The Wayfinder V700 offers a compass rose and eight cardinal points for ascertaining general direction. Its numeric, five-degree digital readout gives you precise headings, while its onboard holographic display is always bright, crisp, and clear. At night, a bright backlight illuminates the display to ensure clear viewing.

The V700's patented magnetic-sensor technology is the same advanced technology used by GM, Ford, and Chrysler in their built-in compasses. A magnetic-distortion flag alerts you when outside interference is affecting accuracy, and the unit's smart auto shut-off feature conserves battery life by automatically powering down the compass when your vehicle is parked for ten minutes or more.

The adjustable mounting bracket mounts to any windshield using strong suction cups; there's no hardwiring required and the compass slides easily from its mounting bracket for handheld use.

What's in the Box
Compass, an adjustable mounting bracket, two AAA batteries, a 12-volt cigarette-lighter adapter, and a user's manual.

Thus far (1 month later), I'm happy with the purchase. The compass is very easy to set (drive once in a circle, or turn the compass in a circle for the second, "hand" mode), easy to remove from the car (just lift it out of its cradle), and seems to be accurate (an issue raised in reviews for other PNI compasses); the three forms of readouts also are handly and easy to read. I would have liked the batteries (2 AAA batteries) to last longer, but at 200 hours, that's still half a year at 1 hour a day. (And the unit also comes with a lighter adapter cord, which is of a good and useful length.) And a soft case would be nice, for separately carrying the compass.

Assuming that performance issues don't develop in the future, I'd highly recommend this item.


badly designed device   September 18, 2003
 31 out of 51 found this review helpful

I did not buy this compass, nor I would buy it, because, by just looking at the picture, I can see it is badly designed.

An intelligently designed compass should always tell you, in a natural, intuitive and logical way, which cardinal point is in front of you (and which one at your right, left and back). To achieve this, the compass should have a fixed arrow pointing forward (the car's direction), and on the head of this arrow should appear the true cardinal point to which the car is pointing.

For example, if the car is moving towards East, you would like to see E on the head of the forward pointing arrow, as the following picture shows:

FRONT OF CAR which is moving towards EAST
....E
N ^ S -=====WELL DESIGNED COMPASS shows E at front.
...W

but instead, on the advertised compass you will see this:

FRONT OF CAR which is moving towards EAST
....N
W > E -=====PNI V700 badly designed compass shows N (instead of E) at front.
....S

Another example, if the car is moving towards South, you would like to see S on the head of forward pointing arrow, as following picture shows:

FRONT OF CAR which is moving towards SOUTH
...S
E ^ W -=====WELL DESIGNED COMPASS shows S at front.
...N

but instead, on the advertised compass you will see this:

FRONT OF CAR which is moving towards SOUTH
.....N
W. v .E -=====PNI V700 badly designed compass shows N (instead of S) at front.
.....S

A good design should have a fixed arrow pointing forward and rotating letters, as the following picture shows:

FRONT OF CAR when it is moving towards N, W, S and E respectively.
:::N:::: | :::W::: | ::::S:::::| ::::E::::
W:^:E: | :S ^ N: | :E ^ W : | :N ^ S: ...In well designed compass arrow ^ always
:::S:::: | :::E:::: | :::N::::::| :::W:::: ...points forward, and letters N,W,S,E rotate.


The design error of PNI v700 compass, as the following picture shows, consists in having letters N, E, S, W fixed (painted) on the frame of the compass and a rotating arrow which points to this letters, but no to the true physical direction towards the car is moving.

FRONT OF CAR when it is moving towards N, W, S and E respectively.
:::N:::: | ::::N::: | ::::N:::: | ::::N:::
W:^:E: | :W < E: | :W v E:: | :W > E: ...In badly designed PNI v700, arrow ^ rotates
:::S:::: | :::S:::: | ::::S:::: | :::S:::: ...to point to fixed letters N,W,S,E


In few words, PNI V700 compass shows lack of intelligence and aesthetics in its design.



Handy at Night for Sure   April 8, 2005
 15 out of 16 found this review helpful

QUOTE FROM:
Product Description
Amazon.com Product Description

The V700's patented magnetic-sensor technology is the same advanced technology used by GM, Ford, and Chrysler in their built-in compasses. A magnetic-distortion flag alerts you when outside interference is affecting accuracy, and the unit's smart auto shut-off feature conserves battery life by automatically powering down the compass when your vehicle is parked for ten minutes or more.
___________________________________________________________________________
This I highly dought about using the same technology -
For one - using it with auto adaptor - leaving it plugged in - and You previously set it up prior the day before - Start the vehicle - and the compass goes retarded pointing more than the opposite way.

I received it Feb / 05 - I almost returned it a week later - from constantly having to find a full circle space to rotate vehicle to reset it everyday - But I hung in there trying to figure out this problem - as a retired aircraft service tech - you tend to get fussy how things work from day one

With the unit mounted on center of windshield - with vehicle off - and unit on - I try testing compass for interference - as quoted in top paragraph about a distortion flag - there has never been a flag -

Unit on - vehicle off - I turn the key to on position - already the unit flips out of it's set coordinates - turn key off - unit returns to setting - Apparently - magnetic impulse of vehicle system energizing is enough to throw it off - I'm not starting the veh - just turning key to power up the dash - as starting sequence would be much more of a pulse. Turning on the turn signal - brake lights - etc - could also create a pulsed magnetic field.

Remove unit from center of windshield - There may be a better spot that's more shielded.
In the end - I found the ideal spot mounted on the windshield next to driver's door pillar - So far I have not had to reset it more than twice - and it's a nicer spot for viewing as well.

In order to make this position possible - I went to local Best Buy to get an adaptor that has small profile plug to cig lighter where cord comes out at right angle keeping cords close to console - the other end has 4 ports and was easy to place on lower face of dash next to drivers door to make vertical approach straight up to the compass and anything else up there.

It's the sticky Velcro deal - and may have to update to be more permanent.

Also the cell phone has a new port now - VS the clutter in center of dash.

For general use - I find it handy when out at night and knowing I'm going the right way after making unknown exits from the freeway - or just knowing I'm on the south side of the Mall at night.

In no way is it as accurate as the GPS - Which I also use.
Checking compared positions can be up to 20 - 30 degrees off and can be effected by any interference The balloon of magnetic fields coming from Your vehicle could be isolated to a point but would involve thin sheet film of metal embedded into a dash pad.

If you want to know just how its performing - get a handy pocket compass - stand ten feet away from vehicle and compare position to the unit in vehicle. Do not park or set up compass near power lines.

Making sure it's latched into it's holder is a must - The edges of mount have to be forced into groove of compass - this took me a couple days to notice - when it kept falling out.

I purchased 2 of them - One as a Gift to an older gal in a wheel chair - and I wanted to be very informed as to what problems she may see before I ship it 2000 miles to her door.

Have Fun




PNI V700   December 4, 2003
 13 out of 16 found this review helpful

This was the second of three different PNI compass models I have bought through Amazon, and I would not recommend any of them. If they worked right, I would love them. But all three of them will not stay on. It says they will stay on unless no change in the magnetic direction is for ten minutes. This simply is not true as all three of mine that I have bought shut off all the time, even if I just drive around the block all day.


One step forward, two steps back...   January 17, 2005
 13 out of 14 found this review helpful

Initially I was pretty happy with it. It gave me just what I wanted: the compass heading and the 8 point rose to indicate direction. Easy to install in the car, although, without a case or something, you can't prevent to switch on in your pocket, making it useless as a handheld.
Oddly enough, during summer time and heat, it somehow freaked out and now the arrow points to the opposite East/West direction from the heading: for example, if I head NW, the heading it accurate but the arrow points to the NE.
Need to find something else!!