Very Disappointed with NAV

Perhaps we were spoiled by a much "superior" NAVI in our '03 Acura MDX, but the NAV in the '07 Prius is really lame...........
I really mean it ........ as an example and something that annoys the Hell out of me, when you are traveling down a road, and I am speaking of a main road, NOT some back-woods path, and you are looking for the streets that are coming up on the left or the right, 95% of the time the STREET NAMES are NOT always visible, and I mean even in a normal (default) screen !! With the Acura NAVI, all the side streets NAMES (except for private roads or dirt cow-paths) were visible, just like the street signs on a real road. With the Toyota NAV, most of the side-street NAMES are way OFF SCREEN and NOT visible. The side street names SHOULD be at the intersection of the road you are traveling in, not 3 inches to the right or left, off the MFD screen........ "a street with no name".......... completely helpless NAV in this extremely common situation !!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Jun 11 2007, 05:10 PM) [snapback]459719[/snapback]</div>

Yes, and "zoom" makes it worse........... I guess you DON'T understand what I am trying to explain........
Picture this......... we are traveling north on Main Street (as example) and we are looking for a street on the right (on east side) called (for example) Sydney Road....... when we look at the MFD we just see lines on the right (streets) WITHOUT NAMES that are close to the intersecting street (Main Street) we are on, but UNLIKE the Acura MDX which "placed the names of the side streets NEAR the street we are on (in this case Main Street) we see NO NAMES on the Toyota NAV, therefore we just PASSED the correct street (Sydney Road) that we wanted to take, because there was NO NAME on the street (on the right) !! When you "expand" the MFD out of normal (default) and look way, way to the right, you FINALLY "see" the name, in this example (and a real case yesterday) Sydney Road................

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(likesmpg @ Jun 11 2007, 05:53 PM) [snapback]459748[/snapback]</div>

Could it just be the way the "map programmer" MADE the PLACEMENT of the names of the streets down here in THIS part of Florida ??
Without a photo, I just CANNOT explain what I mean...........................
Closest thing I can explain is that the ACURA was like REAL STREET SIGNS................ EVERY street on the right or left, off the street you are driving on, was NAMED so you can EASILY "SEE" IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!
This "side street name" or an "intersection" did JUST THAT................. the street name INTERSECTED the MAIN road on the Acura NAVI............. it was RIGHT THERE !!!!!!!!!!!
With the Toyota, it is way "off the screen"...........................
I have to take pics...................... just impossible to explain................ :lol:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mcbrunnhilde @ Jun 11 2007, 08:37 PM) [snapback]459830[/snapback]</div>

Not always do I want to "go directly home destination", I just want to locate a road I am familiar with, such as Sydney Road, which I know goes close to Home Depot on my way home (which I wanted to stop in yesterday) .............. I just want to "see" which side street is coming up in 1/4 mile or so so I can "prepare" to take that turn......... it does me NO GOOD to pass the street because I see NO "street name" on my GPS NAV display.
NEVER HAD ANY "problems" with the Acura (Alpine made?) NAVI !! Used it for just a simple "map" as well as using it with "pre-programmed destinations". I used it many times like a google map....... seeing that in 1/2 mile there would be, say, Route 39 North, so I could "prepare" myself for that turn..........
It seems like the STREET NAMES are in the "middle of a long road" with the Toyota NAV (which puts them OFF the view of the MFD screen) and are NOT at the "street beginnings", "intersections" or even "multiple places" ON that street. Perhaps it's just this part of Florida is still a bit "rural", unlike Chicago, New York or Boston ??

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Slair @ Jun 11 2007, 10:04 PM) [snapback]459895[/snapback]</div>

I have read the F Manual over-and-over............. tried (experimented) with the various zoom levels (in to 150, out to 300, etc.) BEFORE I decided to even make this post............ I am NOT an "idiot"....... if the Toyota NAV was acting "correctly" (as the NAVI used to in the Acura) then I would not have any "problems" !!
It may be just the way the rural streets are in this part of Florida ?? I don't know ?? All I know is driving the MDX over the SAME ROUTES just 4 weeks ago, produced much different "results".............
I will have to (as I wrote before) take a few PICS of exactly what I am talking about. Again, I am NOT a "fool"............ and have READ the F'en Manual................ perhaps the info where YOU live is better "laid out" ?? Easier to see "side-street" names ??
CAN'T say any more without showing this............

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Alexstarfire @ Jun 12 2007, 06:13 AM) [snapback]460014[/snapback]</div>

Yes, very similar...........

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Alexstarfire @ Jun 12 2007, 06:13 AM) [snapback]460014[/snapback]</div>

We pretty much KNOW our local roads.......... it's just coming into one from another, non-familiar direction and trying to "see ahead" on the Toyota NAV just about WHEN this road will be coming up so we can prepare a lane change in anticipation for a turn. Remember, down here in Florida we have "special turn lanes" and if you miss a turn it could be a mile or so before a "legal U-turn" can happen to go back !!
Also, with all the new development we are having here in Florida comes many new streets........ obviously NOT on a 2006 NAV DVD (version 06.01) in the 2007 which is a separate issue entirely, NOT related to our "topic problem"........ but....... we try to "approximate" these new roads in relationship to many existing roads, like for example abc road "looks like it's" a mile north of Banana road, etc. If the KNOWN roads are not easily visible on the NAV imagine just how lost one can easily get !!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Alexstarfire @ Jun 12 2007, 06:13 AM) [snapback]460014[/snapback]</div>

YES, first thing we tried, all "zoom options"............... it just does NOT show critical streets that we are looking for, and I mean MAIN roads too.......... we are searching for some sort of "better resolution" or "show MORE streets" setting......... just NONE !! Has to be in the initial "data in" (programming) of the DVD in our area ??

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Alexstarfire @ Jun 12 2007, 06:13 AM) [snapback]460014[/snapback]</div>

I will (as navigator/passenger) try to take a few pics, even just pulling off to side of road (for safety sake) you will see (when I take pics) lines, loops, intersecting streets, etc. with NO NAMES, and these are established MAIN roads, as I said many times before.............. THIS Toyota NAV is NOT like the more "informative MAP mode" NAVI of the Acura........... :angry:

The best "example I can give, using MapQuest as you suggested, is this one below...............
[attachmentid=8796]
Our Toyota NAV MFD looks "similar" to this MapQuest example (above) ............ now what is the NAME of the West-East large intersecting street in the middle that crosses N DOVER RD ??????

NOW, do you know WHY MapQuest and TOYOTA NAV are soooooooo "similar" ????
Look at bottom right of MapQuest screen then also go to the web site that you would "report" an error or omission in the Toyota NAV:
http://mapreporter.navteq.com/dur-web-exte...amp;language=en
................ BOTH SAME COMPANY............ NAVTEQ !!!!!!!!!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Slair @ Jun 12 2007, 08:28 AM) [snapback]460046[/snapback]</div>

Yes I KNOW that............
[attachmentid=8797]
............. and lots of times the name is way over to the side, like in the original post I mentioned it's off the MFD by about three or more inches. This can be VERY distracting when driving and trying not to smash into the vehicle in front of you that is not using their signal lights, even when following at a safe distance !! NEVER had to do this in the Acura........... obviously THEY (Honda) uses a much different map database !!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Slair @ Jun 12 2007, 08:28 AM) [snapback]460046[/snapback]</div>

EXACTLY what I am trying to say...............................

Want to see something very "strange" ????????????
Look at GOOGLE MAP (below) of same intersection (how many times do they print "Sydney Rd", which is a GOOD thing):
[attachmentid=8798]
And then look in lower right corner of map................ NAVTEQ also ????????????????????