Navigation System5
Introduction
Accessories Precautions
If you have front window tinting
installed, be aware that if the tint has
metallic properties, it can seriously
degrade or prevent GPS reception. This
is because the GPS antenna is located
under the dashboard.
If you plan to install electronic
components such as radar detectors,
vehicle location devices, remote
starters, additional amplifiers, or other
audio components, ensure that they are
not located near the navigation control
unit under the driver’s seat, near the
navigation screen in the dash, or near
the GPS antenna under the dashboard.
Signal noise emanating from these
devices can cause intermittent
disruption of the navigation system.
Important Safety Information
The navigation system can distract your
attention from the road if you focus on
the screen or operate the system’s
controls while driving.
Enter as much information as possible
into the system before you begin
driving, or when the vehicle is stopped.
Then, as you drive, listen to the audio
instructions and use voice commands
when possible.
While driving, do not look at the screen
or operate the system controls for more
than a second or so at a time, and only
after deciding you can do so safely. Pull
to the side of the road if you need more
time to look at the screen or operate the
controls.
Using the navigation system
while driving can take your
attention away from the road,
causing a crash in which you
could be seriously injured or
killed.
Follow all operating instructions
and safety information in this
manual.
WARNING
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Navigation System13
Getting Started
Using the Voice Control System
You should use the voice control system
as much as possible, and consider
manual entry using the joystick as a
“back-up” method of entry.
Most of the system’s functions can be
controlled by voice commands activated
with the NAVI TALK button. To
control your navigation system by
voice:
Press and release the NAVI TALK
button.
Wait for the beep.
Give a voice command.
Once the microphone picks up your
command, the system changes the
display in response to the command and
prompts you for the next command.
Using the NAVI TALK button, answer
the prompts as required. If the system does not understand a
command or you wait too long to give a
command, it responds with “Pardon,”
“Please repeat,” or “Would you say
again.” If the system cannot perform a
command or the command is not
appropriate for the screen you are on, it
sounds a beep.
Anytime you are not sure of what voice
commands are available on a screen,
you can always say “Help” at any
screen. The system can then read the list
of commands to you.
When you speak a command, the system
generally either repeats the command as
a confirmation or asks you for further
information. If you do not wish to hear
this feedback, you can turn it off.
However, hearing the feedback will
familiarize you with the way the system
expects commands to be phrased. See
the
Voice Recognition Feedback
setting in Set up. If you hear a prompt such as “Please use
the touch screen to...” or “Please choose
an area with the joystick,” the system is
asking for input
that cannot be
performed using the voice control
system.
Improving Voice Recognition
To achieve optimum voice recognition,
the following guide lines should be
followed:
NOTE:
Make sure the correct screen is
displayed for the vo ice command that
you are using. See Voice Command
Index on page123.
Adjust the air flow from both the dashboard and side vents so they do
not blow against the microphone on
the ceiling. Place your hand over the
microphone; if you feel any airflow,
adjust the vents.
Lower the A/C fan speed during voice recognition operation.
Close the windows and the sunroof.
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46Navigation System
“Vector line” (unverified routing off)
Blue-pink unverified route line
(unverified routing on)
Guidance Prompts
As you get near the maneuver, you will
hear a voice reminder, and see a pop-up
window showing you the maneuver.
The number of reminders that you will
hear before a maneuver is determined
by Guidance Prompts in Set up on
page73.
With the factory default (Max),
typically you will hear three prompts:
The first is about 1/2 mile from the maneuver.
The second is about 1/4 mile from the maneuver.
The final maneuver is close to your actual turn.
If the distance between the next two
driving maneuvers is very small, both
maneuvers are displayed on the screen
in a single window, and the voice will
remind you of both of them at the same
time. NOTE:
You can say “Voice” or select
Voice
on the screen at any time to be
reminded of the next maneuver.
Typically a pop-up guidance window shows your next turn, and a voice
guidance prompt is heard. The timing
of these prompts varies, depending on
the type of road you are on, and the
distance to your next maneuver.
When given guidance in unverified
areas, the words, “If Possible,” are
inserted before each guidance prompt.
See Unverified Area Routing on page81
for more details about unverified
routing.
Driving to Your Destination
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50Navigation System
Exit Info (Freeway Exit
Information)
You can search freeway exit
information and add new destinations or
waypoints to the calculated route as a
new destination or waypoint. The exit
info icon (“i” icon) on the right end of
the items in the direction list indicates
that there is freeway exit information
available. Say or select Exit Info, and
choose the exit and place to set as a new
destination or waypoint.
On the map screen, you can display
freeway exit information using the
joystick. The exit info icon will only be
displayed on the map screen if there is
any freeway exit information available.
Choose the 1/4, 1/2, and 1 mile scale,
then move the cross hairs to the desired
exit info icon and click on it. Choose a
place from the list and set as a new
destination or waypoint.
NOTE:
To turn on “Freeway exit information”
on the map screen, display the icon bar
and select the “i” icon (see page55).
Split Screen Guidance
When on route to a destination, you
have two display options: single screen
mode (the factory default) and the split
screen mode.
Single screen mode – a map is
displayed with occasional guidance
pop-up windows as you approach a
maneuver.
Split screen mode – the map is always
displayed on the left of the screen, and
the maneuver or direction list is
displayed on the right hand side of the
screen.
Guidance mode can be changed in either
Set up (see Guidance Mode on page88),
or by accessing the icon bar
(see Guidance Mode on page88) . When you get near the maneuver, the
map
screen changes to:
On the map screen, the location of the
maneuver is marked with a small yellow
square. The guidance window is simply
an enlargement of th e area indicated by
the yellow square. After you complete
the maneuver, the display returns to a
full map screen when the single screen
mode is set, or to a map and direction
list screen when the split screen mode is
set.
Driving to Your Destination
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Navigation System55
Driving to Your Destination
Showing Icons on the Map
Touching the ICON button on the map
screen displays the following screen:
The screen consists of the following
items:
Icon Bar (row of icon symbols)
The icon bar allows you to manually
select the icons that are displayed on the
map (see page53 for a list of these
icons).
In the screen above, both gas station and
restaurants are selected. Touch the icons
to select (goes blue) or remove them
(symbol is gray). You can also display
or hide the same icons by using the
“Display” or “Hide” voice commands
(see page124)
Icon Options
This feature allows you to “fine tune”
some of the icons on the Icon bar (See
Icon Options below for more
information).
Guidance Mode
When on route, this item allows you to
select between a single screen (with
occasional pop-up guidance windows),
or a split screen (containing one half
map, and one half guidance/directions
list window). see page50 for an
explanation of this feature, and see
page88 for Setup.
Exit Screen
Select Return to return to the map
screen.
Icon Options
Selecting Icon Options displays the
following screen:
This feature allows you to “fine tune”
some of the icons on the Icon bar. The
three icon choices, “Parking” (lot or
garage), “Restaurant” (specific type or
types of food), and “Other icons”
(hospitals, schools, etc.), can each be
tailored to your needs.
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84Navigation System
System Set-up
With Unverified Area Routing Off ,
you are presented with a blue “vector
line” that always points to the
destination. You must manually choose
streets from the map that will lead to
your destination. No guidance is
provided, and there ar e no directions to
the destination.
With Unverified Area Routing On ,
a blue/pink route line is shown for
unverified segmen ts. Voice guidance
commands in unverified areas always
end with “if possible.” This is your
signal that you should use additional
caution, and obey all traffic restrictions.
The maneuver window “arrow” shows
any portions of unverified turns in blue/
pink dashes.
These guidance maneuvers are only a
suggestion. You should always confirm
that the maneuver is possible. A
direction list is also provided that shows
any unverified roads in a blue color,
with pink arrows pointing to the next
maneuver. Unverified Area Routing “Off”
NOTE:
There are no Voice or Directions
buttons shown on the screen. With
Unverified Area Routing “Off,” no
Direction List is provided.
Unverified Area Routing “On”
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Navigation System93
System Set-up
Color
From the Set up screen (second), say or
select Color and the following screen
appears:
Map Color
Allows you to choose the map color
from one of four colors for the Day and
Night mode.
Say or select Return to return to the
previous screen.
NOTE:
Choose White (factory default is
beige) as the Day color to obtain the
best daytime display contrast.
Choose Black (factory default) as
the Night color to obtain the best
nighttime display contrast.
Menu Color
Allows you to choose the menu color
from one of five colors for each Base
and Window .
Say or select Return to return to the
previous screen.
NOTE:
Choose Black (factory default) as
the Base color to obtain the best
display contrast.
Choose White (factory default) as
the Window color to obtain the best
display contrast.
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96Navigation System
System Limitations
Although your navigation system is one
of the most highly sophisticated pieces
of equipment you will find in a modern
automobile, you may find during its use,
that it has certain limitations.
The system uses signals from the Global
Positioning System (GPS) to aid in
determining its current location. The
GPS is operated by the U.S.
Department of Defense. For security
reasons, there are certain inaccuracies
built into the GPS that the navigation
system must constantly compensate for.
This can cause occasional positioning
errors of up to several hundred feet.
For example, in urban areas where
streets are close together, this could
cause the system to show that you are
traveling on a street that parallels the
street you are actually on. The system
will, under most circumstances, correct
itself while you drive. Also, depending on your current view of
the sky and the position of the satellites,
the elevation may be shown incorrectly.
You may also notice some delay of the
vehicle position icon at intersections;
this is normal.
GPS Reception Issues
The signals received from the GPS
satellites are extremely weak (less than
a millionth of the strength of a local FM
station), and require an unobstructed
view of the sky. The
signal can easily be
interrupted or interfered with by the
following:
After-market metallic window tint above or to the sides of the GPS
antenna (located under the dash)
Cell phones, PDAs, or other electronic devices docked in a cradle
or laying loose on the dash
Radar detectors mounted on the dash
Remote starters, or “hidden” vehicle location systems mounted near the
navigation unit
Other after-market audio electronic devices mounted near the navigation
unit Trees, tall buildings, freeway
overpasses, tunnels or overhead
electrical power wires
Although the system will direct you to
your desired destination, it may not
always generate what you consider to be
the most direct rout e. Try changing the
method of routing. See Changing the
Routing Method on page43. You may
also have Unverified Area Routing set
to “OFF.” See Unverified Area Routing
on page81.
Additionally, the mapping database
contains verified and unverified maps.
See Map Overview on page6. A
Disclaimer screen will warn you if your
route includes unverified streets.
Unverified streets may be missing from
the map, in the wrong location, or have
an incorrect name or address range.
Exercise addition al caution when
driving in these unverified areas.
2008 Ridgeline