GO 720 - first impressions

[Goodbye]

Well I've had my GO 720 for a few days now, and I love it! The screen is great, and I love how it automatically adjusts the brightness for the surrounding environment. The bluetooth function is especially handy, as it now means I can get rid of my troublesome bluetooth speaker that I had.

A couple of things though - due to our map provider being idiots, the MapShare function isn't available in Australia - a feature I really want to be able to use, as last year a new road opened making my commute to work so much quicker. This road shows up on my 720, but it is blocked. So everytime I go to work, or come back, it tells me to go the longer way and keeps telling me to turn around when I'm on the new road.

Also the speech recognition is disabled in Australia. Now I don't know how much I'd really use it if it was available, but I'd like to have the option.

Despite these two shortcomings, why is the unit still sold at the same RRP as other countries? It's a real pity, because with MapShare, it would make this unit pretty much spot-on.

 

[racefan]

The voice input speech may be able to work. Look around here there a couple threads with the ways to enable it on the 720 at lease the US version but it would be e esay try.

 

[Lobo777]

I agree...don't just assume, read around and try some of what the other postings have to offer. You have nothing to lose, either it works or it don't.

 

[Goodbye]

It doesn't work I had a look at the workaround with using the latest GPS firmware, the file is there with the correct number, but the button for Address by Voice is greyed out.

I have had a look around on other forums and other people say the same.

 

[racefan]

Did you install the .dat file. that is required to make this work


read this http://tomtomforums.com/showthread.php?t=4741

 

[Goodbye]

Yep, as I said in my last post - the file is there. It's some limitation with the Australian maps apparently.

 

[dhn]

Yep, as I said in my last post - the file is there. It's some limitation with the Australian maps apparently.

That may not be the entire issue, Goodbye.

It appears that you run TTHome on a Mac. That being the case, I believe you are limited to version 6.xx of the map. If so, I can tell you that, in North America, it requires version 7.10 of the NA map (as well as firmware 7.221 and the .dat file) to make everything work together.

So, yeah, the map version is 1 problem, the firmware version may be another.

Curious, do you have csspeech.dat files in your Australia map folder? And what are the firmware versions and the map versions?

-------------

Sorry, reread posts and you may have proper map.

 

[Goodbye]

After my last debacle with Tomtom regarding the maps, I made sure that this time I'm doing everything through the Windows version of Home (by running Windows on my Mac). So I have the latest firmware and the latest v7 maps.

I do have a cspeech_AUS.dat file, by the way.

 

[Goodbye]

Ok, just playing around with the unit tonight, and I discovered that if I select "Navigate to... and choose "Postcode", then select the Suburb, I am able to say the street name, but that's all. That's the only place on the unit that I am able to use the spoken commands. Any ideas?

 

[dhn]

Ok, just playing around with the unit tonight, and I discovered that if I select "Navigate to... and choose "Postcode", then select the Suburb, I am able to say the street name, but that's all. That's the only place on the unit that I am able to use the spoken commands. Any ideas?

That's interesting........

With some versions of maps/firmware, users find they can use VR for street NUMBERS only, but streets but not numbers is a new one to me. When you get to the screen for numbers, are the lips greyed out again?

 

[Goodbye]

There's no option for speaking anything else.

On other Australian forums, people have had it confirmed by Tomtom that Speech Recognition doesn't work here.

Just another way that our units are less featured than the American or European units - yet still the same price and still advertising the features that we can't actually use.

 

[dhn]

There's no option for speaking anything else.

On other Australian forums, people have had it confirmed by Tomtom that Speech Recognition doesn't work here.

Just another way that our units are less featured than the American or European units - yet still the same price and still advertising the features that we can't actually use.

Well, don't despair, mate. The North American 720's were never supposed to have speech recognition either and, officially, still don't. It's just a 'hack' people stumbled upon one day last November that allowed those with the right combination of software + map version + added file that enabled the feature.

Who knows? Maybe, the next firmware update for those of you in Oz will trigger the feature, too.

 

[Goodbye]

Yet more ways for me to use voice recognition - when adding POIs. If I tap "Add new POI" then "Address" I am able to speak the city and then the street - and it works perfectly. So why not let us navigate by spoken commands too??!?!?!

 

[RossH]

I have the Go 720 with v7 Australian maps and firmware 7.221. Having made the recommended change to asr.dat voive recognition works on Aust maps although not fully. Go to Navigate To and then pick Address (or City) and at bottom right click on "red lips" . This gives you VR for City and street. Works very well on mine.

 

[dhn]

I have the Go 720 with v7 Australian maps and firmware 7.221. Having made the recommended change to asr.dat voive recognition works on Aust maps although not fully. Go to Navigate To and then pick Address (or City) and at bottom right click on "red lips" . This gives you VR for City and street. Works very well on mine.

I guess this is the place where, if I were a Brit, Kiwi, or Aussie, I'd say "Brilliant!" but, since I'm a Canuck, I simply say, "That's good to hear, eh"

 

[MLDEVER]

Only My Spoken Cities Work It Will Ask For A Street But Will Gray After I Say It

I Followed All Of Your Great Advice And Got The Icons Up But Now Only The Cities Work It Will Ask For The Street Name But Goes Gray After I Say The Name.

 

[The Brit]

That's interesting........

With some versions of maps/firmware, users find they can use VR for street NUMBERS only, but streets but not numbers is a new one to me. When you get to the screen for numbers, are the lips greyed out again?

Interesting. Having done all the hacks on my 720, I find the VR works great... but only for city and street. Numbers I still have to enter manually.