GPS removal

harlequin2 · Post by **harlequin2** » Sat Dec 20, 2014 7:15 pm

ChrisP wrote:
Andy wrote:
harlequin2 wrote: Care to expand upon that? Who does conversions?
Check Trademe Services, its brimming with brand specific ads for GPS conversion.
this is true, untill you say Z33 to them.

Yes, no-one wants to know. I have pulled mine apart and discovered a 7" video screen with RGB drive from the navigation unit, which is Jap specific and no use here at all. I can't find an English speaking one, although there are lots of US ones for sale on eBay. One of those might work if you can get NZ maps. But who wants to pay Nissan for such things, even if they are available?
I am inclined to look for a 7" screen, either a tablet with an external video input that I could plug a camera into (all the camera I can find are composite video, not RGB and a converter is very expensive) and run some navigation software on it, or just ftit a Garmin 7" GPS unit and forgo the reversing camera. I'll keep looking at the various options.
The new screen would be a touch sensitive one, so all those Jap inscribed buttons become superfluous, but hey, they fill a hole. Or two!

350ZST · Post by **350ZST** » Mon Jan 26, 2015 12:10 pm

I pick up my 2007 350Z ST tomorrow and I have the same dilemma, what to do with the Japanese sat nav.
Would a complete system from a UK GT work ? would it be a simple case of swapping the 3 parts ?
Then how would I get NZ maps ?

harlequin2 · Post by **harlequin2** » Mon Jan 26, 2015 3:15 pm

1achuck wrote:I pick up my 2007 350Z ST tomorrow and I have the same dilemma, what to do with the Japanese sat nav.
Would a complete system from a UK GT work ? would it be a simple case of swapping the 3 parts ?
Then how would I get NZ maps ?

I think a UK system would work - you would only need to swap the navigation control unit (the DVD box) and the navi switch unit as the display is not language specific, it just shows whatever the control unit sends to it - like a video player.- and I expect it would be the same model in all cars.
Maps are the problem, you'd probably have to buy them from Nissan.
I've looked on Navitotal and a few other sites, but couldn't find any Nissan maps at all, although it seems that Renault used the same nav system - but I couldn't find any Renault ones either!

I have on order from China, a 7" tablet which has GPS built in and will talk via Bluetooth to a camera and I am planning on installing that with http://www.sygic.com/en/android:buy-now as the map software. A reversing camera via said Bluetooth and it should be quite good.
The tablet is what they call a "phablet" and has a 'phone built in as well all for under $100. If I can make it all work, I'll put the details on here.

harlequin2 · Post by **harlequin2** » Tue Jan 27, 2015 9:01 am

I've just been looking on Nissan NZ web site and none of the models advertised mention a navigation system. I wonder if Nissan don't actually have one in NZ? Seems a bit backward!

350ZST · Post by **350ZST** » Tue Jan 27, 2015 9:48 am

That's New Zealand for you, I've only been here 3 years and I love the place, but some times you think you are in a third world country.

BRONZEE · Post by **BRONZEE** » Tue Jan 27, 2015 9:57 pm

harlequin2 wrote:I've just been looking on Nissan NZ web site and none of the models advertised mention a navigation system. I wonder if Nissan don't actually have one in NZ? Seems a bit backward!

11 years ago when I purchased my 350 new, the navigation system wasn't an option on the NZ new, was only an option on Japanese, US and UK models in the major countries. Not sure about Auz though.

Andy · Post by **Andy** » Wed Jan 28, 2015 10:52 am

IMHO, Nav systems in cars have been rendered redundant by smartphones and magnetic holders. Car factory GPS systems are inevitably buggy out of date and poorly featured.
Smartphones have a miriad of systems to choose from and most are updated free of charge and regularly. Even the $100 GPS unit from trademe works better than most factory systems.

harlequin2 · Post by **harlequin2** » Wed Jan 28, 2015 12:23 pm

To some extent, but have you ever tried to navigate with a smartphone with a pissy little screen that you can't see from more than a metre away and with a touch screen too small for your fingers? You need something with at least a 5 inch screen and then it has to be mounted somewhere where it can be seen and operated.

The big advantages of manufacturer's built-in systems is that they are already mounted with big screens that are easy to see and - usually - quite easy to operate. Disadvantages are cost and lack of updates. But I have a Mercedes with an excellent system that I am quite happy with and it gets updated once a year (free at the moment).

I have a TomTom also which is just as easy to use and I update it about quarterly - also free. I use this in cars without a nav system or when I travel overseas as it is easy to load maps of other countries and saves paying gthe exorbitant fees rental car companies charge for a GPS add-on.
.
I'll be interested to see how Sygic works in my new tablet when it arrives.

Andy · Post by **Andy** » Wed Jan 28, 2015 12:46 pm

harlequin2 wrote:To some extent, but have you ever tried to navigate with a smartphone with a pissy little screen that you can't see from more than a metre away and with a touch screen too small for your fingers? You need something with at least a 5 inch screen and then it has to be mounted somewhere where it can be seen and operated.

Yes sorry I assume everyone has a 5" smartphone, I find them very good and because you're always using the same interface the portability is improved. As far as mounts go in-built Nav screens sit in an illogical place and a smartphone/portable GPS can be mounted appropriately for your needs either at eye level or an appropriate height for easy reading. I find RH side slightly above or below eye level to be perfect.

350ZST · Post by **350ZST** » Wed Jan 28, 2015 5:40 pm

I'll be interested in how your phablet project works out.
I've managed with Tomtom on my iPhone 3 for a few years now, yes it's small and the audio is not that loud, but I have got lost yet.
I have it mounted on a pro clip system and I've just ordered the dashboard mount for the 350Z.
It just seems a waste of space having the defunk japanese system sat there, I did look at a Philips CED1910BTK with nav today and the tech said that they could wire it into the Bose system already in the car.
I'm semi keen as I would like a bigger sat nav system, but with these units your just doubling up with the audio.
Ideal would be a 7" gps unit that would just slot in the existing place.
I also spoke to Alan at Alert auto electrical today, they advertise Jap to NZ conversions, but as soon as I mentioned 350Z he said "I can't do anything with that"

I have used an iPad and Dual bluetooth gps unit on my boat, so even a 7" tablet without gps would be ok as long as you could get NZ maps for it.

350ZST · Post by **350ZST** » Sun Feb 01, 2015 11:58 am

Well I've spent the last 3 days trawling the internet looking for a solution.
I thought I had it cracked when I found the Garmin nuvi 2797lmt, the dimensions were perfect to fit into the original slot.
Then I realised the on/off switch was at the back so you wouldn't be able to get to it if you mounted it flush in the dash.

ChrisP · Post by **ChrisP** » Sun Feb 01, 2015 12:14 pm

surely some tech minded person could convert that switch to come into your dash. just an idea

350ZST · Post by **350ZST** » Sun Feb 01, 2015 10:02 pm

H2..........do you think this would work with the 7" screen we have ?
Rapid Radio Navi Upgrade

I tried to insert the link, but I couldn't get it to work.

harlequin2 · Post by **harlequin2** » Mon Feb 02, 2015 2:36 pm

350ZST wrote:H2..........do you think this would work with the 7" screen we have ?
Rapid Radio Navi Upgrade

I tried to insert the link, but I couldn't get it to work.

I assume you mean the Sygic map s/w?
My "phablet" arrived on Friday and I've installed the Sygic s/w and it works very well. They have a sale on and I bought maps for NZ and Australia with lifetime updates for a total of about $NZ40. Much better deal than TomTom! But you should note that it is for devices with the Android operating system. I have no idea what a Rapid Radio Navi Upgrade is.
If you have an Android phone or Tablet, this s/w will navigate you all over Australasia.
My phablet ia an ACUBE and it is slightly too large to directly replace the Nissan screen without a bit of carpentry. And it is so superior to my old LG phone that I am very tempted to just keep it as a phone/tablet/navigator - a portable one to boot. It landed here at about $NZ88, so I think I have the cheapest navi system you can get!

I might have a look at that Garmin model someone mentioned earlier. I am an electronics engineer, so I don't think it would be too hard to organise a different power switch.

Wow, I just saw it on Dick Smith for $429. Might re-think that!

350ZST · Post by **350ZST** » Mon Feb 02, 2015 3:42 pm

If you google rapid radio and then select their navigation items you will see the black box navi upgrade, I've been quoted around $2000 fitted, I think I'll pass on that.
I've taken out the stock navigation controller now so at least I haven't got that annoying bing bong sound and the japanese writing on the screen.
The screen is now dead.
I'm going to stick with my iPhone 4 with tom-tom for navigation for now and see how I get on. I'm just waiting for the pro clip dash mount, it landed from the States on Sunday so should be with me tomorrow if PBT pull their finger out.
If I decide I need something bigger I might just go the route of using a garmin/tom tom/navman in front of the screen.

I learnt something else whilst talking to rapid radio, when I said I wanted to keep the Bose system they said "it's not a Bose head, just the amp and speakers are Bose".