Who has the best speed camera data base?

[survivalist]

Hi

As per the subject title really. Does anyone know who has the most extensive and regularly updated camera database, mainly in the UK but would be interested in Western Europe as well. I used to have a Snooper Evolution 3/4 years ago when the only alternative was messing around with Pocket PC's and Pocket GPS downloads, but am wondering if Snooper, Road Angel etc have still got the edge?

The other option would be to buy a current TomTom unit and just not input a route when all I want is camera alerts, but I would like to make sure that the info provided is a good as possible.

Any opinions and information would be appreciated.

Cheers

[lescombes]

These guys..... http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/ ... no contest.... in fact the new Weekly update is out later today...

[marcosal]

Have a look at Adam Blair's BTST and Talex systems http://www.talex.co.uk/

Edited by marcosal on Wednesday 21st April 14:14

[Dave^]

I have a Snooper Sapphire, and use Trapster on the SatNav on my phone... (Works with most standalone SatNavs)

http://www.trapster.com/

[Ranger 6]

lescombes said:

These guys..... http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/ ... no contest.... in fact the new Weekly update is out later today...

+1

[Dave^]

Ranger 6 said:

lescombes said:

These guys..... http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/ ... no contest.... in fact the new Weekly update is out later today...

+1

Just hope no new cameras go up between now and the next update...

In reality though, if you're doing the same commute everyday, chances are you'll know, it's only when you venture into unknown territory that you want really update locations...

[Ranger 6]

That's exactly what I use it for - journeys I've not done before and ones which may have changed if I've not been there for a while.

Works well and has saved my licence more than once

[survivalist]

Thanks for all the responses. The bit I'm not getting is how you use the Pocket GPS database? When I last looked at it you had to import the sites into satnav software on a Pocket PC (this is what put me off and pushed me to look at a standalone device). Is this still the case, or are there devices that can import the data and issue warnings?

Thanks
S

[Networx]

Origin Technologies (Pogo GPS) has the best.

[Dave^]

survivalist said:

Thanks for all the responses. The bit I'm not getting is how you use the Pocket GPS database? When I last looked at it you had to import the sites into satnav software on a Pocket PC (this is what put me off and pushed me to look at a standalone device). Is this still the case, or are there devices that can import the data and issue warnings?

Thanks
S

The carmera locators on SatNav only units have to have files downloaded and installed onto the device manually, rather than just running an updater.exe and having the softwware update and install.

This is because the camera locations are just a list of poiss that need importing...

[survivalist]

Thanks for all the feedback, but I think I'm now more confused than before. Does the Pogo GPS use the Pocket GPS database or it's own (360?) database?

Also, looking at the Pocket GPS it seems that it can be imported into a number of satnav devices but that seems like a lot of hassle. Having done some "research" on google it seems that they are now using the Road Angel database, so if I wanted to go down the satnav route would this be the best option (from a functionality rather than a cost point of view).

I guess the question is whether a dedicated device (snooper, road angel or pogo etc) will do a much better job than a satnav device with an imported database, be it TomTom or Pocket GPS.

[Ranger 6]

Don't know - the appeal and value for me in the PGPSW database is that the contributors are other drivers. For me the whole download and setup process has been worth it for that. All the submissions are made and verified by road users and their regime of mobile site removal means that unused sites do get taken off in good yimes which takes away 'ghost' warnings.

I haven't heard of a commercial product which uses the same protocols.

[Networx]

The Pogo GPS database has been running for over 10 years now professionally maintained similar to Road Angel and Snooper etc.

[uk89camaro]

Networx said:

The Pogo GPS database has been running for over 10 years now professionally maintained similar to Road Angel and Snooper etc.

6-7 years ago I was running TomTom navigator v5 on a pocket PC, and the Pocketgpsworld database was absolute feckin' rubbish. So I bought an Origin B2, with a "garage door opener" which at the time cost me well over £300, but was brilliant.

The B2 broke a couple of times, and by then (about 2 years ago) the pocketgpsworld was hugely better than it was previously, and the annual charge was a lot less than Origin wanted. Now it is very good.

I have no idea if the official TomTom version is any more accurate, but the PGPS files you sign up for, then for the most part, extract the .OV2 and .BMP files into your \western europe\ map folder.

[amir_j]

Dave^ said:

I have a Snooper Sapphire, and use Trapster on the SatNav on my phone... (Works with most standalone SatNavs)

http://www.trapster.com/

is that any good now? I downloaded the app onto my android but seemed useless

[Dave^]

I haven't used the app itself, as I don't have an unlimited data package for my phone...

I have used their database, which can be imported to pretty much any SatNav device, including phones...

It works in the similar way to pocketgpsworlds database, as all warnings are submitted by users...

I looked on there map of locations, and all the local to me locations are there...

I don't use it much though, as I have a Snooper in my car, but it's handy for when I steal the other half's motor for the day, and seems to give the same warnings in the same places...

[lescombes]

still stand by my Pocket GPS database.... I added 3 new Specs cameras to the database 2 weeks ago and on my journey to Uttoxeter and back ALL of the camera locations were spot on... £19.95 a year...bargain... add cameras and you can get a lifetime subscription... like me....

[waremark]

lescombes said:

still stand by my Pocket GPS database.... I added 3 new Specs cameras to the database 2 weeks ago and on my journey to Uttoxeter and back ALL of the camera locations were spot on... £19.95 a year...bargain... add cameras and you can get a lifetime subscription... like me....

What device are you using for this? Can you give a detailed description of what you have to do to get and update the database? If I don't want warnings for mobile camera sites is it easy to disable them?

BTW - I have a sub for Tomtom Live. I would say the camera info is useful but certainly not spot on.

[tf007071]

I use a Garmin 660, and to make use of the PGPSW database I needed to download Garmins POILoader.

Sign up for the PGPSW database, and then select what warnings you want to download. This then downloads a zip file to your PC (it contains CSV files which simply contain latitude and longitude and a unique ID) which you save to a folder.

Then I connect my 660 to the PC and use POILoader to download the (new) files...

From start to finish, maybe 5 minutes - most of that being the POILoader doing it's job.

The PGPSW database seems pretty thorough, it's got all the sites I've seen in use on my regular 100 mile commute so I reckon it's going to be just as good where I'm unfamiliar with the route.

[dapprman]

I'm still in two minds about the pocketgpsworld database, partly coming from a Pogodrive. Having finished the 1 month free trial on the Cyclops database that Garmin use, I decided to give it a try.

+ve

• Cheap
• I can pick what type of camera I want (so I don't use by choice, red light and mobile camera sites)
• European sites included (if you have space on your satnav)

-ve

• Quite a lot of false reports - it might be good for new cameras being added, but it's really bad for them being removed again
• Not directional (The cyclops database, like those from Pogo/Origin and Roadangel are directional)
• With SPECS only shows/alerts where the cameras are, so if there's a long gap between them you get no alerting/reminders (this was one of the strengths of the Pogodrive before they added a ton of rubbish)

My main complaint is actually over the way SPECS is done - they ought to have 'fake' cameras every 1/4-1/2 mile so that you keep getting reminded about being in an average zone.

At present I will stick with it, but there's still a chance I may switch back to the Cyclops database at a later stage.