Kenwood Garmin GPS???

[sukemecuke 10+ year member]

Does anyone have any of the kenwood in dash nav/dvd combos with the optional garmin GPS? If you have you updated your maps, and if you did how hard was it to do so? I know it says it has an SD slot, but how do you possibly update something from SD? Without buying a garmin update SD card.

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[BodegaBay 10+ year member]

If I ever go back to a video system in my vehicle, it would have the Kenwood + Garmin GPS unit. I've used a couple of Garmin portable car units (c320 and Nuvi 350) and consider it the most user friendly GPS GUI on the market. If you want simplicity and ease at it's best, this combo would be it.

To upgrade the maps, you would have to have a flash memory reader via some external docking station or internal on your PC, then upload the updated maps to the SD card.

Go to Garmin's site and look up their unit called the GVN 52. It's the unit Kenwood is using and the only difference is that Kenwood made their touchscreen LCDs compatible with the GVN 52. You can download the GVN manual and installation sheet to get an idea how easy the unit will connect.

 

[sukemecuke 10+ year member]

If I ever go back to a video system in my vehicle, it would have the Kenwood + Garmin GPS unit. I've used a couple of Garmin portable car units (c320 and Nuvi 350) and consider it the most user friendly GPS GUI on the market. If you want simplicity and ease at it's best, this combo would be it.
To upgrade the maps, you would have to have a flash memory reader via some external docking station or internal on your PC, then upload the updated maps to the SD card.

Go to Garmin's site and look up their unit called the GVN 52. It's the unit Kenwood is using and the only difference is that Kenwood made their touchscreen LCDs compatible with the GVN 52. You can download the GVN manual and installation sheet to get an idea how easy the unit will connect.

WOW!!!! Thanks boss you helped a ton. That was the needle that broke the camels back I am sooo gettin that unit now. I just sold my trail jeep and freed up some funds to attain this item. Now I just need to find out if there is a way to bypass the parking brake feature. Searched the net up and down and can't find it. So I suppose its time to post another thread. Thanks again man. My wife has a garmin GPS (C330 I believe) I love that thing its SUPER easy to use.

 

[BodegaBay 10+ year member]

Glad to be of help. By the way, I know there are much more powerful units such as the Pioneer, Alpine, and Eclipse. Yes they may have all that (I myself owned and used an Alpine W200 + DVD Nav unit) but IMO, the Garmin's User Interface wins hands down. It's simplicity at it's best. And, all those other units require you to connect their GPS to your vehicle's VSS (vehicle speed sensor) wire to calculate ETA and such. I think that's so unecessary in today's advancing GPS technology. The Garmin (and any other good portable units such as TomTom) has built in algorithm that eerily gives accurate ETA readings. You've already use the c330, so it's a natural extension to go with the Kenwood + Garmin combo.

BTW, I believe the Kenwood p-brake defeat is just wiring the p-brake wire to ground. As always, follow your local and federal law regarding such matter. Good luck and have fun.

 

[sukemecuke 10+ year member]

Glad to be of help. By the way, I know there are much more powerful units such as the Pioneer, Alpine, and Eclipse. Yes they may have all that (I myself owned and used an Alpine W200 + DVD Nav unit) but IMO, the Garmin's User Interface wins hands down. It's simplicity at it's best. And, all those other units require you to connect their GPS to your vehicle's VSS (vehicle speed sensor) wire to calculate ETA and such. I think that's so unecessary in today's advancing GPS technology. The Garmin (and any other good portable units such as TomTom) has built in algorithm that eerily gives accurate ETA readings. You've already use the c330, so it's a natural extension to go with the Kenwood + Garmin combo.
BTW, I believe the Kenwood p-brake defeat is just wiring the p-brake wire to ground. As always, follow your local and federal law regarding such matter. Good luck and have fun.

Yeah I have looked at other units myself and seen others being better at certain things. However its that Garmin GPS that sold me on that unit. Yeah I think I found out how to bypass the parking brake thing. There is a very very good chance that the DVD player will never be used while driving anyways. I just hate government regulations on stupid stuff like this. I am sure its saved lives and it has its purpose, its just sad its necessary. And I hate being told what to do.

 

[azbass 5,000+ posts]

another thing to look at is the alpine W200 + blackbird nav unit combo. fairly easy to use

 

[sukemecuke 10+ year member]

I have heard alpine has issues with getting the monitor to work while in motion for DVDs. I hear its pretty tough to bypass. Although I personally don't care, once again I just hate being told what I can and can't do.

 

[BodegaBay 10+ year member]

I've heard issues with the Blackbird as well. While Alpine has been in the integrated GPS systems since GPS was released, it just got into the portable market this year. And like all first year products, it's better to wait until the 2nd or 3rd gen. for them to work out the kinks.

Besides, CES is just around the corner so let's see what they've got.