Has anybody tried a Magellan 1700 GPS for MONITOR?

[MattinSTL]

Yes, you read that right. The Magellan 1700 7" GPS can double as an 800x400 WVGA monitor via 1/8" (3.5mm) input. OK... so we're not talking switchable 16:9, 4:3, or much to adjust in the way of image, but what we ARE talking about is a pretty cool GPS, that's capable of doing double-duty as a cheap way to monitor your cam via a 7" screen.

So... has anybody tried this? In light of the really good BF deals on GPS, and my GPS being overdue for a map upgrade (or hand-me-down to family or GF)... I decided to bite on one of the 1700s.

For your consideration... if you're in my shoes on this issue also, meaning you're willing to accept the compromises in going this route... you can get this from STAPLES and pay .75 for a coupon code from EZ Coupon Shop which will bring the price down to $130ish, SHIPPED!

I thought that should be pretty hard to beat on what is, for a video guy, a pretty cool multi-functional device.

On an off-note... if you were in the market for a GPS anyway, TODAY is the day to get one. Using the EZcouponShop $25 coupon you can get a Garmin 265 for less then $80 shipped, a TomTom 540s for less then $70 shipped, or a TomTom 540tm (lifetime maps and traffic) for $111ish, shipped (I know this one exactly because I ordered it first, then canceled that one when I saw that the 1700 has an AV input.)

If this wasn't me typing this... I'd suspect SPAM, but nope. I'm just trying to share my excitement about these deals... because some of you probably wouldn't know, and more importantly, I'm wondering if what we have here is possibly the cheapest DSLR monitor solution yet... considering you get an OK monitor... with a "free" GPS thrown in for good measure.

I'll report back after it arrives. I'm hoping I'm not the first one on DVXuser to try this.

 

[MattinSTL]

Is this idea so preposterous? Is it that WVGA at 800 x 400 just isn't "good enough" or the right aspect ratio? Or that the "monitor" doesn't have special adjustments?

I've got a t2i... and it weighs WAY less then the 60D... and it costs what? $300 less? So if you could have not just a swivel monitor, but a totally separate monitor... that yes, may have a slightly squashed perspective... but is a nice 7" wide... OH... and just happens to be a pretty good GPS... is this that far-fetched of an idea?

Are the specs of the GPS just too far off of a normal monitor for this use? I thought we were all desperate to find a way to monitor a shot w/ a GH1... so that people were rigging small cams to shoot the LCD panel... and now you can put your t2i, 60D, 7D, etc. up on a crane arm... or low-mode with a stablizer... and simply pop your GPS off your dash to use in this way. How is that not cool?

Flame away. I really want to know... how is that not the greatest thing since sliced bread? (for a video guy who also needs a GPS)

 

[Peternap]

Actually, I think it's pretty cool Matt. I have a small TV the same size and resolution that I bought one day when I was trying to get a shot of two people doing a television interview. I watched the show and when it was over, set up outside.

One day I got the bright idea of hooking it up to my 7D to monitor the image on a pole. Worked fine. Sure it wasn't HD, but good enough to focus by and keep everything in frame. It also didn't cost an arm and a leg for something I rarely use... and it had other uses.

Good idea!

 

[MattinSTL]

OK... time for a follow-up. Yes, it works, but it's an ugly solution... if you can even call it a "solution".

Here's the deal if you happen to have one of these GPS units. There's an AV input on the bottom. You need one of the AV cables like you'd get with a Sony camcorder (or similar)... a cable that's got the red, white, yellow RCA connectors at one end... and the 3.5mm jack at the other. YOU MUST CONNECT THE RED RCA TO YOUR VIDEO SOURCE TO GET VIDEO TO SHOW ON THE GPS... yes, I know that's wrong... that yellow goes to yellow, but if you want to see video on your GPS screen then you connect the RED RCA to your video out of the cam, or whatever.

I said it's an ugly solution because yes, it works. I have video on the GPS from the cam's output, but not only is the image stretched wide a bit... the screen refresh rate is a bit slow. If you've ever shot in low light and seen that slight strobing effect? Like when your cam is compensating for low light (the GH1 does this) so that you can see the shot better, but it's strobing because there's not enough light? Well... the GPS does that as it displays the cam's output.

Yes, it does show you accurate focus... and if your shot was relatively still... it could still be a worthwhile option when you had no other choice, but it is kind of ugly in use. Fortunately I'm pretty happy with it as a GPS, but even at that... if I didn't think the monitor thing was going to work that well, I'd have got a tomtom 540tm for LESS.

OK... finally, if you do try this route. You can attach an external battery to the GPS and use it as a monitor all day if you like... the unit wants 5v... and the center pin is the positive. The power connector is the smallest I've seen... so keep that in mind if you think you're going to get one of these and do this setup. You may want to get it first... and then decide if you want to spring for an external battery that you can plug into it. (universal laptop battery is about the best solution).

Well... it works, but I'm far from blown away. I wish I had tried the video-in before updating the GPS... there's a vid on youtube that clearly has the 2.2 software in the GPS... and the DVD plays totally smooth. I updated my GPS before trying the video function, and it doesn't look like the video on youtube (there's only one, so I'm not posting a link).

Hmm... case closed. Not a professional solution... but may do in a pinch, if you need external monitoring, and already happen to have this GPS.