Garmin 2565RT

For years, I used an Acer n30 PocketPC as my satnav system. Let's just say, mixing the most crash-prone OS with a mission critical application such as navigation is a BAAAAAAD idea. Restarting a dead computer system on the desktop is one thing, try to do the same while dodging traffic on the mean streets of Taipei is a totally different ball game. Were it not for divine intervention, I would have bought the farm years ago.

So, last year, I ditched the Acer and bought a Garmin 1350. It is a wonderful product, and I thought I would never need to spend another dime on a car gadget ever again. Then I saw this video



To be sure, I drive like a pussy. That's how I am able to rack up 50,000 accident-free klicks in the past 6 years. But in the back of my mind, I've always dreaded the possibility of encountering a moped rider with a death wish. So, I hit PCHome and did some shopping.

There is no shortage of dash cameras on the market; however, one must choose wisely. Horror stories abound of how some cheap dash cameras causing havoc with satnav operation. Apparently, a good number of HW engineers from China have never heard of FCC Part 15. Working with non-functioning satnav system while driving isn't an experience I care to repeat, so I those cheap ones were blacklisted from the very beginning. That leaves the Mercedes-Benz of dash cameras, the Volsonic GV6330, on the table. But here's the problem, I will have to mount that thing next to the Garmin, and in doing so, making my windshield more cluttered than the helm of the Starship Enterprise. This is not a prospect that I relish.

The solution to this conundrum is an integrated box, a gizmo that combines a satnav and a dash camera. There is only one device in existence that fits the bill, the Garmin 2565RT. So I bought one.

For starters, the 2565RT is a better satnav than the 1350. It offers the following advantages over the old model

1. Larger screen, 5” vs. 4.3”
2. Snappier response, probably due to a faster CPU
3. Voice command. Real handy when you need to work the device while driving
4. TMC support, which displays the traffic condition of the surrounding area
5. Hand-free celluar operation through Bluetooth connection

So yeah, it’s a darn good satnav, just like all other Garmins. No big surprise there. But the dash camera is a mixed bag. Let me explain.

The dash camera is a separate unit called GDR10. It attaches to the same mount as the 2565RT, but the two devices work independently of each other. They are connected together via USB, and the configuration of the camera is done through the screen of the satnav.



So, not exactly a "integrated solution" I was looking for. But in the grand scheme of things, if this design is truly bullet-proof, then it really doesn’t matter that we are dealing with two separate systems rather than one integrated package. I will know whether or not this is a robust design in 2 months time. Just you wait.

When it comes to video recording, the GDR10 supports 3 modes - 720P@24f, VGA@30f, and QVGA@30f. There is no easy way to say this, so I’ll be blunt. 720P mode is complete bogus; the result looks TERRIBLE. I was aghast at the ugliness of the videos. All details are washed out, so you can’t really see any anything anywhere. Oh, and the rolling shutter, all I can say is, I was speechless at the sight. It's like someone placed a piece of Jello right in front of the lens.

Toning down the quality to VGA (640x480) yields MUCH BETTER results, which leads me to believe that the sensor’s native resolution is VGA. I am guessing 720p was accomplished through some form of upscaling. Regardless, the conclusion is inescapable, 720p mode offers zero advantage over VGA mode in clarity and acuity; all you get with 720p is a larger video file.

However, one must bear in mind that when something is much better than crappy, it is still far from great. So, the video quality at VGA mode can only described as mediocre. It is reasonably clear and quite smooth, but you are not going to be able to make out the plate of a car 30 meters away from you.



Too bad. But then it brings us back to the weird two-piece design. I am guessing that the GDR10 is an ODM job, and Garmin is merely testing the water with this product. If the market response is favorable, then it is not inconceivable that they will introduce the GDR20, which will solve most of GDR10’s shortcomings.

Bottom line, if crystal clear video is what you are after, don’t even bother to look at the 2565RT. On the other hand, if you want a great satnav and can live with mediocre video, I guess this Garmin ain’t such a bad option. The six million dollar question is, will this package work flawlessly like all other Garmins? If so, then I guess I can be more or less happy with it. But gosh, I look forward to do day when I would dismantle the GDR10 and replace it with a GDR20.

Microsoft's Plea

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Microsoft is now begging women to get a Windows PC instead of a tablet/phone/Mac. Be forewarned, the following videos are kinda pathetic. This ain't what I'd call a pretty sight.









Look, I have nothing against Microsoft. I've been a loyal customer for more than 20 years. By my count, I have no less than 3 legit Windows licenses in the house. What I resent is the fact that Windows is a flaky product and requires constant fixing and updating. I guess the ability to fix a computer is a source professional pride when I was young. In my old age, however, Windows is giving me ulcers.

Case to the point, when my new Windows 7 PC arrived nearly 2 years ago, my scanner instantly quit working. It was purchased back in '02, and there wasn't a new driver available. My printer from '04 worked, but the stock driver from the OS package was weird. Today, it prints, but not all functions are supported.

And don't even get me started on the graphic card. I struggled, oh, how I struggled to slay that beast. On the same note, I will not mention the BIOS updates and driver upgrades. Those memories are too painful, so I will bury them in some dark recess of my psyche.

So, after putting in countless hours fighting this machine, it is now fully domesticated and works PERFECTLY. But therein lies the problem - it should work perfectly right out of the box. This failure to work right out of a box highlights what's wrong with the PC industry as a whole. Nobody gives a rat's ass whether or not the system works. And now that I've put in the time and the energy to finish off the engineering job, tell me, Mr. Ballmer, what is my incentive to buy a new PC? So I can do this all over again? I'll hang on to this machine 'till the end of days, thank you very much.

Which brings us back to the ads. Let's be honest, the stereotypical female computer shoppers are no engineers. Is it any wonder that they are fleeing to Apple? And so, Microsoft now begs. How nice. You know what I'd rather see? Ballmer comes out on TV and GUARANTEES that every PC will work right out of the box. No blue screen. No driver incompatibility. No crapware. No nothing. Just pure computing bliss.

Wouldn't that be something?