backwards compass

[white_shadow]

north/south are correct, but the east/west is backwards.

i dont know what info people need to help me out so tell me what you need and i will answer it. i have an xl-s, bought it feb 08, i plug it into my computer about once a month for any updates.

suggestions??

thanks in advance!

 

[mikealder]

A compass points to the North, the compass pointer on your TomTom does exactly the same thing - it really does work correctly - Mike

 

[sageuvagony]

A compass points to the North, the compass pointer on your TomTom does exactly the same thing - it really does work correctly - Mike

This is correct. Just confirming.

 

[white_shadow]

ahh, i was thinking the compass was pointing the direction i was going. i look at it tomorrow.

 

[doctormstein1]

compass

now it always points north

 

[jackspm]

I noticed this same problem on my 140S. When traveling East, the compass points to the Left instead of the Right.

 

[dhn]

No........it just points North. Lay the unit flat and you may see that better.

 

[Uglystick]

I noticed the same,

Wouldn't it be better if the arrow always pointing up, and the outside beveled around to the direction traveled like a real compass??

Think it would be easier to read...

 

[jackspm]

Aaaawwww.....I see. It functions like an old compass where it always point to the north direction. It would be better if user can select if you want to point north or point to the direction that you're going.

 

[AdamsHouseCat]

Sorry guys

A compass always points north. It is a compass thing. I would be an insult to all compasses to simply point in the direction you were traveling. A compass would be kicked out of the compass guild if ever caught doing anything of the sort.

Is this thread even real?

 

[AdamsHouseCat]

I noticed this same problem on my 140S. When traveling East, the compass points to the Left instead of the Right.

That is 100% what it should do. When travelling due east, due north is exactlly 90 degrees to the left

 

[AdamsHouseCat]

Aaaawwww.....I see. It functions like an old compass where it always point to the north direction. It would be better if user can select if you want to point north or point to the direction that you're going.

If you want, you can set your device to 2d maps and north always up.

 

[jackspm]

I do use 2d map, but not always point to north. I understand that a compass's function is to point north. But I think a digital compass for a car tells you the direction that you're traveling instead.

 

[AdamsHouseCat]

I do use 2d map, but not always point to north. I understand that a compass's function is to point north. But I think a digital compass for a car tells you the direction that you're traveling instead.

You can display your direction in DEGREES (0-360). This is a task bar option.

 

[Jim1900]

East and West ARE reversed

white_shadow was originally correct. East and West are reversed. Pardon my saying so, but the notion that it always points north is nonsense. South is correct for example. (I have a 720 if it makes any difference.)

Don't the developers ever test out their stuff?

 

[dhn]

You are incorrect, Jim. It always points North in v8 applications, not east or west. Lay your unit flat to get a better grasp of how it is showing.

 

[Jim1900]

Maybe "v8 applications" are different from what I am using in my 720, but east and west are backwards on mine. You could lay it flat, stand on your head, or take it to the moon and it would still be wrong. You can't have it correct in the north/south axis while being backwards (180 degrees) in the east/west axis and explain it otherwise.

 

[dhn]

Follow the following thread to the screenshots by Andy_P please.

 

[Jim1900]

OK, I think I see what you are saying, in that it is in reference to the displayed map, not true north (or true anything else). That is not of much use to me, but at least it shows what they were thinking. I will just turn off that analog compass display and rely on the digital readout, which gives a correct true heading. Or I may have to buy another compass, which seems a waste.

It is curious that they should chose one method for the analog readout and a different one for the digital readout, but thanks for the reference.

 

[mikealder]

or take it to the moon and it would still be wrong.

If you did this it wouldn't work at all as you would be above the height limit imposed upon civil GPS receivers, also you would be outside of the orbit of the GPS sats which is around 12,900 Miles - Mike