Using a tablet as a sat nav!

[Leakylunar]

Anyone using or tried a tablet as a sat nav. Only asking as my iPhone is just to small and have 10'' Samsung tablet .
Otherwise suggestions for sat nav

 

[dunnah01]

Used an ipad with copilot in a large holder on the side window. Worked pretty well until copilot changed hands and fell into the sat nav sewage pond

 

[Andy MacD]

I use iPad mounted on dash mount paired with a Garmain GPS receiver and CoPilot as CarPlay in Ducato doesn’t work.

Faultless round France, mega easy as I use Search4Sites, click on the nav link and go.

 

[Leakylunar]

Yes I was using searchforsites app on my iPhone last week in Scotland and worked great. Good to know I'll look at mounts. Thanks for quick response.

 

[Two on Tour]

Used an ipad with copilot in a large holder on the side window. Worked pretty well until copilot changed hands and fell into the sat nav sewage pond

I stopped using Copilot when Trimble bought Copilot and cocked it up, but they took note of the complaints and re-vamped it.
I updated to the new version earlier this year and its now a good usable sat nav again.

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[pagey]

Strange timing on this post as tomorrow I am going to use my Samsung pad tethered to my phone using Google maps as a sat nav I will post the results tomorrow

 

[Andy MacD]

Good to know I'll look at mounts

Don't know what kind of MH you have but built in Ducato one is fine for iPhone or iPad.

 

[funsterSwede]

.. as CarPlay in Ducato doesn’t work. ..

Not related to base vehicle but rather what multimedia unit it's fitted with, the Pioneer unit we got offers both wired and wireless CarPlay as well as the Android equivalent can't remember what it's called.

 

[Reallyretired]

Not related to base vehicle but rather what multimedia unit it's fitted with, the Pioneer unit we got offers both wired and wireless CarPlay as well as the Android equivalent can't remember what it's called.

Android auto

 

[Reallyretired]

Tried using a tablet worked fine but the size and weight of a 10" tablet make most mounts flop.

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[Crazylegs]

Strange timing on this post as tomorrow I am going to use my Samsung pad tethered to my phone using Google maps as a sat nav I will post the results tomorrow

We have stored the Sat nav in the glove box and have been using Waze for several years. It’s more up to date with road works, accidents etc than gps, I also find it easier to get the correct exit off roundabouts.
Having been caught several times by expensive waterproof motorbike Sat nav’s that were not waterproof, plus other devices with free lifetime updates that didn’t turn out that way, it will be cold day in hell before I buy another Sat nav.
The iPad is tethered to a phone and uses little data, and Waze/ Google maps are free.

 

[Neilfg]

Samsung tablet, one of the cheaper ones, running Copilot, Google maps .... We use a couple of magnetic mounts to hold tablet to the dash. Works brilliantly.

Also have Copliot installed on phone and a spare tablet as a backup.

Tried lots of sat navs, none are perfect, but found Copilot easy to use, routing ok ish, but switching profiles and checking routing is very easy.

 

[pagey]

There is a divert on the d940 just before le treport not such a problem but the signs have disappeared or fell off tomtom had a fit but google got us round the problem albeit a tortures route but it got us there

 

[Detnor]

I use an old Samsung 10 inch with LTE, so use a cheap sim card in the tablet, currently a 1p/month Lebara. Use google maps and seems to get me where I want easier than the factory fitted system. I use a swan neck mount.

 

[Just smiffy]

I’ve used my iPad with Google maps on it and worked a treat… bonus is have it satellite mode and you can see the buildings your going past…

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[autorouter]

I use a 10in Samsung tablet in the centre of the dash, with Copilot. I also use a second copy of Copilot on my Samsung phone. The phone mounts on the scooter for navigating round the back roads and tracks. In the MH it is mounted where I can see it, and I have it zoomed in showing the junctions and sharp bends. The tablet shows more of an overview of the route through the town.

 

[PaulC70]

Happily use the ipad on the dash clipboard clamp thingy in the middle of the cab, use waze most of the time, not had a problem in a year.

 

[Minxy]

We have used a tablet for a good few years for our sat nav in the MH, this is despite our current one having a built in one which we don't like so just use it for displaying the speed etc (no map on view).

We've tried different nav system providers but have found Sygic to be the best for our needs and works very well especially alongside Park4Night as we can find where we want to park on that then prod the appropriate 'button' and it will automatically put the info into Sygic and start navigating, this can be done with others too I believe but we are happy with the way it all integrates.

The tablet is used in landscape and clips into the central dash mount on the MH, I think it's a 10" one but can't remember what make it is - we went for ones with the best GPS chip we could as that's what's important and not all have good ones, some are absolutely abysmal, so this is something to look into if you intend to use a tablet. We bought our tables pre-owned/ex-display etc so didn't have to pay the earth for them either.

 

[Leakylunar]

I should of also mentioned the tablet will be tethered to my iPhone so the tablet can use Google maps or directions from searchforsites. I only drive a Bilbos so not a massive dashboard but I’m sure I can sort the mounting . It’s in readiness for next year as finally persuaded Gill to go to France.

 

[jumar]

Never think about using a dedicated Sat-Nav anymore...Tablet or Phone is just perfect...and it doubles as a Media device for all my music whilst driving too..Spotify, BBC music library....

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[PP Bear]

I just use the iPad and apples maps, it’s brilliant in my opinion.

Couple of screenshots from historic trips.

 

[zac]

for us the ability to input dimensions is a must as we are 8.5m just on the Motorhome plus when abroad we normally have the car trailer at a little over 4m and weight which is approx 6t including trailer. The usual apple / google maps etc are not good enough for this as they have no regard for your vehicles dimensions and weight. I do have a dedicated tomtom truck 6000 which is still going strong but in the last few days i have started testing the tomtom truck android version as its on offer at the moment for £50 (which is still blinking expensive) after a 7 day trial. Its a lot easier as a previous member said to look through the apps like campercontact/park4night and then just click a button to load the app of choice with details pre loaded as opposed to inputting them manually. It's early days but i will probably subscribe for the first year as its half price then cancel the following as it then goes up to £99 which is way over my budget. I am then likely to get another standalone unit if the price does not come down by then. Shame they dont do the truck version on the iphone as its a nuisance having another phone.

 

[pagey]

Well I used my Samsung phone tethered to a Samsung pad and used Google maps and it was perfect It even guided me on a diversion to get to the aire at St Valery en caux the tomtom did not I'm impressed with it

 

[RetiredPope]

Don't understand the need to tether the tablet to a phone. In Spain/Portugal in June we used an old Samsung tablet (2015) held in the tablet holder on the newer Ducato cabs (2018 onwards). No sim card and Google maps worked fine. You do have to download the maps first to get them offline, but quickly done before leaving home. All worked perfectly.

 

[jumar]

Don't understand the need to tether the tablet to a phone. In Spain/Portugal in June we used an old Samsung tablet (2015) held in the tablet holder on the newer Ducato cabs (2018 onwards). No sim card and Google maps worked fine. You do have to download the maps first to get them offline, but quickly done before leaving home. All worked perfectly.

Using live mapping is a great advantage to advise on current road conditions, delays etc...that's why some of us prefer to have tethered phone...and of course listening to live music on the go..,

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[GoldenVision]

.... We use a couple of magnetic mounts to hold tablet to the dash. Works brilliantly.

Could you give some info on this - having problems with a tablet in my VW.

 

[Neilfg]

Could you give some info on this - having problems with a tablet in my VW.

We use 2 magnetic mounts stuck to the dash, and 2 metal disks on the back of the tablet, this holds the tablet in place perfectly, we also added a strip of nonslip tape for the tablet to rest on. Very easy to put in place and remove.

We did try one mount but it is a large tablet and fell off. One concern was whether the magnets would affect the GPS or WiFi etc.. but not an issue. Been using this way for a couple of years and not had a problem.

 

[acropolis22]

Strange timing on this post as tomorrow I am going to use my Samsung pad tethered to my phone using Google maps as a sat nav I will post the results tomorrow

Been doing exactly that a few days now. Seems fine.

 

[PaulC70]

We use 2 magnetic mounts stuck to the dash, and 2 metal disks on the back of the tablet, this holds the tablet in place perfectly, we also added a strip of nonslip tape for the tablet to rest on. Very easy to put in place and remove.

We did try one mount but it is a large tablet and fell off. One concern was whether the magnets would affect the GPS or WiFi etc.. but not an issue. Been using this way for a couple of years and not had a problem.

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thats really confusing, why didn't you simply pull up the centre dash bit and clip the tablet in that?

 

[acropolis22]

thats really confusing, why didn't you simply pull up the centre dash bit and clip the tablet in that?

That's what we do but maybe his tablet is too big?