Anyone with an Origin B2?

Freefaller · 11 Jan 2011 at 20:21

I've had mine for years (6-7 now?!) - though I only use it for fixed cameras as there's little point using the laser detector - it's handy also for keeping your speed in check as I've set an overspeed warning for the motorway etc... Oh and it's handy as a compass

Really, I've just got used to having it now, although it's generally pointless to own I guess since modern satnavs have all that built into them now - I don't own a satnav bar a very very very old version of TomTom 5 on an ancient windows mobile PDA phone - and I daren't touch it in case I kill it. Though really I've got an iphone with decent sat nav on it - I should just sell it!

However, interestingly over Christmas when I drove in France it told me where all the fixed radar positions where on the motorways and route nationales! I think it uses the same database as the pogogps (?) that bought them out - but I was absolutely gobsmacked to be warned of the speed cameras and the speed limit I should be at for them.

Does anyone else that have GPS based camera detectors ever have that in France or abroad? I was really surprised as I believed they worked using GPS coordinates shoved in a database on the device - I wasn't expecting it to have France's details on there too.

Anyway, just thought I'd share my musings

MrM · 11 Jan 2011 at 20:30

I have a B2 that I no longer use as I now have a Garmin, I do miss it a bit, and the laser device did go off a few times.

In the end I decided it wasnt cost efficient nor space efficient to have both on the dash. However recently I have found myself wanting it back. Pogo have emailed me with offers for their new device and I admit I am tempted, as it looks tiny and quite frankly it the Origin wees all over my Garmin for camera alerts. I dont like having to remove temporary brackets and had window suction cups, and much prefer these things hard wired.....

Enough of my rambling.

Not had any experience of radar detectors in France, I thout they were illegal and Police would crack down if they detected it or found you with one. Great unit though.

Freefaller · 11 Jan 2011 at 21:18

I hadn't thought of the fact they were illegal on the continent!! oops!

However, I just didn't think it would work at all or have anything in the database that would mean that it would even detect anything in France!

Certainly for around London when you're concentrating on not being cut up or manoeuvring in and out of traffic, it's nice to have something keeping an eye on your speed. I genuinely think it slows me down!

Lucky I wasn't stopped for speeding or caught then! Then again I didn't think it would work so I didn't bother removing it!

MrM · 11 Jan 2011 at 21:24

The ultimate turn off for me if you will, was that I had little option but to dash mount it to the right of the steering wheel. When I moved house, I lost underground parking, and didnt really want the cradle on display. The new Pogo has the laser detector built in which is neat, and a carefully applied car sticker on the windscreen provides a backing to mount the windscreen suction cup for my satnav and leaves no sticky mark. Maybe I will look at the Pogo again.

Now I come to remember I heard a whisper, and probaly just that, tha Origin were in financial trouble back in 2008, right when they were offering discounted 3 year subscription. I noticed a few cameras were inactive that were still showing on the b2 and some specs werent being updated etc, which didnt help my conscience. As I said before, on the whole, accuracy is far better than TomTom/Garmin.

geekyEd · 11 Jan 2011 at 22:18

The old man used to have one but its no longer fitted to his new car, for £50 every 6 months it was just over expensive. However he said the laser detector was the best part about it, as most of the fixed positions he knew about anyway around his patch (salesman)

Freefaller · 11 Jan 2011 at 22:27

£50 for 12 months is what I pay - for London it's a god send!

SoliD · 11 Jan 2011 at 23:24

Thats perfect for France in an english car, means you can speed up and set all the traps off, safe in the knowledge that you won't be punished

Rotty · 12 Jan 2011 at 01:15

MrM said:
Not had any experience of radar detectors in France, I thout they were illegal and Police would crack down if they detected it or found you with one. Great unit though.

GPS devices are legal, radar detectors aren't

I used to have a B2 years ago hard wired with a LRC400 garage door opener

have a Road Pilot Micro go somewhere but havent used it for ages

Felix · 12 Jan 2011 at 09:23

I have a B2 Solo but thinking of selling it as I rarely use it now as I don't drive as much as I did. Its very good and gives you a far better alert to cameras than the TomTom.

Freefaller · 12 Jan 2011 at 12:00

I drive a lot for work so I'm on the road a lot, and I have to say I do find it useful... I don't have a garage though Rotty, I think I'd struggle to get away with that!

Sp00n · 12 Jan 2011 at 12:05

I just use copilot on my iphone, cost me £20 and it has speed camera alerts/actual speed alerts, I love it. They also do a European version which costs a bit more but I guess it has substantially larger maps.