Hema HX-1

barnsey062

Well-Known Member
all the units i have found on eBay and other stores via google state that they come with Free 4WD map updates for the life of the unit
 

99pc chimpanzee

Well-Known Member
Anyone else been following ebay and recently seen the hx1 for sale for $330.00 on several occasions.I feel its dodgy and ebay are deleting them as soon as they appear.I have seen 3 at this price(and the lisiting lasts only a few minutes)and everytime its newbie sellers with a different address.Two of the sellers are no longer registered,so my doubts are doubled,I just want to offer a bit of caution if you see these hx1's and are tempted.
Or if you bought one and all was good,let us know.
 

GPS Guru

Active Member
Contact the seller and ask them for the serial number by making an excuse that you need the number to check something then call Hema to see if it is ridgy didge.
 

rob_macca67

Well-Known Member
I've just come across this for the iPad/iPhone from GPSOz: OZTopo for Apple
I've always been interested in getting their maps for my Garmin but I've dodged the initial cost. This App is $99 for the iPad, so that's a bit more reasonable.... Not sure on updates though....
 

Les PK Ranger

4x4 Earth Contributer
I've just come across this for the iPad/iPhone from GPSOz: OZTopo for Apple
I've always been interested in getting their maps for my Garmin but I've dodged the initial cost. This App is $99 for the iPad, so that's a bit more reasonable.... Not sure on updates though....

Rob, the blurb doesn't say, but this could just be OSM type of thing, and Mapout, MapsME, Here Maps, etc are all free.
Better than 1:25k ? Sounds like this might be a vector maps thing.
Electronic devices and scale are really irrelevant now, unless using raster maps, like Hema 4WD Maps, which is also $99 in the App stores, less with iTunes discount cards bought at 15% / 20% / 25% off etc.

They don't give much away in the link re what you get, pics of maps etc, maybe the app store does.
 

rob_macca67

Well-Known Member
Rob, the blurb doesn't say, but this could just be OSM type of thing, and Mapout, MapsME, Here Maps, etc are all free.
Better than 1:25k ? Sounds like this might be a vector maps thing.
Electronic devices and scale are really irrelevant now, unless using raster maps, like Hema 4WD Maps, which is also $99 in the App stores, less with iTunes discount cards bought at 15% / 20% / 25% off etc.

They don't give much away in the link re what you get, pics of maps etc, maybe the app store does.

Yeah true.... I've sent them a message on their FB page, so will see what comes of that.....
 

Les PK Ranger

4x4 Earth Contributer
I just had a quick look at the app store, looks pretty reasonable, still there are low detail and high detail shown of same areas, so must be Vector, maybe they use OSM base, but just NE of Sunny Cnr, there is a bit of forest shown in their map pic with tracks, not shown on Mapout or MapsME, maybe be open tracks, if so, this might be good for $99 if it's good all round Aust.
If VHC is covered like that, it'd be a beaut little nav programme !
 

rob_macca67

Well-Known Member
Here's the reply I received back from GPSOz:

My Question:

Keen on this as well, but what about Map Updates down the track? Will that come at an extra cost as well?
Does it do everything the one does for your Garmin GPS's etc (ie Auto-Routing; Track Uploads/Downloads ?

Their Reply:
GPSOZ The cost of map updates and their frequency is currently being discussed. We, and I'm sure you do too, want them to be zero or close to it. Apple doesn't offer an app upgrade option within their app store framework so we're looking at alternative ways of offering upgrades. For now, the next 12 months of upgrades will be included in the purchase price. Track uploads and downloads are included. At this stage auto routing is not but it's on our to do list. There's always something in the next version - that's the nature of technology!
Regards Brian


Other Questions asked by others:
Can it be linked to the oztopo that I have in a Garmin nuvi and hand held gps and on mac computer ??? So it's all the same across everything???
How are you going to run updates etc now ???

Their Reply:
GPSOZ OZtopo for iPhone/iPad is designed specifically for iPhones and iPads. There is no connectivity between other pieces of hardware. You can however import and export your waypoints and tracks to your Nuvi and MAC computer via BaseCamp. A write up on how to do this will appear shortly on www.oztopo.com.au .
We use similar map data across both products. Updates for both maps and the app will occur on regular basis depending what needs to be released. At this stage we plan to update the app monthly (bug fixes and minor enhancements) and a major map release every 6 months. We also have the ability to add features eg Victorian High Country Huts to the maps without doing a complete map release making the downloads small. Hope that answers your questions. Regards Brian


Not sure if that helps anyone else, but for me, it's something definitely to consider.. At this point it's doesn't do auto-routing but I don't think that's a big think atm....
 

Les PK Ranger

4x4 Earth Contributer
Future maps / updates and cost.
All the free OSM apps are free upgrades, I bet you anything theirs could be free if they wanted.
But of course if they work to improve detail, poi, corrections etc, then updates should have a cost, only fair.

Auto routing is no big deal for offroading Rob.
Most don't do it because it's too hard compared to city routes etc.
Besides, most of the time you just use it like a paper map, only with the bonus is the moving map part your location shown on it as you move along.
Most people know where they're going, all they need is to see tracks to get there and follow them, it's a no brainer really.

No doubt you can plot a route like hema ?
Very easy to create a route if you want, and it doesn't have to be spot on, just used as a guide.
Good to be able to track routes and have files to use again / send to others.

The maps do look good, and with decent detail, if the VHC is the same it would be a very good $99 system for i-device users.
 

ajr40

Member
I had a look at these new Hema units. For $650 your getting a low end Android tablet, street navigation, and the basic Hema maps (a $40 app). You could get a similar setup using say a Samsung Galaxy Tab A 7" (<$200), 32GB microSD ($20), Hema app ($40), Wikicamps app (around $5), and Sygic car navigation app ($35). So that's $300.
built mine with tab4 7inch tablet 100, bucks. wiki camps, 5 bucks, hema maps 30 bucks, iGo free, backcountry maps for topo maps 20bucks dashcam 5bucks
 

Swaggie

Moderator
Future maps / updates and cost.
All the free OSM apps are free upgrades, I bet you anything theirs could be free if they wanted.
But of course if they work to improve detail, poi, corrections etc, then updates should have a cost, only fair.

Hi Les
Rooftop maps basically gets it right the first time, his maps from 2008 or earlier are very accurate today..

Why should mapping companies charge for updates they missed in the past ???¿..POI that have been there for 100"s of years etc..This is 4wd mapping only...Not a lot changes out there...Well not what I've seen anyway in The High Country..

I wouldn't pay for Hema"s.annual fee, they cannot get it right even though I've emailed them there mistakes
 

Les PK Ranger

4x4 Earth Contributer
For sure swaggie, I was actually replying in context to that new-ish nav app Rob posted up (GPSOZ).

I wouldn't worry about HEMA for anything other than the 110 or so maps I have the came with the 4WD Maps app.

I have a few Rooftop maps (paper) for various bits and pieces of the high country, purchased in anticipation of one day exploring the HC more, in a 4WD this time.
They are very good to read and info seems more than ample.
 

OlDaz

New Member
Wading through all the suggestions for a new GPS I found laborious and somewhat confusing.
I finally bit the bullet and bought a new GPS - been looking for a long time at what's out there and for one reason or another the others didn't cut it, so spent my $$$ on a new Hema HX-1. Took a while to charge it on the usb, but that gave me time to read the instructions I downloaded. Set up took all of about 5 minutes following the prompts and (so far) I've found it intuitive to use the "Explorer" section. I only got it a couple days ago and have now used it twice on 4x4 tracks, including marking as a waypoint what I believe will be a good fresh-water fishing spot. I haven't had time or the need for "Drive" yet, but it looks like a similar format to my old unit. So far, so good. Thanks to Blue Sky Navigation for setting me up with what looks like a great unit that suits my purpose.
 

Ziggy

Well-Known Member
What about the OzTopo maps, how do they compare, especially in the VHC?
They're for Garmin; vector topo maps covering the country & can zoom down to c. 25 K which is a good scale for close nav. I much prefer them to Hema Explorer 3 (Android) which I carry too. The scale is 150 K and there are too many errors (some oddly present on the 150 but not on the equivalent 4WD map issued for select parts of the country).
 

OlDaz

New Member
I also have an android tablet with OziExplorer on it and trying to work with it is partly why I went with the HX-1, TBH I found it a pain and the maps didn't allow me to zoom in enough. Probably my fault as I was possibly using it wrongly, but I would rather use my paper maps than try to persist with it. I've had it over 12 months and still couldn't get it to work the way I thought it was supposed to. I read on here about folks uploading/downloading maps and apps from various sources and putting them all on an android tablet and making it work - but I wanted something that does it all in a single package and (to me) keeps it simple to use. I found you can upload maps from google earth to the HX-1 as long as you save them in the right sort of file and you don't need any special software on your PC to do it. I also figure I don't need to know all the ins and outs of the system that runs the HX-1 as long as I can learn how to operate it easily. I'll be travelling to FNQ in early April, so that will be a good test for Drive, Explorer and finding camp sites, I'll give feedback when I get back.
 

Ziggy

Well-Known Member
IMO all of these require an investment of learning and practice time. There's no avoiding it.
The purchase decision should start with what you need from your maps.
Then which will do that and what platforms will run them.
All-in-one packages (hardware, OS and maps) are appealing but expensive and if the maps don't meet your needs are wasted money.
Seems to me many folk come to this game without nav experience with paper maps and unrealistic expectations.
In my view, a GPSr with digital maps is a complement to paper maps not a replacement. It's poor for planning but great for confirming where you are. For that purpose alone, you could do nicely with a Garmin Drive and free NatMap topos. $180. And learn to locate coordinates on the paper map - easy!
 
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