Hema HN7 versus Hema mobile App

[Cat3612 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Cat3612]

What's peoples opinions on a Hema HN7 versus the Hema mobile app on an ipad?
I'm thinking of buying the HN7 but the $600-$700 price tag is way up there.
My other thought was to buy an ipad mini & run the Hema mobile app on that & use google maps for turn by turn navigation around the cities.
Any experiances would be appreciated.

Thanks
Matty

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

No experience with the HN7, but very happy with Hema 4wd app on the IPad.

We also use the maps app for city navigation, which for our very occasional use works fine.

With the Ipad we have the huge advantage of all the other things you can use it for, plus we have other mapping apps for the odd time the Hema doesn't all the info we want.

Cheers Andrew

[kenny5000 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close kenny5000]

If you go down the ipad option make sure it is the Wifi with cellular version. The Wifi only does not have a GPS, I was given an ipad for xmas, after buying the app realised I had the Wifi only version. (to fix this I'm am about to get a Dual XGPS150 receiver).

[Butiki Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Butiki]

I just bought the hemma NH7 and love it. It's great in town and out bush, but yes the $699 price is a bit steep.

[Pete6 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pete6]

I have run the HEMA mobile app on a Samsung Tablet in Cape York and Fraser recently. The only trouble I have had is loosing GPS signal even in open areas. Thinking of biting the bullet and going the HN7 route for reliability.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Loosing the signal is probably related to your tablet and not tablets in general, The only time I have lost signal on my IPad was deep inside a rainforest, I doubt anything satellite based would have worked there.

Cheers Andrew

[rags Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close rags]

I got a HN7 late last year ,show special of $600 with ARB reverse camera thrown in. The ability to utilise it as a reverse camera is a benefit of the unit over the use of an Ipad with app [if car is not equipped with reverse camera]. As we have tripped around a bit with our jayco, the camps 7 which is installed on the unit has proven great to finding camps and the ability to find dump points to empty the dunny is great. I am not sure if you get the camps7 as part of the Ipad app or do you need to also buy the camps7 app but for me it was part of the benefit of a single unit. I still haven't learnt how to operate it properly yet. One negative of the unit for me is that I have trouble with it causing an issue with radio reception on AM causing static when the unit is plugged into the cig power socket. Not sure why it effects the reception but I do have an external aerial mounted on the bulbar as I replaced the glass mount aerial long ago due to reception issues, but I think it is an issue with the radio aerial more than the HN7 unit, not sure if others have had a similar problem. The solution to problem currently is music via Ipod.
Overall I am extremely happy with my HN7

[Andyfive Member Find all posts View Profile Close Andyfive]

I'm quite underwhelmed with the iPad app. I find motion x gps hd is much better and under 1/10th the cost.

[Bankrupt Member Find all posts View Profile Close Bankrupt]

I also use an ipad with the Hema 4x4 app. Has never let me down yet.

[Mule Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mule]

Just a quick tip. You can get discount iTunes cards, google to see who has them on sale and then use them for expensive app purchases like Hema. Have seen a friend use his HN7 and it looks very good but I already had a garmin unit and an iPad so the obvious thing was just to get the app and I am super happy with it. My one is the full size (and weight) and would think an iPad mini would be excellent but you need the one with cellular to get GPS function when not online which will be most of the time you need it!

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

I'm quite underwhelmed with the iPad app. I find motion x gps hd is much better and under 1/10th the cost.

Interestingly I had motion x as well as the Hema, I have since deleted motion x as I found it hopeless compared to the Hema.

Cheers Andrew

[gumboot Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close gumboot]

I think how useful it is depends on where you are. IE Fraser, cape york, simpson, many national parks etc Hema is fantastic but in many other areas, esp SEQ and Northern NSW, the detail is just not good enough for 4wding as it too high level. ie In the Coffs Harbor , a 4wdign mecca, it is useless, but Motion X has just about every 4wd track listed.
If I could add my own maps into the Hema Ipad App that at least would be ok but no go.

So i suggest before getting a Hema or any device, check out what maps it has and see if that covers where you want to go.
Also I see many people with multiple mapping options as no one device does it all.
I use a combination of Hema, Motion X HD, Google Satellite and old fashion paper maps :-)

Cheers
Robert

[kenny5000 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close kenny5000]

If I could add my own maps into the Hema Ipad App that at least would be ok but no go.

According to the Hema website you can load other maps in Memory Map format as well as scanning paper maps and calibrating via the Memory Map desktop app then loading onto you device for use in the Hema app. I haven't done this myself yet as I'm just learning how to use the app myself.

http://kb.hemamaps.com.au/article/AA-00334/13/

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

if that covers where you want to go.
Also I see many people with multiple mapping options as no one device does it all.
I use a combination of Hema, Motion X HD, Google Satellite and old fashion paper maps :-)

Cheers
Robert

In a lot of ways that sums up the advantages of the app over the HN7, yes the HN7 has a couple of extras like the camps app, but the IPad has so many other uses and options. As you point out you can, and I do, run more than one navigation app, although Hema is my go to 99% of the time.

But you can also check your email, surf the web, take photos, play games, watch movies, read books and the list goes on and on with the IPad.

I also find the Hema app really useful when sitting in the lounge reading a trip report or stumbling on a place of interest somewhere on the interweb or TV, I can instantly go to the Hema app and look where it is.

Cheers Andrew

[Bankrupt Member Find all posts View Profile Close Bankrupt]

Hi Andrew

Have you managed to save a trip and share it with someone else yet?

I've only had my Hema\ipad combo for a few weeks and although its proven itself to be excellent I still haven't been able to master this feature.

Cheers

Jase