Can someone provide a review of the NAVI for the 04TL?

- Overall feature set
- Major Screens (with pictures)
- Differences between 04 and prior Acura Nav systems
- Speed/Performance
- Accuracy

Thanks!
Jon

 

Features are great. It actually does more than you would think. For example, we needed a "roadie" yesterday and used the advanced catagory search for "liquor" and found the nearest beer store.

Screens are good. Diagrams are better than expected. I wish more street names showed up on the map.

No experience with prior Acura navs

Route calc is slower than my PocketPC GPS system with Mapopolis.

Accuracy is good. Sometimes takes me a way I would not have expected.

 

Another queston on the 04 Navi. Is the trip computer integrated into the Navi system so that it will direct you to a gas station when you need gas?

I was in Germany last year and drove a BMW 5 series with Navi. When I was low on gas, it interrupted the destination and directed me to a gas station off the autobahn. I was looking for a station, but most are not visible from the autobahn, so this was a pleasant surprise and nice feature.

I also understand that the 293 voice commands also control the music and temperature. I'd like to know anyones experience with this.

 

holy cow. that's sweet. man i gotta get a car with navi.

question, does the dvd-a player actually play dvds? on the navi screen?

no flames please, i've never had a car with navi or any experience with dvd-a...

 

I have a Garmin portrable GPS unit I use on my car and when travelling and once you have that at your fingertips with all the information it provides, you wonder how you ever did without it.

Even in your home town where you may know just about everything about the layout.. Somoene may say lets go to so and so restaurant.. and if you never heard of it, you don't need any more info but the name.. No writing down directions or mapquesting it... It just makes life simple.

Out of town you have freedom as you dont ever had to worry about getting lost if you want to just drive around....

The DVD-A player according to my dealer will play DVDs (store bought movies) but you can only hear the audio...

There is no video on the NAV screen.

I was thinking that would be a great feature, however it would defeat the purpose of having a NAV screen if a video was showing and you needed direction info as well...

Plus, it would only benefit the passenger and of course distract the driver even more than they are already messing with the other cool stuff om the TL!

Mike

 

I'll see if I can whup up some pix after work, they'll certainly help those who haven't experienced Acura's navi systems.

 

Unfortunately, the Navi doesn't tell you when you're about to drive into the worst part of town. One minute you're happily driving along with your family, the next you're Clark Griswold.

 

Hell yeah dude! I was coming home from the statue of liberty and all I can say is thank god it wasn't dark!:wow:

 

It's quite understandable how people get confused with DVD-A technology. It's confusing!!

I posted a quick primer (doing my bit to educate the world ) on DVD-Audio here:

http://www.acura-tl.com/forum/showth...threadid=64773

Enjoy!

Jon

 

Does the Navi have the trip computer screen that the MDX has? The MDX has a screen that shows you the MPG for the past 5 trips, and other info about the car.

I understand the NAVI also has a calculator and calendar. Anything else?

Jon

 

No.
Yes.

Still working on the pix, later today.

 

Hate to burst your bubble, in the U.S. it is actually illegal to have any type of video screen that plays movies viewable from either front seat. The only allowable video feed allowed in a dash unit is a rear-view camera for use when in Reverse. In Michigan, you can receive a $450 ticket if police catch you watching a movie while driving (i.e. in dash, laptop, portable DVD player, etc.).

Thus, the stock Navi does not plays video of any kind. I am sure there is some sort of a hack to splice a portable DVD player into the Navi screen, but it would void your warranty and wreak havoc on your stock system.

 

Here are some pix of the basic navi features. I am hosting the full-sized pix on my own webspace as they are too large to fit on ATL.com's gallery and I'm too lazy to shrink them down tonight. CLICK FOR BETTER PIX

First, the opening screen.

 

You have to click "OK" when it comes up.

 

I'm using XM as an example...you see the mode, volume station, name of song and artist. With regular radio, you just see the frequency/mode/volume. With a music CD, you see DVD or CD, volume, track, time.

 

Brightness, voice volume, screen mode, etc.

 

Home address (for "Go Home" feature), personal ID number to keep your personal info locked, etc.

 

Turn on voice feedback, choose voice (male or female), keyboard layout, units, text color

 

Adjust time zone: Here you can select automatic DST on/off, automatic timezone change by GPS (COOL feature!), shut off unverified roads on the DVD (off by default), and view current DVD version.

 

You can maximize freeways on your route, minimize freeways, do the shortest route, and if you miss a turn, the computer automatically adjusts the route without complaining.

 

Just what the caption says

 

All the blank spaces under the Voice Activation Help, calendar, and calculator functions might portend future functions? Such as a trip computer, hopefully???

 

You get this screen when you say "menu" or press the menu button on the navi.

Higher res pix will be in my photo gallery, just click the link under my name. Post or PM for reasonable photo requests.

 

This "blow by blow" screen tells you where to turn, etc.

If you skipped to this page...HERE'S THE LINK TO BETTER PIX

Edited to correct link

 

Thats wonderful... I have a GARMIN GPS which works great on my current car. Of cours enot built in with 8 inch screen!

I was wondering, does it speak each turnn.. does it say TURN LEFT IN xx.. or does it even get more specific and say things like.. TURN LEFT ON TO OCEAN AVENUE in ONE MILE

Also, I think I heard theone at the dealer say 1 MILE until SHELL or something like that... Is it pregprogrammed with certain names or does it have real texct to voice recognition where it will say anything....

And can you input your own Waypoints... Garmin allows for 100 or 500 I think.. Like your own locations.. like LISAS HOUSE or whatever?

Thanks,

Mike

 

The navi speaks just before every turn, and on the freeway, before an exit, it gives you a countdown in feet prior to your turnoff. It is also programmed with certain brand names for major fuel station chans, restaurants, and hotels. You can insert your own locations very easily from the Menu screen.

 

But it won't say "Arriving at NeuronBobs House:.. It only says the brand names it is programmed for... right?

 

Nope. When it arrives at the destination, whether home or whereever, it just says "Destination".

 

Man, I hope so. I want some tenths digits. lol. I'd rather have all that stuff in the nav unit instead of the MID anyway.

 

Can we sticky this so people can see the basic 2004 TL navi features?

 

neuronbob -- you are awesome for posting these pics... THANK YOU!

It certainly seems like the system software is located on the DVD... which provides hope that a trip computer and extra goodies could be as simple as a new DVD with upgraded system software!

I'm confused and dismayed that the trip computer stuff was removed from NAVI. It looks great on the MDX's Navi system.

Which gender voice do you prefer?

What do you mean it's programmed with certain brand names? You mean it speaks the brands?

Thanks,
Jon

 

During my test drive it said "1 Mile till "SHELL".

 

Yes, the Navigation system is 3rd generation, and blows most people away, but the best part of it all, is that if you juxtapose it all with a Bluetooth Phone with the "Hands Free Profile", you can find your destination in a myriad of ways, then say "Send", and your Bluetooth Phone through the Navi will dial the number in the Navi's database.

Example: "Find the nearest Mexican Restaurant"
"Send"
"Could I please have two Tacos to go?"


Too cool for school, folks.

Bluetooth Phones that will interact and pair with the Navi:

Nokia 3650 (T-Mobile)
Sony Ericsson T610 (T-Mobile)
Sony Ericsson T610 (AT&T)

 

Wait a minute. Do I understand you right that there's no trip computer, i.e. average MPG, average speed, miles to empty, etc?

Z.

 

Not on the nav screen. It appears on your dash readouts.

 

Not in the navi, only in the MID on the instrument cluster. Bummer. This is a necessary feature upgrade. Are you listening, Acura???

 

That's what I'm hoping. Again....Acura, are you listening?

Female, of course! And she sounds good, too!

Just like Mike said above. It's whatever companies paid Navisys for inclusion, I guess.