can a HK GPS work in AUD?

[BlitZ]

can a HK GPS work in AUD?:thumbsup:

[|N|]

yes if u have AUD map in it

[BlitZ]

Do Australian GPS all work off the same RAW data file? or is it GPS dependent?

[bennjamin]

each map is a separate file you upload to the GPS unit. Store it in removable media. So , you can have both AUDM and HK maps on the same GPS.
AFAIK there is a AU map to suit every type of GPS out there - probably same info ( from sensis etc) but converted to suit the GPS. Search on emule etc....

[tron07]

What GPS you have there?

[BlitZ]

i was thinking about buying one in HK if its any cheaper

[doosra]

Get a tomtom, its awesome and so easy to use and follow.

[tron07]

how to get map for different counrties ???

[Hans Bond]

how to link the gps to the dvd player? any experience on this?

[jdm_kid]

how to link the gps to the dvd player? any experience on this?

be more specific. most dvd players like Kenwood allows you to have a optional GPS box, which hooks to the set box and displays it on the dvd screen blah blah etc.

[kerim]

instead of paying that much money for just a gps unit, why not get a pocket pc with built in gps like Mio A701, where you can add gps software like tomtom, and you can put whatever map on the mem card that you want. if you want one cheap let me know ;)

[tron07]

I want some maps for my MIO..... got any free ones?

[kerim]

I want some maps for my MIO..... got any free ones?

what software you need maps for, tomtom6?

[Hans Bond]

yeah mine is kenwood.. do you know how much approx. is the optional gps box?

[tron07]

what software you need maps for, tomtom6?

My GPS is MIO....if got the map, I can try playing with it.... anywhere to download em?

[BlitZ]

what a good brand of pcoket PC with GPS at a relative price?

[BRU51N]

yeah mine is kenwood.. do you know how much approx. is the optional gps box?

last time i got a price the gps unit was near the $900 mark, fair bit i reckon.

[Blue]

hey guys,

why I have a fat pocket pc and all this junk fixed to your car,

the better option is to buy a dedicated removable gps unit like the NAVMAN
N40i, which I highly recommend and leave a mobile to be just your mobile fone.
move it in and out of diff cars etc, take it with you to find your way around anywhere, man that feature helps spec when you go to a diff state or place.

trust me I know, man I went 2 qld and was able to better at navigating my wat round better then the local bogans LOL.

Plus with the NAVMAN you can take pix of places and store it in its memory,

best thing, find the pix in your gallery and NAVMAN takes you back there,

oh, and its not a massive unit like the TOMTOM. good value to 649 at JB's

[misterhoang]

all GPS work on an international datum that is WGS84, no matter where you are it will give you a location of where you are to about 5metres accuracy, Since you plan to buy one from HK the GPS would work of a datum in its area, normally all GPS would have all the datums available so all you do is choose the options in in that country area (in Aust its either AGM94 OR MGA66) thats why sometimes if you get a coordinate on the GPS and compare to the cordinate on your street directory its not exactly the same point, it would be off by like 5-20metres cos the GPS would be using a different datum compare to the street directory

[BRU51N]

so people paying for AUS maps are actaully getting ripped off?

i was thinking of getting a gps bluetooth receiver and using the option thru my phone, is it all the same deal? save maps towards phone sim?

[iversonruls]

well sometimes using a map is more convenient depending the situation ur at.
and dun juz rely on the gps
if ur fone runs out of batt then u will say y didnt i hv a map

[BlitZ]

all GPS work on an international datum that is WGS84, no matter where you are it will give you a location of where you are to about 5metres accuracy, Since you plan to buy one from HK the GPS would work of a datum in its area, normally all GPS would have all the datums available so all you do is choose the options in in that country area (in Aust its either AGM94 OR MGA66) thats why sometimes if you get a coordinate on the GPS and compare to the cordinate on your street directory its not exactly the same point, it would be off by like 5-20metres cos the GPS would be using a different datum compare to the street directory

perfect answer i was after.. pts up:thumbsup:

[Hans Bond]

besides new melway only costs u about 40 dollar compared to the new gps which could be 400 dollar + :p

[dsp26]

all GPS work on an international datum that is WGS84, no matter where you are it will give you a location of where you are to about 5metres accuracy, Since you plan to buy one from HK the GPS would work of a datum in its area, normally all GPS would have all the datums available so all you do is choose the options in in that country area (in Aust its either AGM94 OR MGA66) thats why sometimes if you get a coordinate on the GPS and compare to the cordinate on your street directory its not exactly the same point, it would be off by like 5-20metres cos the GPS would be using a different datum compare to the street directory

actually the current Australian one is GDA94 which is the GPS converted AGD84 datum.

your right about generic gps unit being wgs84 though.... however without getting into too much detail about earth projections (flat objects wrapping around a sphere/globe) all country specific map datums will be slightly off (between 5m-100m) because of an international gps units setup. it is better to purchase an australian specific gps unit that will read an australian datum....

i know coz i do gis/demographics and play with map data all day :) and plotting client locations on GDA94 system when the coordinates or from a datum like NAD83 result in like a 200m discrepancy... this is especially bad the further away a location is fromt he centre of australia....


***EDIT***
This explains the differences better:
http://www.icsm.gov.au/icsm/gda/wgs84fact.pdf

And this explains Australian coords:
http://www.ga.gov.au/geodesy/datums/aboutdatums.jsp



Pretty much think of it this way...
- The earth is a sphere
- Maps conveyed on mapping/nav/gps units are conveyed as flat objects..
- get a piece of paper and try wrap it around a ball... doesn't fit does it??
- Specific Projection systems are used per country to calculate the stretch of that piece of paper to be able to wrap around the ball properly from a central location.. hence GDA94 which is australia specific.
- Australia is a country in the lower part of the southern hemisphere... therefore the piece of rectangular paper has to be converted to an upside down trapezoid to display correct coordinates...

- WGS84 though universal on the other hand will not be as refined as it will calculate a location from earths core to surface (without getting into detail) to allow it to be used as a global datum.

[dsp26]

oh and heres proof of concept of mismatchig datums within an internal system...

take this website for example:
http://www.target.com.au/html/stores/stores_frame.htm

type in:
159 - 175 CHURCH ST
Parramatta 2150

Notice on the store list at the Bottom, the RED 1 is the matching location with the exact address, yet the yellow thumbpin on the map is about 200m off to the NE of the RED 1??

http://www.nowwhere.com.au/mapurl/map.aspx?IW=500&IH=300&GS=1&ML=150.9931706&MR=151.014019&MT=-33.8081567&MB=-33.8206658&ID=N_TARGET&X1=151.003845&Y1=-33.812243&PL1=Church%20Street,%20Parramatta,%20NSW,%202150&PS1=1&GPS=2&X2=151.00316&Y2=-33.81741&PL2=1&X3=151.05250&Y3=-33.77630&PL3=2&X4=151.00565&Y4=-33.73087&PL4=3&X5=150.99364&Y5=-33.89926&PL5=4

this is what happens when datums are mixed... makes the whole device useless... so to answer the original thread posters question, don't bother with the cheaper HK unit... in this case you won't even get what you paid for and you may end up in the water...

[misterhoang]

dsp26 is exactly correct, with the whole datum and flat piece of paper (map) not lining up with the geiodal shape of the earth,