Speed Cameras on Brand New Superb SEL Exec 2018

[Eastendsteve]

Hello,

Can anyone help me PLEASE. I hoping  to purchasing a New Superb for March 2018, it would be an SEL Executive model. I took a test drive and it was great, but when enquiring if I could put speed cameras on the Columbus Sat Nav, the dealership did not know if it could be done and suggested for me to go onto a Forum and ask, so here I am asking.

If it can be done could somebody explain to me how to do this please, I use a Mac computer and I am not that technical minded as being in my late, late 50's it is sometimes a bit confusing.

Thanking you all in advance

[Rainmaker]

Hi, and welcome to the forums.

 

Yes it's definitely possible and a lot of us do exactly that. Unfortunately (depending on your perspective) it will cost you a relatively small sum to do it properly. There's a website called PocketGPSWorld which maintains a database of all such cameras, sorted by type (gatso, truvelo, mobile, user-reported mobile sites, SPECS etc) for the UK, Europe and beyond. The database is updated on a weekly basis, and is simple to do once you understand how. The downside is it costs £19.99 a year, but with a single lapse of concentration (or mild 'risk' on a quiet road) now costing 3 plus points and £100 plus (FPN/TOR or court appearance depending), it sort of pays for itself even if you're no boy racer.

 

One of our esteemed members, BillyJim, has written a guide on how to add the camera database to the Columbus unit. It needs a couple of tweaks as you need to use the VW site to do it (Skoda's is broken) and VW changed their web address somewhat, but other than that it's all plain sailing. Do you know how to download a file, and how to open/extract a .zip archive and copy the resulting files to a USB drive? If you do, you're golden. If not let me know and I'll break it down into easy baby steps with images etc. 

 

Even though you have to use the (German) VW site, it really is a lot more straightforward than it first seems. It boils down to:

 

1) Download this week's PocketGPSWorld database

2) Go to the German VW POI site (if you use Google Chrome browser it will even offer to automatically translate it for you, but it's actually straightforward button pressing without any words required).

3) Download the file the VW site provides you (it makes the camera database into a format your Columbus can understand)

4) Unzip the files from the .zip archive the VW site gave you, and copy them onto a USB

 

That's NOT a guide, it's too simplistic and missing some necessary URLs (and a replacement text file you need to substitute into the VW file to make it work on Skoda). I'm just trying to reassure you that despite the initial appearance of complexity it's actually very simple if you just follow some steps. After doing it once or twice you'll soon be able to do it off the top of your head in a minute flat. Once you've decided on whether to join PocketGPSWorld and read BillyJim's guide, let me know and I or one of the other members will help you as needed. Again, welcome on board.

[Rainmaker]

In fact, thinking on I've decided to plonk my size 15s on poor BillyJim's feet and write an updated guide with pictures. You're by no means the first or last to ask about this, and as the process and URLs have changed I will save his fingers from doing it all again... I'll update you with a link to the guide once it's done (won't be long...). Bear with me. 

[Rainmaker]

Here you go OP. A new guide inspired by you.  

[john999boy]

That deserves to be pinned but it's not just for the Superb so where to put it...................?

[Eastendsteve]

Hi Rainmaker,

Oh your are a star, thank you, thank you, thank you. I will read it all and do what you have said, so now I can go and order my car, which will be a Black Superb SEL Executive 2litre TSI  220PS.

[Rainmaker]

7 minutes ago, Eastendsteve said:

Hi Rainmaker,

Oh your are a star, thank you, thank you, thank you. I will read it all and do what you have said, so now I can go and order my car, which will be a Black Superb SEL Executive 2litre TSI  220PS.

 

Excellent choice! (see my car lol)  

[superbrex]

Excellent work I used the old guide many times with great success, this should work nicely.

[Eastendsteve]

On 24/11/2017 at 13:05, Eastendsteve said:

Hello,

Can anyone help me PLEASE. I hoping  to purchasing a New Superb for March 2018, it would be an SEL Executive model. I took a test drive and it was great, but when enquiring if I could put speed cameras on the Columbus Sat Nav, the dealership did not know if it could be done and suggested for me to go onto a Forum and ask, so here I am asking.

If it can be done could somebody explain to me how to do this please, I use a Mac computer and I am not that technical minded as being in my late, late 50's it is sometimes a bit confusing.

Thanking you all in advance

Hello Rainmaker,

Thank you for your reply back in November 2017, finally got my Superb TSI and yes it goes is like the proverbial  muck off a shovel! 

Back to your post you sent me re speed cameras, when downloading all the files you recommended do they come with any warning sounds, also do I have to update on a weekly basis?

Regards

[Eastendsteve]

Hello Rainmaker,

Thank you for your reply back in November 2017, finally got my Superb TSI and yes it goes is like the proverbial  muck off a shovel! 

Back to your post you sent me re speed cameras, when downloading all the files you recommended do they come with any warning sounds, also do I have to update on a weekly basis?

Regards

[Rainmaker]

19 minutes ago, Eastendsteve said:

Hello Rainmaker,

Thank you for your reply back in November 2017, finally got my Superb TSI and yes it goes is like the proverbial  muck off a shovel! 

Back to your post you sent me re speed cameras, when downloading all the files you recommended do they come with any warning sounds, also do I have to update on a weekly basis?

Regards

 

Happy to hear you got the car and that you're enjoying it. The Columbus unit itself in the car will 'bong' on approach to cameras, if you tick the box (as per the guide I linked) for warning on approach. It's not something you can customise or change, unfortunately, but it is at least an option. The only downsides are that it will do so for cameras on both sides of the road, as Columbus doesn't support directional information (the PGPSW files have direction info in them), and the warning is a bit 'late' at faster speeds. Still time to slow down if needs be though, so don't worry too much. Just follow the guide and you'll be fine. Enjoy the car mate.

[Eastendsteve]

Hello Rainmaker,

Thank you for your reply back in November 2017, finally got my Superb TSI and yes it goes is like the proverbial  muck off a shovel! 

Back to your post you sent me re speed cameras, when downloading all the files you recommended do they come with any warning sounds, also do I have to update on a weekly basis?

Regards

[Eastendsteve]

Thank you

[BenSh]

Do any of the other sites available like http://www.speedcamupdates.com/skoda-columbus work? Any upsides/downsides? Cost seems to be 13Eur, not sure how much a year is.