Disable early warning ... Doesn't.. and other issues.

[niknine]

New to TomTom , GPS devices, and this forum but I am a tech. head. My GO 720 unit OS and map are current.

1. I've set "Disable early warnings" but my GO 720 continues to warn me hundreds of yards early about upcoming turns. Am I missing something?

2. I was VERY surprised to learn that I can't control the line-out volume from the device. The volume controls are locked in line-out mode. Is there a work around for this, besides adding an external inline volume control?

3. I can't seem to balance the navigation voice and MP3 output in FM transmit mode. The navigation voice is barely audible over the MP3 output. Again, the 720 volume bars are locked in FM transmit mode.

-Nik

 

[mvl]

I've set "Disable early warnings" but my GO 720 continues to warn me hundreds of yards early about upcoming turns. Am I missing something?

I think Tomtom warns 2 miles and about 0.25 miles (depending on speed) before an exist. I think the disable early warnings preference gets rid of the 2 mile one, but not the 0.25 mile one.

2. I was VERY surprised to learn that I can't control the line-out volume from the device. The volume controls are locked in line-out mode. Is there a work around for this, besides adding an external inline volume control?

This was removed in app 7.480. You would have to downgrade to app 7.221 to have the line out control, but that application can't read any maps newer than version 725, so it really isn't an option. No workaround other than the inline volume.

3. I can't seem to balance the navigation voice and MP3 output in FM transmit mode. The navigation voice is barely audible over the MP3 output. Again, the 720 volume bars are locked in FM transmit mode.

I haven't had this problem - perhaps you can re-encode your MP3s at a lower volume.

 

[niknine]

Thanks for the tips. I'll check the "2 mile" out warnings. I did notice that if you calculate a route using the 'bicycle' option, all of the early warnings get disabled. I need to route via "bicycle" to get the driving route I was after and discovered this "feature".

I decided to put an in-line stereo audio control on the line-out. That seems to do the job, but still I think this is such an easy thing TomTom could implement.

I hit a case today were I actually tried to use the re-route feature due to a road block.

I was basically navigating this route, the start point shows my location when I asked to avoid the closest road block option.

Planned Route

GO 720 reported no detour available, but I knew this 16 mile route would work.

Valid Detour

Sorry, but I this as an epic failure! Sure I was on divided Hwy. but there were cross streets I could u-turn at. My only guess is that TomTom decided the detour was too long. Sorry, but if I ask for a detour give me one and I'll decide if it is too far!

 

[mvl]

I haven't tried the "avoid roadblock" feature so I don't know all its nuances. My suspicion is that it has a maximum detour length before it gives up, and your alternate may have been too far out of the way.

Instead, you could go into mapshare and erase (use the "block/unblock road" feature) the part of the road with the block. When it's clear, you can add it back later. Tomtom doesn't apply a max detour length with erased roads, so it should have no problems finding an alternate route.

 

[niknine]

@mvl - I appreciate the suggest, I really do; but for a $200 navigation device I shouldn't have to figure out how to do its job! IMO the GO 720 should have suggest a route, no matter how long it was. I mean "road block" means you have to turn or turn around.

Ideally, we should get some detour options by miles, or highway road, secondary road, or back road. I mean, I'm at a dead stop road is closed there is always an alternate.

I guess my biggest issues is that the darn thing just gave up and told me there was no detour!!! That should never happen! Maybe the detour takes 300 miles but there is going to be an option. Sorry, for me this is bad programming.

Generally I'm finding the unit does a poor job of picking side roads until you ask for a bicycle route. I suspect in my case since I was on "fastest" route GO720 refused to consider side roads. I still consider this unacceptable and a hug design flaw.

I'll post the case to Support and see what happens, I doubt anything.

 

[dhn]

I notice your sig line says you have NA map 7.10. If correct, it is almost 2 years old and has no IQ routing whatsoever.

If you update to the current map, (830) I think you'll find the routing much better .... especially since you do seem to have the latest application.

 

[adidas1124]

I notice your sig line says you have NA map 7.10. If correct, it is almost 2 years old and has no IQ routing whatsoever.

If you update to the current map, (830) I think you'll find the routing much better .... especially since you do seem to have the latest application.

100% agree... I love the GO720 and I have no problems with its routing... MUCH better than my old Magellan Maestro... that thing was a nightmare!!

 

[niknine]

I notice your sig line says you have NA map 7.10. If correct, it is almost 2 years old and has no IQ routing whatsoever.

If you update to the current map, (830) I think you'll find the routing much better .... especially since you do seem to have the latest application.

I'm waiting to get near the end of 30 day free update. I was told maps would update early August.

Regardless, the required roads for my detour exist in my current database. Isn't navigating an Application function, the maps are just a database. Ergo, the roads exist in the database yet the tool still didn't route through them.

 

[dhn]

Don't wait that long.......the last map was released May 17th. If TT releases after 3 months exactly, it'll be about the 17th of August.

 

[adidas1124]

Regardless, the required roads for my detour exist in my current database. Isn't navigating an Application function, the maps are just a database. Ergo, the roads exist in the database yet the tool still didn't route through them.

It's not only roads that are updated but the algorithms that go into producing a route... and detours etc.

 

[gatorguy]

I don't think the routing algorithm has changed. That's quite an undertaking and would be noticed pretty quickly as that would not apply only to the latest maps. The underlying data and specifically IQR, has certainly improved things. Road additions and geometry changes, poi's and locations, yes.

 

[niknine]

I submitted my detour issue to TomTom Support .... they apologized and closed my issue. Wow, that was helpful.

 

[mvl]

I submitted my detour issue to TomTom Support .... they apologized and closed my issue. Wow, that was helpful.

now that i think of it, ive never seen tomtom give up on a route because of distance. it gave up on poi searches, but not routes. was your issue on a divided highway. maybe the roadblock stopped you from going forward, and the 1way of the highway stopped you from backwards, causing tomtom to give up

 

[niknine]

@mvl It was a divided highway with a cross street ahead. Said cross street was prior to my specification of the roadblock.