GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: Exonian on 09 January 2015, 15:26
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Being as I have a very short span of attention I've not spent hours searching the forum and at the end of the day electrical thingys seem to change to something better every other week anyway.
So, having pondered the fact that the Discovery Nav is in no way worth £750 or whatever more than a basic identical looking radio fitted as standard to the GTI/D/R and the Pro Nav isn't worth another grand on top of that when I think back to my RNS 510 I used in two different mk6's which seemed a better unit than the Discovery and not far behind the Pro.
So what ingenious things have forum members decided to use that are mk7 friendly that don't involve sticking a Tom Tom on a suction cup to the screen with a fat cable running to the 12v socket?
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sticking a Tom Tom on a suction cup to the screen with a fat cable running to the 12v socket?
I did this and pocketed the £1300 difference over nav-pro... I suppose I could hard wire it in but can't be bothered... and it means that I can use it in the rental car when I go to France for the Andros Trophy race next week... fat cable and all... :smiley:
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I'm not anti-fat cable - I still use my 2005 vintage nav from time to time! And I've never even updated the maps on that yet it still works ok... :shocked: more or less...
I was just wondering with all the advances in technology if there was a neat and tidy alternative to the factory nav as I have to admit the fact it's all neatly integrated does help with any car OCD issues I may or may not suffer on any given day so that alone makes the factory nav a temptation and one I gave into with the mk7.
Hindsight however is a great thing and to be honest the Discover Nav is pretty out of date tech when you consider what's available on a cheap phone or tablet these days let alone some of the fancy displays VW are now showcasing.
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I still regularly use a ten year old Tomtom Go 300! It works perfectly 99% of the time and can often offer more logical routes than the Discover Pro :-O
Plus being SD card based - if you go over to the US you just swap cards and use it in the rental car :-)
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Brodit clip with an iPhone holder and tomtom. Pretty good combo!
Isn't the Apple CarPlay thingy meant to be available soon? This will make the built in sat navs a thing of the past. Maybe it'll be a firnware upgrade for us early adopters...
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Isn't the Apple CarPlay thingy meant to be available soon? This will make the built in sat navs a thing of the past. Maybe it'll be a firnware upgrade for us early adopters...
Whilst that in these days of technology sounds perfectly feasible, I can see VW just giving a firmware upgrade out to everyone about as likely as me becoming the next Pope.
In answer to the OP, if you pick up one of the VW magazines (Volkswagen Driver for example) you will see it stuffed full of adverts for stero/nav units - seem to remember that you are looking at about 1000 quid for one though. I guess it would make sense if you planned to have more than one Mk7 over time and swapped it between each.
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To deal with my OCD and cable issues with screen mounted satnav, I ran a USB extention cable from the 12v socket to the RH cubby hole below the light switch. I now have a standard short UBS cable i plug into the USB extension lead and is much neater and did not involve anything that can't be undone.
See here for Pictures
http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=259354.msg2467610;topicseen#msg2467610 (http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=259354.msg2467610;topicseen#msg2467610)
All you need is one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2m-USB-2-0-A-Male-to-A-Female-STANDARD-Extension-Cable-BRAND-NEW-HIGH-QUALITY-/271068301505?pt=UK_Computing_USB_Cables&hash=item3f1cee08c1 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2m-USB-2-0-A-Male-to-A-Female-STANDARD-Extension-Cable-BRAND-NEW-HIGH-QUALITY-/271068301505?pt=UK_Computing_USB_Cables&hash=item3f1cee08c1)
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Nice one Monsieur le Chat, that indeed keeps it all tidy from the lead point of view. Simple but effective.
You could easily go from there to a Brodit clipped to a vent to keep most of the cables out of harms way. :smiley:
Fred G: believe it or not I've subscribed to Volkswagen Driver mag since it began and VW AUDI car before that (plus VW Motoring before VWD when Neil B was there) since the mid 80s when I was just a pup and couldn't even drive!
In fact I've recently sent about 30 years worth of them for recycling due to moving house :cry:
No, I was just curious as to the ingenuity of forum members on here as many are very switched on people (forgive pun) as I specced poverty nav on my car and have to admit that unless I keep the car years and years it will have been a waste of £750.
Next time round I doubt I'd bother...
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How about this for £799.99 with an 8" Screen.
http://www.driveaudio.co.uk/vw/44-vw-golf-mk7-premium-navigation-media-system.html
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How about this for £799.99 with an 8" Screen.
http://www.driveaudio.co.uk/vw/44-vw-golf-mk7-premium-navigation-media-system.html
Now that looks a bargain next to Pro Nav (if you really want Nav) About £950 cheaper and has plenty of resale potential at the end if you don't stick it into your next VW. The proof is in it's touch response and quality of the maps - someone will have to take the plunge to know for sure.
If a third party can bang one of these units out for £800 and the vast majority of everything needed for standard Nav is incorporated into the standard audio head unit, it beggars belief how VW came to the decision to charge more than a £400 premium for standard Nav and £1000 for Pro Nav.
It would be handy if the fascia could be replaced in future to match whatever the MK8 or next Gen of other VWs will have.
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Within the next year or so VW will be bringing out their new Predictive Sat Nav Systems. All present VW Sat Nav systems will be instantly outdated. So spending ridiculous money on the DNS Pro would seem a bit wasteful. But the big screen does look very nice.
I don't know how good the DriveAudio system is. It would be interesting to find out if it integrates seamlessly into Golf Mk7 electronics. But it could also be a case of buy cheap, pay twice. But then again, the DNS and the DNS Pro, I am given to understand, are made in Taiwan. Nothing wrong with this, but you can imagine how cheaply VW buy-in these units and then charge us a fortune.
Anyone on here willing to take the plunge with the DriveAudio unit?
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You first am1w, as you'll likely be in your R sharper than me. :grin:
There's one thing I don't like about that nav unit. On the main pic, the lower end of the enclosing fascia looks incomplete/missing - are those 2 screw/hook tool holes there also? The way that behind 1/2 of the 2 main knobs (volume and the other one) is uncovered just looks a bit wrong. Maybe we'd need to buy a replacement Nav Pro fascia to correct that if we bought one of these?
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Even the DNS Pro looks the same without the facia. See link below:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vw-Golf-VII-Mk-7-Discover-Pro-Multimedia-Navigation-HDD-System-5G0/261700856691?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140107083358%26meid%3Df810766003e3463ab4b0446be7910add%26pid%3D100011%26prg%3D20140107083358%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D261674078410
Regarding trying the DriveAudio unit, I will give it a pass. So it's over to you MH.
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I think as there's a lack of reviewers out there, you'd definitely have to try before you buy, checking out a demo version in some display. I've got by without Nav until now, and if I was after one for occasional treks into the unknown, I could live with one of Tomtom's finest. Following my recent shunt in the GTD I will definitely be looking to invest in a front/rear view dashcam with a tidy semi-permanent wired option.
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Even the DNS Pro looks the same without the facia. See link below:
The facia on the OEM unit covers those holes though.
The facia on the 3rd party doesn't cover them and leaves them exposed.
£800 is a lot of money when you aren't getting that much over the standard Sat Nav for £750. Bigger screen and DVD. Or am I missing something that is obvious? Plus its 3rd party so won't appeal to everyone.
Within the next year or so VW will be bringing out their new Predictive Sat Nav Systems. All present VW Sat Nav systems will be instantly outdated.
You make it sound like instantly it will be useless :grin: which is nonsense. It will still do the job.
Have you any links to VW's predictive Sat Nav as I can't find anything on it.
Cheers
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p3asa:
A facia fits over the DNS Pro to cover it and the same facia, I presume, can cover the DriveAudio unit.
Regarding the VW Predictive Sat Nav Systems, I read about it in the January '15 Issue of Car Mag on page 30.
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The nav pro is made by Panasonic I think but it certainly isn't made by some cheap 3rd party Chinese/Taiwan company. Am1w I think you need to do some detective work first before commenting on it.
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p3asa:
A facia fits over the DNS Pro to cover it and the same facia, I presume, can cover the DriveAudio unit.
Regarding the VW Predictive Sat Nav Systems, I read about it in the January '15 Issue of Car Mag on page 30.
The picture MH was referring to with the holes showing is the one with the facia already on so it won't cover it. In fact looking at it again, the facia overlaps the unit next to the holes. Not ideal.
Thanks re predictive sat nav. I'll take a look.
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The nav pro is made by Panasonic I think but it certainly isn't made by some cheap 3rd party Chinese/Taiwan company. Am1w I think you need to do some detective work first before commenting on it.
I am most impressed with your detective skills.
The DVD Player is made in Germany by Harman. Panasonic do have factories worldwide, so in Taiwan also. Nothing wrong if it is made in Taiwan. In fact, I was under the impression that the Nav unit was made by Samsung.
Does it matter? Not a jot as long as it is reliable and works.
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p3asa:
A facia fits over the DNS Pro to cover it and the same facia, I presume, can cover the DriveAudio unit.
Regarding the VW Predictive Sat Nav Systems, I read about it in the January '15 Issue of Car Mag on page 30.
The picture MH was referring to with the holes showing is the one with the facia already on so it won't cover it. In fact looking at it again, the facia overlaps the unit next to the holes. Not ideal.
Thanks re predictive sat nav. I'll take a look.
A whole page was devoted to this. Very clever bit of tech.
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Buy some sat nav software (like Tom Tom or Garmin) for your smart phone and use a Kenu Airframe phone holder. They are perfect for the Golf centre air vents. The holders are discrete, well made and hold the very phone securely.
I first heard of them throughout then BMW forum I use as quite a few of the guys have them. I purchased one then ended up getting another one for the wife and then the parents.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kenu-Airframe-Portable-Car-Mount-Black/dp/B00D901B4W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420957574&sr=8-1&keywords=kenu+airframe
Not sure how it works with the golfs but if you have the capacity to Bluetooth stream music in your car then the phone sat nav voice directions should also play through the speakers?
Video here (Excuse the annoying American) http://youtu.be/hd0ANTvuw5I
Ps I drove the new R yesterday..... I will let you know my thoughts later
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The problem with all factory nav is it's made cheap but you're charged a fortune for it. Every manufacturer is the same.
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The problem with all factory nav is it's made cheap but you're charged a fortune for it. Every manufacturer is the same.
Ain't that a fact!
And with modern electronics pace of development, by the time they've agreed the specs at the design stage and it's gone into production it's way out of date already.
Buy some sat nav software (like Tom Tom or Garmin) for your smart phone and use a Kenu Airframe phone holder. They are perfect for the Golf centre air vents. The holders are discrete, well made and hold the very phone securely.
I first heard of them throughout then BMW forum I use as quite a few of the guys have them. I purchased one then ended up getting another one for the wife and then the parents.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kenu-Airframe-Portable-Car-Mount-Black/dp/B00D901B4W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420957574&sr=8-1&keywords=kenu+airframe
Not sure how it works with the golfs but if you have the capacity to Bluetooth stream music in your car then the phone sat nav voice directions should also play through the speakers?
Video here (Excuse the annoying American) http://youtu.be/hd0ANTvuw5I
Ps I drove the new R yesterday..... I will let you know my thoughts later
Nice one Martin. Thanks :thumbs up smiley:
Now, I'm sat here with a bag of popcorn ready to hear your thoughts on the R
(and when do you take delivery :laugh: )
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I hate to say it as i have the nav pro but i miss the rns510 dab i had in my tiguan. Love the big screen on the pro though :whistle:
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p3asa:
A facia fits over the DNS Pro to cover it and the same facia, I presume, can cover the DriveAudio unit.
Regarding the VW Predictive Sat Nav Systems, I read about it in the January '15 Issue of Car Mag on page 30.
The picture MH was referring to with the holes showing is the one with the facia already on so it won't cover it. In fact looking at it again, the facia overlaps the unit next to the holes. Not ideal.
Thanks re predictive sat nav. I'll take a look.
A whole page was devoted to this. Very clever bit of tech.
All the very strange German English fluff I've read on the new electronics package is here:
http://www.volkswagenag.com/content/vwcorp/info_center/en/themes/2014/11/Innovation_workshop_2014/Networking.html
Again, I'd say its a fair old way off - probably mid life refresh of the Mk7 - Q4 2016?
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Just read that the CMS is made by Panasonic and the DNS Pro is made by Alpine.