Accesories for the New series tomTom's XLS, 520.720.920

[Petrofun]

Hello
I'm a newbie here in this forum,I was reading about your use of SD cards and adding an external antenna in previous post.
I just inherited a go630 which I would like to use with my truck camper, whit a good portion of it over the cab blinding the satellite signal.Sure would appreciate to hear your point of view on this project.
Thanks

 

[canderson]

Does the 630 have the coax plug near the top rear of the unit for the antenna? It'll be a semi-round rubber boot that fits into the hole over the connection. I've never had on in my hands to look.
SD and SDHC cards are no problem if the unit's code is current.

 

[Petrofun]

Good morning.
Hey! thats great! I like this.
Yes it does have the (MCX type) antenna connection in the back.
Yesterday I got an answer from Tomtom support saying they dont make external antennas anymore.
But after a little more squeezing,I finally learned that the model # that was suitable for the 630 is 9N00.000. which I cant find nowhere He added that the model#: 4N00.002 that I have found on Ebay add #:360811077388 is not suitable even though the advertisement says it does fit the GO630.
I dont have sufficient knowledge to differentiate why it wouldn't fit,but I think I would rather trust you to answer.
The units code number is probably something I can provide but I dont have a clue where and what to look for.
The SD card, there is a place for it under the unit and a little black piece of plastic in it (blank) in my research I found ..internal memory 2 Go and further this: 64 Mo of RAM....14 Mo available.
I understand there are sizes, but dont know at all what is there purposes and if I need that and what would be a proper size.
I have more informations noted but dont know what they mean.
I thank you very much.
I am now more confident with someone supporting my efforts.
Have a nice day.
Pierre

 

[canderson]

The MCX style connector on a GPS antenna should be all you need. You may find a right angle version more convenient depending upon the mount, but it will need appropriate depth before the 'turn'. If a straight connection will work for you, then an antenna like this should suffice >>> http://www.mountguys.com/product_p/mcx-tomtom710.htm

Before you go to that trouble, though, you might want to see how well it performs even with the area above it masked as you describe. There is even a special page that shows the number of satellites you are receiving and the signal strength of each.

As to the SD card, assuming your unit is currently at code level 8.302 or above, you can pop in an SDHC card of your choosing. Not knowing what you plan to install on the card, it is difficult to gauge the correct size for you, but most of us with x20 and x30 units do just fine with a 4GB card. You'll need to tell us what you're going to do with the card before we can say for certain. You will want Class 6 or higher speed to keep up with the unit. Class 4 would slow it down some, and Class 10 is more than it needs, so let price decide for you on a Class 6 or faster card.

The trick to finding your firmware version (and that satellite page I mentioned) is the lower right corner of the screen. Give that a press and see where it takes you.

 

[Petrofun]

Good to hear.
About trying it out on my vehicle,this is exactly what I did the day it was remitted to me after the heritage was settled.
I had no way to know in what operative state it was except plugging it up while inside the cabine to see if it would do the same as my old Garmin Nuvi 250 and that means an always fluctuating number of detected sattelite from none at all to maybe 2 or 3 at the most and I am not driving around .just sitting there in the middle of a field where my rig is parked.
I have to admit the Tomtom got 4 for very brief periods if I moved it around from ,front to rear and side to side in the cab.
I think it would help a lot if I plunked the antenna on the front of the hood and run the coax underneath it to inside the cabine.
As for the firm ware version. a lot of info popped up,so I'll give you what I think is all right :GPS V1.20, Boot 5.5120 there is also App.9.510.1234792.1,OS842337 and also 2039,4/4/2013)
64Mb RAM (Free : 14.7Mb )
Device AK6HG BJE86
map: "North_ America_ 2 Gb " v810.1907
I did put it back to language: English US
Thats all there is on that page.
For the SD card I dont know what or how to do things with that.
What I would like to do is update my map( two updates available at $19.96 are to go on it) and write my own itinaries and store them somewhere so I can go by the roads I wish ,not necessarely the Tomtom wish.
I am not sure it can be done though.
Sorry for beeing so long
Thanks a lot
Pierre
Product Certification NF-469
Compliant with NF Mark

 

[canderson]

Your firmware is up to date - current as can be. If you ever have reason to increase available memory (and that may be soon - we're starting to see larger and larger North American map sets!), rest assured that a card of the type mentioned will work for you. Many of us keep all of our map data on SD or uSD cards on our units and leave internal to all else.

Your map really is old! 810 was released back around June of '09 give or take a month.

Yes, you can create itineraries for the 630. You can create and store as many as will fit into memory, with as many as 48 waypoints each. We recommend programs like TYRE for this purpose (see http://www.tyretotravel.com )

 

[Petrofun]

Hey ! hey... talk about good news.
So what is and where is that firm ware number that lets you know it is current as can be ?
Now that I know more about the SD card with 4GB ,which one to choose between SD or SDHC ?
What is X30 meaning?
I'm OK about the speed 6 or 10 as per priced when I buy the card.
I am understanding that I just put the card in the space provided and what will be too much for the internal memory will overflow on there by itself, is this correct?
That TYRE program, is there a tutorial for it,because I would like to use the Google Earth coordinates that I know how to vizually pinpoint on their views.
It seems everybody with Garmin where using Google Maps ,but I could never manage to read the coordinates with good precision on their maps to use them with my older Garmin Nuvi 250 .
Your comment about this choice is more than welcome.
Your support is helping me a great deal.
Thanks a lot.
Pierre

 

[dhn]

A 630 can work with a sdhc card up to 32 gb in size but that is overkill. As canderson says, get as fast a card (4gb or 8gb) as you can afford. Deal with known brands, not the crap you find on ebay. Sandisk is a good one but there are others.

 

[Petrofun]

Thanks DHN for the info.Its all welcome.
Just out of lack of knowledge isn't SANDISK a Scandinavian wood tool company?

 

[dhn]

Don't know if there is a company by that name. There IS a storage company by that name:

http://www.sandisk.com/

 

[Petrofun]

Ok No offense
Thanks
Pierre

 

[dhn]

None taken.

 

[canderson]

So what is and where is that firm ware number that lets you know it is current as can be ?

9.510 (2039)

What is X30 meaning?

Unit models 630, 730, 930. All similar models.

I am understanding that I just put the card in the space provided and what will be too much for the internal memory will overflow on there by itself, is this correct?

No, that's not how it works. When you get the card, let us know. You will want to move some items to the card manually. After that, they will be updated there by Home automatically as needed.

That TYRE program, is there a tutorial for it,because I would like to use the Google Earth coordinates that I know how to vizually pinpoint on their views.

It's really not difficult. You'll need to enter latitude and longitude numbers if you use Google Earth.

It seems everybody with Garmin where using Google Maps ,but I could never manage to read the coordinates with good precision on their maps to use them with my older Garmin Nuvi 250 .

Zoom up, put your mouse over the spot you want. Right click and select "What's here". The coordinates for wherever your mouse pointer was will appear in the location bar in the form similar to this: 42.002256,-105.545977

 

[Petrofun]

Wow! I've got work to do .
I will keep you informed.
Thanks
Pierre

 

[Petrofun]

Hi canderson.
Today after searching the internet and getting toroughly mixed up with brands of SD cards. I at least had a bracket of price to guide me (all US prices) since there was $$ ""A""$$ price for shipping ,I called the local computer store that cares for my PC about an SD card to fit my Gps. thanks to your information I could tell him what was needed.
I finally bought a KINGSTON SDHC 16GB Class 10 30MB/s and after checking my Gps model for suitability, he installed it whitout doing (transferring or updating )anything and checked that it was recognised, which it was.
So for 22.98$ CAN. tax included and installed I have the card and now my GPS has this in it :
68MB used out of 2048MB for the internal card.
15490 MB with the new SDHC card
64MB of RAM with 14.7 MB left unused.
So next I will have to update my North America 2GB V 810.1907 map.
Do you think it would be worthwhile or even available the Life Map Updating ...its $79.96 for a year or if not ,how long is a life with Tomtom?

 

[canderson]

TomTom is still providing maps for their oldest units, so we don't yet know what 'life' actually means!

The decision as to whether to go the subscription route for maps rests in the frequency of changes in the areas in which you drive and plan to drive.
However, I'm not on top of this week's offers. You day "Life Map" (as in "Lifetime maps") - I don't think you can pay a one-time fee for a 630 to do that. I believe what you're looking at is $80 for a year of quarterly updates.
What would it cost you at present to only update to the current map, without any future updates?

 

[Andy_P]

T
Just out of lack of knowledge isn't SANDISK a Scandinavian wood tool company?

Were you thinking of Sandvik?

 

[Petrofun]

Were you thinking of Sandvik?

Ha ha ha ...My mistake ,yes thats what I had in mind

 

[Petrofun]

Hi canderson
Back in the saddle.
Last night after opening my totom HOME there was available an (no charge) update that had 2GB for North America maps all went along smoothly and it replaced what was on my tomtom namely V810.1907 with version v850.2781 using 1697.3 Mb
My SD card was in place but nothing went on it and I now have the map installed on my GPS.
What they are offering me now, are new versions of my installed map via their Update Services .They are updates at $17.99 CAN.$ each, every 3 months or for 12 months $79.95 less 10% at 71.96 CAN.$ ( works out to the same price)
They add "some new versions may not be installed completely on your GPS" Detailed Zone Map may be downloaded,but you can use only one Detailed Zone Map at a time. It is very easy to exchange them free of charge ( dont know what that means) I do need suggestions about whats better.
So now with my unit ready with my new SD card that as 15260 Mb free ( it went down 680Mb last night) and internal memory with 1956.2 Mb used and 74.1 Mb free I would be ready to follow your instructions to keep in place what stays in the internal memory of my device and transfer or install what goes on the new SD card.
Please keep in mind that this is very intimidating for me.
Thanks
Pierre

 

[canderson]

.
Last night after opening my totom HOME there was available an (no charge) update that had 2GB for North America maps all went along smoothly and it replaced what was on my tomtom namely V810.1907 with version v850.2781 using 1697.3 Mb

??? NO kidding? That was either purchased by the previous owner, or might have been the original map guarantee update. Who knows? Still ancient, but certainly 1 year older than what you had.

My SD card was in place but nothing went on it and I now have the map installed on my GPS.

Yes, that is normal. Home will try to replace an 'old something' with a 'new something' in whatever spot it currently resides.

They add "some new versions may not be installed completely on your GPS" Detailed Zone Map may be downloaded,but you can use only one Detailed Zone Map at a time. It is very easy to exchange them free of charge ( dont know what that means) I do need suggestions about whats better.

As more and more detail gets added to these existing maps, they no longer fit onto the older devices in one piece. So they break up various maps into 'zones' to make sure they'll fit - on even older devices than your 630 with even less memory. When you hook up to Home, you'll be offered the opportunity to unload and reload any zone from your PC (you'll need to have downloaded and installed them once each to move them on and off your 630). However, the 2GB units like the x20 and x30 series are still being loaded with single full maps. For example, my 740 (also 2GB) has the '2GB map' that just barely fits in internal memory -- if you don't allow for much else! The good news is that this 'zoning' has extended the life of (especially) the old 1GB units for quite some time to come.

So now with my unit ready with my new SD card that as 15260 Mb free ( it went down 680Mb last night) and internal memory with 1956.2 Mb used and 74.1 Mb free I would be ready to follow your instructions to keep in place what stays in the internal memory of my device and transfer or install what goes on the new SD card.

Uh oh. How the heck did your SD card go down 680MB last night? What got stored there? Let's check that our really quick before we move your map over to the card. I'd like to know what Home has already placed on the card first.