Adding Australian maps to F90BT

[3xemplar]

Hey all,

 

I've been browsing through these forums with interest and am just after some clarification. My grand plan is to buy an F90BT from the States and load Australian maps onto it, which would save me a bunch over buying an F900 locally, plus I'd end up with a superior unit.

 

Given the success of the thread about the European maps, I'm assuming Aussie maps would work in much the same way? I'm also not clear on the license. Is this for the maps or the unit?

 

Alternatively, I could use the Launcher to load up TomTom or the like. How have people found the stock software in comparison?

 

Any guidance or experiences are much appreciated! Thanks a lot guys.

[BorisM]

If you get iGO 8 maps of Australia (not iGO 8.3 or iGO 2006), they should work with the license and executable posted here. The license if for maps/building/landscape etc. files, not specifically for the unit.

 

LeetLauncher is neat, but IMHO if you use it to run external navigation software, with no integration with AV portion of the unit, you might as well save your money and get a normal deck and a portable navi system.

 

In my view (and this is based on US experience, other countries are different), iGO is rather weird piece of software. If you want something that just works out of the box, and you can put pretty car icons on it, Garmin or TomTom are easier. But then,. they will do what they do out of the box, and nothing more. iGO will (assuming Australian maps are good) navigate you at least as good as any other, but Pioneer's stock skin does not expose half of what it can really do. If you care to hack iGO skin files, you can get it to do pretty much anything, other than getting track-up map in 2D.

 

I suppose you could go to a Pioneer dealer locally and try generating some routes you are familiar with, check if it gives you good guidance.

 

I don't know if Australi uses the same FM format as US or not. If not, radio reception is questionable. Also, us versions have MSN Direct instead of TMC, so if TMC is available in AUS and you want to use it, US version is probably not the best choice...

 

Hope this helps.