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Equipment Tests > AVNC Satnav
AVNC Satnav
Issue: July 2009
Words and Photos by Robert Pepper
Thinking of a factory-fit satnav unit for your new car? Consider the AVNC before you go any further.
Time was you'd be happy with an AM radio in your car. In 2009 we're a lot more demanding of in-car gizmos, so off-road nav specialists VMS have created the AVNC 3000 - Audio, Visual, Navigation Computer. This unit caught our eye because it's pretty much unique on two counts; firstly it's an aftermarket unit but nicely integrated into the dash via a double-DIN socket, so it looks factory, and secondly for the sheer breadth of capability. There's on road auto-routing, AM/FM radio, hands-free Bluetooth (no address book), DVD movie playing, MP3 sound, a reversing camera option and steering wheel controls. The reason we're reviewing it is because it also includes proper off-roading mapping via Memory Map Navigator or OziexplorerCE. Media includes an SD card, USB port for disks or cards, DVD reader and iPod connector. SDHC cards up to 16GB have been tested, and one card can contain MP3s or videos, in whichever directories you like, but not maps, which must be loaded from the SD card. So, quite a few functions, and quite a test required. We don't own a car with a double-DIN socket, so we enlisted the help of a highly experienced off-road driver, but a relative novice for gadgets and had the unit fitted to his 2002 Patrol GU. This review reflects his views as well as our own.
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In general, everything works as advertised, and we tested it all. From a USB stick the AVNC played MP3s and AVIs, showed JPEGs (but large files take a while to load) and played DVD movies. It found test addresses, loaded off-road maps and hooked up to an iPod, although with limited iPod functions. The question is more about useability and effectiveness. Starting with the physical, the unit's location in the Patrol looks like a factory-fit, is very neat and takes up no room. It would also be far more difficult to steal than a portable unit, and conveniently switches on and off with the ignition. However, the unit's location in this particular Patrol leaves it very susceptible to sunglare so really needs some form of shade. Once installed you cannot change the screen angle. The screen is a 6.5-inch diagonal, resolution 480x234, so adequate but not pin-sharp. Many of the menus and options require careful tapping of the screen, and you'd often want to use the supplied stylus rather than a fingernail to do it. Our tester described using the AVNC as fiddly. Each of the functions is provided by a different application, and thus has a different look and feel to the others, which doesn't help. The main point here is that this unit is takes time to learn; it does the job of several devices, and thus there is a fair learning curve to not only use the functions but do so efficiently. Our tester for example reset the device to move from on-road to off-road mapping. We quickly worked out that you had to exit one to return to the menu and then start the other (this is actually mentioned in the manual), clearly not obvious, but demonstrates that a little knowledge can often eliminate what appears to be an annoying limitation and that is very true of a device like the AVNC.
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Words and Photos by Robert Pepper
Thinking of a factory-fit satnav unit for your new car? Consider the AVNC before you go any further.
Time was you'd be happy with an AM radio in your car. In 2009 we're a lot more demanding of in-car gizmos, so off-road nav specialists VMS have created the AVNC 3000 - Audio, Visual, Navigation Computer. This unit caught our eye because it's pretty much unique on two counts; firstly it's an aftermarket unit but nicely integrated into the dash via a double-DIN socket, so it looks factory, and secondly for the sheer breadth of capability. There's on road auto-routing, AM/FM radio, hands-free Bluetooth (no address book), DVD movie playing, MP3 sound, a reversing camera option and steering wheel controls. The reason we're reviewing it is because it also includes proper off-roading mapping via Memory Map Navigator or OziexplorerCE. Media includes an SD card, USB port for disks or cards, DVD reader and iPod connector. SDHC cards up to 16GB have been tested, and one card can contain MP3s or videos, in whichever directories you like, but not maps, which must be loaded from the SD card. So, quite a few functions, and quite a test required. We don't own a car with a double-DIN socket, so we enlisted the help of a highly experienced off-road driver, but a relative novice for gadgets and had the unit fitted to his 2002 Patrol GU. This review reflects his views as well as our own.
read on below advertisement
In general, everything works as advertised, and we tested it all. From a USB stick the AVNC played MP3s and AVIs, showed JPEGs (but large files take a while to load) and played DVD movies. It found test addresses, loaded off-road maps and hooked up to an iPod, although with limited iPod functions. The question is more about useability and effectiveness. Starting with the physical, the unit's location in the Patrol looks like a factory-fit, is very neat and takes up no room. It would also be far more difficult to steal than a portable unit, and conveniently switches on and off with the ignition. However, the unit's location in this particular Patrol leaves it very susceptible to sunglare so really needs some form of shade. Once installed you cannot change the screen angle. The screen is a 6.5-inch diagonal, resolution 480x234, so adequate but not pin-sharp. Many of the menus and options require careful tapping of the screen, and you'd often want to use the supplied stylus rather than a fingernail to do it. Our tester described using the AVNC as fiddly. Each of the functions is provided by a different application, and thus has a different look and feel to the others, which doesn't help. The main point here is that this unit is takes time to learn; it does the job of several devices, and thus there is a fair learning curve to not only use the functions but do so efficiently. Our tester for example reset the device to move from on-road to off-road mapping. We quickly worked out that you had to exit one to return to the menu and then start the other (this is actually mentioned in the manual), clearly not obvious, but demonstrates that a little knowledge can often eliminate what appears to be an annoying limitation and that is very true of a device like the AVNC.
next page »
