# Navigation questions..



## Dino_Donis (Apr 19, 2004)

Can someone with the nav package answer these questions:-

> Can it show/warn you about speed/redlight cameras?
> Can I imports Speed cameras?
> Can I import my personal POIs which I have in Google Maps?
> Can it display the location of contacts (with addresses) on the maps similar to Google maps?

Cheers


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## Toshiba (Jul 8, 2004)

I can't answer the last one, but for the others, yes, speed cameras would be POIs still. You do all this all via the Audi website and you the prepare the package for the VC.


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## Omychron (Sep 9, 2016)

Dino_Donis said:


> Can someone with the nav package answer these questions:-
> 
> > Can it show/warn you about speed/redlight cameras?
> > Can I imports Speed cameras?
> ...


> Yes. Showing them is no problem, they have to be added manually, though. A warning on approaching a camera is supported on later versions of the VC software. My car is from 2015, and doesn't do it.
> Yes.
> Custom POI's need to be put on an SD card, then loaded in the car. It's the same process used for the speed cameras.
> If you add them manually as a custom POI, yes. The VC will not automatically give a visual indication of your contact's addresses on the map. (Unlike, say, Google Maps on your phone.)


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## Dino_Donis (Apr 19, 2004)

Thanks for replies...sounds promising..
So can you import custom bitmap image to be displayed with associated POI file?
How about the sound? Can you import it or is there only a default sound?
Can you customise the distance before alert sound is played?
I assume as speed cameras are only genetic POIs you can't get the system to ignore them if you are going in the opposite direction?
Cheers

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk


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## pcbbc (Sep 4, 2009)

Dino_Donis said:


> So can you import custom bitmap image to be displayed with associated POI file?


Yes.



> How about the sound? Can you import it or is there only a default sound?


One default "bong" sound. Also cluster shows name of POI category. So "Approaching 30mph GATSO in 50 yards" for example.

You can configure no warnings, cluster message on and no warning sound, or cluster message also with audible warning. It is not possible to configure just a warning sound and no cluster message. The cluster message cancels itself after a few seconds or press right scroll wheel to dismiss. These are global settings for all POI categories that are then individually enabled as "warn on approach" ON/OFF by category. You are limited to a maximum of 10 categories to be warned about as ON at any one time. As far as I can see there doesn't seem to be any limit on total number of categories.

You can chose completely separately (to the approach warnings) which POI categories are actually displayed on the map. There doesn't seem to be a limit to how many categories you can select for this, but icons are displayed only at 1/4 mile map zoom and below. Display of icons in no way effects giving of alerts.



> Can you customise the distance before alert sound is played?


No, although the distance before the alert is given seems to be related to vehicle speed. So many 100s of yards on motorways, and somewhere between 50-100 yards in 30mph zones, etc. Haven't worked out yet if it is related to road class, or current vehicle speed.

There is certainly sufficient time to adjust speed assuming you aren't being insane. I haven't tried being insane, so can not say if it would increase warning distance to hundreds of yards (as per motorway) in a 30 zone if doing 80mph at the time!

I do see that the POI database format allows setting of a min/max value for lat and long of each POI. I have yet to investigate what effect, if any, changing that has. One would assume bigger box would mean less precise positioning, but also earlier warning?

Also I recall an unpopulated column called "warn", or something like that, against each individual POI location in the database. This might imply ability to set custom warning by individual POI if implemented (unlikely, but again needs testing).
Note that the system is not clever enough to try to detect if the POI is on your current route, road or direction. So it does sometimes give false positives on adjoining streets at junctions in urban areas, or on nearby non-junctioned A roads when on the motorway.



> I assume as speed cameras are only genetic POIs you can't get the system to ignore them if you are going in the opposite direction?


Correct assumption.

It is still better than the Camera POI I was able to add with my NavPOInt software for the RNS-E though due to the visual and audible alert.

The accuracy of the poisition of the POI on the map seems a little less if I'm honest though. Perhaps due to using 3D view (I used 2D mainly on the RNS-E) and hence some introduced parallax? Also the display of POI seems a bit hit and miss. I have seem POI icons inexplicably missing from the cluster, or slow to appear when zooming in/out - it still gave a warning though.

Obviously it's nowhere near the features you'd get from a dedicated speed warning device, but it is usable and about as good as you'd expect to get from a OEM manufacturer provided system in my opinion.

Edit:
One other issue I forgot to mention with the audible alerts - they are muted if a navigation direction happens to be being played at the time. You still get the visual message on the VC. Alerts do seem to work regardless of selected VC display though (so even if you are off in media or phone menus and not displaying the map you still get an alert).

Edit:
(Pictures while I was testing the feature with the OEM supplied POI)


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## ZephyR2 (Feb 20, 2013)

@ pcbbc
Your thoughts about speed affecting distance before an alert may hold water. I've only been playing with a Pub Grub database but on the motorway it gave me an alert at 700 yds (although you would have to have come off the junction before to get to it :lol: ). While for another POI on a 40 mph road it gave me an alert at 400 yds. I can see some simple maths at play here. However just to confuse the issue the 700 yds warning was on a stretch of motorway where a temporary 50 mph limit was in force so maybe it takes it lead from the speed limit of the road rather than the actual travelling speed.

A further point of interest (see what I did there :lol: ) is that one web site offering data downloads seems to let you choose the distance for your proximity alert ....









@ Dino Donis


Dino_Donis said:


> > Can it display the location of contacts (with addresses) on the maps similar to Google maps?


Not sure exactly what you're after but if you have contacts in your phone with an address and if your phone is connected then - if you go to Nav > Destination input > Directory you will see a list of those contacts and from there you can set their address as a destination which will then show up on the map.


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## Dino_Donis (Apr 19, 2004)

pcbbc said:


> Dino_Donis said:
> 
> 
> > So can you import custom bitmap image to be displayed with associated POI file?
> ...


Thanks for the photos - it looks quite comprehensive! What format are the POIs? .OV2 + .bmp?


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## pcbbc (Sep 4, 2009)

Dino_Donis said:


> Thanks for the photos - it looks quite comprehensive! What format are the POIs? .OV2 + .bmp?


Currently I am running with the Garmin CSV files for the UK (separated by speed zone and camera type) downloaded from PocketGPSWorld. I then import import each category manually into the Audi utility on MyAudi and use the Java app to produce my SD card update which consists of a custom SQLite database (note the webpage applet you need for this function has currently "gone missing" from MyAudi and you need to edit the page HTML to access it details) :roll:

On my list of things to do is explore the database format more thoroughly (as to what is and isn't possible) and produce a standalone utility (or maybe extend the existing Mcaddy one) to fully automate and extend the whole process:
1. Remove reliance on the MyAudi Java application (because it looks like Audi might not be supporting it much longer),
2. Create combined POI groups of all camera types for each speed limit (20,30,40,50,60,70,Variable) so these fit within the 10 limit of the arrival notifications so it displays "Approaching 30mph zone in xxx yards",
3. Create individual POI groups for each camera type and speed limit combination (so these can have separate map icons for each type and limit),
4. Produce nice alpha blended high resolution icons (the default PocketGPSWorld icons are too low res and have no alpha blending or transparency, so look complete crap on the beautiful VC display),
5. Allow selection of regions other than UK (Mcaddy POI was hard coded to UK only it seems),
6. Add any other features that turn out to be possible within the limitations of the format.


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## Sport! (Sep 29, 2016)

pcbbc said:


> Dino_Donis said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks for the photos - it looks quite comprehensive! What format are the POIs? .OV2 + .bmp?
> ...


If you can create a utility for this I would pay some to be able to use it!


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## Matrix (Apr 11, 2016)

My display options are frustratingly different. I am told by my dealer that there isn't a software update available which I find strange?


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## Omychron (Sep 9, 2016)

Matrix said:


> My display options are frustratingly different. I am told by my dealer that there isn't a software update available which I find strange?


I'm in the same situation.
Next maintenance for me will be at a different dealer anyway, maybe they're more willing to update the entire thing!


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## ZephyR2 (Feb 20, 2013)

Not wishing to appear smug with you guys but that is usually the downside of being the early adopters of a new model. In the rush to get a new model on to the market manufacturers continue with refinement and minor development going on alongside sales. Effectively you are guinea pigs for the manufacturer.


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## Toshiba (Jul 8, 2004)

Well they get the plus of being the first and generally better resales before moving on.
So swings...


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## ZephyR2 (Feb 20, 2013)

Toshiba said:


> Well they get the plus of being the first and generally better resales before moving on.
> So swings...


Yes swings etc indeed. While some like me are biding our time they are dring round having fun. Although I'm not sure about the better resales side.

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## Toshiba (Jul 8, 2004)

IMO resale of used cars reduce as the popularity reduces/wains.
First 3 years are better as less cars in the channel, after 3 years the PCPs start to flood in.


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## Dino_Donis (Apr 19, 2004)

So picking up the new car tomorrow, already have my 4G Sim card and music on SD Card, would like to sort the speed cameras ahead of time. So can i just download the data bases from PocketGPS (OV2 + BMP) put them on an SD Card then go into the VC and copy them over? Then setup the wanings, sounds etc
How does it handle speed camera updates? Do I delete then database from the internal memory then install the new one?

Or do I have to copy them via myAudi?

Cheers


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## pcbbc (Sep 4, 2009)

Dino_Donis said:


> So picking up the new car tomorrow, already have my 4G Sim card and music on SD Card, would like to sort the speed cameras ahead of time. So can i just download the data bases from PocketGPS (OV2 + BMP) put them on an SD Card then go into the VC and copy them over? Then setup the wanings, sounds etc
> How does it handle speed camera updates? Do I delete then database from the internal memory then install the new one?
> 
> Or do I have to copy them via myAudi?
> ...


You need to use either MyAudi to prepare the update on a SD card using their Java application to import a CSV.
OR
You can use the AudiPOI Windows application by mcaddy which requires a PocketGpsWorld subscription (and only downloads the UK cams).

Every time you update the database in the car, it overwrites the old one. The mcaddy app contains merge functionality to merge to an existing database on the SD card, but it has serious bugs. Delete everything from the SD and start afresh if you use that.


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## Dino_Donis (Apr 19, 2004)

pcbbc said:


> Dino_Donis said:
> 
> 
> > So picking up the new car tomorrow, already have my 4G Sim card and music on SD Card, would like to sort the speed cameras ahead of time. So can i just download the data bases from PocketGPS (OV2 + BMP) put them on an SD Card then go into the VC and copy them over? Then setup the wanings, sounds etc
> ...


Thanks, I've setup my account on MyAudi but can't link a car as I don't have the chassis number, so I guess I can't use this feature until I get the car? If if does work though then I've happy to use it rather than buggy software. So I download the file in CSV format, how about the icon files?


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## Toshiba (Jul 8, 2004)

You pick or use any icon you want.. point and click.


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## Dino_Donis (Apr 19, 2004)

Toshiba said:


> You pick or use any icon you want.. point and click.


Can you use .png files with transparencies?

Would the attached files load ok? I'm just working on a set to replace the dull ones that come with the camera files...


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## pcbbc (Sep 4, 2009)

Dino_Donis said:


> Toshiba said:
> 
> 
> > You pick or use any icon you want.. point and click.
> ...


They look far too big. I don't know if the Audi app scales them to fit, or just keeps them the same size and lets the cluster do the scaling.

There are some standard icons on MyAudi that you can select, which should give you the "correct" size that the cluster is expecting. Any other size is likely to give less than optimum results (either pixelated if too small or unwanted artefacts introduced if too big).

And yes, they support transparency. The supplied standard icons have rounded corners with transparency on the unused pixels.


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## Dino_Donis (Apr 19, 2004)

pcbbc said:


> Dino_Donis said:
> 
> 
> > Toshiba said:
> ...


I found a pdf guide on here that stated the maximum size is 200 x 200 so I made these 180 I assumed the VC would do some scaling? & the icons would look better with higher resolution. It's no big deal to rescale them.

Sent from my Galaxy S7 Edge using Tapatalk


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## pcbbc (Sep 4, 2009)

Dino_Donis said:


> I found a pdf guide on here that stated the maximum size is 200 x 200 so I made these 180 I assumed the VC would do some scaling? & the icons would look better with higher resolution. It's no big deal to rescale them.


Something will scale them for sure, but when you start with a vastly oversized image it will not result in better quality. Especially so when dealing with smallish images such as icons. Hence why ICO files have multiple images resolutions present, 16x16, 32x32, 48x48 etc.

It could even be worse if nearest neighbour is used rather than some linear interpolation method. At the very least you waste memory and processing time rescaling the images.

The best size image to chose is the maximum size that will actually be DISPLAYED, and not the maximum size that is ACCEPTED. Almost certainly the size Audi have selected for their sample icons is the maximum size needed and no more than that. Then no scaling required in the optimal case of a full size image; and best possible reproduction of your artwork at smaller sizes if scaling is required.

Personally I would also remove your drop shadows and stick with a "flat" image. At the final size these images will be displayed on the VC they are not going to be that visible. None of the Audi supplied POI have that style or level of detail.

Edit: IF these images were being scaled UP and not down, then starting with the largest possible size DOES give better quality. But note that that will never be the case here.


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## Dino_Donis (Apr 19, 2004)

pcbbc said:


> Dino_Donis said:
> 
> 
> > I found a pdf guide on here that stated the maximum size is 200 x 200 so I made these 180 I assumed the VC would do some scaling? & the icons would look better with higher resolution. It's no big deal to rescale them.
> ...


what size do you recommend?


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## pcbbc (Sep 4, 2009)

Dino_Donis said:


> What size do you recommend?


My current guess (based solely on the default icons that Audi supply, and that they have chosen their size correctly) is 34x34 pixels.


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## Dino_Donis (Apr 19, 2004)

So I got the speed cameras into the VC with my custom icons and they look quite good. One thing with the warning bong the volume seems quite low, is the volume setting the same one for the navigation volume? I also noticed that the warning pops up very close to the speed camera only tried it in 30mph zones so far...


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## ZephyR2 (Feb 20, 2013)

pcbbc said:


> You need to use either MyAudi to prepare the update on a SD card using their Java application to import a CSV.
> OR
> You can use the AudiPOI Windows application by mcaddy which requires a PocketGpsWorld subscription (and only downloads the UK cams).
> 
> Every time you update the database in the car, it overwrites the old one. The mcaddy app contains merge functionality to merge to an existing database on the SD card, but it has serious bugs. Delete everything from the SD and start afresh if you use that.


Right, finally getting round to doing this now. Just one point - the PocketGPS database is constantly being updated. So presumably I would have to keep going through the GPS download - myAudi convert - SD card upload process on a regular basis. Or just make do with occasional updates.
What do other users do ?


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## Omychron (Sep 9, 2016)

ZephyR2 said:


> pcbbc said:
> 
> 
> > You need to use either MyAudi to prepare the update on a SD card using their Java application to import a CSV.
> ...


I tend to update it together with a map update.
Not that much changes in 6 months I suppose...


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## ZephyR2 (Feb 20, 2013)

Right so I've been playing around with the speed cameras POIs. I've tried various downloads from PocketGPS including Other - GPX, Other - CSV, Garmin, TomTom - OV2 and the Mcaddy app.
Basically there seems to be little or no difference between any of them. The notifications are not smart, they don't normally recognise your direction of travel, even with a sat nav destination programmed. You do get a false alerts, especially on motorways.

I can't figure out how the notification distance is set. It varies from 80 yards to 700 yards and sometimes it's a lot less than 80 yards in reality when you get the notification. It looks like the notification distance may be related to your actual speed rather than the speed limit for the road as you get 700 yards notice of 30 mph Gatsos on the motorway. However on a 50 mph dual carriageway you get 90 yards notice in one direction and 200 yards notice in the other.
Nevertheless you generally do get sufficient notice of Gatsos to adjust your speed if necessary. 
It doesn't seem to notify twice if you have 2 Gatsos close together.

I'm not to sure about the value of having the Mobile cameras as at one or two hundred yards notice you have probably been clocked long before then.

I prefer the individual speed specific Gatso notifications but this produces more items than you can select for notification on the MMI - you are limited to just 10. I select the Mobile cameras and all Gatsos except for the 20 mph ones. I don't need to know about Traffic light cameras and the Specs (average speed) camera notifications become annoying after a while and you don't really need telling about them.

I've got mine giving banner notifications on the VC along with warning ping. They work with or without the Google Earth overlay. Also 2D or 3D doesn't seem to make any difference with accuracy. The standard icons seems quite OK on my VC display.
This is on a MY17 model.
As myAudi Special Destinations doesn't appear in myAudi web site for me I've been using pcbbc's hack to get it which has worked well up to now - viewtopic.php?f=98&t=1192305&hilit=pcbbc&start=15
Hope this is of some help to others.


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## Dino_Donis (Apr 19, 2004)

A tip to help with the 10 warning limitation....

I use a combination of the downloadable databases from PocketGPS, say for Specs cameras I download the consolidate database and use this to trigger the warning sound & pop-up but don't display on the map, I also download the speed zoned Specs database and set this with no warning sound or pop-ups but I do display these on the map so I get indivudual speeds displayed...This way I have only used 1 of the 10 notifications slots (instead of around 6) but I still have individual speeds shown on the map 8) You can do a similar thing for Gatso etc.

I hope ths helps...


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## ZephyR2 (Feb 20, 2013)

That sounds clever Dino. So how do you set the Specs to trigger the warning sound & pop-up without displaying on the map? Do you just delete the .bmps or do you use a blank / clear bmp?


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## Dino_Donis (Apr 19, 2004)

ZephyR2 said:


> That sounds clever Dino. So how do you set the Specs to trigger the warning sound & pop-up without displaying on the map? Do you just delete the .bmps or do you use a blank / clear bmp?


The consolidated database has all the locations so this is set to trigger the sounds and pop-up using the option in the VC...then on one of the other VC options you can select what to show on the map...I turn the display of the consolidated specs off...
Then for the specs speed zoned database I do the opposite..i.e. display them on the map but turn off the warnings/pop-ups....this also prevents the showing of 2 different symbols in the same location...it works a treat....

You can have all the warning sounds for all of the speeds cameras using this method plus have a few spare for other stuff...

See the screen shots ealier on in this post for the VC options....

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## F1SpaceMonkey (Nov 21, 2015)

anyone worked out how to avoid a part of the route set??


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## ZephyR2 (Feb 20, 2013)

Ah ha! Gotcha Dino. Yep that works very well. Thanks for the tip.

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## Dino_Donis (Apr 19, 2004)

ZephyR2 said:


> Ah ha! Gotcha Dino. Yep that works very well. Thanks for the tip.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


No worries...

Sent from my Galaxy S7 Edge using Tapatalk


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