Turn-By-Turn guiding

[Noonker]

Is there any completely FREE turn by turn navigation software. For the n800?

[sgosnell]

Yes. Google Maemo Mapper and Roadmap.

[luca]

has anyone tried to compile navit for the tablet?

[dblank]

has anyone tried to compile navit for the tablet?

It runs very poorly on the tablets, needs some serious optimization.
Looks like it could be good if it didn't gobble up every little bit of system resources :)

I think Roadmap Editor might be a better option for porting, as it was made with PDAs in mind:
http://www.freemap.co.il/roadmap/

[shtevie]

I have a very basic question:

If I purchase a bluetooth GPS receiver, and install the necessary software, do I have the equivalent of a basic stand-alone GPS? (ie, real time turn-by-turn instructions without incurring any data usage charges via a cell phone.)

Thanks.

[scottyb159]

I cant seem to find where I am supossed to go to download Meamo mapper for os2003. I have not installed in past so not sure if I need extra repositories or something else? I am also not sure where you find the maps

[geneven]

Yes, you have a basic turn-by -turn gps system.

You download the maps from the aether after installing Maemo Mapper.

Go to http://www.gronmayer.com/it/ to find the repository.

[scottyb159]

Imw still confused, where do I find Maemo mapper?

[sgosnell]

Maemo Garage (https://garage.maemo.org/projects/maemo-mapper/), Maemo Mapper project page.

[scottyb159]

Is there anywhere for someone that doesnt understand all the repository issues to just figure out the basics to get the software and the US maps and turn by turn voice? SOrry to be stepping backwards here, but everything else I have installed was from Maemo and just had a green install button, this seems to invove more if you want to get maps and get voice.

[TheGogmagog]

I've been interested in some remedial GPS advice also. If it's a difference of $50, I will just buy an indepedant unit like tom-tom or garmin. Is there any benefit to tethering to a N800 (either a lot cheaper or more features) than a 'consumer' product?

My parents let me use thier $500 garmin and I was impressed. What do you loose by buying a $200 tom-tom or a $100(?) 'puck'?

[Benson]

Yes, there's a benefit. The N800 can use GPS location for other purposes, so if you want to hack things, that's great! The only useful purpose I know of is (that's ready to go) to store location info in EXIF tags in photos taken with the N800's built-in camera, which is obviously of questionable utility.

If you want to hack things, this should work with pictures taken with a camera-phone, or even some digicams.

[gnuite]

For future reference, downloads.maemo.org (http://downloads.maemo.org/) is a great official source for finding Maemo software (whether for OS2006, OS2007, or OS2008). Maemo Mapper is listed on that site, and it includes install files for each version of ITOS.

The official development site for Maemo Mapper is in the garage (https://garage.maemo.org/projects/maemo-mapper), and the .deb files can all be found there. The best way to install it, however, is via the .install files that you find at downloads.maemo.org.

[sgosnell]

A standalone device like a Garmin includes everything - a GPS receiver, mapping software, and the entire device. If you have an N800, you don't need the device, just software and a GPS receiver. If you have an N810, you don't need the separate GPS receiver. Prices for the bundle decline accordingly, more or less. I've been using a bluetooth GPS receiver for some time, cost about $35. I previously had some other receivers, wired, and they cost more. If you want a complete, finished device, on which you don't have to anything but turn it on, get one of the standalone devices. They're getting pretty cheap. Higher-end models will connect to your cell phone and dial the restaurant or other point you're going to, play mp3s, and other stuff. If you have a device, and just want mapping software on it, there are other choices. For the N8*0, there aren't many, because the major players haven't bothered with the Linux market. For free, Maemo Mapper is the main player here, and with Flite can give limited voice directions. Roadmap, if it ever gets out of alpha (it just started development in December) will give on the fly routing and voice directions. Both programs use flite, which is Festival Lite, a Linux text-to-speech program. My main mapping program is Mapopolis on Palm, which uses pspeak, another text-to-voice program. It's no longer available, unfortunately.

[shtevie]

Lots of good info here. Specifically, my question is "can you use full GPS functions (turn by turn instructions, with or without voice prompts) with the N800 WITHOUT internet access, just with the proper software and a bluetooth receiver?" I seem to recall reading that without a data plan, it would be too costly. I think it related to route recalculations...:confused:

[geneven]

Yes. You don't need Internet access to get turn-by turn guidance. The gps function senses your position and tells you where to go even without Internet access.

[geneven]

Scotty:

Here is a page with Maemo Mapper and the much-coveted green install button:

http://maemo.org/downloads/OS2008/travel/

I'm assuming you have OS2008 installed.

[gemniii42]

Lots of good info here. Specifically, my question is "can you use full GPS functions (turn by turn instructions, with or without voice prompts) with the N800 WITHOUT internet access, just with the proper software and a bluetooth receiver?" I seem to recall reading that without a data plan, it would be too costly. I think it related to route recalculations...:confused:
There are many different levels of "GPS". ranging from simply downloading the NMEA data stream to unmanned vehicles.
Turn by turn instructions, or routing is a GIS (geographic information service) function, not a GPS function. Just as playing MP3's is not a "GPS function". Routing requires vector processing, displaying maps only requires rasters.
One of the many problems with the fully packaged GPS units (Garmin, Tom-Tom, etc.) is that they are a bit like razors, once they are used it can cost a lot to maintain. It's typically $50 to $150 to update the maps.

From here (http://www.gpsreview.net/tomtom-map-update/)
"There are over 410,000 miles of new roads, six million new addresses, new POIs for shopping centers and golf courses, better details of road limitations such as one way streets, signposts, and restricted turns, and over 500,000 new POIs" on a new dataset.

With the NXXX and Maemo Mapper your update cost is somewhere between nada and zilch. You need to spend time to download maps AND imagery. But you still do not get routing. You can get simple routing via Google, but not interactive "Nokia-nokia that road is closed which way do I go to get to Grandmas?".

However I think if you were smart enough to find this forum then with the N8XX and GPS receiver you will have more functionality without the upgrade price.

So I believe the answer to your question is no. - but ----

[geneven]

You get turn-by turn instructions; I've used them. There are of course some functions that Maemo Mapper doesn't have.

You are confusing users with techno-speak.

The question was, do you get turn-by turn guidance? I have used Maemo Mapper, have you? Didn't you get turn-by turn guidance? You don't get "that route is closed" -- where did the questioner ask about that?

[gemniii42]

You get turn-by turn instructions; I've used them. There are of course some functions that Maemo Mapper doesn't have.

You are confusing users with techno-speak.

The question was, do you get turn-by turn guidance? I have used Maemo Mapper, have you? Didn't you get turn-by turn guidance? You don't get "that route is closed" -- where did the questioner ask about that?
My understanding was that
"I think it related to route recalculations." was of concern
I have not used the Maemo Mapper that provided turn by turn guidance standalone. My understanding (based on reading the Help file in Maemo Mapper) was that one would have to download a route from some other source, such as google, and that route would be static.

Yes. You don't need Internet access to get turn-by turn guidance. The gps function senses your position and tells you where to go even without Internet access.

So I was not aware this function was possible without a predetermined route downloaded from the internet.

Again - routing is not a function of GPS. Neither is playing MP3's or displaying pictures, even though many commercial "GPS" units do both (and the N810 does them better).

[sgosnell]

Maemo Mapper gives turn-by-turn guidance, but only for the previously calculated route. It can't do rerouting, if you get off the route, unless it has an internet connection. Don't confuse turn-by-turn guidance with automatic rerouting. Units using vector maps can recalculate a route from wherever the GPS is if necessary. Using raster maps, that's not possible. It can display your position on the map, but can't calculate a route, it can only tell you to turn when you get to a previously calculated turning point, and it can't route you to a new destination if you decide you want to go somewhere else. Only the previously downloaded route is possible. Maemo Mapper uses raster maps, and can't calculate a new route, either to the same destination from a point not on the route, or to a new destination, without an internet connection. It can give you the turn directions for the calculated route, however. Roadmaps is a new mapping app, using vector maps from the US Census Bureau, which can do autorerouting but it's still in alpha, and doesn't completely work yet. It started development in December, and offers lots of promise, if fully developed.

[shtevie]

Thanks to all who have contributed to this thread and for clearing up some of the murkiness surrounding these functions. I have a much better understanding now and look forward to the arrival of Roadmaps.:)

[venubvs]

Maemo Mapper gives turn-by-turn guidance, but only for the previously calculated route. It can't do rerouting, if you get off the route, unless it has an internet connection. Don't confuse turn-by-turn guidance with automatic rerouting. Units using vector maps can recalculate a route from wherever the GPS is if necessary. Using raster maps, that's not possible. It can display your position on the map, but can't calculate a route, it can only tell you to turn when you get to a previously calculated turning point, and it can't route you to a new destination if you decide you want to go somewhere else. Only the previously downloaded route is possible. Maemo Mapper uses raster maps, and can't calculate a new route, either to the same destination from a point not on the route, or to a new destination, without an internet connection. It can give you the turn directions for the calculated route, however. Roadmaps is a new mapping app, using vector maps from the US Census Bureau, which can do autorerouting but it's still in alpha, and doesn't completely work yet. It started development in December, and offers lots of promise, if fully developed.

This is the kind of answer I was looking for. Senior Member 'GeneralAntilles' (known as angry man on this forums) has confused me that MaemoMapper was a fullfledged standalone Navigation software in other posts reg same question. Thank you sgosnell

[sgosnell]

MM does pretty well for what it does. It will show your position on the map anywhere it has a map, and will start turn-by-turn voice guidance whenever you reach a point on a route. But it cannot do routing or rerouting on the fly using raster maps. There are free vector maps available from the government, but they are much less detailed than the raster maps from Google or other sources. Which maps to use is a choice the developer has to make, and either choice imposes limitations. Gnuite has chosen to use raster maps, so we either have to live with that or look for other solutions. AFAIK the Navicore program that comes with OS2008 is the only other choice right now. Roadmap isn't ready for prime time, or even close.

I'm making a trip from southeast Texas to Missouri next week, and I plan to compare Maemo Mapper with Mapopolis on the way. I know Mapopolis, and like it. It's a Palm app that is no longer being sold or supported, but its routing is solid, and the highways haven't moved very far since the maps were issued. I depend on it for mapping all the time. I plan to compare the routes I get from each, and watch the maps being displayed and see which I like better. I have 2 GPS receivers available, so it shouldn't be hard. I don't have enough experience with MM to completely trust it not to crash on the way. I've previously used DeLorme Street Atlas on this trip, and it crashed regularly. I won't use it again. If MM is stable enough, it might work for trips like this. Detours, if any, will require reading the map for the duration, because MM can't do the rerouting. Mapopolis handles that easily. It's not free, though, and doesn't run on the N8*0. TANSTAAFL.

[bluesubaru]

What is the best map database to use for in-car navigation.with MM. I currently have the Google street maps loaded up, they are too detailed. As you zoom in, the roads and names stay small. I can't easily read the names of the streets without looking closely.

Is the some other setting I don't see, that can make the roads and names bigger, or maybe a different map database.

[gnuite]

What is the best map database to use for in-car navigation.with MM. I currently have the Google street maps loaded up, they are too detailed. As you zoom in, the roads and names stay small. I can't easily read the names of the streets without looking closely.

Is the some other setting I don't see, that can make the roads and names bigger, or maybe a different map database.
Try the "Double Pixels" option in the "Manage Repositories" dialog (under the "Maps" menu). This will force Maemo Mapper to only display maps at twice their original pixel size, increasing readability from a distance, at the expense of the resolution (pixels per inch) of the image.

[Benson]

[Mapopolis is] not free, though, and doesn't run on the N8*0. TANSTAAFL.

Tried it under GVM yet? I sure hope the next beta of GVM, and definitely the final release, has screen scaling; if so, and if it runs, that could work well.

[danguyf]

Does Roadmap actually do turn-by-turn directions?

I fear that this is a stupid question, but I can't for the life of me find any in it. It'll announce all of the intersections to me quite cheerfully as I drive past them, and I can tell it I want to go somewhere and it'll put up a little red arrow to point the cardinal direction and tell me how far I have to go, but I can't for the life of me find any turn-by-turn directions.

(And while I'm asking, is there any way to tell the N810 not to dim the screen when charging only when certain programs are running? I don't want the screen to stay on when actually charging, but I'd like it to stay on when I'm running Roadmap or Maemo Mapper while in the car with it plugged in.)

[venubvs]

Roadmap does not support navigation (I checked with the Developer: Charles). We need to do the same thing like MM, down load the routes to .gpx format files to get turn-by-turn guidance. But there is another one 'NAVIT' it does the turn-by-turn navigation. But there are no instructions on how to install it.

[gnuite]

(And while I'm asking, is there any way to tell the N810 not to dim the screen when charging only when certain programs are running? I don't want the screen to stay on when actually charging, but I'd like it to stay on when I'm running Roadmap or Maemo Mapper while in the car with it plugged in.)
I don't think there's an OS-provided way to define application-specific exceptions to the screen-dimming policy. But Maemo Mapper can keep the screen on (not dimmed) based on a configuration setting. Take a look at the "Unblank Screen" option in the "Misc. 1" tab in the Settings dialog.

This doesn't solve the problem for Roadmap, though.

[danguyf]

Well, I'm glad to hear that Maemo Mapper offers the config option! I failed to notice it when flipping through the settings.

Despite the lack of navigation, I suppose Roadmap makes a good backup for Maemo Mapper (should one take a wrong turn and go astray) in so far as it can tell you which general direction you need to travel in and how far lost you are.

I tried to install navit last night but I couldn't even untar it; it said there was no magic.

[venubvs]

Hi Guys,

Today I found update on NAVIT on this forum. It is now ready install and use. Please go through the below post.

http://www.internettablettalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18093&highlight=navit