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How are you guys liking the Becker Map Pilot?

6K views 14 replies 15 participants last post by  Ian Shaw 
#1 ·
I put in the first address today. Kinda cumbersome, but honestly, its mine, so I like it. Will prolly nav through Google and just that for streets.
Updates were kinda weird and mine currently seems to be stuck in km. I'll put more mileage on it tomorrow.
 
#2 ·
I'm curious as well - my cargo is probably a month or so from delivery and I was considering changing out the nav/audio mainly due to no XM, but I've acquired a SiriusXM Commander Touch that should add on nicely - to start with anyway. I use Waze on my iPhone for most of my daily/around town nav but for long runs I currently use the built-in in my Suburban. Hoping the Becker is at least serviceable.
 
#3 ·
Cumbersome is a kind word. Interfaces should be pretty reasonably intuitive, so after fiddling a bit with Becker I went right back to my iPhone. That said, the map screen is handy to get bearings and street configuration within your immediate area. I was navigating a winding university campus and used the Becker to determine if streets went through or wandered off into dead ends, something that's pretty tough on the phone. The zoom and scroll are nice to see street layout within a limited area. Not sure I'd pay extra for it, but since it was a dealer lot van I'll use it for what it's worth.

Questions for anyone though.
Is the nav function on the driver's display tied into the Becker unit? If so that's another plus for the Becker, otherwise there's no way to determine compass bearing while you're driving.

Also, is there any way to display compass bearing in place of the clock in the driver's display? Since there's a clock in the ent. display it's just duplicated data.

I travel by and need dead reckoning fairly often hence the need for conveniently seeing compass bearing rather then time of day. It's funny though, all this technology and we're never satisfied. I literally had a marine compass super glued to the dashboard of my '68 LeSabre, kinda miss those days :D
 
#4 ·
It's not great. I use it, mostly for the instrument panel display and the auto low lowering of volume. Also the vox feature is better than the one on my PND.

But as a Nav system my $300 7" Garmin Nuvi blows it away.

Also mine only works intermittently on start up, although it always eventually gets working. The dealer agrees that's a defect and I will be going in to see them about it soon.
 
#6 ·
Sucks is a better word... Heck I want to replace the whole in dash system. Would love some input goals would be:

True Fit
Allow Access to rear camera
Sat Radio
View Iphone Screen/CarPlay
Solid Speaker Phone
GPS Handled Through Google Maps
Added Bonus LTE Hot Spot Connectivity
 
#8 ·
This thread goes all the way back! I don't get it though, dash nav system?... Isn't it just google maps or waze (owned by google) at this point, and a magnet holder for the phone? Does Garmin even exist anymore?... I had a tiny little garmin cube in the 90's. Seriously though, is there an argument against phone navigation?
 
#12 ·
As long as you are "navigating" where you have good cell phone reception...you are golden...otherwise, GPS is the way to go. Power outage (post hurricane), cell phone tower(s) down, cell signal wonky...you're dead in the water. Short of being in a tunnel or EMP...a GPS receiver will get you where you are going.

I deal with GPS system's daily. I don't find the Becker too onerous...but then again, I can remember when I had to tap lat/lon coordinates in by hand to make a "route".
 
#13 ·
If it is similar to the same wrong unit sent, you may have the European model and not the US one...Dealership had to send it back and specifically request a North American model. The software does not allow to change units, even though you are running North American maps on the unit. Best I got was the British version before I realized they installed the wrong unit...in the shop today to replace the cradle...just never ends, but am hopeful after 5 different units and now 2 cradles, it will finally function properly.
 
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