auto-zoom dispair

[woodruff13]

The auto zoom is a fatal flaw. I'd love to find a way to turn it off. If not, my new TT1 XL goes on ebay.

Many of the posts say this "feature" cannot be turned off. Is this true? What were they thinking?

anyone else find this frustrating?

 

[46jimbo]

Are you referring to the way it zooms in close during a turn? I rather like that feature. But I agree that you should have a choice. But it's certainly not a deal breaker.

 

[Boyd]

anyone else find this frustrating?

Yes; on Garmin's Nuvi line you cannot turn it off either. My old StreetPilot 2620 allowed you to disable it, and my Garmin GPSMap 60csx allows you to turn it off. But the manufacturers seem to feel the need to ram this feature down our throats on their basic auto navigators.

BUT the TomTom Go 520, 720 and 920 do allow you to turn own autozoom. If you like the other TomTom features you could consider selling your current model and buying one of these.

 

[Starlogic]

I hate auto zoom

I hate the auto zoom, too. I would like to see a big picture (let say 50 miles around) when traveling highway. I need to tap minus sign (many times it shows the menu) and the TomTom keeps to zoom in after couple second. How nice would it be if it would keep the zoom I have chosen.

 

[adamdouglasking]

There's a checkbox to turn off the autozoom on the Go 720...

Page 4 of preferences, top center icon, with all options visible in the menus.
"Automatic zooming in Driving View: Enable, Disable"

Haven't tried it yet.

 

[Starlogic]

There's a checkbox to turn off the autozoom on the Go 720...

This is good that they finally implemented that. Unfortunately I have GO510 and it is not there.

 

[pixelpilot]

Sticky zoom settings are a must have for me. On long highway trips with sometimes hours between nav decisions or route direction changes, I like to pull way back and get a sense of the surrounding countryside, lakes, other roads, towns, etc. For this reason alone my ONE XL is probably going back. I've done some half-hearted searches for hacks but no luck. I never considered testing the zoom as it would never have ocurred to me Tomtom would be so idiotic as to make such a basic configuration option...well, a non option. Perhaps a 720 is in my future, we'll see.

Sure glad to find this site, though. If I stay with Tomtom at all it will be becuase I've discovered here in just one evening answers to many nagging questions not found in any "official" literature. There may be hope for me and Tomtom yet!

 

[Boyd]

This feature matrix should be helpful in comparing the differences between the models in TomTom's confusing lineup... http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/navcore7_breakdown_20071121.php

 

[Starlogic]

Sticky zoom settings are a must have for me. On long highway trips with sometimes hours between nav decisions or route direction changes, I like to pull way back and get a sense of the surrounding countryside, lakes, other roads, towns, etc.

I agree. This is a BIG minus for TomTom.

 

[Boyd]

I agree. This is a BIG minus for TomTom.

Not exactly.... it's a big minus for some models from TomTom. Unfortunately you need to do a little research before buying to insure that you get the features which are important, and the 520/720/920 let you disable autozoom.

FWIW, none of the Garmin Nuvi's allow you to turn off autozoom.

 

[pixelpilot]

Not exactly.... it's a big minus for some models from TomTom. Unfortunately you need to do a little research before buying...

Usually I research all my electronics purchases to death. This was a surprise gift from my wife who certainly meant well.

I'd also respectively suggest that user control over zoom settings is such a no-brainer that it's like saying make sure the unit comes with a screen, or a power button before you buy it.

Both my previous Garmin and Magellan units (both of them admittedly old and no frills) offered this. Now I'm looking at $150 plus to upgrade to the 720 just to get that feature which will also make my wife feel badly she chose something that I didn't like.

 

[46jimbo]

Pixelpilot, try using the TomTom in 2d mode. You see a lot more real estate. You can also switch over to 'Browse map' and see your route at any zoom level you want. (But the screen won't scroll.)

 

[pixelpilot]

Thanks for the comparo chart and the 2D suggestions, guys. In the end I returned the XL and coughed up the extra cash for the 720. I'm currently trying to implement a most interesting upgrade I learned of here to enable full voice recognition.

 

[yaric]

aotozoom

> FWIW, none of the Garmin Nuvi's allow you to turn off autozoom.

I get rid of TomTom v3 after a week of fight with autozoom, as you all I found that 'feature' makes device absolutely unusable. No wonder there are so many refurbished ones on the market.

But having a Garmin Nuvi 650 for a month I want to defend it. Yes, you can not switch it off, but zoom level in it is 'sticky'. What I meant, if you coming to intersection where you must turn, it will start zoom in, but after you pass intersection zoom will out to previously remembered setting. This way it always stays the way you like it, except zooming in for making a turn.

PS Getting rid of garmin now: no speed limits for canada, no over speed limit notification, POI is worse then TomTom.

 

[doctormstein1]

auto zoom

Just my opinion but I absolutely love the auto zoom feature on my 920. I would never consider turning it off but at least I have the choice of what to do.

 

[CynicX]

Just my opinion but I absolutely love the auto zoom feature on my 920. I would never consider turning it off but at least I have the choice of what to do.

Thats because its designed for people actually using the GPS for what it does. On the highway its zoomed out enough to see the road, get into tight city streets it zooms in so you can tell the difference from one road and another that is 15 ft away that you couldnt see if it was zoomed out...

I think a lot of people want these things to do more then they are designed too. Seriously, see the surrounding area like lakes and stuff? Why? Is there a road that goes through a lake? Is the lake prettier on a GPS display or looking at it with the naked eye?

That is why the feature of turning it off isnt preset on all models. Since it aids in driving directions you'll only find it on models that offer things that arent related to navigation, like a music players or picture viewers.

 

[gatorguy]

> FWIW, none of the Garmin Nuvi's allow you to turn off autozoom.

Incorrect. The nuvi 5000, any of the nuvi 800's or any of the 8x5's, all of which are Linux-based, allow you to turn off autozoom.

 

[great white]

Thats because its designed for people actually using the GPS for what it does. On the highway its zoomed out enough to see the road, get into tight city streets it zooms in so you can tell the difference from one road and another that is 15 ft away that you couldnt see if it was zoomed out...

I think a lot of people want these things to do more then they are designed too. Seriously, see the surrounding area like lakes and stuff? Why? Is there a road that goes through a lake? Is the lake prettier on a GPS display or looking at it with the naked eye?

That is why the feature of turning it off isnt preset on all models. Since it aids in driving directions you'll only find it on models that offer things that arent related to navigation, like a music players or picture viewers.

Umm, kinda disagree on some of that.

If the auto zoom wasn't so bloody slow on my 720, I might use it more. As it is, it's just distracting. I do use it, but have to be very picky about when it's on and off.

Also, the ability to see surrounding landmarks (ie: lakes, etc) helps to orient you on the map. The GPS knows where you are, but I need to know also and the little arrow isn't enough. Landmarks give me that spatial presence to know where that little pointer relates to the real world..

But, then again, I fly helicopters and navigate by landmarks on maps and the Garmin 500 GPS in the dash.

GPS is great and has taken a lot of work (and divorces!) out of navigating, but I need to follow it to make sure it's doing what it's supposed to be doing.

You should never follow it "blindly"....

 

[Robm]

You would think that a basic feature set would be across the board...regardless of model such as zooming

 

[dwilliams5]

Would be a nice update feature

I have a One v. 3. I know it is a base unit, but it does create an impression re: tomtom's quality and vision. On long trips in the middle of the Plains it would be nice to zoom out to max and set it so I can see the towns and POI coming up. Seems that autozoom is ok at slowish speeds and in congested areas, but when one is on the open interstate at 75 mph, it should be possible to quickly set it to be zoomed out.

This would be a great feature to add to an update.