Such a gadget as a car navigator is very popular among motorists. The navigator is installed in the car by road trip enthusiasts, taxi drivers, courier service workers, and just those who are poorly oriented in unfamiliar areas. This is an electronic device that displays various maps of the area, plots a pre-ordered route and at the same time indicates the location of vehicles. In this article, we will talk in detail about car navigators.
Working principle
In the mid-nineties, a GPS system was developed and launched in the United States. One of the components of the system are twenty-four space satellites that move around the Earth with certain routes. From a height of twenty thousand kilometers, satellites cover the entire territory of our planet and send special radio signals to Earth. Subsequently, radio signals are picked up by ground-based GPS navigators and converted into information about the location of the car and its direction of movement.
The built-in navigator in the car is capable of simultaneously receiving signals from three different satellites and using a certain method to find and indicate its location on the planet. For the final and more accurate correction of the location, information from the fourth satellite is included in the work. Due to this, the determination of the coordinates of the car is reduced to one or two meters, which is a very high figure. How to use the navigator in the car is detailed in the instructions for use of this device.
Description and functions
At first glance, the device looks like a regular plasma TV, but smaller. Unlike a TV, the color display of the gadget broadcasts various maps of the area with roads, streets and houses. At the same time, all roads, streets and building numbers have a certain designation and names and inform the driver about this.
Device screen
The difference between navigators is usually the size of the liquid crystal display.
What else do you need to know when buying a navigator in the car? Prices may vary due to the width of the display. The device can be either with a small screen of 3.5 inches, or quite impressive dimensions - 7 inches. Basically, the display resolution is 480x800 pixels, which is quite enough to display a graphics card. But there are those who have the ability to reproduce various photo and video materials. Almost all of them are equipped with touch screens. Therefore, having such a navigator,getting directions by car is quite simple even at the moment of movement. The overall dimensions of the device are selected taking into account the preferences of the car owner, the nature of use and the free space in the car. At the moment, several screen sizes are offered to the consumer on the market:
- 3.5 inches,
- 4.3" 16:9 aspect ratio
- 5-7 inches wide models.
If you choose between aspect ratios of 4:3 and 16:9, then it is advisable to purchase widescreen navigators in the car. Feedback from the owners of such devices speaks of the convenience of their use. An order of magnitude more information is placed on a screen of this format, while motorists with “planted” vision do not feel discomfort when using them. According to the reviews of drivers, it is advisable to choose a navigator for trucks with a large diagonal. Trucks have a large cabin space, and the navigator can be located at a considerable distance from the driver, without sacrificing visibility. On a device with a small screen, it is difficult to see the details of the picture. Therefore, purchasing a three-inch device is not the most reasonable decision.
Voice Features
All modern navigators are equipped with voice assistance. It helps a lot when driving at high speed and in city traffic, the density of which does not allow you to be distracted by the screen of the device. Voice assistance will warn you in time about a possible lane change and turn, indicate the optimal speed for movement, and also warn against its possible excess on the road. The driver voice information function can be turned off if desired.
No wired connection
The functionality of the device is complemented by the possibility of wireless data transmission via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. You can also connect a mobile phone and various auxiliary headsets to it.
The Navigator, installed in the car, is powered by the car's on-board network through the cigarette lighter socket. It also has a rechargeable battery. It allows you to use the navigator offline for quite a long time.
Information equipment
Even the most advanced navigator is absolutely useless if it does not have navigation maps. Maps is specialized software that consists of certain graphical information.
The range of installation programs has a wide selection with various additions and innovations. When purchasing a good navigator for a car, you need to consult the seller about the compatibility of the device with one or another software. Since it is often found that certain programs do not fit the device or do not fully reveal their capabilities.
At present, the following programs have become the most widely used among motorists: Autosputnik, Navitel, iGo, Garmin, CityGuide.
Standard equipment
Like any electronic device, navigators are equipped with additional equipment for ease of use. Having bought a navigation assistant, in its kit you can find a holder for a navigator in a car, which allows you to install the device either on the windshield of a car or on the dashboard. At the same time, the installation site should not interfere with a good overview of the traffic situation and interfere with access to the controls. It can be mounted on the windshield, and preferably on the center console, if its shape allows it. The kit also includes a power adapter and a USB cable for connecting additional devices to the device. As an addition, it can be equipped with a carrying case. Mandatory presence of the instruction manual and warranty card.
Price category
It is important to know the following information when purchasing a navigator for your car: its prices will depend on its functionality and dimensions. More affordable devices are budget segment gadgets. In the equipment of those there are only basic navigation functions. Multifunctional gadgets will cost a little more. These devices, in addition to their main features, also have various ports for connecting additional devices, a larger display size and image clarity, and are equipped with various Internet and radio modulators. The most expensive are navigators of the so-called premium class, which are equipped, as they say, in full.
It should be noted that due to the rapid development of technology, navigation devices are regularly improved and already budget models are equipped with functions that yesterday were the advantage of advanceddevices.
So, how much does a navigator cost in a car?
As already mentioned, it all depends on the functionality and equipment, as well as on the manufacturer. Usually, the cost of a navigator from a well-known manufacturer includes, so to speak, the cost of the brand. For the purchase of the simplest device, you will need about $25, and already more advanced navigation devices can reach a price of $750, which can exceed the price of a used domestic car.
A few tips
When deciding to purchase a navigator for your car, it is important to adhere to certain criteria when choosing:
- The device should fully meet your needs.
- At different points of sale, the same model may have different sets of cards and equipment, often due to holiday promotions.
- You should pay attention to the mount for the navigator in the car.
- If you are not going on a long journey by car, it is not necessary to buy the entire set of cards at once.
How to use the navigator in the car?
First of all, you need to fix the device in a place where it will not interfere with driving a car and where you can easily see the picture at the same time. Then you should turn on the device, after which the display will show the search mode for satellites and set the data. Basically it takes about one minute. Next, you need to familiarize yourself with the controls of the navigator using the instruction manual. In the future, when working with the gadget, the values of the controlswill be deposited in your memory.
Perform a series of operations to customize the navigator according to your preferences and maximum ease of use. To do this, select the settings item in the navigator menu and set the desired operating parameters according to the prompts. It is very important to set the appropriate time zone, distance units, and coordinate system. In the map menu, it is desirable to enable the function of its rotation. When driving a car, the map on the display will simulate movement, similar to the view through the windshield.
In the "Navigation" section, select the type of transport, in our case, the car.
In the "Attraction" sub-item, you need to set the parameters for the location of the car on the route, the most optimal distance is about ten meters.
In the "Route settings" section, you should select a specific type of route that will best meet the needs of the route of movement. If you choose a short route, your device will take the shortest route to your destination.
When driving in an unfamiliar area using a navigator, it is important to pay attention to road signs in order to exclude the possibility of violating traffic rules.
Reviews
Many motorists study user reviews before buying a device. At the same time, opinions about the benefits of this device vary and depend on the specific model. Yes, mostowners of inexpensive navigators often note a slight discrepancy in performance. This does not interfere in any way with one, and they are quite satisfied with the device, and this does not suit some motorists. Additionally, reviews often note the possibility of autonomous operation of the device from its own battery. Here, too, positive and negative reviews about the navigator depend on the model. Another criterion in the reviews is the availability of additional features. For some, only one function in this gadget is enough - navigation, while others provide additional features in the form of reading music files, photos and videos. Since the range of these devices is now huge, often only reviews are the decisive factor when choosing.
Result
Installing a navigation device in our era of technological breakthrough is no surprise. Route planning using paper maps and road atlases is a thing of the past. The most acceptable was the use of electronic navigation aids. Car enthusiasts are happy to resort to the help of those due to the accuracy of the navigators, their availability and practicality in operation.
So, we figured out how to choose the right car navigator for your car.
