A3 Speed Camera - POIbase

Scott said:
Ah okay, that's not too bad then. Personally, I think that the benefit of literally having a sat nav available at the flick of a button (rather than getting it out, mounting it to the windscreen, plugging it in and waiting for it to turn on) is worth the cost, and the only feature I miss is the ability to have POI notifications - I do love voice recognition with Audi Connect where I can say "online destination alton towers" for example. I find that very useful and it works for most places, as well as the ability to use the wheel as a touch pad...but each to their own! I always used to get frustrated with the cable but looks like you've got that covered.
Click to expand...

Did you enjoy Alton Towers? Thorpe Park was pretty quiet 😚
 
Just received an email from POIbase - they say this is how you load their database:

1- Put an empty SD card into the PC card reader
2- start POIbase on the PC
3- click on "cancel" when the automatic device search starts
4- click on button "manual selection" and select the Audi system
5- click on -> Download >Download POIs > add some POIs and install them to the SD card with a click on "Update xxx POIs"
6- put the SD card into the card reader of the Audi MMI
7- click on > MENU > an then on the control button "Setup MMI"
8- select "system update"
9- select the storage medium on which the data is stored
10- Update is executed
 
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It'd put them on as icons but won't give you warnings when you come up to them I guess.
 
Exactly, I'm going to do what I mentioned earlier. I've already got the "beeper" and it's working well so far, even hidden away in the armrest of my current car.
 
If you can add POIs to the standard nav, it'll work. If you can't, it won't.
 
Just for those that are interested ...

I was able to get the Speed Carmera POIs from pocketGPSWorld to work with MMI + Tech Pack (no Audi connect)

(I also got the poibase one working but it is very limited with only 5k+ items in the default pack - i could only get about 2500 imported)

Its a bit involved but here goes

Download as 'Other - GPX' file and choose Consolidated By Type (The single file is too big for MyAudi)

Upload them as 5 separate POI lists (I changed the icons too)

Select them all and then choose download

Double Click the resulting .jnlp file - don't just copy it to the SD card. This should run a java VM which does the rest. I couldn't get this to work with Windows 7 but it worked okay on my Mac.

I also wasn't able to select the SD card directly but just saved to the desktop and then moved to SD card

There should be 1 file called metainfo2.txt and a PersonalPOI folder

Then just import under MMI Setup - System Update

No audio warning of course but better than nothing. :)
 
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This sounds silly but do you have to pay for the speed camera POI files?
 
Yeh you pay a subscription to PGPSW and you cans download a refreshed list every week or month (can't remember).
 
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audi upgrades
ctek said:
I was able to get the Speed Carmera POIs from pocketGPSWorld to work with MMI + Tech Pack (no Audi connect)
Click to expand...

Nice 1 ctek.

Since you seem to have chosen the same nav spec as me, prepare yourself to be 'bothered' in about a months time!

By the way, does the poi database include mobile speed camera locations? Thanks in advance.
 
Okay that sounds reasonable but I'll wait until someone can confirm that it works on just the standard SD card nav with no tech pack
Cheers guys
 
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No worries Chris - shout if you need any pointers

Its a shame its a bit fiddly with pocketgpsworld database

The poibase one saves it directly to SD card in a format that the NAV can read straight off.

I need to spend some more time with the poibase one to see why I dont get a full list - its about as clear as mud lol
 
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Still work in progress but I've tried to write to the SD card and it seems to be write protected even with the tab in the correct position. Also tried off a separate SD card and the system says the data is the wrong format.

Will continue in case.:thumbsup:
 
A quick update now I've actually got the car :)

I've managed to add speed cameras to the MMI system using My Audi. It worked first time, exactly as per the instructions. I used the PGPSW database, and selected the "consolidated by type" ASC format (strangely, the CSV format I first tried reported an error in My Audi, despite supposedly being supported). Then I uploaded the 4 ASC files (fixed, mobile, average, red-light) to My Audi as well as an icon I also got from PGPSW, and followed the prompts to convert and copy it to a blank SD card.

Following the instructions, I successfully added the new POIs to the MMI. The only thing they don't mention is that you must remember to add the new POIs to the items you want to be visible on the map (like petrol stations, etc.) using the settings menu.

To take care of warning notifications, I've pressed into action an old iPhone, which also handles internet radio duties. I've left it permanently connected to power in the armrest (fuse mod done so it doesn't run flat). It uses the Audi Connect SIM card for updates, so hopefully it can just stay there forever.

A bit of a cobbled-together solution for something which Audi could have easily provided themselves, but I've managed to achieve my goal of an always-on system requiring no input from me each time I drive off.
 
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ctek said:
No worries Chris - shout if you need any pointers

Its a shame its a bit fiddly with pocketgpsworld database

The poibase one saves it directly to SD card in a format that the NAV can read straight off.

I need to spend some more time with the poibase one to see why I dont get a full list - its about as clear as mud lol
Click to expand...

Well, I have the car now and intend to do a bit of fiddling at the weekend once I get a bit of time.

Id rather have a comprehensive database than one thats easy to work around so was wondering if you had any more joy with the poibase or is pocketgps the route to take?

Is your guide (#50 above) for poibase or pocketgps?

Keep your diary clear for Saturday p.m. :whistle2:
 
Hi Chris

The guide was for pocketgps - the poibase one is really straight forward as it generates the files that go on the SD card directly

Just shout if you need any help
 
ctek said:
Hi Chris

The guide was for pocketgps - the poibase one is really straight forward as it generates the files that go on the SD card directly

Just shout if you need any help
Click to expand...

I haven't got my car yet so may be talking through my proverbial but have you tried using the iPhone app from pocketgpsworld to give audible warnings through Bluetooth on the MMI?
 
I believe it's a connect only feature, though not totally sure
 
I haven't got my car yet so may be talking through my proverbial but have you tried using the iPhone app from pocketgpsworld to give audible warnings through Bluetooth on the MMI?
Click to expand...

Yes, in fact there are 2 different ways in which you can have the warnings via Bluetooth. Unfortunately neither is entirely satisfactory, although that's not the app or the car's fault:

1. If your phone is connected as a BT audio device, you get clear and fast warnings. However this only works whilst your phone is selected as the audio source on the MMI. If you're listening to the radio, SD card music or whatever, you'll get no warnings.

2. You can set the app to play the warning via the BT hands-free profile. The advantage is that it will interrupt whatever you have playing, just as a regular phone call would. The disadvantage is that it takes a few seconds to start and end the "call", so you end up with around 10 seconds of silence, with a second or two of warning sound in the middle. Quite annoying when you're listening to a radio programme and you keep missing chunks of it.
 
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Thanks for this, I did it.

My only gripe (which is the cars fault) is that it doesn't show these in Google Earth mode. A little annoying but a fair trade I guess.
 
Yes, I found the same, so I've switched back to regular map mode.
 
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Nerdy Norm said:
Yes, in fact there are 2 different ways in which you can have the warnings via Bluetooth. Unfortunately neither is entirely satisfactory, although that's not the app or the car's fault:

1. If your phone is connected as a BT audio device, you get clear and fast warnings. However this only works whilst your phone is selected as the audio source on the MMI. If you're listening to the radio, SD card music or whatever, you'll get no warnings.

2. You can set the app to play the warning via the BT hands-free profile. The advantage is that it will interrupt whatever you have playing, just as a regular phone call would. The disadvantage is that it takes a few seconds to start and end the "call", so you end up with around 10 seconds of silence, with a second or two of warning sound in the middle. Quite annoying when you're listening to a radio programme and you keep missing chunks of it.
Click to expand...

Thanks for this - I'll have a play when I get my car next week.
 
Nerdy Norm said:
To take care of warning notifications, I've pressed into action an old iPhone, which also handles internet radio duties. I've left it permanently connected to power in the armrest (fuse mod done so it doesn't run flat). It uses the Audi Connect SIM card for updates, so hopefully it can just stay there forever.
Click to expand...

Norm,
Am I right to think you were originally going to use a POIPilot to do the warning notifications? If so was there a reason you went off this solution?
Its not a perfect solution, I know, but I quite liked the idea of the visual POI on the screen and the audio from the portable device in the glovebox. As I understand the database is shareable? and as the POIpilot comes with 5 years worth of updates could be a reasonably inexpensive way to go.
 
Last edited:
Yes, there was a good reason I abandoned the POIpilot - it was too damn annoying!

There is no way of adjusting the volume or type of warning sound, and I found its piercing beep just too much. It wouldn't be so bad if it just sounded once as you approach the camera, but it beeps constantly until you pass the camera, even if you're not going over the limit.

I emailed the manufacturer who confirmed that you can't change anything about it.

As another update, the "spare iPhone" solution wasn't ideal either. Apparently, part of the phone's firmware disables GPS if it's not used for a while (presumably to save battery, although it happens even if it's plugged in). So that prevented it from being a "chuck in the armrest and forget" solution - you have to restart the app every time you get in the car, otherwise it doesn't work due to no GPS signal.

My final (for now!) solution, and one with which I'm very happy is a cheap Android phone (Cubot P9) which I picked up from Amazon. I leave it permanently powered in the armrest, and using the PGPSW Cameralert app, it works fine, sounding the alerts via Bluetooth. I've also added some other apps for podcasts and internet radio (connected to the car's SIM) and all works perfectly. Even Audi's Music Stream app works well, including being able to operate it directly from the car's control system. However, I don't use it because there are no BBC stations available on the app for some reason.

I've added another app (I can't remember the name) which automatically launches my chosen apps (Cameralert, Casts, TuneIn) as soon as Bluetooth is connected (i.e. when I start the car), so the system is pretty much fully-automated.
 
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Thanks for that. Really useful. I don't do fruit-based phones so that solution will be a good starting point for me.
 
Sounds like a useful alternative should my old TomTom ONE with the PGPSW database decide to give up the ghost. At the moment the newer units have free lifetime map updates and free lifetime traffic information but cannot yet accept 3rd party POIs including the PGSW database but speeking to the tech support the other day he said this will be available in early 2015.

The newer GARMIN units also have free lifetime map and traffic updates and can accept 3rd party POIs.
 
After having some similar issues with the convoluted My Audi site I built my own app, currently the functionality is quite specific but if anyone is looking for an alternative to POIBase, I'd consider requests for features, See below for a specific thread on the background to the tool.

http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/poi-database-builder.244974/#post-2463774

ctek said:
Just for those that are interested ...

I was able to get the Speed Carmera POIs from pocketGPSWorld to work with MMI + Tech Pack (no Audi connect)

(I also got the poibase one working but it is very limited with only 5k+ items in the default pack - i could only get about 2500 imported)

Its a bit involved but here goes

Download as 'Other - GPX' file and choose Consolidated By Type (The single file is too big for MyAudi)

Upload them as 5 separate POI lists (I changed the icons too)

Select them all and then choose download

Double Click the resulting .jnlp file - don't just copy it to the SD card. This should run a java VM which does the rest. I couldn't get this to work with Windows 7 but it worked okay on my Mac.

I also wasn't able to select the SD card directly but just saved to the desktop and then moved to SD card

There should be 1 file called metainfo2.txt and a PersonalPOI folder

Then just import under MMI Setup - System Update

No audio warning of course but better than nothing. :)
Click to expand...
 
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