Stupid Navigation Upgrade Question

[FinalMacGyver]

So I just bought a 2005 300c with a old nav disc, ac or ae it think, I want to update it with the news one which is AI but I read somewhere that if you had not kept up with the updates you could not jump right to the newest. Is this the case?

[Mr. iNCREDIBLE]

no

but once you go to AI you cannot go backwards to the older ones..

[FinalMacGyver]

cool thank you for the quick response

[Concrete]

Any pictures on how the updated versions look? I don't think I have ever seen the newer navigation screen, does it look the same?

[Mr. iNCREDIBLE]

Originally Posted by Concrete

Any pictures on how the updated versions look? I don't think I have ever seen the newer navigation screen, does it look the same?

the main menu changed in AE because it was an O/S update.

AF thru AH are only map updates, I don't know about AI yet.

the overall look has never changed, just the database that holds the data is modifed to correct/add/delete Waypoints, POI's, new streets, etc.

[Donnie1]

How often do you HAVE to upgrade? The 300C I am looking at does not have a disc, I will be asking for that if I decide to buy, but was just wondering how often. Thanks

[Mr. iNCREDIBLE]

Originally Posted by Donnie1

How often do you HAVE to upgrade? The 300C I am looking at does not have a disc, I will be asking for that if I decide to buy, but was just wondering how often. Thanks

new discs come out every 12 to 18 months, upgrading is your choice, you don't have to do it..

prime example is living in Los Angeles, everything out here is so old and established that nothing major has changed in the maps for my area since 2005.. with the exceptions of banks (lots have closed).

But drive 90 east into Riverside county and there are tons of new developments that are not on my maps that are on the 2009 maps.

[Donnie1]

Originally Posted by Mr. iNCREDIBLE

new discs come out every 12 to 18 months, upgrading is your choice, you don't have to do it..

prime example is living in Los Angeles, everything out here is so old and established that nothing major has changed in the maps for my area since 2005.. with the exceptions of banks (lots have closed).

But drive 90 east into Riverside county and there are tons of new developments that are not on my maps that are on the 2009 maps.

Thanks for the info. Just finalized the deal and they ordered me a disc at their expense.

[FinalMacGyver]

One more quick question. Does the map upgrade do anything for the radio ie firmware update on the radio?

[Mr. iNCREDIBLE]

firmware upgrade for the "radio" and "amp" is done via the Dealer Diagnostic Tool, the Nav update AE and higher is a Firmware update from AD (and older) for the GPS module in the unit.

the REC is comprised of 3 parts, 3 separate "motherboards" one for the CD player, one for Sat Radio and AM/FM and one for the GPS, the unit is a gateway and client control device for the vehicle "amp" which is were the sound quality control is, the radio has nothing to do with sound quality it is merely the user control to the systems amp.

so in short the Nav disc will update the firmware of the GPS module, but for Radio and Sound Quality Firmware you need to have a dealer (or someone like me that owns one) connect a Star Scan (dealer diagnostic tool) to the car and update the REC and AMP firmware flash files.