New TT 720...Need The Infooo!

[Mr Scruff]

Hi Guys,

Been reading for a little while and after years of trying to 'make do' with a PDA, seperate GPS receiver and TomTom, I've finally bitten the bullet and bought myself a TomTom Go 720 as I need an easy solution for work.

I don't have any specific questions, more of general advice at the moment, My TT doesn't arrive until Monday and I'm sure, as with anything, the moment it's through the door, I'll want to hook it up, update it and play with it.

Having read of all the problems people have been experiencing with updates and maps, what should I do with my brand new, clean TT to stop me ruining it by updating straight away to whatever the brilliant minds at TT HQ say I should?

Further to this, any cool tips/tricks I can utilise to make my TT even better than it is stock from the box?

Thanks people,

Mr Scruff

 

[dhn]

Hello and welcome to TTF!

When you first get the unit, connect it to the docking station and let it charge for at least 3 hours.

Then, use Explorer and make a full backup of your unit's contents, ensuring hidden files and folders are showing. An Explorer backup (and restore, if necessary) is more reliable than using TomTom's Home software which will come with the unit.

You will likely be offered an update to Home's software. Accept it and let it download and install.

The map installed will not be the current one (8.25). You have 30 days to take advantage of the Latest Map guarantee to get the current map for free. There will NOT be a newer map than 825 in the next month so you may as well take advantage using Home's menu option (more later on this ....).

But, in order to be offered the latest map, you also need an application of 8.3+. The way to tell what application you have installed is by tapping the satellite bars on the unit. The next screen shows the application version number. Now, tap the version number and the next screen will show the map version installed.

Ok, at this stage, you should have an updated Home version. You will probably (or should) be offered an application update to the newest (8.302). Accept it and download and install.

NOW, you are ready to try for the LMG. If it offers you 825 right away, then great. Accept it and let it download and install (may take well over an hour .... best if you have a direct, not remote connection to the router/modem).

But, TomTom Home is notorious for saying you have the latest map when you know you don't (remember you checked the version number above....) If that happens, you have to call support at 866-486-6866 and they'll add 825 to your account, which you set up at TomTom.com. It is your email address and password.

After you have all application updates and the latest map, make ANOTHER full Explorer backup to a different folder on your computer.

 

[Mr Scruff]

Wow, thanks for the super quick and informative reply! So I should expect no issues with the newest update? Stuttering voices, no FM Transmitter etc?

 

[dhn]

The stuttering voice problem seems to pretty well have been solved with firmware 8.302.

The loss of fm transmission for navigational voices WILL still be there with the application. There is a rumour a new application is coming soon to restore fm functionality.

It's a catch 22 situation. You can't make use of the IQ2 mapping in map 825 without application 8.3x and you don't get fm transmission of navigational voices WITH that application.

That's why we're all hoping an application update comes ............ SOON!

Sorry.......just realized where you are located. The toll free number I provided was for North America, not the UK.

 

[mvl]

If you're in the UK, tomtom will never re-enable the fm transmitter. They disabled it to honor a UK law.

Tomtom tech support has told some forum members that they are planning to re-enable the transmitter for US/Australia customers. UK is definitely out of luck, and maybe the rest of the EU is out of luck too.

 

[Mr Scruff]

If you're in the UK, tomtom will never re-enable the fm transmitter. They disabled it to honor a UK law.

Tomtom tech support has told some forum members that they are planning to re-enable the transmitter for US/Australia customers. UK is definitely out of luck, and maybe the rest of the EU is out of luck too.

That is confusing, seeing as you can buy FM Transmitters for iPod almost anywhere in the UK now, especially on the high street.

Anyway, in other news, I received my TT today and got a nice surprise when I opened the delivery packaging...a leaflet with the activation code for 2 years free map update service apparently giving me 8 free maps over the next 24 months. That's a bit of a bonus hey!

TT is charging now so I'll have to go and twiddle my thumbs elsewhere!

 

[dhn]

Yep, you Brits seem to get all the luck with the 2 years of free maps for selected Go models!

After charging the unit (good that you are doing it...) remember to make a complete Explorer, not Home, backup of your unit's contents. Ensure hidden files/folders are showing.

Then, upgrade your application (free: current version is 8.302) and take advantage of the Latest Map Guarantee (actually, kinda funny......since for the rest of us, the LMG is good for 30 days, for you it's 2 years, essentially! ), Anyway, go get it (version 8.25) and then make another full Explorer backup to a different folder.

 

[Mr Scruff]

Ok, didn't think I'd need help this quick!

I updated everything and then started LMG. It downloaded it fine, and then when installing it, suddenly ran out of room and aborted. I realised the TTS Computer voice of 'Jane' was 47odd mb so I removed that I tried to reinstall the map. It started downloading it again! I can't wait another 2 hours before I can play!!!

Help, can I install the map another way now it's downloaded somewhere?!

 

[dhn]

You know what I would STRONGLY suggest? Go and get a 4-gig sdhc card. Install and let the map get installed to it. I wish I had done that over a year ago when I first tried updating the map and had aggrevation after aggrevation stripping files in order to get the bloody map to fit in internal.

Finally did get the card and have put the (825) map onto it and kept the application and all other stuff on internal. Plentry of room for more voices, etc.

 

[Mr Scruff]

I've taken the voice off now anyway. It's not the most important feature for me but would rather have the updated map until I can get a SDHC card to load all the other bits on.

I've got the latest full EU map downloaded, is there a way of just copying the folder over from the map folder in My Documents to the device? If so, which files/folders do I need to replace?

 

[Mr Scruff]

Or....I have got a spare 2gig card here...can I load the map onto that and just put it in and expect it to find it?!

 

[dhn]

You don't gain much with a 2 gig card since that is the size of the internal storage. You'll still have a bother squeezing the map onto it. Trust me, go for a 4-gig.

 

[mikealder]

A few points about the UK / European issues with the FM Tx, the actual part that has caused the problem is point 8 of This extract where a device is no longer permitted to transmit on the FM band for more than one minute if silent.

Use of FM transmitters for music is fine as that is a continuous non silent transmission, the silent gaps between tracks are less than 60 seconds thus an FM Tx unit is fine to use for music. Navigation units on the other hand tend to issue short bursts of speech interspersed by long periods of silence which is against the (new) rules.

Both TomTom and Garmin removed the ability to use the FM Tx recently, although Garmins interpretation was slightly different (better), you can still use the FM Tx for navigation instructions IF you have music playing at the same time.
We hope a software update by TomTom will also return the FM Tx in the same way, this has been mentioned by a few people recently on other forums, assuming this does go ahead if all you want are the navigation instructions via FM Tx then install a silent mp3 track and set that playing - this solution works fine on the Garmin units and I would expect the same for TomTom if this implementation is indeed carried out.


As for memory cards, I use 16GB SDHC cards in my devices, this is possibly over the top, 4GB offers plenty of scope, but if you want plenty of music on the unit 8GB or higher is a better bet, and with prices very low why not think big.

Another way around the FM Tx issue is to "dual boot" the device, this involves putting the old map and old software on the device memory and the new map/ new software on the memory card, insert the card and the device will boot from the card using the new maps, with IQ-2 data but no FM Tx, take the SD card out and the device will boot from the internal memory using the old map with no IQ-2 but functional FM Tx - Mike

 

[canderson]

That is confusing, seeing as you can buy FM Transmitters for iPod almost anywhere in the UK now, especially on the high street.

You're missing the point of the UK law - but you seem to be in very good company.

The rule states that one cannot produce a lengthy UNMODULATED carrier. If you're listening to music, the FM carrier is modulated (has sound impressed upon it). That is also why the TomTom continues to allow for playing of music over FM.

Now ...

think about what you have between navigation instructions on a TomTom ... a nice FM carrier, but ...

 

[canderson]

A few points about the UK / European issues with the FM Tx, the actual part that has caused the problem is point 8 of This extract where a device is no longer permitted to transmit on the FM band for more than one minute if silent.

Ugh. This started out as a UK rule. I see from your excerpt that it's coming from the Swiss now. Are you aware of any concerted effort in Belgium to make this a harmonized EU-wide rule?

Based upon the rule, TomTom could always include something every 59.9 seconds that says "Continue on current route". That would NOT qualify as a 'pilot tone' under the current rules

Too many bureaucrats, too much time...

 

[mikealder]

I am not too sure where this all started, whether it was European or UK it really doesn't matter to the community of sat nav users, the up shot remains the same, periods of silence on the FM band of greater than 60 seconds are no longer permitted.

We can only hope TT don't create a work around where the device has to say something every minute to get around this stupidity, it would drive me up the wall having the same instruction issued every 60 seconds or so!

"Too many bureaucrats, too much time" Yup I fully agree with you, the really stupid part about all of this though is the ruling would be impossible to enforce. An FM transmitter of such low power to meet the CE marking (another stupid European invention) is hardly detectable from the outside of a vehicle, once the vehicle starts to move it is impossible to detect the signal unless following in very close proximity to the transmitter - sheer stupidity the whole affair - Mike

 

[drledger]

Welcome to the forum mike. The dead air broadcast is a strange thing since the low power fm transmitter is hardly jamming commercial stations. And I agree tt could simply have the unit transmit a dot or dash every sixty seconds. Hopeful a solution or at best a workaround will be coming soon.

 

[Called To Construct]

The dead air broadcast is a strange thing since the low power fm transmitter is hardly jamming commercial stations. And I agree tt could simply have the unit transmit a dot or dash every sixty seconds. Hopeful a solution or at best a workaround will be coming soon.

I still think a good / quick work around would be to require one of the following:

FM Transmit Off
FM Transmit Music Only
FM Transmit Music + Driving Instruction

Sure, you could build a playlist with silent .mp3s, but really, there are plenty of ways to circumvent the "safety" features of any device. I think it is a reasonable work around.