Figure 16: Magellan Maestro 4040, Left

The left side of the Maestro 4040 is home to the SD/MMC card slot, power button, USB connector, and reset pin hole.

Figure 17: Magellan Maestro 4040, Back

Maestro has a single internal speaker, located at the rear of the unit. This is by far the loudest Magellan I've ever tested. The speaker is loud enough that the unit can be easily heard (distortion-free), even when traveling at highway speeds.

Figure 18: Magellan Maestro 4040, Right

A headphone (3.5mm mini jack) jack and power input are located on the right side of the Maestro.

Figure 19: Magellan Maestro 4040, Bottom

A 20-pin connector is located on the bottom of the Maestro. Currently the 20-pin connector isn't used with the dock that ships with the Maestro, although Magellan will be releasing an optional dock with integrated traffic data later this year that will utilize this connector.

Figure 20: Magellan Maestro 4040, Top

Magellan's logo adorns the top of the Maestro.

6. GPS Signal Strength: The Mighty SiRF

All three Magellan Maestro models (4000, 4040, and 4050) use SiRF's high performance SiRF Star III 20-channel GPS receiver. This chipset is extremely sensitive and able to maintain solid signal reception even when driving in challenging situations, such as dense urban environments (behind tall buildings), bridges, and canyons. In fact, in my testing I was able to get a strong signal even indoors. The integration of SiRF's chipsets into the latest generation of in-car navigation systems has been a watershed event for GPS manufacturers and made GPS navigation significantly more reliable.

Prior to SiRF, line-of-sight to the sky was required to receive GPS signals, resulting in less than optimal GPS performance in many situations. SiRF's chipset has ushered in a new era of GPS performance, allowing signals to be acquired quickly and maintained while driving. Make sure to check that any new GPS you buy uses SiRF's chipset. I'm always amazed that people continue to buy GPS devices that are old and outdated and sometimes even cost more than the newer devices with SiRF chipsets -- even from the same manufacturer.

Despite the enormous success of SiRF's chips, there has been a recent shift away from SiRF, as manufacturers continue to search for ways to cut costs. I'm pleased to see Magellan has used the more expensive (and highly effective) SiRF StarIII GPS receiver on the Maestro.

7. Mounting the Maestro 4040 in the Car

Figure 21: Windshield Mount & Docking Cradle, Attached to Windshield

Mounting the Maestro in the car is a simple process. First, locate an area on the windshield where you'll be able to see the Maestro but will not obstruct your view of the road.

At the base of the mount is a lever that is used to tighten the suction cup to the glass, creating a solid connection. To properly attach the windshield mount, clean the area of the glass that you will be connecting the mount to, then hold the mount so that the suction cup is flat against the mounting area and push the lever down to lock it into place.

Figure 22: 12v Cigarette Lighter Power Adapter, Plugged In

The 12v adapter widens slightly at the base, so in my car I had to turn it sideways to fit in my cigarette lighter.

Figure 23: Connecting the 12v Power Adapter to Maestro

The 12v cigarette lighter adapter connects to the right side of the Maestro. I wished that the 12v power cable instead attached to the docking cradle, and that power was supplied via the 20-pin connector at the base of the Maestro. That way, no additional cable-connecting would be needed when docking / undocking the Maestro.

Figure 24: Maestro Mounted in the Car, Front View

The Magellan Maestro is a good looking GPS. However, the AC power cord is unsightly -- and would be less noticeable if it connected to the mount instead of the Maestro unit directly.

Figure 25: Maestro Mounted in the Car, Right Side View

To adjust the position of the Maestro, loosen the knobs on the mount and move the unit into the desired position, then tighten the knobs to secure it into position.

Figure 26: Maestro Mounted in the Car, Left Side View

The mount is long enough that the Maestro isn't too far away from the driver. Some other GPS devices ship with mounts that are too short, and place the GPS too close to the windshield.

Figure 27: Maestro 4040, Mounted in the Car & Powered On

During my testing I noticed a small amount of vibration while driving. It's not enough to be particularly bothersome, but it's enough that Magellan might consider some design refinements to their mount. Magellan has made a lot of improvements to their mounting hardware over the past 5 years, but they still trail behind Garmin in this area (although it's worth mentioning that Magellan is still leaps and bounds better at making mounting hardware than TomTom, whose poor mounts are infamous).

8. Powering on the Maestro for the First Time

Figure 28: Powering on the Maestro 4040 for the First Time - Setting Language

The first time the Magellan Maestro is powered on, a short first-use wizard appears. The first option that must be set is language. Available options are:

• English (US)
• French
• Spanish