Easier to read Speed

[Millcourt]

Many have previously said how difficult it can be to read the speed on the dash speedometer fitted on the Fiat/Peugeot cabs and I have found this to be the case - especially when driving in bright sunlight and also when trying to decipher the speed in kph when abroad.

Our TomTom SatNav does of course display speed, but this is a small figures in a corner of the screen and we have it fixed to the left-hand side of the radio so that Mrs M can read where we are going. She got fed up last year in France reading out the Speed in kph for me! So this year for Spain I bought an App for the Samsung smartphone which displays a satellite derived speed, displayed in mph or kph and mounted this to be easily visible by the driver:

In the Android Playstore (and I presume similar for Apple) there are dozens of Speedometer Apps to choose from. I went for the "Cool Niks GPS Speedometer Pro" for a one-off payment of £1.10. As you will see from the photo above this gives a very easy display to read.

However, you need to bear in mind that when using an App on a smartphone for this, especially in bright sunlight, it is necessary to set the screen at a high brightness level. This increases the phones battery drain and for any lengthy period of driving it is necessary to have the phone connected to a USB power supply.

I just last week found out that I already had the solution to the poor visibility of the speedometer without the need for an App on my smartphone. When I had fitted a Dash-Cam, I followed the "fit and forget" leaflet which was shipped with it. That was months ago. I really should have made the effort to have a look at the on-line "Handbook". Last week I did - to find that as the Dash-Cam has inbuilt GPS for recording when and where it is, it also computes the speed and there is a mode to select which allows this to be displayed whenever the Dash-Cam is on!!!!!!!!! This gives me this vey useful display (see photo below), which because the Das-Cam is sited high on the windscreen is not affected by the brightness of the sun. Problem solved!

 

[The Nomad]

These smartphone speed display apps really are good. But just a couple of cautions...

1. There are many, especially the more basic ones, which you don't even need to buy more but which are are free. Just have a look through the numerous offerings in Google play or wherever you get your apps from.

2. Check to ensure your Make and model of smartphone is not prone to "screen burn" which its been reported can be caused on a few models by apps that almost constantly have the same pixels almost always lit for many hours with the same colour. From memory, I think the problem has now been overcome with the latest generation of screens but it may be worth a Google for your make /model.....

 

[Manic]

I like the idea of the dash cam showing your speed, I’ve downloaded the handbook for my 412GW but can’t find out about the speedo function, any pointers please.

 

[Millcourt]

I like the idea of the dash cam showing your speed, I’ve downloaded the handbook for my 412GW but can’t find out about the speedo function, any pointers please.

My Das-Cam is the Nextbase 512GW, but I think the only difference from yours is in the optics. I have extracted notes from the on-line Handbook for mine, which I think should also work for you. These are:

Enter the Setup Menu:

Setup Menu

The Setup Menu is accessed by pressing the MENU button twice


Use the up and down buttons to highlight the function that you'd like to change and press the OK button to enter the settings sub-menu.

Once in the sub-menu, use the up and down buttons to highlight the required setting and then press OK to confirm your selection and return to the Photo Menu.


The Speed Display is the 8th option:

8. Speed Display

When turned on, the screen will display current speed after 30 seconds of button inactivity, press any button to return to normal viewing, this function is only available when a GPS connection is present.

Options: On and Off

Default Setting: Off

Then:

Press the MENU button twice to return to video mode.


Hope this is helpful.

 

[Keith E]

My satnav displays both the speed limit and the moving speed on the screen.
I've set it to display the local speed in mph, even in Europe.
I don't need to do any conversions in my head and I can compare the satnav display against the speedo display.

For some reason, many of my colleagues reset their satnavs to display everything in kilometres when they go over the water.
I can't understand why.
One of them has told me that it's because the Europeans use kilometres.
I don't get it, they use distances in miles at home and then work in klicks when abroad.
It just doesn't seem logical to me.
The distances are the same however they're measured and we're all more used to working in imperial measurements.

Does anyone on here do the same?
And why?
And do Europeans change theirs to miles when they're on this side of the water?

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[two]

I change to the local units of measure when abroad.
It makes it easier for me to keep within their speed limits.

 

[Millcourt]

Also, I find using local units makes it easier to relate to distances displayed on road signs.

 

[Speve]

Always use KM on the sat nav when over the channel it’s easier than converting.
Why? The setting is there so I use it.

 

[Lenny HB]

I always use km when abroad makes much more sense. I also re-fitted the Kmh speedo dial after registering the van, easier to read as I only do less than 10% of my annual mileage in the UK.

 

[Keith E]

Just me then.

I'd argue with those that say it makes more sense. Whatever distance I am from my destination I find it easier to know how far it is in miles.
That way I don't need to do the conversion.
I can do the maths but find it easier not to need to do so.

Ditto speed. The mph speed is easier to see on my speedometer. If the satnav display says the speed is 50 mph then that's the bit I'm looking for on the speedo.

When I'm working (either at home or abroad) my vehicle speedo has the larger display calibrated in km/h but I still use the satnav in mph because the mph scale is difficult to see, especially in the dark.

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[Gellyneck]

My Das-Cam is the Nextbase 512GW, but I think the only difference from yours is in the optics. I have extracted notes from the on-line Handbook for mine, which I think should also work for you.

This function is only available in the 512GW and upwards. Not on 312GW or 412GW.

 

[Landy Andy]

I use local settings on iPad on the dash. Much bigger, and much more accurate than a fiat speedo. If the signs and limits are in Kms I want the info in Kms.

 

[Nirvanauk]

My Das-Cam is the Nextbase 512GW, but I think the only difference from yours is in the optics. I have extracted notes from the on-line Handbook for mine, which I think should also work for you. These are:

Enter the Setup Menu:

Setup Menu

The Setup Menu is accessed by pressing the MENU button twice


Use the up and down buttons to highlight the function that you'd like to change and press the OK button to enter the settings sub-menu.

Once in the sub-menu, use the up and down buttons to highlight the required setting and then press OK to confirm your selection and return to the Photo Menu.


The Speed Display is the 8th option:

8. Speed Display

When turned on, the screen will display current speed after 30 seconds of button inactivity, press any button to return to normal viewing, this function is only available when a GPS connection is present.

Options: On and Off

Default Setting: Off

Then:

Press the MENU button twice to return to video mode.


Hope this is helpful.

Apologies as I don’t want this to go off topic from the original thread. I have one of these and I still find it misses blocks of data out. I have the latest, bestest all singing micro SD card as recommended by nextbase. Does yours do the same?

 

[Millcourt]

This function is only available in the 512GW and upwards. Not on 312GW or 412GW.

Thanks for this update. I nearly bought the 412GW as it was a bit cheaper than the 512GW. Did not know at the time that any of the range could be set up to display speed. A lucky choice for me to get the 512GW as I have come to rely on it for an accurate and clearly visible speed display, especially when set to kph for use abroad. The standard speedometer is virtually useless in bright sunlight.

.

 

[Gellyneck]

Apologies as I don’t want this to go off topic from the original thread. I have one of these and I still find it misses blocks of data out. I have the latest, bestest all singing micro SD card as recommended by nextbase. Does yours do the same?

I've got a 64Gb Sandisk class 10 card in my 312GW and had no problems with it. You do need to format fairly frequently, have you?
The missing blocks of data are not in the separate "Protected" folder as these as stored outwith the "Video" folder so they don't get overwritten?

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[Millcourt]

Apologies as I don’t want this to go off topic from the original thread. I have one of these and I still find it misses blocks of data out. I have the latest, bestest all singing micro SD card as recommended by nextbase. Does yours do the same?

I have not experienced this. Sorry not to be more helpful.
.

 

[Ukbandit]

Just me then.

I'd argue with those that say it makes more sense. Whatever distance I am from my destination I find it easier to know how far it is in miles.
That way I don't need to do the conversion.
I can do the maths but find it easier not to need to do so.

Ditto speed. The mph speed is easier to see on my speedometer. If the satnav display says the speed is 50 mph then that's the bit I'm looking for on the speedo.

When I'm working (either at home or abroad) my vehicle speedo has the larger display calibrated in km/h but I still use the satnav in mph because the mph scale is difficult to see, especially in the dark.

If your in Europe and sign post tells you it’s 320km to your destination do you convert that to miles in your head? It seems logical to me to set the satnav to kilometers.

 

[Keith E]

If your in Europe and sign post tells you it’s 320km to your destination do you convert that to miles in your head? It seems logical to me to set the satnav to kilometers.

No, I look at the satnav and it instantly tells me how far it is in miles.
I don't need to do any conversions, they're done for me.
I use miles when I'm in the UK, I don't see why I would need to work in kilometres just because I'm in another country.

Like you say, European signs tell me the distance to my destination in kilometres.
I want to know how far that is in miles, without having to divide by eight then multiply by five.

 

[thebriars]

The sat nav in my Ford Benimar tells me when I am over the speed limit. It can be switched on and off, and you can set it to warn not just at the speed limit but at a slightly lower limit too. Really useful, especially when abroad.

 

[Keith E]

The sat nav in my Ford Benimar tells me when I am over the speed limit. It can be switched on and off, and you can set it to warn not just at the speed limit but at a slightly lower limit too. Really useful, especially when abroad.

My garmin does that, but the facility is switched off, as are the notifications for all the Poi's and the speed cameras.
I only have the info I need on screen, fewer distractions that way, and it can all be seen at a glance.
No maths conversions to do in my head.
The voice instructions are muted as well, I wouldn't want pop master to be interrupted.

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[Zepp]

Lynne has bought me one of these after I got a ticket from France Im like many others on here I can't even see my speedo

LTC® Original Digital Universal Car HUD GPS Speedometer Overspeed Alarm Windshield Project for All Vehicle

 

[Lenny HB]

Apologies as I don’t want this to go off topic from the original thread. I have one of these and I still find it misses blocks of data out. I have the latest, bestest all singing micro SD card as recommended by nextbase. Does yours do the same?

You do need to format fairly frequently, have you?

I fell foul of that, now always reformat the card before every trip.

 

[Nirvanauk]

I fell foul of that, now always reformat the card before every trip.

Always reformat at a max of 2 weeks. Have spent hours with their unhelpful desk. But this got me thinking yesterday, I noticed that the g force sensor goes of a lot and wondered if it goes of does it then protect that file but deletes it from the normal folder. So, I have now set the sensor to off and I will keep track of it. Queried nextbase help desk with this and they just tell me to reformat the SD card. Grrr!

 

[Steve N Tracy]

I use one of these plugs into the obd port its not heads up despite the description but has a decent size screen, changeable between mph or kmh + 2 other on screen items choice of rpm, temp, voltage or distance, and will also read and erase fault codes.

 

[franknjan]

I use one of these. I've had it for years. Found it very reliable.

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[Charlie9038]

Saw a made up version in halfords the other day, only £3,

 

[SpeedyDux]

Always reformat at a max of 2 weeks. Have spent hours with their unhelpful desk. But this got me thinking yesterday, I noticed that the g force sensor goes of a lot and wondered if it goes of does it then protect that file but deletes it from the normal folder. So, I have now set the sensor to off and I will keep track of it. Queried nextbase help desk with this and they just tell me to reformat the SD card. Grrr!

Are there any other settings for the sensitivity of the G force sensor? My Apeman has 4 settings - off/high/medium/low. The supplier recommends "low" which says a lot about the UK's roads. Otherwise the memory card fills up with spurious saved files.

 

[Nirvanauk]

Are there any other settings for the sensitivity of the G force sensor? My Apeman has 4 settings - off/high/medium/low. The supplier recommends "low" which says a lot about the UK's roads. Otherwise the memory card fills up with spurious saved files.

Mine has the same settings. The factory default is medium but was going off rather a lot so have changed this to low and we will see how it goes.

 

[Nirvanauk]

My Das-Cam is the Nextbase 512GW, but I think the only difference from yours is in the optics. I have extracted notes from the on-line Handbook for mine, which I think should also work for you. These are:

Enter the Setup Menu:

Setup Menu

The Setup Menu is accessed by pressing the MENU button twice


Use the up and down buttons to highlight the function that you'd like to change and press the OK button to enter the settings sub-menu.

Once in the sub-menu, use the up and down buttons to highlight the required setting and then press OK to confirm your selection and return to the Photo Menu.


The Speed Display is the 8th option:

8. Speed Display

When turned on, the screen will display current speed after 30 seconds of button inactivity, press any button to return to normal viewing, this function is only available when a GPS connection is present.

Options: On and Off

Default Setting: Off

Then:

Press the MENU button twice to return to video mode.


Hope this is helpful.

Thanks for that very useful as I have the 512gw. Does it give an option for mph or kph?
Thanks.

 

[Nirvanauk]

My satnav displays both the speed limit and the moving speed on the screen.
I've set it to display the local speed in mph, even in Europe.
I don't need to do any conversions in my head and I can compare the satnav display against the speedo display.

For some reason, many of my colleagues reset their satnavs to display everything in kilometres when they go over the water.
I can't understand why.
One of them has told me that it's because the Europeans use kilometres.
I don't get it, they use distances in miles at home and then work in klicks when abroad.
It just doesn't seem logical to me.
The distances are the same however they're measured and we're all more used to working in imperial measurements.

Does anyone on here do the same?
And why?
And do Europeans change theirs to miles when they're on this side of the water?

Always change to KPH when abroad because that what their speed limits are set in.

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