GPS

[chessie4905]

Just received an email from Garmin. 10" gps for rv's now available. They had a 10" desl last year. This is just for any one interested. Don't care if you use Google maps, hate Garmins love some other brand. Just an fyi.

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/763101?utm_source=Americas&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=en-US%20Delivery,%20RV%201090%20%7C%20Announcement%20Email%20%28MCJT-35295%29

[richard5933]

I've got their 7" dezl 785 and think it's a big improvement over the earlier one I had which was a RV 760. I almost bought the 10" dezl when I got the 7" but it just didn't seem possible to mount that easily on the windshield without causing an obstruction. If I had a bus with a custom dash I'm sure that I would want the bigger one and just find a place to build it in.

[chessie4905]

I'll  use a Ram mount ball and tablet holder with the appropriate length arm. Been using this setup for several years in my other vehicles.

[luvrbus]

10 inch is a friggn TV,I have the in dash Pioneer 7 inch (cd,radio and weather) and it's to big some times 

[chessie4905]

Could be for some. I would guess how it is mounted would have an effect on this.

[richard5933]

10 inch is a friggn TV,I have the in dash Pioneer 7 inch (cd,radio and weather) and it's to big some times

Still smaller than the display mounted in the new Ram pickups. If they can make it fit in a pickup dash I'm sure that it can be made to fit into a bus dash.

Would be interesting to see someone do a digital gauge display in the center and one of these 10" GPS displays to the side. Add a few backup mechanical gauges to the other side and you'd be all set.

One thing I like about the latest generation of Garmin units is that they are now built on a tablet running Android. They got away from their proprietary hardware and operating system, which means that things like WiFi and Bluetooth interoperability are much smoother. Another new thing is when the Garmin has active WiFi it automatically searches for and downloads updates on its own, meaning that the maps are kept much more current than when I had to manually take it in the house to do the updates. Since we use a WiFi router in the bus to connect to campground internet, this means it can update quite often on its own.

[luvrbus]

I don't use the GPS much I can get lost on my own,the SliverLeaf I do use a lot to monitor the drive train and tire pressure I would hate to be without it.when I pull in to fuel the Silver Leaf tells me how much fuel I need lol and it doesn't lie about fuel mileage,I can download updates on my Pioneer and since AZ passed a law you can use a hand held cell phone I have my phone set up through the Pioneer I also the voice option just ask for directions if you get the right city and state it works good     

[lostagain]

I have a RandMcNally trucking GPS I use when I drive truck. Works really good in the bus. I tell it my weight and size. Not as fancy as the latest and greatest, but when I saw the price of the new Garmin, whoaw! They have free paper maps at the welcome centers, lol.

[dtcerrato]

We use our Marine chart plotter in the bus. Just set the defaults to land priority. Works well with your position super imposed on a digital chart (map).

[luvrbus]

LOL I know where I am going if not some people tell me where to go

[Jim Blackwood]

Yet another thing to consider after the conversion is done. I have a road atlas and that does a pretty good job and lets me choose my own routes, unlike letting a GPS take over your life.

Jim

[richard5933]

I don't think anyone will say that maps are useless or that they don't have an important role to play while route planning.

To me, the single most valuable aid the GPS gives me over a map is the turn-by-turn, including telling me which lane to be for exits, road splits, etc. More than a few times it's kept me from totally getting something wrong, especially when the road builders sneak a left-hand exit into the system or fail to hang the road signs in the correct location. In the Chicago area, some of the signs indicating which lane goes where are too close to the split for a bus to merge, especially in traffic.

Aside from that, there are countless other times when a GPS can help in ways a map cannot, such as when a detour or road closure presents itself. Not always time for the co-pilot to choose a new route, even worse when you're driving alone.

I do use maps and a Trucker's Atlas for route planning though, as there is lots of information in those to help keep out of trouble spots.

[chessie4905]

I would not want it mounted in the dash these days. Too much obsolescence anymore. Tv's in my coach are built in and analog. Because new ones are wider due to the new format, will need some creative woodworking to replace them unless I get a 12" lol. Maybe I'll wait for tv's that enable the screen to fold in half to come out like some new phones.
When the new format design came out they touted about seeing the great movies in the wide screen as intended. Even some new movies are cropped on sides or top and bottom and have to partially zoom to get most of a picture. Maybe a 100 inch screen will eliminate that nuisance.🙄

[RJ]

To me, the single most valuable aid the GPS gives me over a map is the turn-by-turn, including telling me which lane to be for exits, road splits, etc.

Aside from that, there are countless other times when a GPS can help in ways a map cannot, such as when a detour or road closure presents itself. Not always time for the co-pilot to choose a new route, even worse when you're driving alone.

I do use maps and a Trucker's Atlas for route planning though, as there is lots of information in those to help keep out of trouble spots.

I have to agree with Richard as to these particular features/benefits of a good GPS unit. I also use an atlas or Google Maps the night before a trip to help plan a route, because sometimes knowing the territory is better than the GPS routing.

I got away from the challenge of the GPS on the dash issue by mounting mine up high to my left on the "A" pillar. It doesn't interfere with my line of sight, and it's easily included when scanning from L to R mirrors. I ran the wiring in behind the overhead monitoring panel, where I installed two hidden "cigarette lighter" sockets - one for the GPS, one for the dash cam - both powered by a rocker switch at the end of the panel. Works for me!

FWIW & HTH. . .

[Jim Blackwood]

Maybe you could use it like a swing down sun visor?

Jim