I talked with Navtech today. Currently there are no updated DVD ROM map discs available. They only have the original 2004 model year discs (although there are three different versions, they all contain the same data). The NEW map disc will be out in March and will contain alot of new data. Unfortunately they are $199 for each disc. =(

 

has anyone tried to copy one of those discs?

 

good info

I dont think I'm gonna update mine yet

the nav has worked well for me so far

 

Be careful discussing that in open forum. Of course, if you're only making a backup copy for your own private use there's probably no problem. Check the licensing agreement.

 

I love my NAV, but my map is so out of date the streets of my subdivision don't show up and I have lived here for over two years (got my car in late Oct). I have to drive 1.5 miles to get on the map. No big deal, but it's like I drive into the abyss whenever I go home. I'm trying to sell my neighbors on what a fine NAV system Mazda sells, but so far they just aren't impressed.

I have a 2004 vehicle with a NAVTech disk stamped with a serial number plus a "2002-1" stamp (date?) on it. My disk was so old when I received it that I really think we should get our first upgrade free or at a very deep discount.

I wrote a nice email to the Navtech folks about the old disk and received a 'can' response stating they are researching my request and WILL get back to me. After I sent a second email 6 weeks later I received a curt blow-off response stating I need to take it up with the dealership (of course the dealership says to talk to NAVTech).

Whine, whine...just a little thing though, it is a fine system overall. If I had to do it over again I would still buy the NAV system - even WITH an obsolete disk.

 

Rx, my advice is give up. Digital mapmaking is a methodical process. They've got millions of roads and points of interest; sooner or later, they will get the new ones without you asking. It is neither practical nor necessary for them to respond to individual requests. From the time a road is completed until it is on their distributed map products is about a 2-year cycle and you're just not going to speed it up. Find other battles to fight.

One exception to this is when you find a mistake in their map (not an omission.) In my neighborhood, they showed a street as a through street when it's really a dead end. I pointed this out, and 12 months later it was fixed. Who knows, it might have gotten fixed eventually anyway. I have no way of knowing if I speeded things up or not. But they do solicit feedback on mistakes in their maps.

 

I think he's questioning whether or not his specific disk is actually a 2004 disc, being that is says "2002-1" on it.

 

i'm pretty sure you can copy the disc but i doubt you'll be able to find media that will work with the drive...i'm sure the DVD-Rom may not adhere to either of the +/- standards out right now...it's probably proprietary to Panasonic, licensed by NavTech

again, these are just assumptions with no backing

 

The NAV DVD's are dual layer (greater than 4.77GB) so they cannot be copied by today's single layer 4.77GB DVD + or - drives.

 

They also use a proprietary format.
Yeah, I tried it. No dice.

 

What about street locations that have been established for over 20 years that don't even show up on the nav software. I know I posted this before but when I went to my brothers house in late December his address shows up on the software and the finish line flag shows up on the map but you find yourself in the middle of no where since his street and the connecting streets don't appear on the map.

 

Just a thought: were you zoomed all the way in? When the display is zoomed progressively further out it loses detail for the sake of clarity. As you zoom in the display shows smaller and smaller streets.

 

bobclevenger,

Yes, I was zoomed in. I was using to get to Illwaco, WA. which is just north of Astoria, OR. and the sytem worked fine all the way through to Astoria and on the highway across the bridge over the river Columbia until I made it to where I was supposed to turn to get to his street. It didn't have any of the streets showing in his area. As far as I could tell it was empty land. But I could put his address in and when I called him to help guide me in the "finish line" flag was in the right spot. So it is just an area that isn't mapped out in the graphics. I hadn't changed the settings from when I had used it to map out Baja Fresh in Beaverton, OR. and if I could see that on the map I am sure I should have been able to see my brothers street area.

 

Yeah, there's some quirks in the system. When I drove up to The Gorge in WA last Sept. I stopped for the evening in Albany, OR (it was "talk like a pirate day" and I wanted to drop in on the gang at the brewpub where they were gathering) and tried to look up an address there; according to the nav system it didn't exist -- and it was in an old part of town. Not only that, but the whole street didn't exist!
But all-in-all I like it a lot.

 

I am certainly not dissappointed that I bought it. I just hate hearing my wife say I told you so everytime it doesn't do what I want it to.

 

Just curious -- are these same streets missing if you use mapquest or www.mapsonline.com? Many mapping vendors use the same map databases, so it's not a Mazda or Navtech problem per se. For problems with established neighborhoods there should be some way to submit feedback; check out their website. For new streets not yet shown, feedback is unnecessary; they will add them in due course.