Evesham NavCam

The Evesham Nav_cam 7500 is a good, solid performer.

AA Navigator 2006 satnav software comes pre-installed on the NavCam 7500 and the NavCam 7500 offers door-to-door navigation using both pictorial map and voice-guided instructions. The AA Navigator software is coupled with the latest Navteq maps for both the UK and Ireland. Locating a destination on the unit is simple using the full 7-digit postcode look-up facility for finding destinations.

A large database containing lots of Points of Interest (POI) comes pre-installed on the 7500. The POI functionality allows the user to choose from a wide variety of categories, e.g. hotels, hospitals, places of interest, car-parking, petrol stations etc and the NavCam 7500 will collect the optimum route to get to the nearest amenity chosen. If you're short on fuel, just choose petrol station and the system will navigate you to the nearest petrol station!

Controlling the NavCam is straightforward using the touch-screen intuitive menu system as well as the various buttons located on the unit itself.

Also included with the system is a speed camera alert database. This contains details of Gatso, SPECS, Truvelo, Mobile, Temporary and Redlight speed camera locations in the UK. Both visual and audible speed camera alerts are provided by the unit to alert the driver to a potentially hazardous road ahead. Speed camera database updates are also available free of charge when the user registers their new NavCam 7500 at the time of purchase.

Either Male or Female voices can be chosen for the voice-guidance within the system and moving maps can be shown in either 2- or 3- dimensions. 3D navigation provides a good overview of the route ahead as well as showing road names to help the user familiarise themselves with their surroundings. Should the user accidentally go off the pre-planned route the Nav-Cam 7500 automatically calculates a newly optimised route to destination based on their new location at the time - this could involve performing a U-turn or by proceeding ahead and taking different turns to get back on track.

Optional Traffic Information - TMC unit available separately.

The functionality of the system can be enhanced further by adding the optional TMC traffic information module. Real-time traffic information can then be received by the unit and the unit will take account of this information when optimising the route ahead. TMC alerts contain information on road accidents, slow traffic, traffic jams and roadworks ahead.

Once the information has been received by the TMC unit, the AA Navigator software alerts the user to the problem ahead and the system can then calculate a newly-optimised route to avoid the problem area.

This information is received continuously and only traffic information relating to the Nav-Cam 7500's current location is used. As you will appreciate, this information makes for a far more relaxing journey - traditional satnav systems will only navigate from A to B and will be unaware of any hold-ups enroute. The use of this real-time information is a very positive step forward in in-car navigation.

Both the Nav-Cam 7500 and optional TMC unit are portable allowing them to be transferred from one vehicle to another. The other advantage is that a route can be planned in the comfort of your home or office before leaving.

The unit comes with a standard 1 year warranty. This is a good unit and represents good value for money.