TomTom satnavs

LarryG

Western Thunderer
I needed it today in Manchester but has not worked all day 'Waiting for a valid GPS signal'. I did a reset and it looks to be 19 years old. This evening it got a signal but it keeps losing it. It is also stuck at 12.00am on January 1st @ 1:08am.

I've looked at reviews on Amazon and Tomtom's seem to have fallen in peoples estimation. Any input would be helpful before I raid the moneybox.
 
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Brian McKenzie

Western Thunderer
Have two older TomTom 520 units (because the memory at 4mb each) was too small to contain maps required.

TomTom have emailed this advice in recent days:

Due to the upcoming WNRO on 6 April 2019, the performance of your device will be impacted.

While we no longer offer content and service updates for your device, we have made an update available that addresses the GPS Week Number Rollover (WNRO).

TO UPDATE: Connect your device to your computer. Click the ‘update now’ button for instructions on how to update your device.

------and-----

Check your satnav's status
Your satnav has always been there to guide you, now it needs your help.
On 6 April 2019, the GPS Week Number Rollover may impact your satnav. Please connect your satnav to your computer to check if you have the latest software version. If you do not already have MyDrive Connect or TomTom Home on your computer, we are here to guide you through the next steps. Get started by entering your serial number below.

------and-----

The GPS Week Number Rollover (WNRO) occurs every 19 years, with the next roll over taking place on 6 April 2019. Similar to odometers in older cars rolling over from 99,999 km to 0, the GPS WNRO is the resetting of the GPS calendar back to 0.

When the calendar resets, it can cause a miscommunication between GPS satellites and GPS receiver chips. As a result, some chips in satnavs will lose the ability to process certain functions.

What does this mean for you? It’s time to check your satnav. Depending on your device, you may need to update or upgrade.
 

JimG

Western Thunderer
Larry,

I've mostly used Garmin since their original, small I3 machine and I've found them pretty good. I have used a Tom Tom and another make (I can't remember the make at the moment) but went back to Garmin in preference. I find that the Garmin screen has the best contrast which is invaluable in bright sunlight. I really only got the Tom Tom to get Billy Connolly's voice but was most disappointed to find that he didn't swear.:) I gave it to my daughter for her use on a European drive.

Jim.
 

Focalplane

Western Thunderer
I have had a Tom Tom for some time but my new car (a year old now) has a factory installed unit which is also by Tom Tom. When President Macron started a revolution by decreasing ordinary speed limits from 90kph to 80kph I obviously needed an upgrade which anyone with a Windows computer can do at home. But not with a Mac. I don't think this is Tom Tom's fault, rather the car's computer must use Windows software (which I find a bit scary!) My car is booked in for a service on Monday morning and for the past three weeks when I switch on the SatNav it tells me where the nearest garage is located and offers to guide me there!

One thing that is strange is that the autoroute toll booths are not on the system, does that mean I don't have to stop?
 

parky

Western Thunderer
Dave, maybe you need to downgrade your car to one of the ones illustrated on the maps :)

Larry what about forgetting the expense of a dedicated SatNav and use a SmartPhone and Google maps. It's always up to date and if you have get a larger phone it can be the same size a big SatNav. It's also useful for making phone calls when you get really lost :thumbs:
 

simond

Western Thunderer
Google maps is better than the satnav in my car, if only because I can type the address at my speed, and leave it to go and sort itself out. The Discovery needs me to type each letter, and wait half an hour for it to decide what characters it will accept next. In effect it prevents me looking up somewhere it doesn’t “know”, but as a means of data entry, it’s so last century.

And of course, if you know part of the address, google maps is pretty good at finding the rest of it too.

But there’s always the suspicion that you’re being watched....
 

Focalplane

Western Thunderer
GPS is a wonderful thing to have and use but what if the US Government decided scramble the signals again? At one time their military had what we use today but all other users had a degraded version. I imagine the military still have a more accurate system, after all, why shouldn’t they?

My new car tells the manufacturer exactly where I start and stop every journey. I know I can turn this function off, but it can be quite useful. However, they must think I live in one of many different neighborhood houses each time I return home.

I hope you got it sorted Larry. Having never been to Manchester (!) I would certainly need at least a map.
 

SimonT

Western Thunderer
the car's computer must use Windows software (which I find a bit scary!)
Then you don't want to know about the computer systems in those aircraft from Tououse.;)

Simon
 

Pencarrow

Western Thunderer
There's a built-in satnav in my Ford which is OK but not a patch on Google Maps on the phone for ease of use, accuracy and route choice. It's also a PITA getting map updates for the car system whereas the phone is updated regularly.
 

Brian McKenzie

Western Thunderer
The Russians have a competing GPS system known as GLONASS - which is used by Apple and Sony. It also offers centimetre accuracy when used with Real Time Kinematic (RTK) equipment, as used by surveyors etc and is useful for when insufficient American satellites are in view.

-Brian McK.
 

Steph Dale

Western Thunderer
Then you don't want to know about the computer systems in those aircraft from Tououse.;)

Unfortunate recent events would seem to indicate that those from Seattle are no better.

And don't forget Windows for Warships, which is also a real thing... :eek:

Steph
 

oldravendale

Western Thunderer
I have a satnav built in to the car which I used for a while, but was not as good as my Tom Tom. However, I got fed up with sitting in traffic jams and invested in a so called "intelligent" Tom Tom - sorry, I can't remember the model number. I have to say it's saved me hours in avoiding traffic hold ups, and when I'm arrogant enough to know better than it (usually local journeys) I often come unstuck. Having said which I use it locally because it warns of road closures and routes one around them - the country roads round here are prone to being closed at the drop of a hat for what is laughingly called "upgrading".

Two friends with Garmins got lost on their way to us which I fully accept could have been down to finger trouble, but Tom Toms always seem to find us.

I had an on board in a new Mercedes a few years ago which only recognised the first three or four digits of a post code, so that was pretty useless from day 1!

I've no doubt that Google maps on the phone is a good option - people accompanying me in the car have often proved so - but apart from that I've no first hand experience.

Which all goes to show, as with all things, every individual will have their preference which works for them.

Brian
 

LarryG

Western Thunderer
Brian M. in the second post hit the nail on the head and so I spent all last night on the PC trying to get the upgrade. My TomTom has reached its 19 year limit and gone back to zero, which is why is cannot get a constant GPS signal. It's on charge at the moment prior to doing battle again. I joined Tomtom okay and can handle the upgrade, but my PC is not recognizing the Satnav. It wouldn't surprise me if Windows 10 has 'hidden' it somewhere like it has some of my files!

If it can be sorted, it will save me £159.00 that can then be spent on a DCC Sound chip! Why £159.00 you may ask. Well I also spent part of last night reading literally hundreds of customer feedbacks on six TomTom machines priced from £115 through to £159.00. One has to use ones noddle of course but the latter seemed the safest buy.

That said, I have always been pleased with the utter simplicity of me ow'd Satnav; I mean it warns me which lane to approach (in orange) followed by which lane I need to be in even on roundabouts (in yellow). I can see the layout of the road (sharp bends etc) well ahead, it tells me from start how long it will take me to get to my destination based on my past driving speeds(!) plus all the other things like the bell for speed cameras and miles to next turn off.

Yesterday, I had to guess which junction to leave the motorway (it turned out to be lucky), but relying on a Satnav means one is not looking for landmarks like we did in the old days. It was quite by chance that I saw a bridge over the motorway down a lane, so from that I was able to guess my way down a maze of of badly potholed country lanes to the hospital.

As for mobile phones and the like, mine is as simple as they come. It talks to my car dash but that is all. So I do not own any clever machinery that will display google maps and what-not.
 

oldravendale

Western Thunderer
Larry - you are quite right about the Tom Tom website/updating and I've done battle with it on several occasions when trying to update my machine. Those who know me recognise that I still live in the mid 20th century and have no empathy with computers or other electronics, so I've assumed that my difficulty with my updates is actually down to me. Compared with others, though, the Tom Tom site is not user friendly.

Based on my experience I think you'll find that the £159 Tom Tom will be a good buy, and as a top of the range model will have the advantage that it will forewarn you of road closures. It can save literally hours on a motorway journey.

A little story to illustrate. A friend and I went from South Buckinghamshire to Gainsborough, Lincs (to see the Gainsborough Model Railway actually, but that's another story). We were sent, using his new Tom Tom, up the M1 for the major part of the journey. On the return journey and again using the sat nav, we were initially sent back towards the M1 but at a roundabout were sent back whence we had come and returned on the A1. When we arrived home there was a news story of a major traffic incident on the M1 which had occurred as we were driving towards it. That single experience made my mind up!

Brian
 

SimonT

Western Thunderer
For the Ipad/Phone I use UK Maps and Maps.me. I know of friends who have used Maps.me to get around NZ and Aus with great ease. We use it for our field trips to WW1 battlefields and it compares very well with the DGS products for the tricky small scale navigation. It was certainly very good up in the hills and tracks in Corfu where Google had lost the plot.

Windows For Warships - remember the first press visit to HMS QE (aka Big Bettty). Was it a Windows 95 splash screen?
 

parky

Western Thunderer
So your phone is advanced enough to tether to your car so not that much of a dinosaur. The Google spy will talk to you so you don't need to look at anything and if you needed to you could spend £15.99 on a cradle to attach it to your windscreen like all the taxi drivers do. Seems a bit excessive to buy a sat nav nowadays for the few times you need it when your phone could do the job

My Volvo has a nice big 9 inch screen but the destination entry is a bit awkward. I find it easier to use the app on my phone and then send it to my car at the same time as I tell it to start the engine so it's nice and toasty when I finally get out of the front door. Technology hey :drool:

Oh by the way are you going to grace us with your presence at Leigh in a fortnight and are we all arranging a meetup for a coffee ?
 

John K

Western Thunderer
I've been using my phone running the app 'Waze' for some time now.
Cheap windscreen cradle in my car and Apple Car Play in my wife's.
John K
 
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