are all gps devices "alike"?

[robfilms]

not being an early adapter, i am now interested in a gps unit.

i'm looking for a gps unit in the $100-$125 range.

i wanted the device to be powered by the car's lighter and be battery powered so i can use it on a run in the woods and measure my distances.

i know very little about what to look for:

a 3.5" - 4" screen seems reasonable?
is touch screen better as an input mode?
screen quality measured in pixels?
update rate?
sd card slot to load new maps?
how often are the maps updated?
will these work anywhere in the usa/world?

i don't care about an mp3 player.

here is a harmon kardon unit:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/...No=3520045&body=MAIN#detailspecs

here is a refurbed tom tom one:
http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=207668047

any and all thoughts from experienced gps users would be helpful.

thanks in advance to those who care to share.

be wll

rob

[evilrobot]

If you are trail running in the woods, i'd recommend a wrist unit like the Garmin 205 or 305. The data is easlily downloaded and analyzed post run.

A unit like you are describing, the HK, or the TomTom seem bulky for a run.

[robfilms]

evilrobot-

thanks for sharing your experience. i should have been more thoughtful about my needs.

i am looking to the gps mainly for the car but since i often run with a fanny pack and even a camelbak size is not an issue.

any and all thoughts about car based gps units would be great.

be well

rob

[michaelb]

I don't know anything about car based GPS, but do have one for hiking (geko 301) and do have some experience using one in the woods. My guess is that the feature set is completely different, and that they are not "all the same". I can't remember ever seeing anyone in a hiking or biking or canoeing/kayaking forum talk about using a car based GPS off trail. It will work out of the car (assuming it has battery power), but may not really do what you want:

1) does it save waypoints?
2) does it have a track log? can it track back?
3) can you upload and download waypoints and tracks to your computer?
4) what kind of trip computer/data will it offer for your run?
5) what kind of receiver and antenna do they have for use under tree cover or in hills, etc? Easy to get a signal on the road; much less so on a trail.

It is possible to get a hiking based GPS and mount it in your car. They sell plenty of different mounts for that. Many have onboard street maps; some may even have turn by turn directions (again, I have never looked for that feature on a hiking GPS). The garmin 60 series have large screens and lots of features, so I would at least look at those.

[robfilms]

michaelb-

thanks for sharing your obvious experience w/hiking gps systems.

i am indeed looking for a car based gps unit.

i may have confused the situation by wondering if i can use the car based gps on my runs. i am not trying to murky the waters any more than i have obviously already have.

i am hoping to find a decent car based unit and my initial query as to what to seek in a gps is for a car based system.

again, thanks for sharing your thoughts

be well

rob

[OWC Jamie]

Are they all alike ?

No, they're like cars. :-)


I have a bottom of the line Garmin eTrex and (it does work well) I hate it.
All I wnt is a L/L position and a heading on the screen while walking in the woods (whatever) For a L/L you have to stop (in the open / few trees) and set a point to see where you are. [more like where the point <>].
I've let lots of people borrow it (hoping someone will want it) and everyone brings it back.

I've had some fancy marine GPS, so I'm a bit spoiled. Never wanted one for a car.

[Michael]

You can get a Garmin Nuvi 200 for $160 on Amazon. It's a new model, small enough to slip in your shirt pocket and arguably has the best maps and points-of-interest around. I had a previous low-end model that was analogous to the 200, but I moved up a step to the Nuvi 260 that has the "text-to-speech" in which the unit will tell you, "turn left on Jones Street in 200 feet" rather than "turn left in 200 feet." I like the text-to-speech a lot--it makes it worth the extra $ for me.

If you take the Garmin off the road, you'll find that it shows your location in relationship to the roads nearby. You'll be a little arrow in between the various roads. I've not used a hiking gps, but I would think that the car-based one would be pretty minimal for off road use.

Oh, if you get a Garmin, you might consider a friction dashboard mount. That will keep the telltale ring off your windshield that some thieves use to target you car.

[SDGuy]

[quote Michael]If you take the Garmin off the road, you'll find that it shows your location in relationship to the roads nearby. You'll be a little arrow in between the various roads. I've not used a hiking gps, but I would think that the car-based one would be pretty minimal for off road use.
I'll second that. For hiking/walking about I use a Garmin eTrex Legend cx - you can get practically the same unit (just have to supply your own microSD card) for a bit over $100: http://www.globalgpsnavigation.com/index...oduct_info&products_id=4421&zenid=ca640c2d3b65ea85e5a3a6c36c8000f0
One of the primary advantages it has over a car-based unit is much longer battery life - in the tens of hours vs. 2-3 hrs. You can also load in topographic maps, as well as the usual road maps that car-based units use. The disadvantage is that if you want to use this in a car, it'll just beep at you to notify of an upcoming turn, instead of using a voice.

For car use, I have different Garmin - optimized for just that - use in a car (bigger screen, voice directions, simpler controls).

[quote Michael]Oh, if you get a Garmin, you might consider a friction dashboard mount. That will keep the telltale ring off your windshield that some thieves use to target you car. Also - if you're in California (and I think Massachusetts), you're not allowed to use windshield mounts at all - you probably wouldn't be pulled over for just that, but could have an extra fine added to whatever you do get pulled over for.

[OWC Jamie]

Mass:
Windshield mounts would fall into the "objects impairing vision".
Fuzzy dice and shiny mirror glass balls hanging from rear view mirrors are in the same category.

There's also a grey area some of these new LCD screen are crosing into regarding video viewable from the driver's seat while moving.