by The X
SAM-24A wrote:Besides this product being used as a Sat Nav GPS.
Who does the mapping? Sensis, Navteq, etc?
SAM-24A wrote:My Highest Interest is it's ability to detect, advise and warn of Changing Speed Zones/Limits - Fixed Speed & Safety Cameras and School Zones.
"detect" is a bit of a misnomer. Glorified POI database on a GPS unit, likely to have errors, nothing of special "road work 40 zones", or other special interim speed limits.
Tho it can be useful for those in the "forgetful" category. However I'd have to question a person's qualification to drive if they're that constantly unaware of the driving environment and can't manage to multi-task, speedo, pedals, wheel and checking your surrounds.
Also love SpeedAlert's website slogan "Never pay another speeding ticket again!". What utter tripe. I'd love to see them pay your fine in the event it does happen when you do use their device.
SAM-24A wrote:Update Maps are routinely updated Monthly, and each update costs $9.90. However a $29 subscription will allow 12 months worth of Updated Maps.
Might be a market for it, as a clip on feature on existing GPS part a subscription.
Navman already do subscription for speed cams (from memory). The Navman units also pop up 40km reminders in school zones. Navteq have some decent mapping, so something similar from Navman can't be too far off if there is a buck in it.
As for POIs, much of the red light, accident black spot, school zone, speed cam and host of other POIs are available easily on GPS community websites for a pitance. :) However, the general unwashed would be blissfully unaware of this, and probably fork out money for this SpeedAlert.

Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 6:55 pm
by tryg
only as good as the programming... it makes innumerable errors up here West of Brisbane, where they have not entrered the correct speed limit for the given sign posted speed..

But, its quite good otherwise...

Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 7:02 pm
by SIR-VRX
My Navman provides School Zone alerts default on, but can also set to show speed alerts for all areas. But it's annoying so I have it switched off. I just look at the signs. Can also set it for an audio tone for exceeding the speed limit, but this is also bloody annoying.

The data is included with the Navman maps, and you can also add your own at anytime, a lot of GPS forums tend to provide compiled lists ready to load in, for free. I did just that to mine.

Also, I have free updates included with my GPS for 3 years. 2011, 2012 and 2013

Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 7:25 pm
by Graham
My mate was using a GPS with this similar feature on a cruise yesterday, I kept hearding a noise but wasn't sure what it was (the car has a few other noises :P ) then I finally asked and it was the noise when you go over the speed limit lol.

Very handy feature for those who watch the road more than the speedo.

Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 7:32 pm
by SIR-VRX
I don't need to watch my speedo to know the speed I'm doing. I can tell by feel/sound what speed I'm doing at one time.

Of course, it comes with familiarity of the car

Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 7:37 pm
by tryg
easier to do that with a Manual transmission of course... CVT that is almost impossible due to the infinite variation of torque/revs

Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 7:37 pm
by SAM-24A
@ VRX_Pete, I think the mapping was done by Whereis". I remember seeing thier logo on one of the SpeedAlert pages.
You wrote:
Tho it can be useful for those in the "forgetful" category. However I'd have to question a person's qualification to drive if they're that constantly unaware of the driving environment and can't manage to multi-task, speedo, pedals, wheel and checking your surrounds.

That sounds a bit harsh Pete. The forgetful and can't manage to multi-task population seems to be growing according to the SDRO's records of infringements.

I believe it's more a fact of the environment we drive in is forever and increasingly changing and becoming challenging to negotiate as our governing bodies' relentlessly devise and implement situations and methods of apprehension in order to extract revenue under the guise of safety.

I believe "any device" which can aid in the reduction of such apprehension through awareness, and accordingly enhance the general safety of our roadways environment for both autonomous and pedestrian co-usage is worth consideration.

It would be fair to assume many of us have fallen into your "forgetful" category in recent times. I have, once in 24yrs at a School Zone.
Have you Pete ?

Cheers: Sam

Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 9:08 pm
by The X
Graham wrote:My mate was using a GPS with this similar feature on a cruise yesterday, I kept hearding a noise but wasn't sure what it was (the car has a few other noises :P ) then I finally asked and it was the noise when you go over the speed limit lol.
LOL. My old GPS had only the feature to play tones rather than "speak" the alerts. Going thru an area with various schools, cams, etc and heaps of tonal alerts. My old flatmate commented after the trip it was like playing Super Mario Kart! LOLz.

SAM-24A wrote:That sounds a bit harsh Pete. The forgetful and can't manage to multi-task population seems to be growing according to the SDRO's records of infringements.
woah, back up... Let's revisit what I said and put this into context, I was not referring to the fleeting moment of forgetfulness we all encounter invariably, but those who are clearly so usually oblivious to all road signs, need to be helped constantly or at least a big part of the time by a device. Not who have an "off moment" and get caught by a cam or a cop. Hope that clears that up for you if my original post didn't convey it clearly enough.

SAM-24A wrote:It would be fair to assume many of us have fallen into your "forgetful" category in recent times. I have, once in 24yrs at a School Zone.
Have you Pete ?
Yes I've had fleeting moments of forgetfulness and distractions, stupidity and heaps of other things, but that's the exception not the norm. No driver is perfect. We share something common. :) I've been also lucky not to have been caught, but that's life.

I guess the device might be useful as an insurance policy against an "off moment" if you're within a whisker of losing your licence. However, to rely on a device as a substitute (that is prone to errors) instead of visual cues, I don't see the value.