New GPS Camera Locator - Road Angel

New GPS Camera Locator - Road Angel

Author
Discussion

woof

Original Poster:

8,456 posts

283 months

Wednesday 5th June 2002
quotequote all
Hi

I've been keeping this quiet, but I've known about it this last year - we're did the website.

It's a top unit - muchg better than the Geodessy andOrigin blue - It even gives you a constant speed display via the GPS. No more dodgy 180mph speedo readings !!

Check out the site www.blackspot.com

Luca Brazzi

3,978 posts

271 months

Wednesday 5th June 2002
quotequote all
Look's good. Could do with a comparison table with Origin and Geodesy.

I've got the Origin unit and love it. Spot on every time. It doesn't give warnings of popular plod locations though.

Steve

PetrolTed

34,443 posts

309 months

Wednesday 5th June 2002
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Woof, email via the site doesn't work.

quote:

Hi. This is the qmail-send program at installer.armourplate.com.
I'm afraid I wasn't able to deliver your message to the following addresses.
This is a permanent error; I've given up. Sorry it didn't work out.
<press@blackspot.com>:
Sorry, no mailbox here by that name. vpopmail (#5.1.1)

nigelbasson

533 posts

272 months

Wednesday 5th June 2002
quotequote all
Looks interesting - but one thing it does not make clear is how often you are supplied with the new locator software.

For example another similar system (sorry can't remember of the top of my head which one) you can download via a modem the new locations each night. If the company is going to send out a CD for example then this may lead to time delays between new cameras being fitted and when your unit knows about it.

Hopefully it will be via download from the net because I like the idea of the system knowing which direction you are travelling in and then only warning you of the sites that can get you.

Anyone own one?

Luca Brazzi

3,978 posts

271 months

Wednesday 5th June 2002
quotequote all
quote:

I like the idea of the system knowing which direction you are travelling in and then only warning you of the sites that can get you.




Origin does this, I've got mine set to display a symbol telling me there's a camera about but its not in your direction...no audible warning and no flashing lights. It also tells you if the camera is reversible, ie in the central reservation.

Why do I seem to be the only one who likes the Origin? Am I the only one on PH who's got one?? (prepares for some amusing responses)

Steve

woof

Original Poster:

8,456 posts

283 months

Wednesday 5th June 2002
quotequote all
Hi

The system comes with a preinstalled list of the latest database of cameras etc (I'm sure that the other's don't) You then have to send off your warranty card and you then get the software to update the database as often as you like.

I'll pass the comments on to Blackspot though. We've all lived with the unit for a while and miss some of the basic q & a's

yertis

18,555 posts

272 months

Wednesday 5th June 2002
quotequote all
quote:


Why do I seem to be the only one who likes the Origin? Am I the only one on PH who's got one?? (prepares for some amusing responses)




I want to buy one or other of these gizmos but can't find any comparisons on which to base my decision - can you point me towards one? At the moment I'm tending towards Origin Blue, purely on the basis of it's having a nice name.

Luca Brazzi

3,978 posts

271 months

Wednesday 5th June 2002
quotequote all
I'm not in a position to say why Origin is better than other GPS based detectors as I don't own either the Geodesy or the "Road Angel".

I'd never heard of the Angel until today, so it obviously was never in the running.

I chose Origin because it displayed actual information, as well as the warning sounds and flashing display. That way, when it flashes, you can have a quick read and decide on what action to take. Without the text information, I expect I would simply brake without knowing what type of hazard is ahead.

For me, what set it above the Geodesy, is that it has a clever way of telling you about the "average speed over a set distance" cameras. You get a warning of the first camera, then continual warnings as you approach all of the following cameras, telling you how many cameras are in the sequence.

In addition, it tells you where the camera is relative to your direction...ie if you are travelling on a dead straight road and you get a warning of a camera that's off to the left, but within range, you know you can ignore it. Geodesy doesn't tell you anything other than "there's a camera of some sort within a preset range."

The Origin came with everything needed, no need to buy GPS antenna etc. I've fitted it in my car, have a look at the piccies...they're at...

www.the.nestas.btinternet.co.uk/cargallery.htm

about half way along the line of pics. The driver's eye view shows the scale best of all.

Steve

woof

Original Poster:

8,456 posts

283 months

Thursday 6th June 2002
quotequote all
Hi Again

I haven't used any of the others either 0- But i have seen them. The origin blue is really big - I wondered how it would ever stay in position on the dash.

I think Geodessy has been surpassed by the Origin and now by Road Angel - just by looking at the features alone.

ianpicknell

107 posts

271 months

Thursday 6th June 2002
quotequote all
quote:

email via the site doesn't work.



I get the same message when e-mailing to technical@blackspot.com. I've tried info@blackspot.com and that's yet to be bounced (although I only sent it a few mins ago.)

Perhaps I'll just post my queries here. Does anyone actually have a Road Angel yet? (I'm expecting an Origin Blue i tomorrow [birthday] but may swap it for the Road Angel. Shame it's 50 quid more once you've added the re-radiating aerial.) Anyway...

1. Does the device warn upon approaching any database-stored location, or is it able to restrict warnings to those occasions when the posted speed limit is being exceeded. (This ability is known as Speed Sensitivity on the Geodesy Plus and as Limitator on the Origin Blue i.)

2. The picture of the optional Re-radiating Aerial appears to show a 12v cigarette lighter connector. Does this aerial require a separate power supply to the Road Angel itself? Would I need a cigarette lighter splitter into which both devices could be connected?

Ian.

Luca Brazzi

3,978 posts

271 months

Thursday 6th June 2002
quotequote all
quote:

The origin blue is really big - I wondered how it would ever stay in position on the dash.




Fits just perfect in a Tuscan, snugly between instrument binnacle and windscreen pillar. It comes with lots of fixing things as well... velcro stickies, brackets etc.

You're right about the Origin superceding the Geodesy, but we'll have to wait and see what the Road Angel is like following some real life owner reviews. Besides, I couldn't afford to swap my Origin for the Road Angel...and nor would I want to.

Steve

Grey42Cerbie

415 posts

272 months

Thursday 6th June 2002
quotequote all
I just got my Origin Blue i. Fit's in the Cerbie very well tucked in the space under the Radio. The other advantage of a having a fibre glass car is that it works fine with the GPS ariel in the roof lining. This makes for a very tidy install and I don't have anything on the dash distracting me.

So far I think it's an excellent piece of kit seems to work very well it's already spotted one I didn't. You can also get it to alarm only if your over the speed limit for the road you're on and only if travelling in the same direction as the trap cuts down on the beeping. Oh, it talks to, but really it needs to shout as I can't really hear it in the Cerbie. The latest download seems to include "Hideyhole" warnings too. It certainly got all my local police hidey holes which is a really nice feature.

Cheers, Steve
Grey 4.2 Cerbie

Luca Brazzi

3,978 posts

271 months

Thursday 6th June 2002
quotequote all
quote:

The latest download seems to include "Hideyhole" warnings too. It certainly got all my local police hidey holes which is a really nice feature.




I get the hidey hole warnings too, around Boxhill, nr Dorking...what do they mean???

Grey42Cerbie

415 posts

272 months

Thursday 6th June 2002
quotequote all
I thought they were just local police hot spots that someone had registered but I wasn't sure so I asked Origin they said...

"The hidy hole feature alerts you to a speed trap called a DS2 Speedmaster, they are very difficult to spot as there is only a small grey post about 1m high by the side of the road, in the road you will see the cut-out for an induction loop.

We do not allow customers to register these as other installations by the roadside look very similar and we would be inundated with unverifiable locations."

I'm now worried as I see no posts where mine trigger but they are common Police speed check places. Maybe the police just have to plug into these or something?

Anyone have any thoughts on this ?

Cheers, Steve
Grey 4.2 Cerbie

yum

529 posts

279 months

Thursday 6th June 2002
quotequote all
I believe that these are induction loops that the police cars have to plug into, sitting a little further down the road. they can then either take a photo, stop you or chase you depending on the circumstances.

They don't work independently.

s2ooz

3,005 posts

290 months

Friday 7th June 2002
quotequote all
theres a comparison review on the UK speed traps
www.ukspeedtraps.co.uk/ under GPS, left column.

they like it. it has the ability for you to add and delete your own favorite "scary corners" or as I like to think, mark out the nearest pubs!! (or pie shops Ted?)
mind you, if you know there there to mark them, you hardly need a reminder anymore?

I didnt like the pricing, its cheap to start, but then you need a bracket, an extended receiver for hiding it, a modem cable etc, its soon gets expensive.

ianpicknell

107 posts

271 months

Friday 7th June 2002
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quote:

theres a comparison review on the UK speed traps
www.ukspeedtraps.co.uk/ under GPS, left column.


I sent some comments to Steve (Mr UK Speed Traps) about the review and he's said he'll update it within the next few days or so.

quote:

I didnt like the pricing


One of the very points I made to Steve! Also, I haven't found any mention of a Limitator or Speed Sensitivity-type feature. Without this it'll go off even if you're crawling past a camera in heavy traffic.