TRAFCAM

Speed Camera Warning Systems

Local time is: 6 Jan 2009 22:52

Last Database Update: 05-12-2008

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TrafCam and Navigation Software

TrafCam on the Pocket PC platform can run at the same time as a number of popular navigation software packages. These include TomTom Navigator (versions 1.5, 2, 3, 5 and 6), Medion Navigator (version 3.1) and the navigation software supplied with the Garmin iQue M5 PDA.

Traditionally only one program can connect to a GPS receiver because the Microsoft Pocket PC operating system does not allow ports to be shared. So to get around this, some navigation software has special features to share the GPS data with other programs. TrafCam takes advantage of those special features to run at the same time as navigation, interrupting only when it has a camera location to warn about.

The new Windows Mobile 5 operating system also allows more than one program to share the GPS port, so this should make things easier for users with new devices.

We are testing a product that aims to share GPS data between multiple programs on a Pocket PC. This is encouraging because it means that we won't have to rely on each individual navigation software provider to share data somehow, and it means we won't need to keep adding more special versions of TrafCam to our list.

What about Points of Interest (POIs)?

Many navigation packages and systems support user-definable locations called "Points of Interest". These appear as icons on the map display, and with some systems, an audible or visual warning (or both) can be configured when within a specific distance of a POI.

We have considered releasing the TrafCam database in this format, however we consider that in some areas, the navigation display would become too confused with roads, junctions and a lot of camera location icons. Also, we lose the ability to control the distribution of the database, and we need to do this to cover the cost of gathering the data.

So which packages can run?

The following list covers the various navigation packages that we know about, and what we've done about trying to work with them. It's in two sections - the first is a general list, the second is a list of navigation software we've tried with our Windows Mobile 5 software. If you know of a navigation package we haven't listed, send us an email and we'll look into it.

General Pocket PC Software
Navigation Package	Status
TomTom Navigator, version 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6	Special version of TrafCam to run with TomTom Navigator is available. More details on TrafCam for TomTom Navigator
Que Navigation / Garmin iQue M5	We have a special version of TrafCam available which runs at the same time as the navigation software which is shipped with the Garmin iQue M5.
Medion Navigator	We have a special version of TrafCam which works with Medion Navigator, but only version 3.1. This uses a feature of Medion which has been removed from newer versions. More details on TrafCam and Medion Navigation Software
HP Navigation Kit	This package includes an HP iPAQ rz1710 PDA and TomTom Navigation software. However we cannot share data with this special version of the TomTom software.
Destinator	We have received information on how to integrate with this package, but the developers kit does not appear to work. We are attempting to get an update from the suppliers.
Navman Smartpath or SmartST	Not possible with the current software.
Co-Pilot	Not possible with the current software. Travroute say that they will keep the feature in mind for future products.
Route 66	We have contacted the developers to see whether it is possible to share GPS information. They tell us that this is not possible with current products.
Falk Navigation	We contacted the manufacturer to see whether it is possible to share GPS data with their products. We never received a reply.

TrafCam for Windows Mobile 5
Navigation Package	Status
Navigon Mobile Navigator 5	Tested on a Dell Axim x51 PDA running at the same time as TrafCam, works correctly.
CoPilot Live v6	When run via the GPS Manager, this version reports that it cannot find a GPS receiver.
Dell Navigation System	When run via the GPS Manager, this program locks up a short time after gaining a GPS position "fix". This may be because we are running an old version of the program, an updates is available but it is not compatible with our maps.

What about other platforms?

The Palm operating system can only run one program at a time, so it is not possible to make TrafCam for Palm OS run alongside a navigation package. On Symbian phones, we are hoping that some of the navigation software manufacturers will release a developer kit that we can use to run TrafCam and navigation simultaneously.