Which names Garmin 780 best-buy for MH's
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Which names Garmin 780 best-buy for MH's
by Paulmold Sun Aug 11, 2019 9:30 am
REVIEWED JUL 2019
Overview
The Garmin camper 780 Camper & Digital Traffic is an expensive but excellent sat nav for caravan and motorhome users. It offers high-quality visual guidance, is easy to program and recalculates routes quickly. There are a couple of issues we've seen in other Garmin models, such as voice recognition, that doesn't always get things quite right. Overall, though, this is a very competent and high-quality device - which is why it's a Best Buy.
What is it?
Garmin's latest dedicated sat nav for motorhome and caravan owners. It displays maps of Europe on a high-quality, capacitive touchscreen display that's as responsive as a high-end smartphone.
Free digital traffic updates are included via DAB, with more accurate live updates available via a Bluetooth-connected smartphone. This connection means the Camper 780 can also be used as a portable hands-free kit for calls.
The system also has a wi-fi connection, so you don't need to physically connect it to a computer to update maps. It's also one of the few camper systems we've tested that can be operated solely by voice, though in our tests we found the voice recognition to be too hit and miss to be relied on regularly.
As it's aimed at owners of over-sized vehicles, the system allows you to enter the dimensions and weight of your caravan or motorhome, so an appropriate route can accurately be found. You can also specify routes that don't include U-turns, height restrictions and weight limits. It'll also warn you when approaching steep slopes.
How easy is to use?
The device is easy to fit and remove from its windscreen-mounted bracket, though the small size of the bracket can make it inconvenient if you're sat a long way from the windscreen (in an MPV, for example).
The display's large, widescreen format makes the map very easy to read, and with sensible zooming between actions, drivers can anticipate the next manoeuvre well in advance. The display is bright and the colours used provide good contrast for easy legibility.
The interface and the structure of the menus is logical and easy to understand. Most settings are quickly accessed and there are context-sensitive submenus that easily put the required options at your fingertips. There is also a customisable 'quick' menu that can be opened from the navigation screen, where you can keep handy shortcuts to your most-used features.
If you have large fingers, you will be pleased to hear that the large screen means a huge keyboard. It's accurate and responsive, and also automatically blanks out irrelevant characters as you type, to make it quicker to enter addresses.
The only real bugbear is the voice recognition. It's mostly usable, but can sometimes struggle to accurately identify a destination.
How clear are the instructions?
The map is high contrast, with a bright white background - it's easily legible in all conditions. The colours and large screen make following on-screen instructions a doddle.
The system alternates between photo-realistic and dynamic lane guidance to navigate through junctions, the latter of which can either be very useful or slightly annoying, depending on the situation.
With clear guidance symbols and well positioned menu buttons, visual guidance is easy to follow, despite the amount of information on display. However, in urban areas the perspective of the map can become distorted, making it more difficult to accurately judge distances between junctions.
Audio guidance is also very good, with decent audibility and appropriate pacing between instructions. The Camper 780 also uses advanced vocal guidance on the motorway, including lane management instructions. This is useful, if not 100% flawless, much like the device's text-to-speech capability.
Is there anything else I should know?
Live traffic updates are available through a data-enabled smartphone connected by Bluetooth, which may incur extra charges depending on your mobile contract. Ensure you take the in-car charging cable with you too, as this sat nav's battery doesn't last long.
This sat nav is compatible with Garmin's wireless reversing camera (sold separately, for around £130). Place it in your rear window and it'll beam the image to your sat nav screen.
Should I buy it?
Yes, The Garmin Camper 780 & Digital Traffic is one of the best portable sat navs we've tested for caravan and motorhome users. It's a deserved Best Buy that'll take the sting out of planning your next adventure.
Overview
The Garmin camper 780 Camper & Digital Traffic is an expensive but excellent sat nav for caravan and motorhome users. It offers high-quality visual guidance, is easy to program and recalculates routes quickly. There are a couple of issues we've seen in other Garmin models, such as voice recognition, that doesn't always get things quite right. Overall, though, this is a very competent and high-quality device - which is why it's a Best Buy.
What is it?
Garmin's latest dedicated sat nav for motorhome and caravan owners. It displays maps of Europe on a high-quality, capacitive touchscreen display that's as responsive as a high-end smartphone.
Free digital traffic updates are included via DAB, with more accurate live updates available via a Bluetooth-connected smartphone. This connection means the Camper 780 can also be used as a portable hands-free kit for calls.
The system also has a wi-fi connection, so you don't need to physically connect it to a computer to update maps. It's also one of the few camper systems we've tested that can be operated solely by voice, though in our tests we found the voice recognition to be too hit and miss to be relied on regularly.
As it's aimed at owners of over-sized vehicles, the system allows you to enter the dimensions and weight of your caravan or motorhome, so an appropriate route can accurately be found. You can also specify routes that don't include U-turns, height restrictions and weight limits. It'll also warn you when approaching steep slopes.
How easy is to use?
The device is easy to fit and remove from its windscreen-mounted bracket, though the small size of the bracket can make it inconvenient if you're sat a long way from the windscreen (in an MPV, for example).
The display's large, widescreen format makes the map very easy to read, and with sensible zooming between actions, drivers can anticipate the next manoeuvre well in advance. The display is bright and the colours used provide good contrast for easy legibility.
The interface and the structure of the menus is logical and easy to understand. Most settings are quickly accessed and there are context-sensitive submenus that easily put the required options at your fingertips. There is also a customisable 'quick' menu that can be opened from the navigation screen, where you can keep handy shortcuts to your most-used features.
If you have large fingers, you will be pleased to hear that the large screen means a huge keyboard. It's accurate and responsive, and also automatically blanks out irrelevant characters as you type, to make it quicker to enter addresses.
The only real bugbear is the voice recognition. It's mostly usable, but can sometimes struggle to accurately identify a destination.
How clear are the instructions?
The map is high contrast, with a bright white background - it's easily legible in all conditions. The colours and large screen make following on-screen instructions a doddle.
The system alternates between photo-realistic and dynamic lane guidance to navigate through junctions, the latter of which can either be very useful or slightly annoying, depending on the situation.
With clear guidance symbols and well positioned menu buttons, visual guidance is easy to follow, despite the amount of information on display. However, in urban areas the perspective of the map can become distorted, making it more difficult to accurately judge distances between junctions.
Audio guidance is also very good, with decent audibility and appropriate pacing between instructions. The Camper 780 also uses advanced vocal guidance on the motorway, including lane management instructions. This is useful, if not 100% flawless, much like the device's text-to-speech capability.
Is there anything else I should know?
Live traffic updates are available through a data-enabled smartphone connected by Bluetooth, which may incur extra charges depending on your mobile contract. Ensure you take the in-car charging cable with you too, as this sat nav's battery doesn't last long.
This sat nav is compatible with Garmin's wireless reversing camera (sold separately, for around £130). Place it in your rear window and it'll beam the image to your sat nav screen.
Should I buy it?
Yes, The Garmin Camper 780 & Digital Traffic is one of the best portable sat navs we've tested for caravan and motorhome users. It's a deserved Best Buy that'll take the sting out of planning your next adventure.
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Re: Which names Garmin 780 best-buy for MH's
by RogerThat Sun Aug 11, 2019 12:23 pm
Is this the same unit as the Avtex Tourer One (caravan club edition) ?
https://www.avtex.co.uk/sat-nav/avtex-tourer-one
Or different hardware?
https://www.avtex.co.uk/sat-nav/avtex-tourer-one
Or different hardware?
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Re: Which names Garmin 780 best-buy for MH's
by GP1069 Sun Aug 11, 2019 4:53 pm
RogerThat wrote:Is this the same unit as the Avtex Tourer One (caravan club edition) ?
https://www.avtex.co.uk/sat-nav/avtex-tourer-one
Or different hardware?
The Tourer 2
Avtex Tourer 2
Garmin 780
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Re: Which names Garmin 780 best-buy for MH's
by RogerThat Sun Aug 11, 2019 5:29 pm
Oh!
I wasn't aware there were two editions of that device.
Good to know, thanks :)
I wasn't aware there were two editions of that device.
Good to know, thanks :)
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Re: Which names Garmin 780 best-buy for MH's
by GP1069 Sun Aug 11, 2019 5:33 pm
As far as I am aware the only difference between the two are the CMC poi's.
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