I believe I've found the perfect solution for those of us who purchased TLs without the NAV but want one now. After extensive reviewing of the available aftermarket navigation systems, I found the Vcommand Navigation system. It's a totally voice system with no screen to distract you while driving. Works perfectly! It's like having a human "guide" in the car with you who knows where everything is and can get you there with great ongoing instructions. Like it so well, I put one in my wife's Explorer. You can even play Blackjack with it on those long trips where you're trying to stay awake. I got mine units from Advanced Navigation and the support has been phenomenal. Check out the video: http://www.advancednavigation.com/pr...2fa89f58a8274c

 

A screen with navigation looks cooler. It does not distract me at all because I don't even look at it. I use the VOICE PROMPTS, which is exactly what this is.

 

You need a screen with a nav system because sometimes you need to see just what that slight right turn looks like if there are a bunch of other turns right there too. I wouldn't get one without a screen to show you how the turn is laid out ahead of time.

 

Some cell phones will do better...

As far as distraction, it says it plays black jack. Case and Point. It is an interesting idea, but I like the road 1 member took by installing the stock system(although we are getting it with nav anyway).

 

You don't need a screen and the screen is a dangerous distraction. I'm an ex Air Force Pilot and we had a means of landing in bad weather called a "Ground Control Approach", it's the same concept. The Vcommand will tell you if it's a "slight left turn" or "bear right. It's a new paradigm and the screen is an old/antiquated way of navigating. If you didn't have a navigation system and your spouse was giving you directions, would you want them to be constantly be showing you the map? I'd want them giving me directions like "you'll be turning right onto Main street in 2/10ths of a mile". Then "turn right now onto Main Street" just as you hit your turn. This is exactly how the Vcommand works. And the voice recognition is far superior tour HFL.

 

What do you call the Blackjack then?

 

Seems like a spam ad to me. Why didn't he tell us how he hooked it up in his TL. Let's see some pictures of it in your TL.

 

It seems like a cool system, but I have to differ with you on your comparison of the screen to a map. On a map, I have to look at a fixed magnification and, hopefully, not scan the page to get my bearings. With the screen, a quick glance shows me that the road takes a brief left and then right before my next maneuver point, for example.

Another plus of the screen: I don't always enter my route as I generally already know how to get where I'm going. There are some places, though, where there is little or no warning posted about if the on-ramp to the freeway is going to be a left turn onto a ramp or a right turn onto a clover-leaf. I can glance at the scrolling map and see so that I'm in the correct lane. No need to specifiy the route as it's just always showing me my surroundings. I also use this feature to see if there is a nearby detour because I can see it immediately. If I'm stuck in traffic because of construction, a stalled vehicle, etc., I glance at the map and see that, by turning off onto the next side street, I'll be able to bypass the mess because I can see it rejoins my route in five blocks. I commute 75 miles/day and I'm still not 100% familiar with every single street within a ten-block radius of the route I drive. My car is, though.

 

I would get hella annoyed w/ that male voice

 

I don't think you understand my post. It's not which is better, the NAV that comes with the TL or the Vcommand. That's apples and oranges. The Vcommand is a fabulous solution for those of us who bought a TL without the NAV and want to ad a NAV for aless than a $1,000. After having used the Vcommand for 2 weeks and my wife having used it for a week, we love it. If I had to choose between the Vcommand and the NAV that comes with the Acura, I'd much rather have the Vcommand. I believe that a screenless navigation system is the future due to safety reasons and convenience. The system installs in about 20 minutes and you can take it on trips to use in your rental car or RV or another car. Watch the video and you might change your mind.

 

I did watch the video and I agree it's an impressive system for what it does. However, I still disagree that it's superior to display-type systems (which is how I understand you when you say it's the future of navigation systems) for the reasons I listed previously. I say that it's less convenient for many of the things I use my navigation system for, such as finding detours, seeing which lane I need for an upcoming interchange, etc.

The ideal system would have the responsive and thorough voice control like the Vcommand but with the display of the TL's large LCD. Integrated traffic info, restaurant guide, millions of points of interest, powerful voice control and a way to update it all without buying a new DVD...That's the future of navigation, my friend!

 

I'm also convinced we have just scratched the surface of nav and that screens will be out of favor as better voice commands become available. I didn't get nav and I'm actually still happy about it. To me screens are just too dangerous. Plus I rarely go anywhere I am unfamiliar with without first studying the maps at home. What I would want is good, verbal information while my eyes stay on the road. Clearly the state of GPS and the mapping of the earth is getting there. It is the adaptive verbal instructions that really need to progress. Basically it will get to the point where it is like someone sitting next to you in the car.

Check out examples like "Google Maps" and "Google Earth" and you can see we are on the brink of something wonderful. I know they aren't anything like auto nav systems but they demonstrate where we are going with respect to "finding our way".

my 2cents

 

I'm not seeing the danger in the screens argument. Sure, if someone is staring at the screen and trying to decipher what they're seeing, they are a serious risk, but a well-designed interface requires no more attention from the driver than other displays in the car. A glance at the navi screen takes as much attention as a glance at the speedometer or clock. There are some sources of information that are better-presented visually. I don't want to have a voice tell me my speed, for instance.

I agree that better voice interaction is very important and is the way of the future, but I don't agree that the screen can be replaced solely by voice for many of the functions offered by in-car navigation systems. Unless I explicitly tell the voice system I am going somewhere in particular, how can I expect it to help me find a different route there should I need to detour? With the screen, a quick glance shows me that the other streets in my vicinity offer an alternate route with no interaction needed on my part.

 

There is something else that NAVI screen does for you: I happened to drive a few times at night in total darkness and in absolutely unknown almost rural places. My NAVI screen showed me incoming turns and their shape so I could anticipate my actions ahead of time. It’s like having co-pilot in your car. I love it. I know that somebody will say that I need to use headlights, etc. The headlights do not lid up that far, as your NAVI will show.
My .02

 

Also, if there are over a thousand diff't places in a certain category (like in the video), the voice must read EACH and EVERY one until you say yes. that could take forever...

 

For some reason, it seems that way to me, too. If not, I apologize for assuming that. Can you post a pic or two?

Anyway, most all navigation systems, including the TL's, has point-by-point voice guide. The map on the screen is secondary. Sure, I'd want my navigator to tell me when and where to turn, and I certainly wouldn't want a map in my face... but an actual map doesn't have your car's location pinpointed and can't zoom in. Oh, and integrated navigation system means you can be listening to music at full volume and not miss the prompt/direction... certainly a valuable, convenient feature not available on most aftermarket systems.

I don't have a navi in my TL, but I'd much rather use my PDA w/ BT GPS receiver over this system.

 

Did anyone else notice they sell an ipod connector as well? I wonder if it works with XM? I sent them an email, we will see what they say.

 

If for example, you ask for a Japanese restaurant, it will start off telling you there are 4,000 in your map such as the Western United States). It will then ask you if you want to consider those that are behind where you're heading. It will then start listing the Japanese restaurants one at a time starting with the closest. If you wanted a specific Japanese restaurant to beging with, you could spell out the name and it will give you a short list, again starting with the closest one. What makes this NAV special is the quality of the voice recognition. It is far superior to my HFL. Folks riding with me are amazed at how well it understands and how intuitive it is.

 

I'm getting nothing for this post. Just wanted to help other TL owners who do not have a NAV in their TL. As far as pictures go, the initial link in my posting has pictures form the company I purchased my Vcommand. You can install it on any car in about 5 minutes. To do a "permanent" install on the TL takes about 30 minutes. Plug the power cord into the outlet in our arm rest center console. Run the microphone and antenna up th molding by the driver door. Put the antenna on top of the dash by the left tweeter. Put the micropone on the side of the instrument pod. Put the black box, about the size of a CD case in footprint, under the Driver's seat. You're done. Other than the antenna on the dash and the mike by your instrument pod, there's nothing to see.
By the way, my wife would never use a screen based NAV, she hates and never uses a map. But she loves the Vcommand.

 

OK. I retract my prior post referring to your original post as a spam ad. We see so many posts like yours and then never see or hear anything again so we think it is spam. I'm glad you and your wife like the voice nav. I like the full screen nav and the voice to go along with it. I'd rather get a Garmin, TomTom, or Magellan. But hey, that's me.

 

Wait a minute. The main feature of this thing is a lack of a screen feature? Do you happen to work for Apple?

How good is the voice command? I see here that it had no problem understanding what that guy said. Is it true for everyone else as well?

 

OK guys(no woman would as stupid as some of these posts) I give up! Just wanted to share some info will fellow TL owners who don't have a NAV. This will be my last post on this board. It's the old 80/20 rule, 20% have to screw it up for the other 80%.

 

Wow. So some of us prefer what we already have while acknowledging that some of the features of your system are cool and you think we've screwed it up for everyone? Perhaps you're just a bit too sensitive to participate on a public forum.

 

Magellan GPS it is portable and well worth it.

 

I guess we'll have to disagree on this. Yes the screen is a dangerous distraction but you need to learn not watch it but just glance at it when it says a turn is coming up. Here in the NJ area, the turns can get pretty wacky and it's can be one of 3 slight right turns that need to be made. The image will show me it the middle one of the 3. A spouse would not have know which one of those 3 we needed to take. I've been using it every single weekend since January going to place I've never been before and it's worked like a champ and the diagrams were always pertenant to the situation. I think the system works great and look forward to using it as much as needed.

 

I went with my grandfather to pick up a Magellin roadmate 700 and I have to say that is one great aftermarket system, very accurate as to where you are and great on screen mapping.

THe TLs navi says the street names, correct? This one simply says take next right, and than beeps at the turn. When we test drove I remember the TL saying street names, but I could be mistaken.

 

TL says the names of interstates and highways in directions but not street names. It won't say "turn next left on Main street"

 

What you can do, though, is split the screen into map/direction list. The direction list is LARGE and shows distances as well as names. So when the Navi says "In 1/2 mile, take a right", you glance at the direction list and you know the street name.

And it is no more of a distraction to me than looking to see how much gas I have left, or looking at the midi to see "miles before empty"

Regards,