GPS with headphone jack (not bluetooth)

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rockymntfjr

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Anyone Know of any gps with headphone jacks on them or on the mounts like my Quest-2. I had my Quert-2 for four years and it decided to jump off the bike, it's now in gps heven. I already have my gps, radar detector and mp3 wired into a mix-it. So I'm looking for a audio out solution. Seams like most of the newer gps do not have. I know the Garmin Zumo and TOMTOM rider are motorcycle spacific but they are bluetooth and I don't want to spend that much money. Also I'm not that worried about waterproof. I may just look for a referb. Quest-2.

Thanks much,

Andy

 
Anyone Know of any gps with headphone jacks on them or on the mounts like my Quest-2. I had my Quert-2 for four years and it decided to jump off the bike, it's now in gps heven. I already have my gps, radar detector and mp3 wired into a mix-it. So I'm looking for a audio out solution. Seams like most of the newer gps do not have. I know the Garmin Zumo and TOMTOM rider are motorcycle spacific but they are bluetooth and I don't want to spend that much money. Also I'm not that worried about waterproof. I may just look for a referb. Quest-2.
Thanks much,

Andy

Zumo 450 was wired

 
2600/2700 series also have a wired headphone jack in the motorcycle cable. The cable is a separate purchase, provides fused power to the device and the headphone jack.

 
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Almost all of the various units from every manufacturer has a headphone output jack, usually on the unit itself these days. If a unit is Bluetooth equipped, it usually serves as the client to the phone - only the bike navigators use Bluetooth to connect onward to a headset or other device and those models have headphone jacks on them too.

The 276c/378/478 happen to be my favorite units of all time, and the latest from the series, the GPSMAP 640 is a large screen device that seems especially nice, though I have never actually installed one on a vehicle.

The newer ones (whether they be the non-waterproof Nuvis - Nuvi 500/550 excepted, because those ARE waterproof) or the Zumos, often have MP3 players in addition to the GPS functionality - on my last two road trips I had a set of ear canal studio monitors (Westone UM2) in my ears and aside from hearing protection, had an amazing repertoire of music, with something like 3,000 songs playing away - nothing better than having Hendrix' Purple Haze blasting away in perfect fidelity while carving through Deal's Gap!!!

The more modern navigators can also be loaded with 'custom POIs' - so, for example, I have all of the waypoints for 'Diners Drive-Ins and Dives' loaded and managed to visit of few that were not far from my route - I must say that Guy Fieri and I do not agree on what constitutes great, funky cuisine!!

More important, I have a speedcam and red light camera database loaded and the unit warns me when approaching one of these, additionally with the warning changing to red if I am speeding.

And that's another thing about the newer Nuvis and Zumo units . . . they contain a database of speed limits that's reasonably accurate - no more guessing whether you are speeding.

The 378/478, Zumo 550 and several others can also be plugged into Garmin's XM radio. You can listen to their music and, in the case of the 378/478 can also get weather maps. Speaking of which, the Zumo 660, which still needs a lot of work - check out my thread (which itself is due for an update) on the unit, or read my review on epinions) supports MSN-Direct, which can also do weather maps and traffic updates in major metropolitan areas.

Things have been moving right along in the world of navigators. They do a lot more than they did.

If you have an on-board intercom and you've plugged an MP3 player and/or XM radio into it, you can retain the functionality with less hardware - and I've found that my Autocom impacts on the audio quality - so plugging into the navigator that generates my music, gives me alerts and directions and also gets my phone calls provides a nice, 'higher-fi' source of audio with a simpler, integrated interface.

To a very large degree what you choose will be determined by your specific needs. If you were happy with the Quest and want no more functionality, then a 2720, 2730, 2820, GPSMAP 378 or 478 (with emphasis on the last two) are very good bets - however to one degree or another, all of these does support either MP3s or optional XM as well. Note that some of the models I mention have been discontinued, though they can still be found in the distribution channel.

If you want to up the functionality, then there is a LOT more to whose from, including the waterproof Nuvi 500 & 550, Zumo 660 and 550 (in that order, by the way the 550 is the 'higher line' device) and the GPSMAP 640.

One serious shortcoming (among several serious shortcomings) of the latest generations of navigators is that Garmin has gone to raster scanned video - those very thin, ultrasharp, crisp map displays are gone from the Nuvi/Zumo products - and the latest displays seriously limit map detail so that you can no longer zoom out and see where that little twisty road 5 miles ahead goes without resorting to panning. People who RIDE have all be complaining, but Garmin is no longer the responsive company it once was – they are now the big, impersonal high volume manufacturer of navigation appliances and they seem to have forgotten their roots.

Have I managed to clear things up while confusing you even more at the same time?

Yes?

Then I say . . . mission accomplished.

 
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Zumo 660 has audio out on the unit and also on the power cable. If your interested i just bought one from Fotoconnection.com best price around and I recieved it the next day. I also made myself a custom mount If your interested i can send pic's.

Dave

 
Zumo 660 is not ready for prime time yet.

I am not happy being Garmin's beta tester - for that I'd prefer to be paid.

 
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I have the Zumo 550 and I haven't even tried anything BT on it. I use a hard wired extension cord run under the tank right with the power cord for my ear buds. I have the female jack end sticking right out of the front of the seat. The 550 comes with two mounts, one for hard mounting on the bike and the other is a suction cup mount for in the car. Both mounts have a 3.5mm jack for headsets or earbuds. For in the car, I bought one of those cassette adapters and run it through the cars audio system. Works great. but the mount has to be powered for the audio out to work. If you unplug the car mount from the lighter socket or have the bike mount wired to a switched source and turn off the key, you lose the audio.

I will say that for my first GPS, the 550 has been a great investment. My whole family enjoys haiving it along on road trips. Even my mother-in-law was impressed when she rode with my wife and daughters to a dance competition near San Fransisco and the Zumo took them right where they wanted to go.

 
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Zumo 660 is not ready for prime time yet.
I am not happy being Garmin's beta tester - for that I'd prefer to be paid.
I haven't had any problems with the 660! I just picked it up last week and works great sofar. After registering it automatically updated to version 3.3 software upgrade which eliminated a lot of the early bugs that some people have had. Awesome graphics, wicked quick on updating and easy to use. Unclip it put it in my pocket and go.

 
Zumo 660 is not ready for prime time yet.
I am not happy being Garmin's beta tester - for that I'd prefer to be paid.
I haven't had any problems with the 660! I just picked it up last week and works great sofar. After registering it automatically updated to version 3.3 software upgrade which eliminated a lot of the early bugs that some people have had. Awesome graphics, wicked quick on updating and easy to use. Unclip it put it in my pocket and go.
I don't know how many navigators you've owned nor how you use yours, but if you ride rural roads and owned anything Garmin made more than about 2 years ago your tune would be very different.

That Garmin shipped AMA members version 2.7 which barely stayed powered on is itself almost a crime.

Write back after your unit spontaneously turns itself off a few times, or decides to stop updating the screen for 30 seconds, just as you are trying to go through a complex intersection that the unit is guiding you through. Visit a small town and discover that the maps are offset by a mile (yup). Ride down a road with the zoom set to farther than you can see and ask youself why the unit isn't displaying the road you are riding on, when it is the one you are routed on and it appears if you zoom in close enough so that you can see farther down the road than the unit will display.

Like the ride, get some miles under your belt before you claim any expertise, please. A week (less, actually, since you only got it last week) just isn't enough. :***:

 
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Garmin is certainly the big Gorilla in the marketplace, particularly in North America - Tomtom is very strong in Europe. Bike specific navigators are a very rare breed. Makes for limited selections.

I had a TomTom Rider for a couple of weeks, but found it counter-intuitive . . . possibly a cultural thing.

Mitac (who make Mio) is supposedly about to release a unit for bikes - it is out in Japan now. I wasn't aware, but it seems they've bought Magellan. People are whining that the $450 price tag is 'too high'.

I know that a couple of years ago a number of riders had bolted Lowrance I-Way 500 units to their bikes and most discovered why hard drives and handlebars don't mix.

There are a few Chinese and Taiwanese manufacturers of otherwise unknown bike-specific devices. Then there are all of the rest of the navigators out there that can be used on bikes with some adaptation.

 
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It's interesting here accessorygeeks.com to see it, have many kinds of bluetooth. You can choose your suitable bluetooth. Nice day. Thanks

 
I bought a refurbished Garmin 2730 on e-bay three years ago for $225. A friend, after seeing mine decided that he wanted one also. He bought his for $175 on ebay.

As of now the unit has been on the bike for 40k miles. I have it mounted on the right handlebar with a Ram Mount. It is intergrated into an Autocom along with a CB radio and cell phone.

The 2730 has an mp3 player and optional weather, XM radio, and traffic alerts. It's waterproof (been tested many times in torrential rain). For my money, this is a solid unit. If you zoom in on the picture you can get an idea of how it mounts and looks on the bike.

100_1449.jpg


Bananas!

 
Anyone Know of any gps with headphone jacks on them or on the mounts like my Quest-2. I had my Quert-2 for four years and it decided to jump off the bike, it's now in gps heven. I already have my gps, radar detector and mp3 wired into a mix-it. So I'm looking for a audio out solution. Seams like most of the newer gps do not have. I know the Garmin Zumo and TOMTOM rider are motorcycle spacific but they are bluetooth and I don't want to spend that much money. Also I'm not that worried about waterproof. I may just look for a referb. Quest-2.
Thanks much,

Andy
Take a look at the garmin 765T (or any of the garmin 7xx line (i think they all have headphone jacks). the 765t has got everything you need, including bluetooth (if you ever think you may go in that direction), a headphone jack, lane assist, mp3, audiobooks, and the little arrow that tells you which way your going to have to turn in xx distance (which is a very handy feature that is not included in many of the older (and some newer) options). its also under 300 bucks. I would stay clear of old tom toms (after my latest experiences with them).

Greygoose

 
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I just update Aliph Jawbone Prime Bluetooth Headset on accessorygeeks.com, this is the best headset ever created, magnitude better noise suppression, so users can continue their conversations wherever they happen to be. Design that integrates seamlessly into the user's lifestyle by providing comfort, customized fit and personal preference, and great, iconic aesthetics. It's earwear. This sweet have noiseAssasin 2.0, acoustic voice activity detector, digital processing techniques, sensor signal fusion to reduce wind noise, incord volume control

 
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