810 maps; size, ALG in Canada and orientation of bars

[21rouge]

I called TT on Friday on 3 different occasions (2 to tech support and one to a product info rep) hoping to get a definitive answer re ALG for Canadian hwys. (As my elderly father is likely to now use my 730 more and more I thought that ALG would make it easier for him). Each time I was told with confidence that it is now i.e. with the latest map release (810) that ALG could be seen in Canada. Two times I asked for them to verify with someone 'higher up' and again yes ALG was available in Canada. One even made note of the major hwy in Ontario, namely the 401. So with that assurance I bought these maps.

First thing I noticed was that the file size for the new maps was slightly smaller than for the 805 . Is that due to better compression? Did others find this?

On my 730 I could see that the satellite signal bars were now stacked vertically rather than horizontally as when the unit had the 805 maps.

After dloading and installing the new maps I selected a route which included probably the most busy Hwy interchange in Canada i.e. 401 and Don Valley Parkway. But the route Demo does not show ALG at that interchange.

Of course this isnt definitive proof but it is compelling that ALG still isnt in Canada.

Why is it so difficult to get accurate information re an advertised and promoted feature of x30 units from tech support? For two of the calls the front line tech reps went away, ostensibly looking for clarification from higher up. And both times they were told the affirmative re ALG in Canada.

 

[Buddharay]

i'm guessing what they meant is that there is advanced lane guidance in canada - just not EVERYWHERE in canada. my understanding is that they're building ALG out regionally. it's still a relatively new technology, and i'm sure it will improve in the future. i'm not sure the front line reps can help with region-specific ALG questions.

 

[pianoCM]

On my 730 I could see that the satellite signal bars were now stacked vertically rather than horizontally as when the unit had the 805 maps.

This is new, but I think it is the function of the NavCore, map data should have nothing to do with display.

As up to now, we all should KNOW that ALG does NOT cover EVERYWHERE, for example, I've lived in Boston, MA area, and I have never seen ALG kicks-in at all.

 

[21rouge]

i'm guessing what they meant is that there is advanced lane guidance in canada - just not EVERYWHERE in canada. my understanding is that they're building ALG out regionally. i'm not sure the front line reps can help with region-specific ALG questions.

The front line reps seemed to get help from higher up re my ALG Q. Someone at TT must have knowledge of a specifc interchange in Canada which shows ALG. I want to know this location(s). And it would seem very probable that *if* there are now ALG interchanges in Canada it would be at the most heavily travelled interchanges eg 401 and DVP. That is the rollout of ALG would *start* with heavy traffic areas and add from there.

 

[Arno]

i'm guessing what they meant is that there is advanced lane guidance in canada - just not EVERYWHERE in canada.

If not in the navel of the world, Toroto, where then?

 

[rcacs]

Somewhat apart from the topic, but regarding the 810 map.

Can someone post a screen shot of my town, specifically the hwy #3 heading east from the town itself?

I ask, because the map I have, 715 and its update 725 show it incorrectly. If it hasnt been updated on the 810 I wont be interested in it either (more than likely anyways).

I am in Morden, Manitoba, Canada

Thanks in Advance....

ps; how does one post screen shots?

 

[mlavio829]

Hi All.
I have contacted Tomtom Technical Support over 4 times now regarding ALG in Canada. To be honest i am fed up with them and my Tomtom. I want to be able to use Lane Guidance on my 730 in Canada. I bought a 730 for mainly this reason over a Garmin because it was a feature that i believed would benefit me. However now that i realize that it still doesn't work with Lane Guidance in Canada, even with new updated maps (v8.10), i must wonder if i picked the right GPS unit. (I mean i understand that it is a new technology but to not even have the 401 or something like that,which is considered a major highway, is not right!)

On my last tech support adventure with Tomtom i had asked for a specific route to plot on my Tomtom. After getting an email a week later, i was told that it *did* work in Canada, and most likely in Toronto. However, they are unable to give me a location of where it works.
Now correct me if i'm wrong, but if you can't tell me where it works, how in the world can you be so sure that it works at all? (in Canada)

 

[21rouge]

Hi All.
I have contacted Tomtom Technical Support over 4 times now regarding ALG in Canada. To be honest i am fed up with them and my Tomtom.

On my last tech support adventure with Tomtom i had asked for a specific route to plot on my Tomtom. After getting an email a week later, i was told that it *did* work in Canada, and most likely in Toronto. However, they are unable to give me a location of where it works.

As you can tell I started this thread and experienced the same frustration. I am convinced that the 810 maps dont have ALG yet for Canada. And TT should be open about this...just say that this feature should/will be enabled in a later map release in...08 or 09.

However I did get some resolution. It appears that one of my inquiries was documented as "support told customer that he needed to purchase 810 maps to obtain ALG in Canada"....which I did. Well the next level up tech support noticed this annotation and was more than willing make a 'note' in my 'file' that I was to receive the *next* map release gratis. I called back a week later and confirmed this.

 

[Arno]

It appears that one of my inquiries was documented as "support told customer that he needed to purchase 810 maps to obtain ALG in Canada"....which I did. Well the next level up tech support noticed this annotation and was more than willing make a 'note' in my 'file' that I was to receive the *next* map release gratis. I called back a week later and confirmed this.

Now go to MyTomTom and raise a Support question. All you say is:

This is to confirm the telephone conversation with your (if you have it) on (date if you have it) with which you confirmed that that TomTom will credit my account, free of charge, with a map that is capable to display Advanced Lane Guidance in Canada.

and leave it like that.
By their not objecting in writing they will have agreed tacitly that you are entitled to a free map upgrade.

Somewhere in my various ALG posts did I mention that the map with the capability was not expected before the December (?) release.

 

[21rouge]

Somewhere in my various ALG posts did I mention that the map with the capability was not expected before the December (?) release.

I do recall you mentioning this. But with many of us Canadians making contact with TT tech support you would figure that by now there would be a definitive, across the board, answer from TT re ALG north of the border.

 

[21rouge]

However I did get some resolution. It appears that one of my inquiries was documented as "support told customer that he needed to purchase 810 maps to obtain ALG in Canada"....which I did. Well the next level up tech support noticed this annotation and was more than willing make a 'note' in my 'file' that I was to receive the *next* map release gratis. I called back a week later and confirmed this.

But I think in one recent thread re the new 8.15 maps, our esteemed moderator dhn was told by TT that these new maps still do not contain ALG for Canada. Do you think I can delay taking advantage of the free map upadate until the *next* release when it is more likely ALG will be included? The problem was the 8.15 maps were released too soon after the 8.10.

 

[dhn]

I've been called a lot of things in my life ......but never 'esteemed'.

Thanks, I guess.......

Seriously.......if what I was told is true (no alg in 8.15 for Canada), I see absolutely no motivation to move up to that level of map.

As for IQv2 (only with 8.15), it's no deal maker for me.

We have a fair number of Canucks here. I would like to hear from just one who indeed sees ALG in Canada with his or her 8.15 NA map. Just one............ might make me change my mind

 

[tukatz]

Somewhat apart from the topic, but regarding the 810 map.

Can someone post a screen shot of my town, specifically the hwy #3 heading east from the town itself?

I ask, because the map I have, 715 and its update 725 show it incorrectly. If it hasnt been updated on the 810 I wont be interested in it either (more than likely anyways).

I am in Morden, Manitoba, Canada

Thanks in Advance....

ps; how does one post screen shots?

I took two shots at different zoom level. I hope this works. Somewhere in this forum I found a way to enable taking a screen shot on the TomTom. In the screen folder on the unit you create a file named capture with no extension. Once this is done you can press the upper left corner right over the + sign and you will hear a shutter click noise. It creates a .bmp file in the screen folder. I then took them into Adobe Photoshop Elements and saved them for web as .jpg files to meet size restrictions. So here you are.

 

[21rouge]

Seriously.......if what I was told is true (no alg in 8.15 for Canada), I see absolutely no motivation to move up to that level of map.

I just hope that TT doesnt take their offer too literally ie the supervisor said they would give me gratis the next map release...I just assumed it would included ALG and I also assumed it would be released in December or later.

As for IQv2 (only with 8.15), it's no deal maker for me.

Sorry but I have been out of the loop a bit. Is IQv2 IQ routing according to the hour? That is for sure an important update.

 

[dhn]

Yep. IQv2 refers to the reporting of driving habits every 5 minutes. Thus, the IQ routing is supposed to be much more precise as it takes the hour of the day, not just the day of the week or weekend into consideration.

 

[Arno]

...if what I was told is true (no alg in 8.15 for Canada), I see absolutely no motivation to move up to that level of map.

Called Support today and was told the the 815 maps support ALG in Canada.
I downloaded the map and ran the NJ route Gilbert had given us to test ALG.

There are no overhead signs but lane arrows appear at the bottom left.
I just hope that the Demo (not connected to the PC) has absolutely no resemblance to the actual route or, that it is because of the dumbed down map. (ALG in the UK, as well as simulated at the desk was like the advertising on their web.)
These are ScreenPrints while the Demo was running.

View attachment 2257

This one shows the proper number of lanes and direction. No overhead sign.

View attachment 2258

This one is completely screwed up.
The ALG arrows show the wrong lane, the road arrows are correct.

EDIT
I may have interpreted that wrongly last night and it is just a pi**poor map.
Blowing up the map it now appears to me that the brown route consists of 2 lanes,
converging to the left, while the greyed out (wrong) straight lane arrow refers to the
(now) no longer Interstate road.

 

[21rouge]

As you can tell I started this thread and experienced the same frustration. I am convinced that the 810 maps dont have ALG yet for Canada. And TT should be open about this...just say that this feature should/will be enabled in a later map release in...08 or 09.

However I did get some resolution. It appears that one of my inquiries was documented as "support told customer that he needed to purchase 810 maps to obtain ALG in Canada"....which I did. Well the next level up tech support noticed this annotation and was more than willing make a 'note' in my 'file' that I was to receive the *next* map release gratis. I called back a week later and confirmed this.

Just updating. Now over a year later and I called in to TT today and I quoted the incident # from September 08 and very quickly I was given gratis the new maps 840.2562. I quickly updated to App 8.351 and the dload and install of the new maps went w/o incident.

 

[dhn]

Don't hold your breath waiting to see aLG in Ontario in the 840 as far as I can tell.

If you DO, please let us know here where you see any evidence of it.

 

[21rouge]

Don't hold your breath waiting to see aLG in Ontario in the 840 as far as I can tell.

Actually I am not so concerned by this anymore. I was just kind of pleased to get the latest maps for free after not updating for over a year. The install was painless and I do notice some worthwhile corrections and additions to my part of the world. And I was a bit worried that the longer I wait (going on 15 months) the more chance that the incident # might get 'lost' in the shuffle and I would forfeit my opportunity to get a free map.