In-dash or portable navigation? What advantages can a navigation system offer?

What are the benefits of a GPS navigators system?

You won’t have to worry about getting lost while utilizing a navigation system to go about a new place, which gives you more time to enjoy your journey. Along with finding entertaining locations like restaurants, hotels, and tourist destinations, your navigation system will also help you locate important locations such gas stations, banks, and even ATMs.
When you use a navigation system in your own city, you’ll enjoy the benefits from it. All of those allow you to set up numerous destinations, so you can locate the fastest routes when running errands to save time. Additionally, a lot of them allow you access to paid traffic information services that can alert you to construction, crashes, and other problems along the routes you’ve selected. This is especially useful if you have a long daily commute.

Which is preferred, in-dash or portable navigation?

The system you select really depends on how you plan to use it. Each has particular advantages.

In-dash navigation
In-dash DVD players that serve as the sound system for your car and have touchscreen controls are either integrated into or connected to in-dash navigation systems. Installing a navigation system that is integrated into an in-dash DVD player is no more challenging than installing a typical in-dash stereo. For greater map vision, in-dash systems include screens that are substantially larger (an average of 7″ as opposed to the conventional 3.5″ or 4″ of a plug-and-play). Voice instructions are transmitted over the speakers in your car. Hard disks that handle navigational tasks and house the system’s maps are commonly seen in in-dash systems. When you program a location, some come with map DVD-ROM discs that temporarily store the necessary map and route information.

Portable navigation
A portable navigator has simple mounting choices, doesn’t require wiring or dash modifications, and is simple to move from one car to another. It comes with a mounting bracket that you attach to your dashboard, console, or windshield using a suction cup, if necessary. Then, all you have to do to acquire power is plug it into your car’s power port. Maps are often preloaded into the system’s memory, and the GPS antenna is incorporated right into the device’s chassis. The built-in speaker usually plays the voice prompts the system uses to guide you. A portable navigator may be small, but it often performs very well, and many of them have added functions like MP3 storage and playback.

Where should my GPS antenna be mounted if I choose an in-dash navigation system?

The GPS antenna can be installed either inside or outside the car. It can be painted and is weatherproof. Keep in mind, though, that the antenna cannot see through metal.

If you have a delicately wired rear defogger, avoid mounting the antenna on your rear deck.
If you intend to install it inside the car, keep in mind that metallic window tint can obstruct reception.
Signal reception can also be limited by solar-reflective windshields and radio antennae positioned on the windshield.
A physical impediment like a “A” pillar or any other communications antenna should be at least 5 inches away from the GPS antenna.