TomTom Sat Nav

[martynwhiteley]

Just managed to commission TomTom Nav 2, on my pda this afternoon. Seems brill on first impressions.

Any other TomTom users on the forum?

Anyone managed to download and install the GATSO database?



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[Jim44]

I have similar software on a Palm (TraficCam). The GPS works better with a car without a heated windscreen. It is very good if you are driving in an area you dont know. I did still manage to get caught doing inexcess of 90mph on the M1/A1 Link however. They followed me for 0.2 of a mile before I spotted them.





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[David_J]

I have an IPAQ with Navman GPS sleeve and Tom Tom software. Originally it was a little tempremental but after installing the latest operating system on to the pda (which was traumatic) and getting all the latest updates from Tom Tom it seems to work fine. Now if I lose the signal in tunnels, under trees, tall buildings in town etc it recovers the signal much faster. Usually 30 to 60 secs max. Re-calculates the route fast as well if you stray. The voice output is a little boring after a while but good if in a city you dont know and need to concentrate on the loonies. Shows one way systems which helps. I use it most for city navigation.
Biggest problem I had initially was the screen in my car blocks all the signal so had to fit an external (powered) antenna. Works great now.
Just looking to get the later 3D version.

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[PhilF]

I have tom tom 2and a 2210 HP ipac
I find fixing on satellites a little erratic, but recalculates routes quicky and is easy to use.
What is the gatso database about and where can I get it?


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[martynwhiteley]

Has all the speed camera locations!!!

Linken from the TomTom.com site.



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[tr7v8]

Yu, just brought wife Dell Axim X5 & TT Nav 2 from ebay. Not very intuitive s/w in certain ways and we've caught their mapping out a few times in a week but seems to work very well. This came with Haicom GPS that plugs in the PCMCIA port whic gets a virtually instant lock, much faster than my Magellan 320.

<hr width=100% size=1>Jim

Draco 2500

 

[martynwhiteley]

Hi Jim,

Needless to say, mines been snapped up by SWMBO today, however it let her down when the cable fell out of the bottom of the Axim. This seems to be a bit of a problem with the Axim, will have to try some sticky tape!

My plug in gps module is a Realtek Sapphire, and like yours, it locks on seemingly instantaneously compared to the Garmin.

How do you cope with the audio, earphone or amplifier?I've thought about FM modulation, but you'd need to keep the radio tuned to a 'blank' station.

The accuracy seems almost scary to me, it even picks up the mini-roundabouts in our works yard!

However I let it take me home last night, and it 'took me backwards' to join the motorway a junction further down, rather than cut through the small town like I usually do to save a few miles. On deliberately going the wrong way, it re-cals very quickly, and after giving up telling me to turn around, eventually cottoned-on to the way I was going!

Marvelous toy!

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[PhilF]

http://www.pocketgps.co.uk/checkpoint.php
is this it?

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[tr7v8]

The cable only charges whilst Axim in the car as the GPS goes in CF slot at top and looks like a folding book of matches.
Audio is just about acceptable as regards vol., would be useful if it came out of Car audio cos at the mo need car audio turned down to hear it. Clever bit is if it could transmit AON/RDS type codes to override existing station!
As regards the route it takes it's down to set-up, ours is set to quickest and does take some "odd" routes but obviously the quickest. Took wife through back doubles last night and had her panicking cos she didn't have a clue where she was!
I'll have a proper play over the w/e on the way up to Norfolk cos I've only had a quick whizz round the local streets to test it so far.
Might play around with Ozi Explorer CE for the boat on it!


<hr width=100% size=1>Jim

Draco 2500

 

[PhilF]

done it and it works too
PhilF

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[martynwhiteley]

Well done Phil,

Must try it myself - if I can prise it back from SWMBO!



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[Elessar]

I have the bluetooth one and think its fantastic. Use on bicycle (no wires), boat or routefinding in the car. It calculates better and faster than the built in one in my car.

For audio, get hold of the speaker that comes with a hansfree kit, mount it under the dash and just plug the minijack into your PDA. I found an installer who had loads of these as when people change phones you often need a new car kit which comes with another speaker.

Notable things it's never said: "No not that left" and "Read it yourself then".
Nor has it flagged impending doom by turning itself upside down in my peripheral vision, nor has it chucked itself at me if we miss a turn. Marital bliss.

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[PhilF]

I have just downloaded from the Tom Tom site the Spanish Riviera map I need, can even see my Boat in the Marina!!!!
Fantastic Product
PhilF

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[PhilF]

How are you getting on with Tom Tom.
I wanted it to be more portable, use abroad and needed a gps to go with my DSC radio in Spain, so
Bought a Garmin e trex on ebay and a cable to link it to Ipac
Bought a spare data cable that I will connect to the radio.
Solves 2 problems and also it works much better than the Tom Tom GPS unit.
PhilF

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[martynwhiteley]

Funny it's quite coincidental that you drag this post up again Phil.

It's my birthday today, but I've just been fitting SWMBO's birthday present in her car this morning (even though her birthday's not until March!).

Yes you guessed it, another PDA GPS TomTom system.!

I've had little use of my pda since getting the TomTom, 'cos she's taken to it so much, so I thought I'd best buy her one for her birthday, so I can get mine back.

I decided to but the full kit from Dell for £359, 'cos I wanted the proper TomTom car kit, as I gave up with cheap £10 Halfords pda holders, and had more success just with velcro!

By the time you've bought the car kit for £50, pda £200 etc. I thought I may as well get the full kit. Just a shame I'd bought the software alone for £107 from Amazon, although I took advantage of their resale sheme, and it was sold within hours!

We've had one or two 'lock-up' type problems when running TomTom on the Dell, and have had to do a reset a few times, but generally it's been sound.

There are one or two quirks, where it gets its left and rights mixed up occasionally, and there are of course some recent road changes that are not catered for, including a by-pass on the A16 between Grimsby and Louth, that has been there six years or more!

The speed camera POI has been useful, as has other POI's. It took us straight to the pre-programmes Marriot in Slough over xmas, with non of the agro and fall outs we'd normally have finding such hotels in strange areas!

Haven't tried TomTom on the boat yet, but guess it would just tell me to leave the Ouse, and take to A64!

I've 'borrowed' a copy of all the UK OS maps from a freind, and hope to see how well these work with gps tracking on the rivers.

I noticed Computer Shopper tested many gps/ sat nav systems this month, and concluded that TomTom was far the best.

I think if most busy motorists realised that for circa. £350 you could install such a superd voice instructional sat nav system in their car, and even end up with a good pda for general use, game playing, web surfing, marine chart plotting etc. they'd run our of stock in no time.

Blimey, I'm beggining to sound more excited about sat nav than diesel conversions /forums/images/icons/wink.gif.

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[boatone]

Anyone know if theres anything similar to tomtom available as an add on software package for laptop and gps combo?

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[PhilF]

I downloaded Coastal Spain maps for £19.99 and used them over Xmas.
Great in Alicante, but not so good on the coast as new roads are being built all the time and none of them were named, but were listed.
The Coast round that is now full of roundabouts was shown as a straight road.

Happy birthday
PhilF

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[martynwhiteley]

Tony,

There's a product called 'InfoMap Navigator' about £35 or £40 at Maplin.

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