Great product and Investment
Pros:
Lots of visual and audio setting, Great option NavTraffic, Great UI and Voice interface.
Cons:
Updated maps a little expensive.
The Bottom Line:
If your looking for a NAV system without a NAV DVD, a great UI and audio and visual interface, add the optional NAVTraffic you cant go wrong with this.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
I got this unit install with the DDX6019. All the map and software is stored in the box. You can plot to any one or more than 5 million Points if interests. You can review the map and point to where you want to go. It stores your recent finds so you can recall them later. You can also save your locations. You can create route with mid points or add them later in your route. You can create areas or roads to avoid within your route. You have 4 logs you can use to track your distance.
I purchased the optional GXM-30 antenna and subscribed to XM and Navtraffic which allows me to listen to XM radio and receive traffic and weather updates. The XM radio UI works like a radio with buttons for scanning, presets (3 sets of 6 Buttons), and category scanning. You also can save you favorite artists and have the unit scan all the channels and play a song that is currently playing in your list. You use the XM weather (which is included in the NavTraffic subscription) to see the current weather condition in cites or on the map. It even gives forecasts for the week. You can view stocks. The service that is most useful to me is the NavTraffic which allow me to see current traffic conditions on my route. On the map it shows the severity of the condition and if you want to detour around it, all you have to do is push the symbol and detour button and it routes around it.
This great unit has a ton of settings for audio, and visual. You can have a 2D or 3d map. Track up or North. You can have it ask you the route you want to take (Fastest or shortest). The unit has a nice voice (Think its called Jill) to navigate you around. She calls all upcoming turns by distance and calls the name of the streets. The system calls out your custom named locations (Like work, home, dads). If you get tired of listening to her you have the option of turning her off. I wish they had this option on some people I know.
You can update map data or software via SD card. I download the POI install program from garmin.com and loaded Red light camera info for the US via SD card, now when I'm driving and come close to an intersection with one of these money hungry beasts it will give me an audio and visual alert. This alone is worth it to me, being out here in LA it can cost you over $350 per violation, of which in the past I've had two in one year.
This unit with the Kenwood DDX6019 is the best investment I made, and I would recommend it.
Update 10/26/06
I've had my system for almost a month now and I want to make some notations.
1. If the voice is not loud enough were you can here it with the windows down, then you can increase it through the nav screen to 100% and then goto the 6019 settings and increase the nav volume level. I cranked it up to 20, and it goes higher than that.
2. When entering letters, the keyboard is set with the letters alphabetically, I found myself searching for letters. I updated the software at (http://www.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=1477), and now it has a QWERTY setting.
Update 10/30/06
1. Updated SD card maps will cost you $199.00 from garmin at http://www.garmin.com/products/kenwood. If you look online you can get them cheaper. Do a google search on Part No: 010-10679-00). I got one for $150.
BTW the NavTraffic has save my butt about 5 times already.
