My wife's automobile nav system (2014 Acura MDX) has an update every year. We didn't bother last year, but she's doing more driving now, so I investigated. The same company that creates these updates does so for Honda (Acura's parents) and dozens of other car manufacturers. So the 'portal' is unique to each brand, even though the source is the same. The company goes by the clever moniker of "Here". Cute? Not to me, anymore.
OK. I select the model, MDX, and have second thoughts about the cost, but the shipping is free!
Just before I click the order button, I notice that the disk (actually a two-disk set) is called a DVD. We buy new cars about every 10 years, but we haven't yet seen the need to watch videos while driving and our youngest Grands aren't married and they drive their own cars! Therefore, we did not purchase any package that included DVD components. Even the CD player is limited to a single disk! The ridiculously expensive radio service works well no matter where we might drive, of course, there are still commercials...
A through check of the several manuals indicated that we had no DVD player. Called the local dealer to question how we would update, using DVDs in our "CD" only player. "Yeah, some models just had CD players, Just go back to that web site and order the updates on CD's."
I told him that there was no "CD" option that I could see, but I agreed to look closer.
For once, my memory served me well, the absolute only offering on the site was for the DVD disks. OK, I'll go 'straight' to the horse's mouth! Actually, I went to the horses Chat site. I
was amazed at how fast the 'horse' could type with only one 'device' on each foot! I can't type that fast even using my
hands!! However, the 'horse' was also a fast reader and it simply read the scripts in front of it and proudly proclaimed that literally thousands of users updated their nav systems every year. Even though this 'horse' probably had access to a database, I did not inquire how many of these successes occurred to people with "CD" players... I simply asked for a link to something/anything saying the DVDs could be used in what purported to be CD players. At that point, someone must have opened the stall gate and the 'horse' left for some 'exercise'.
Although it was difficult, I managed to find a phone number for "Here". I suspect it would be even more difficult to find a contact number for "There", one letter
can make a
lot of difference!
Fortunately, the lady on the end of the line had some training and quietly listened to my story and confirmed the model and year of my wife's auto. Then she explained something which I have still not been able to find in writing (electronic nor ink-on-paper).
"Acura actually installs DVD players in all their models. But they don't say that so those that pay the fairly steep cost for the DVD package don't feel (as) cheated." Obviously, a DVD player is no much good without a screen somewhere to watch the video. However, they do offer gigabytes of storage on a DVD! Way more than a CD! Maps obviously need lots of gigabytes, so they are the natural choice. The minor problem of seeing what is called a CD player is easily overcome by crafty programming! Simply tell the laser to 'pretend' the disk is a CD and move according to the standards created by the CD player people. Or simply build another laser into the "DVD" player. Remember, coding is actually nothing more than typing! And you don't even need ink nor paper!
The nice lady did agree that this approach could be confusing and she would "mention it to management". I didn't ask her for any follow up, of course... She also could not provide any source that had her explanation in writing.
Only my blind faith and sheer trust in a complete stranger whose sole job was to sell me stuff, allowed me to pay for the disks (with free shipping!) I only hoped that I wouldn't end up with a trip to the dealer to remove a "DVD" from the "CD" player later.
The install did work. And the DVD's did eject. It did take over one and a half hours, however. And all that time was with the engine running! "To avoid draining your battery, please leave the engine running." Sorry about all that extra carbon monoxide and the environment... fortunately, there are probably fewer than 500,000 installs per year.
So, it turns out that we do have a DVD player in the car, just no way to watch a video while driving (or even stopped). But we also have a hard drive! This was also in many of the 'entertainment' packages offered, again, not included in the 'stripped down' model we bought... we thought. At the end of the install, I was treated to some text stating that even though the "install" was "complete" what had actually happened was a transfer of the data on the two disks to the hard drive. The actual updating would now be done in stages, when ever the car was in use. A small icon will indicate how far along the update is by displaying, on the map, the percentage completed. Fortunately, this transfer does not have to be one continuous operation as the code for the previous 1.5+ hours required.
"
DO NOT TURN OFF THE ENGINE OR REMOVE THE KEY WHILE THE UPDATE IS IN PROGRESS!" The only thing that surprised me was that there was no warning to avoid staying in the car during this process! I'm sure some idiot has done this update while the car sits in a garage, with the door closed!
Apparently all of those people woke up?
