If you have the problem of a coated windscreen, it actually gives you a great excuse to put the detector somewhere else apart from on the dash (presuming it's not one that you need to be able to see). Just use a re-radiating antenna to pass the signal through to the interior of the car. I think this is pretty reliable one:

http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=GPSW-RRAD-45

In theory, it means you can have any GPS device anywhere inside the car without the need to see the sky

 

Sat nav



Cannot open this link is there another one?

 

I'm running a TomTom GO 700 GPS sat-nav unit, and it suffers from the same problem. The Laguna II windscreen does, however, have an uncoated area - it's the dotted bit that's either side of the rear view mirror. The GO gets an excellent signal if located there, so I'd expect any other GPS device to work equally well. The only problem is that it stops you from using one of the sun visors. If your detector is a bit smaller, that might not be so much of a problem.

Otherwise, as Selwonk says, just buy a re-radiating antenna. Just take care not to buy too high a powered one, as you can apparently get feedback problems between the receiving antenna and the re-radiating element. The link he gave appears to be for a 45cm model, which should be just about ideal.

If you do go for a re-rad, the receiving antenna works well when placed in the dotted area on the windscreen - I'm now running the GO with a wired remote antenna placed there, and it's great. A colleague put the remote antenna for his Road Angel on the outside of his car, and some scrote cut the cable and swiped it!

 

I have the reradiating unit in the Espace, the receiver part is smaller than a matchbox and is stuck to the dotted part of the windscreen, the radiating ariel is then stuck nto the roof of one of the dashboard cupboards which has a TT Go 300 and a Talex GPS speed camera unit in it. Very neat and works a treat (thanks to mike_h).

The re-rad unit was cheaper than the TTGo ariel so a result really.

 

I use the tom tom bluetooth gps receiver combined with a cheap Ipaq 1940.

I placed the gps unit in the middle of the dash using the magnetic base supplied in the kit ( a top the cd info screen ) and it works flawlessly without the need for additional signal boosting.

Link

PS:- Tom tom version 5 software includes POI warnings and you can download the latest speed camera database from the above website. My system makes a star trek warning noise when approaching a speed camera and a cow moo when nearing a drive in mc donalds ( just my sense of humour but its true ) moooooo...

 

The re-rad unit was cheaper than the TTGo ariel so a result really.

I did ask around before buying, and the general consensus seemed to be that you'd get a stronger signal out of the wired antenna than through a re-rad. Still, if you're running more than one GPS receiver, the re-rad definitely makes more sense.

In the end, I went for the TomTom permanent install kit. For 100 quid, I not only got the antenna (which normally costs 50 on its own) but also got charging and stereo muting/instructions through the car speakers to boot. Well, in theory at least.

In practice, the 'voice through the stereo' facility is next to useless, thanks to really bad digital noise whenever the GO speaks. I posted a note to this effect on the Expansys GO forums, and it seems that at least two other people have the same problem, while nobody has piped up and said "Mine's fine!" I've gone back to using the internal speaker, which kind of defeats the object, especially considering that you have to remove the stereo to install the TomTom module. All it's really given me is external power, which I could have obtained from the lighter socket. I might not even bother on the new car, and just tap the power supply into the back of the central locking switch, as I did with my TrafficMaster on this one.

The one other bonus of the permanent docking kit is that you get the parts for a full additional mount. Well, except for the centre bolt anyway. A standard M5 bolt does the trick perfectly, and leaves us with the complete suction mount to use in the Clio (which, fortunately, has a sensible windscreen.)

 

Hi folks. I dont know if this helps, but my kids bought me a "Talex Lite" speed camera detection system (like the one here... http://www.talex.co.uk/home/default.asp ) as they found it humourous that my 1.6 Auto Scenic (aka Le Wheelie-Bin Francais) would ever attain such a speed to require such a device !!!

Its passive, working via GPS and an inbuilt database an has no external antenna. Point is... I mount it on the flat-ish bit just above the centre air vents on the dash and it aquires the GPS signal fairly quickly. My Scenic has a coated windscreen, but maybe I get away with (next to) no GPS signal loss because of the panoramic sunroof (I dont know it its coated like the windscreen?).

Just occasionally, when it looses the signal, its built in speed indicator goes cuckoo and reports my speed as 160mph....... I wish :d But that tends to be specific to geography e.g. the Cheadle sewage farm on the M60 :crazy:

 

On a similar point I've mounted a Tomtom1 aft of the gearstick and infront of the central glovebox on a 55 Scenic - sunroof fitted - and have absolutly no requirement for any extra aerials.

 

The One, and the new 510, 710 and 910 all use the newer and more sensitive SirfStar III chipset. I think the Rider does too, though I couldn't swear to it. The SirfStar III has no problem 'seeing' through coated windscreens, and will apparently often give a perfectly good signal indoors.

In the case of the TomTom units, it's the Classic (original) and the 300, 500 and 700 that will usually need an external antenna when used in a car with a coated windscreen. Though since replacing the Clio for a newer one (with a coated screen) we've found that our 700 works well enough if it can see the sky through the sunroof.

 

I've just bought a TT910 and want to hook it up to the radio on my Espace - anyone know how to get to the radio? it's a privelege so the radio is hidden in the dash somewhere?

 

Camera Detector

Hi Goldsatr,
I've got an Inforad fitted in my car and as you suggest it
doesn't like the front screen. I wired mine in permanently to the cigarette lighter wires and got the optional aerial from
Maplins. The actual end piece is magnetic so I ran the cable
under the carpet (lots of cable) and under the back seats
and attached the magnetic bit to the metal on the side window frame, works fine.
Regards Leroy

 

I have bought and fitted a GPS based speed camera dectector from Microfuzion[ cost about £90 with free updates for life]. I have fitted it to the windscreen by the interior mirror, this area is clear of the coating and it works superbly well. I have used Velcro tabs, with adhesive backing to fix it, so that it can be removed to update. Fantastic value for money and great performance I would recommend to anyone. It gives speech warnings of the presence of speed cameras, with their speed limits and warns you to slow down if you are going too fast, what more do you want?
On the downside, the latest download gives warnings of "school zones" and sugests that you should reduce speed. You would be amazed at just how many such zones there are in my area and the unit is often issueing the warnings.

 

I use my Motorola A1000 with a Bluetooth GPS, Its pretty good.

My old lag had a coated screen but my new one hasnt?

 

I have ttg 700 in my Espace, and loctated it at the top of the screen near the dots. most of the time it worked fine, however whenver i really needed a good signal i never got it.

I bought an external antenna from EBay, it was not made by TT but only cost £29 and now i get fanatastic signal, the extra strenght also helped to keep on track on big roundabouts as before the map sometimes lagged behind.

A good invesment well worth the money

 

windscreen and GPS (SatNav)

Hello
The newer GPS/SatNav with SiRF Star-II (or III) are sensitive enough to work through the windscreens of Laguna II (Phase 1) - check the spec. before buying - I use a Garmin mapGPS 76 CSx; it's a handheld for walking, etc. and have no trouble at all getting a good signal.

 

I have a Garmin Nuvi 250 thats works excellent with no signal problems from my Laguna or the wifes Scenic

Best to be careful when driving abroad with a speed camera detector GPS especially in France as the French authorities don't like em, full stop. On the spot fine and if your very lucky you can keep the speed camera GPS, if your not, as is most of the time, they'll confiscate it on the spot.

I have the Nuvi 250 that you can subscribe to Garmins speed camera database so its ok to use without fear of getting half inched by a french plod but even cheaper is the speed camera database from www.pocketgpsworld.com

Gets updated all the time and although this won't do the mobile cameras it'll do all the fixed ones.
Gamins database will do 'area's' that mobile camera vans are used in

 

I have a road pilot micro go. it works fine stuck in front of the steering wheel. front screen is metallic.

 

Hi Gareth, I have the garmin nuvi, I found if you have the windscreen bracket fitted to it without the sucker pad on the gps will sit on the dash under the centre panel where the tyre sensor readout is, just stick a small piece of velcro on it and under the eyebrow console.

Much better than the tom toms, no problem acquiring sats.

 

Much better than the tom toms, no problem acquiring sats.

Got a TomTom ONE XL with no signal problems on my Vel Satis. It reads full signal strength 90% of the time and has never lost the signal even in Central London.

 

My neighbour installs commercial tracking systems for a living and the systems he installs all have concealed aerials hidden where even the driver doesn't know where they are. He has such a system fitted to his 2007 Lag II Tourer. I have to ask him what type and make they are - thats if he is allowed to tell me:d

 

thanks,I will look forward to knowing the answer from your friend
thanks
john

 

I will ask my neighbour when he comes back from his tarvels - he off to Cork, Ireland to install 200 tracking units for a telephone company

 

I have a Renault Laguna Estate. My Snooper S2 works fine but i "fitted" it with blutack by the rear parcel shelf at the passenger side.

 

I have a Renault Laguna Estate. My Snooper S2 works fine but i "fitted" it with blutack by the rear parcel shelf at the passenger side.

If thats not OK, hows about Velcro