Eclipse Area Shot GPS

As I have written before (1, 2, 3, 4) , I am would like to get a single-DIN GPS head unit that is able to control an iPod, satellite radio tuner and can be used for hands free phone calls.  Yesterday, I was just browsing around and I found The Eclipse CD5100.

This head unit has some pretty cool features:

1. HD radio ready (with an external tuner)


2. iPod control capable (with iPod adapter cable)


3. Satellite radio ready (with an external tuner)


4. USB port, to allow playback of WMA and MP3 files.

The one feature that I wasn't sure of is called Area Shot GPS.  After looking into it, I know that I wouldn't want this head unit.

If you are using Area Shot GPS, you have to log onto E-iSERV web site to enter the starting and destination points.  Then you you can download the route to your computer.  You then either burn this routing file to a CD-R or copy it to a USB thumb drive.

Now the head unit will display these directions in a static text display.  The directions do not advance when the car follows the route.

With the Eclipse GPS-105, actual GPS capabilities are added, so the directions are synchronized with the location of the car.

But I do think that there are some things that will not work with this solution.

• Rerouting around traffic congestion/construction


• Entering new additional destionations


• Finding Points of interests near a particular location

Each of these things are possible, if you have access to a computer with a internet connection.  So if you are on the road, you could use a laptop with an EV-DO card to update the head unit.

With these limitations, I don't think that the Eclipse CD5100 is worth the money.