Considering a TomTom GO 740 Live

[dwdionis]

Given that my RDS-TMC service was declared "un-renewable" by TomTom customer service, my GO 730 is pretty much useless now.

I'm considering giving TomTom one more shot, and the 740 LIVE is a logical buy as it uses as separate traffic service.

I've found no reliable place to get one online, however.

Amazon.com: TomTom GO 740 Live 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable Live Internet Connected GPS Navigator: Electronics

Offers it for $140 - but something seems off. Who the heck are BLINQ?

Amazon.com: TomTom GO 740 Live 4.3-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator (Factory Refurbished): Electronics

Is a refurbished one for $170, but lots of people have complained about missing pieces, etc.

Best Buy offers it for a whopping $320, and Newegg for $300.

Something is sketchy about those Amazon ones - anyone got any advice? I'd pay a solid $200 for it.


Also, will its interface be highly comparable to the GO 730? Based on what I've seen online, it seems to be quite identical.

 

[gordom1237]

I got a GO740 Live from Blinq myself a couple of weeks ago for the $140. Arrived quickly, was in the box and new as advertised. I decided to switch to this from my (elderly but working well) GO730 because it will wear out one day and I"m not thrilled with the new TT models and wanted to get a GO740 Live while I could.. The price was good too. Bought a Jabra Crusier2 Handsfree at the same time to get around the no FM transmitter thing and stream music from my phone to the radio now. I'm happy with my decision and purchases.
As an aside, I was able to get some cheap (round connector) RDS-TMC traffic receivers for under $4 (Amazon) which each last for a year without needing a renewal that work on my GO730. You might want to go that route instead if you can still find some.

 

[canderson]

Know nothing about Blinq, and they have only 28 users responding on their service so far. I wouldn't turn down a refurb unit, though. I'm sure they show up with MOST of the pieces, and if it doesn't, you've got both Amazon and TomTom to fall back upon to get you what might be needed.

740 is a nice rig. I did the same as you did, moving from a 720 (with firmware upgrades, pretty much indistinguishable from a 730). As long as you didn't need the MP3 player, 1/8" aux out or the FM transmitter, you should be happy with it.

 

[dwdionis]

Does the GO740 come with a car-charger cable that has an inbuilt RDS-TMC receiver?

Plus some internal device to receive traffic via... AT&T cell towers?

Can someone explain how reliable / effective these services are?

Someone reviewer also said that it "doesn't run directly off of car battery" ... ?

What I'm thinking he's saying is that you can't simply plug it in and have it work regardless of its battery condition? Sounds like non-sense to me, but a clarification would be nice (these days my GO730 sits in my storage box, then gets put on the dash, plugged in, and works fine.... this is what I would expect from the GO740).

 

[canderson]

Does the GO740 come with a car-charger cable that has an inbuilt RDS-TMC receiver?

Yes. The 740 Live comes with both a "normal" car charger cord and one with the little bump on it that contains the RDS-TMS receiver.

Plus some internal device to receive traffic via... AT&T cell towers?

It's actually a built-in cell phone, for lack of a better description. SIM card and everything. It goes out to the TomTom server for a variety of services, including traffic. They throw in a few months for free, then you can decide if you want to continue with it. One nice thing about the Live services is that you aren't bound to the limited set of POI that come with the TomTom. You can fire up Google over Live, find the place you want to go that way, and navigate to it.

Can someone explain how reliable / effective these services are?

Nuts. For some reason, this software refuses to display a person's location info while typing replies. I can tell you that here in Colorado, the Live services have been outstanding. In some cities, it's not always so easy.

Someone reviewer also said that it "doesn't run directly off of car battery" ... ?

That is correct. You MUST use the car charger or similar to power it. These units don't run on 12VDC - they expect a 5VDC power source -- the car adapter is primarily a voltage down-converter.

What I'm thinking he's saying is that you can't simply plug it in and have it work regardless of its battery condition?

NOT true. The car charger has more than enough ampacity to both charge and operate the unit with a depleted battery, just like your 730.

 

[Andy_P]

740 is a nice rig.
...
As long as you didn't need the MP3 player, 1/8" aux out or the FM transmitter, you should be happy with it.

???
Is this some weird difference between US and UK models again?
The Go 740 I have in front of me does have the MP3 player and FM transmitter (for music only, in most recent software versons)

1/8" aux out is also available on both of the "alternative" docks for it.

 

[canderson]

???
Is this some weird difference between US and UK models again?
The Go 740 I have in front of me does have the MP3 player and FM transmitter (for music only, in most recent software versons)

Sure that isn't a 940? No, we have no FM transmitter here. And the only way we can get any music through one is via an iPod capable doc, not sold here.

1/8" aux out is also available on both of the "alternative" docks for it.

Open up an export shop, Andy. TomTom refuses to sell that dock here in North America. The only reason I have access to one is that someone (Mike) was kind enough to send me a sample from your side of the Atlantic.

Given that the OP is on my side of the Atlantic (had to check his IP address before answering...)

Speaking of which - ALL users. Many times, the answers to your questions will depend upon where you are in the world. We don't need your GPS coordinates, but a country at a minimum, please!

 

[Andy_P]

Sure that isn't a 940?

You are right of course!
I DID have a 740 but it got swapped for a 940 and I always forget they only put FM on the big one especially as I was used to all the x20's having it.
Sorry for the confusion .

Speaking of which - ALL users. Many times, the answers to your questions will depend upon where you are in the world. We don't need your GPS coordinates, but a country at a minimum, please!

Yes please!
I also keep getting caught out by US users calling their their XXL540's' and XL550's just "540" or "550", when we have the Go 540 and Go550 too over here.

 

[gordom1237]

The Go740 Live from Amazon (Blinq) for $140 are not TM's so they only come with the regular car charger. TT has the USB LT traffic receiver/ chargers on sale for $39.95 now.

 

[gordom1237]

To clarify, the USB LT (Lifetime) traffic receiver/ charger will work on the GO740 Live as a backup traffic data source or if you decide not to renew Live Services.. The Live traffic service will take precedence and disconnect the RDS-TMC service while Live is connected. The USB LT traffic receiver/ charger will not work with your GO730.

 

[Andy_P]

The USB LT traffic receiver/ charger will not work with your GO730.

According to the TomTomForums.com Reference Chart the USB or the round plug RDS-TMC receivers will work with the Go730, but the Ccigar lighter version won't.

 

[gordom1237]

The round plug traffic/ receivers (with one year, no subscription necessary) still work on the GO730. USB traffic receivers will not work on the GO730 once the subscription runs out because TT has stopped supporting renewals. The USB LT (Lifetime) traffic receivers will work on the GO740 but not the GO730.

 

[dwdionis]

Will GO 720 RDS-TMC receivers work with the 730?

If I get some from Amazon or EBAY, they should work right from the 'packaging'?

 

[mvl]

Will GO 720 RDS-TMC receivers work with the 730?

If I get some from Amazon or EBAY, they should work right from the 'packaging'?

Yes, the 720 and 730 use the same receivers. Make sure they're for North America. They are continent-specific.