Navigation DVD Ver. 9.1

Gen II Prius has the draw underneath the armrest specifically for your Garmin backup device which should be included in the price of a Toyota Navigation system.

 

I have version 8.1. I called the dealer and all they could do is replace the GPS with a new one that won't work any better than the one I have. Lithia Toyota suggested I call Toyota's 800 number listed in the front pages of our manual, which I did. So far, I think I am the only person complaining about their GPS System. We should have been told before we bought that they were selling us a GPS with insufficient data and in rural areas where it is needed most, there will be no turn by turn guidance. Toyota is known for doing things on the cheep. I would hope by now they had gotten over steel rims on wheels to save money but they haven't.

 

Confirmed:
1. a backup copy of my 8.1 NavDVD worked in my P-III.
2. a backup copy of another member's 9.1 NavDVD worked for him in his 2010 Prius.

Yet to be investigated:
1. The TTS is improved?
2. Coverage changes?
3. Options and Settings changes?
4. Feature changes?
5. Screen changes?
6. Map rendering changes?
7. Routing changes?
8. Voice command changes?
9. Audio integration changes?
10. POI expansion?
11. Data Size changes?

 

Is this how all Toyota NAV systems are or is this unique to the prius?

If they couldn't fit everything on one DL DVD, then they should have split the country into two halfs and made you switch DVD's if you enter the other zone, that way it could have all the data your need.

I like the large screen interface for audio, and I love the USB ports and backup camera .. but it's really disappointing the coverage is spotty.

I guess it's good I have a TomTom handy if I go on a trip and the coverage craps out.

(Unless it's to British Columbia -- I noticed the entire province is fully covered.)

 

They have to add a lot of cruft onto their disc like all Toyota dealerships. Acura had the same problem. They used to have both male and female voice options but removed the male voice when the data became too much for the disc.

 

So does the Acura system have 100% coverage in the US or is it spotty like the Toyota disc?

 

Garmin can put multiple voices, millions of PIO's and all the streets in the US and Canada in much less space then a DL DVD. So why can't Toyota?

Full coverage should be the top priority. So what if Toyota's voice sounds better then Garmin's. It doesn't do any good if all it can say is that there isn't sufficient detail to give turn by turn directions to your destination.

 

Picked up my 2010 III with solar and nav Friday. It came with v 9.1 installed. I've been using a Nuvi for years and getting the map update over the Internet, and also using a Garmin on my motorcycles, but the Prius nav is really cool. Love it. Just my .02 . . . .

 

I agree 100%. I much prefer the Nav system in my prius over my Garmin until it tells me that there isn't sufficient detail to give me directions. Then the Garmin comes out.

A piece of advice, don't go on a road trip without a backup GPS device.

BTW, you will eventually find local addresses that won't show up on your nav system and they won't be new addresses either. Even in detailed areas that the Nav system covers it still isn't as reliable as Garmin. I really wish it was.

 

The MIO in 1 GB has 6 or so languages, with about a dozen vioces, male and female.
And 100% roads, and you can record and store any voice you want. The actual recorded voices do not take up a lot of room.

But, to be fair that "older" MIO did not have TTS, and only several million POI.

So, "voice" is not any excuse for not having 100% coverage.

If it was all in a lady's wristwatch, I might excuse the spotty coverage,
but would not buy the watch for GPS Nav usage!

 

Look at the Pacific NW coverage ... TERRIBLE !!!
Pathetic GPS Nav, Toyota (IMO).

 

I sat in a P-III while the owner upgraded from the 8.1 to 9.1 NavDVD.

After a short interval of "no DVD", it displayed ... System loading, do not turn off the power. Takes about a minute or so.

So, it apparently replaces some (much) software in an internal flash memory.

1. The Coverage/Region maps show that AZ is no longer part of the SW region (#2).
2. Coverage remains VERY SPOTTY, but there might be gains (or losses) locally.
3. However, it appears that there was no attempt in 9.1 to get anywhere close to the 100% coverage typically found in most portable GPS units.

4. Note: The Info, Display, Up, Down, U, D, ... sequence used in 8.1 to access the "service" screens requires U,D,U,D,U,D to work with the 9.1 NavDVD.

5. I noticed "Auto Around Traffic", "Areas to Avoid", and volume adjustments for both phone voice and ring.
Probably these are also in 8.1, but it is difficult to remember all the details without a side-by-side comparison.

The routing algorithm or other functions like search for POI might be better, but hard to compate without two cars driving the same route.

I hope to be able to hear the TTS later this weekend.

So far, I have not seen any great reason to buy the 9.1 upgrade, but maybe the POI are better, or local coverage in your area might be better. I suggest visiting your dealer and looking at your local maps in a new Prius (with 9.1) on the lot.

Has anybody gotten a "list of 9.1 improvements" from a dealer?

 

i got that a few times as well, except mine said (at least i think it did) "may not be available" ...and in every case, it was available.

it also had issues with specific addresses. we did a trip to Leavenworth and it could not find a specific addy (safeway or something similar) but did take us to the street we needed and that is all we were looking for anyway.

 

I agree, there should be four disks instead of two so the country could be split in half allowing 100% coverage in all areas of the country. I just can't imagine Toyota selling a nav system that is not 100% reliable.

My wife was searching the book to figure out how to turn the nav system off. I think it is listed but would could not find it.

Why buy 9.1 if it can't get you everywhere you need to go?

:help:

 

TTS on the 9.1 NavDVD:
Maybe I am just getting used to the poor, rapidly-pronounced, slurred-together TTS-produced street names.
MAYBE, just maybe, the TTS on the 9.1 is slightly, marginly better ... ???
OR, maybe the 8.1 TTS is the same, I could not tell with my short ride.

I believe that true, life-like TTS is difficult, but better than this should be ... relatively easy.

 

Did you follow the directions in Post #128? That should get you to a PDF of the improvements.

 

Here are the release notes for DVD 9.1 :

 

Thank you for posting the release notes. Based on what I read, while there myriad updates in my area (none are worthy of replacing disc), I see that the total POIs listed remains at 8.8 million. Does this mean in that in every case where I saw they 'added POI', they removed another one, because they list 8,800,000 POIs in bot versions.

 

Why not 12 million POI?
Oh, maybe because they do not 100% coverage?

 

If I could find out the format of their files, I could write a program to count the actual POIs.
Are their file formats known in the public domain?