GPS & SAT NAV MAPPING

Guide To Choosing The Best GPS & Sat Nav For Your Car

Sat Nav & GPS - Buyer's Guides

Being the UK's leading retailer of in-car technology solutions is something we take very seriously. With trained specialists
to provide free advice, demonstrations and fitting, we make sure you enjoy all the benefits of Satellite Navigation.

The sat nav world can be confusing at first but at your local Halfords store there are experts to guide you through the maze.
Here are a few basics to get you started:

What is a Sat Nav?

Sat nav is short for satellite navigation. It is a system you can use to give you directions when you are on the move.
It is a machine that talks to you as you go along and tells you exactly where and when to take a turning, ensuring that you never get lost again.

Global Positioning Satellite (GPS)

Sat navs are often called GPS systems because they use the Global Positioning Satellites which orbit the earth.
The sat nav sees the position of the orbiting satellites and locates its position on the surface of the earth. Calculating longitude, l
atitude and altitude, the position is laid over a digital road map which accurately reveals your driving position to within a few metres.

The built-in software can also work out the easiest route between any two points on the map and can combine average road speeds and other
data, if necessary, to advise you on arrival times and road conditions on route.

FM Transmitter

Built into some sat nav units, the FM Transmitter converts the sat nav instructions and other content such as MP3 music into a radio signal,
so that music and sound are played through the car speakers, via your car radio.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is the name of the technology, used with mobile phones, that enables hands–free calling.

Some sat nav units are also enabled for Bluetooth and can be paired with a mobile phone. If you have one of these units you can use the sat
nav speaker to make and receive hands–free calls while on the move – helping to keep you safe and legal.

There are three main types of sat nav to choose from: Portable, in-dash or smartphone and we can help you find the right one for your lifestyle.

Portable Sat Nav

This device is ready for use straight from the box and is transferable to another vehicle and you can swap it from vehicle to vehicle.
You fit it to your windscreen or dash board with a mounting bracket. Portable sat navs mainly come in two screen sizes: usually 3.5" or 4.3"
measured diagonallly.

You power the sat nav through your vehicle's cigarette lighter, although with some models you can buy a charging unit to use at home.

You key in your destination using full postcode, part of an address or a point of interest and it speaks to you with turn-by-turn directions as you drive.

We offer a free set-up and demo service to show you how your sat nav works.

Motorbike users can buy a specially designed sat nav which is waterproof and more durable.

In-Dash Sat Nav

This device is hard-wired into the car and incorporates either a motorised pop-out or built-in screen. We can install it for you, in place of your
vehicle's factory-fitted car radio.

We supply the in-dash sat nav with a GPS receiver, normally placed on the dash board in order for the unit to pick up the satellite’s signal.

It also gives you the functionality of a normal car CD player, and you may choose additional functions like MP3 connectivity.

Smartphone Sat Nav

This is sat nav software that you load on to your compatible GPS-enabled smartphone in order to use the handset as a sat nav. You can then hold
the sat nav in your hand or fix it into the car with a suitable holder.

You’re ready then to navigate on foot or in the car and it comes complete with street level mapping. You can synchronise with your phone’s address book,
calculate the fastest or shortest route, get turn-by-turn directions and even text ahead to say you’re on your way.

GPS and SAT NA Mapping

When you buy a sat nav the mapping information is built into the software in the unit.

Mapping Levels

There are different levels of mapping that you can buy:

UK Street Level Mapping - gives you access to roads in the UK, including motorways, major roads and minor roads.

European Street Level Mapping - gives you access to roads in the European countries specified, including motorways, major roads, minor roads
and city centres.

European Major Roads Mapping - gives you access to motorways and major roads only in the European countries specified. Minor roads and city centres
cannot be accessed.

Mapping Updates

Your sat nav will have mapping data supplied with it and this will not run out or expire. However, around 15% of the road network changes annually so,
although you can keep on using your maps for as long as you want, there is definitely a benefit in updating them periodically.
The two main suppliers of mapping software in Europe, Teleatlas and Navteq, both update their data quarterly.

You can purchase updates from Halfords online, for the area you are interested in. If you have a Navsure sat nav then you can buy your updates in store.