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It works well. I did not realize that it does not have an internal battery and that Garmin discontinued selling this product.However they do support it and I was able update the software and map.You can only use it while plugged in a car. You cannot use it by plugging it to your computer.You can use it as a screen for a backup camera but I did not buy the attachments or use it for that purpose
Again, this feature alone should prevent one from ever buying a Garmin. BOO Garmin.Fifth, the Garmin has profoundly cryptic names for streets (and LACKS many streets that have been around for years). Should you opt to actually deviate from the entered route, though, the Garmin gets lost & tries to drive you back "home." This "routing" feature was the reason I bought this Garmin (my first) at all. Boo Garmin.Second, the Garmin doesn't remember the city you last used. This delay is no issue if I'm driving all day, but on short trips, it is maddening.
This alone means that nobody should ever buy this unit. Unlike the TomTom, that is not only generous in allowing naming variations but also immediately displays a list of matches that gets shorter as you enter letters, the Nuvi won't display ANY matches unless you have a "short list" that exactly match your entry. That means that every time I turn the car off, the Garmin has to reboot & reacquire satellite lock again. The TomTom One that I bought for less than half the price of this Nuvi 5000 conveniently displays a list of recently used cities that you can select with a single touch.
Previously, I'd used only TomToms that lacked routing. The Garmin would not find "I-10" or "Interstate 10" or any other variation. This means that every time you want to enter a destination, you have to retype the city. BOO Garmin.Third, the Garmin doesn't remember the streets that you've most recently used. If anyone wants to buy this dog cheaply, contact me.
Garmin, how do I hate thee; let me count the ways.This Garmin has no internal battery. "Disappointed" is too mild a word to express my feelings on the Nuvi's routing. I have yet to get a route that worked from beginning to end. I tried to navigate to an intersection of a local highway and an interstate highway. BOO Garmin.Fourth, the Garmin has routing, but it doesn't quite work. Otherwise, it is going out at my next yard sale. Garmin makes models with an internal battery, but the 5000 lacks one.
This device reminds me again of why I happily buy TomTom products. The TomTom conveniently displays a list of recently visited streets (AND their addresses) so that you don't have to retype. One can enter up to five addresses in a "route," and then ask the Garmin to optimize the best way to get between them. BOO Garmin.To summarize, the Garmin Nuvi 5000 is not user friendly, does not work as advertised, and is the worst GPS that I've ever owned. BOO GARMIN.
However, the lack of internal battery--OK in an RV with plenty of non-switched 12V outlets--is annoying in my car, which has only switched outlets. The nuvi 5000's display is great. After each pit stop, I must wait for the GPS to get back online. Big is good, and it does not obstruct the windshield view much at all, as most of the mount is hidden behind the GPS.I didn't realize until after I received it that Garmin intends the 5000 for use in RVs. The big display would be especially nice in a roomy RV cockpit. Fortunately, that is pretty quick after a short power-down, and navigation picks up where it was before the stop.Also, I would prefer a map that shows more water bodies, their names, and other features of use in navigation, like railroads and airports. All in all, though, the supplied map gets me where I want to go.
I have several Nuvis 770 and 11490. All are good, but the large screen is my favoryte
It lacks many of the best and most useful Garmin features like Lane Assist; and many of its other features are subscription-based and available for an additional fee. However, when set to "DVD", no such warning exists, and the system can be configured to prompt the user to switch sources or simply display the video image whenever present. And with all else being equal, the 7" display is SO much more compelling, especially when providing input. Both are relatively "basic" units in terms of included features; and the biggest functional difference between them are the subscription features the 1700 doesn't offer. This is exactly the opposite of how it should be. It appears the nuvi 5000 uses a special wire mapping specification despite advising owners they can use "generic" cables purchased elsewhere.
It offers a choice of configuring the input to be set for either a Backup Camera or generic DVD input. Whether or not these wiring differences can create other problems long-term, and whether or not the audio and video will properly map to their sources when video occupies the red connector is unknown. Input configured for "backup camera" should simply appear whenever a signal is present.The second A/V anomaly is the cable. In fact, A/V Input limited my search to two units in current production, the nuvi 5000 and the 7" Magellan 1700T (more on that comparison later). However, when I borrowed a similarly plugged cable from another electronic device, the video worked as expected when connected to Yellow.
The A/V Input is a bit ham-fisted. Of course, it really only matters if it's used to its maximum potential, and this seems to be the 5000's Achilles heel. It would be much better if Garmin either included a compatible cable or simply stated that use would be restricted to their own proprietary wiring.When comparing the 5000 to the Magellan 1700, I have to say that as dramatically larger the 5000 is to conventional 3-4 inch units, the 1700's 7" display dramatically larger again to the nuvi 5000. The 5000 is a well-made piece of hardware that feels robust and its 800 x 480 display resolution makes possible detail not commonly available elsewhere. I'm certain many less intrepid owners simply gave-up after the yellow connection failed to function. When set to "Backup Camera", rather than switching to video whenever a video signal is detected, it first displays a touch prompt the driver must acknowledge before the video appears. The biggest difference between them for me was that the nuvi has a much more elegant method for connecting its power and AV cables into its base module which keeps them concealed behind, rather than protruding from the bottom of the unit like the 1700. Garmin sells them through their online store, though many generic cables are also available from Radio Shack, Best Buy, and even eBay.
Why does there seem to be no one product that offers the complete suite of features available. By contrast, the Magellan 1700's video input worked as expected with the yellow video input from a "generic" electronics store cable. Magellan does not offer their own proprietary cable (as Garmin does). Given the nature that both units seem to be so underutilized relative to their potential, I'd say they're functionally equivalent in terms of the navigation features they provide. I found that makers sometimes use different mapping in their wiring. Otherwise, both are relatively equally flawed.And I suppose that sums-up my feelings about both of them. One really has to be willing to trade away many features now commonly-found it competitor' products for the sake of the 5" display and A/V Input, its only points of differentiation from its competitors.The A/V input is a tremendous boon for vehicles that either don't offer or aren't equipped with an OEM backup camera, and this was a primary selection criteria for me. Rather than both being equally great, I see them in terms of what they lack, which is a shame for a unit with as strong a foundation as the nuvi 5000 otherwise has with its robust build, elegant design, and terrific resolution.
It requires a 4-pole mini (1/8") to composite A/V cable. For example, a generic "Mini" to Composite A/V cable purchased at Best Buy required me to attach the camera to the Red connector rather than the traditional Yellow assigned for video. The Magellan is a much lower resolution, but given the size of the display and the fact that the nuvi makes so little of the resolution it has (apart from its photo viewer and other features), it's hardly the difference it otherwise should be. At the end of the day, neither made any more a compelling case for the integrated A/V display than buying one of the many OEM and aftermarket rear view mirrors that offer an integrated LCD for backup camera display and simply adding a navigation unit that's otherwise far better at what it's supposed to do.
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