owner’s manual
nüvi® 900 series
GPS navigator with digital TV
© 2008 Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries
Garmin International, Inc. 
1200 East 151st Street,  
Olathe, Kansas 66062, USA 
Tel. (913) 397.8200 or  
(900) 900.1020 
Fax (913) 397.8282
Garmin (Europe) Ltd. 
Liberty House 
Hounsdown Business Park,  
Southampton, Hampshire, SO40 9RB UK 
Tel. +44 (0) 870.8501241 (outside the UK)  
0808 2390000 (within the UK) 
Fax +44 (0) 870.8501251
Garmin Corporation  
No. 68, Jangshu 2nd Road,  
Shijr, Taipei County, 
Taiwan 
Tel. 886/2.2642.9199 
Fax 886/2.2642.9099
All rights reserved. Except as expressly provided herein, no part of this manual may be reproduced, copied, 
transmitted, disseminated, downloaded or stored in any storage medium, for any purpose without the express prior 
written consent of Garmin. Garmin hereby grants permission to download a single copy of this manual onto a hard 
drive or other electronic storage medium to be viewed and to print one copy of this manual or of any revision hereto, 
provided that such electronic or printed copy of this manual must contain the complete text of this copyright notice 
and provided further that any unauthorized commercial distribution of this manual or any revision hereto is strictly 
prohibited.
Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Garmin reserves the right to change or improve its 
products and to make changes in the content without obligation to notify any person or organization of such changes 
or improvements. Visit the Garmin Web site (www.garmin.com) for current updates and supplemental information 
concerning the use and operation of this and other Garmin products.
Garmin® and nüvi® are trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries, registered in the USA and other countries. 
Garmin Lock™ and myGarmin™ are trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries. These trademarks may not be used 
without the express permission of Garmin.
The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc., and any use of such name by Garmin is 
under license. Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. 
Mac® is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. Linux® is the registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the 
U.S. and other countries. Audible.com® and AudibleManager® are registered trademarks of Audible, Inc. © Audible, 
Inc. 1997–2008. DVB is a registered trademark of the DVB Project. The “3” logo is a registered trademark of 
Hutchison Whampoa Ltd.
September 2008 
Part Number 190-00878-00 Rev. A 
Printed in Taiwan
Introduction
Manual Conventions
When you are instructed to “touch” 
something, use your finger to touch an 
item on the screen. 
The small arrows (>) used in the text 
indicate that you should touch a series 
of items. For example, if you see “touch 
Where to? > Favorites” you should 
touch Where to?, and then touch 
Favorites. 
nüvi® Tips and Shortcuts
•
To quickly return to the Menu page, 
touch and hold Back.
Touch 
choices. Touch and hold these buttons 
to scroll faster.
 to see more 
 and 
•
Introduction
•
myGarmin™ 
Go to http://my.garmin.com to access the 
latest services for your Garmin products:
•
•
Register your Garmin unit.
Subscribe to online services for safety 
camera information (see page 54).
Unlock optional maps.
Contact Garmin
Contact Garmin Product Support if 
you have any questions while using 
your nüvi: 
•
•
For digital television questions, 
contact La3TV:
•
•
On the Internet at www.garmin.it
By e-mail at support@garmin.it
On the Internet at www.la3tv.it
By phone at (+39) 800 179 779
nüvi 900 Series Owner’s Manual 
i
Introduction
Table of Contents
Introduction .....................................i
Manual Conventions ..........................i
nüvi® Tips and Shortcuts....................i
myGarmin™ ........................................i
Contact Garmin .................................i
Getting Started ...............................1
Your nüvi Unit ...................................1
Step 1: Install the TvCard .................2
Step 2: Activate the TV Service ........2
Step 3: Install the Battery .................3
Step 4: Mount the nüvi .....................3
Step 5: Configure the nüvi ................4
Step 6: Acquire Satellites .................4
Understanding the Menu Page .........5
Finding Your Destination ..................6
Following Your Route .......................6
Adjusting the Volume ........................7
Locking the Screen ...........................7
Where to? .......................................8
Finding an Address ...........................8
Go! Page Options .............................8
Finding a Place by Spelling  
the Name  .........................................9
Setting a Home Location ..................9
Finding Recently-Found Places .....10
Favorites .........................................10
Creating and Editing Routes ..........12
Finding a Place Using the Map ......14
Entering Coordinates ......................14
Searching Near Another Location ..15
Navigating Off Road .......................15
Walking to a Destination .................15
Using the Main Pages .................16
Map Page .......................................16
Turn List Page ................................17
Next Turn Page ..............................17
Trip Computer Page .......................17
Making Hands-Free Phone  
Calls ..............................................18
Pairing Your Phone .........................18
Receiving a Call  ............................19
In a Call  .........................................19
Phone Menu ...................................20
Using the Media Players .............24
Watching Digital TV ........................24
Playing Music .................................26
Listening to Audible Books .............28
ii 
nüvi 900 Series Owner’s Manual
Managing Files .............................30
Supported File Types......................30
Loading Files ..................................30
Deleting Files  .................................31
Using the Tools ............................32
Settings ..........................................32
Where Am I? ...................................32
Routes ............................................32
Help ................................................32
Music Player ...................................32
Audible Player ................................32
Picture Viewer ................................33
Traffic ..............................................33
Games ............................................33
Calculator  ......................................34
Currency Converter ........................34
Unit Converter  ...............................36
World Clock  ...................................36
Alarm Clock ....................................37
My Data ..........................................37
Using FM Traffic ...........................38
LED Blink Codes ............................38
Traffic in Your Area .........................39
Traffic on Your Road .......................39
Traffic on Your Route ......................39
Introduction
Traffic Icons ....................................40
Severity Color Code .......................40
Traffic Subscriptions .......................40
Customizing the nüvi ..................41
Changing the System Settings .......41
Changing the Navigation Settings ..42
Adding Security Settings ................42
Updating the Time Settings ............43
Adjusting the Display Settings ........43
Changing the Map Settings ............44
Using the Bluetooth Technology 
Settings ..........................................45
Customizing the Language  
Settings ..........................................45
Viewing Traffic Subscription 
Information .....................................46
Changing the Proximity Points 
Settings ..........................................47
Restoring All Settings .....................47
Appendix ......................................48
Caring for Your nüvi  .......................48
Calibrating the Screen ....................49
Locking Your nüvi ...........................49
Resetting the nüvi ...........................50
nüvi 900 Series Owner’s Manual 
iii
Introduction
Updating the Software ....................50
Clearing User Data .........................50
Battery Information  ........................50
Changing the Fuse .........................52
Removing the nüvi and Mount ........52
Mounting on Your Dashboard .........53
Additional Maps ..............................53
Extras and Optional Accessories ....54
About GPS Satellite Signals ...........56
Software License Agreement .........56
Video License Agreement...............57
Declaration of Conformity ...............57
Specifications .................................58
Troubleshooting ..............................59
Index .............................................62
iv 
nüvi 900 Series Owner’s Manual
Getting Started
Getting Started
See the Important Safety and Product Information guide in the product box for product warnings and 
other important information.
Your nüvi Unit
TV Antenna
Battery cover
GPS antenna
 Power key:
slide to the left to turn the unit on/off;  
slide to the right to lock the screen
Headphone/
audio-out 
jack
SD card slot
Mini-USB 
connector
new
External
Microphone
Speaker
TvCard slot 
under battery
External
TV antenna 
connector
GPS antenna 
connector
Check local traffic laws before mounting. Currently, some laws prohibit drivers from using suction 
mounts or other devices on their windshields that could obstruct the driver’s vision while operating 
motor vehicles. Other Garmin dashboard or friction mounting options should be used. 
nüvi 900 Series Owner’s Manual 
Getting Started
Step 1: Install the TvCard
1.  Locate the TvCard in the TvCard 
envelope included in the product box.
2.  Remove the TvCard from the holder 
following the instructions included in 
the TvCard envelope. 
2.  Slide the battery cover off the back of 
the nüvi. 
Battery 
compartment
TvCard
Card holder
3.  Slide the TvCard into the card holder 
in the battery compartment. The logo 
on the TvCard should face up. 
Step 2: Activate the TV 
Service
1.  Call (+ 39) 800 179 777 and follow 
the instructions. 
2.  Locate the TvCard number on the 
label on the TvCard envelope. The 
TvCard number begins with +39. 
3.  Enter the TvCard number (do not 
enter +39). 
4.  Locate and enter the PIN, which is 
printed on the TvCard holder.
Your 6-month free trial begins the first 
time you watch TV using the nüvi 900. 
For additional information about the 
TvCard, call (+ 39) 800 179 779.
 
nüvi 900 Series Owner’s Manual