New XXL 540TM owner with questions

[tony22]

Hi everyone. I just got a 540TM after years of using a Garmin handheld. I did a bunch of research before getting the 540, and it didn't hurt that my best friend already owns one and gave it a good thumbs up.

I also found this site and a couple of others and read all the stuff about how to do a backup, and deletion of unnecessary voices etc before doing a map update. So I got it yesterday from Amazon (as an aside I'd like to know if the Amazon problems have been confirmed to a batch or serial number run), did all the stuff recomended by you smart folk here and now have a working 540TM with the latest map, POIs, and Safety cam data. Could not have been easier, if a bit slow. Since I'll be using it soon for real on a trip I wanted to get some questions out, in the hopes it will save some forum searching.

Is there a way to have the 540 announce when a safety cam is coming up? I see them on the display but was wondering if there's an audible alert.

How do I get data for a POI to show up on the display? If I see a restaurant icon, for example, and ask my wife to get the data, how would this be done? Can it be done as an overlay to the map?

I did notice the automatic rezoom, which I had read about before ordering this GPS. I'm not sure I like that, but maybe I'll get used to it. I also think it's too bad POIs can't be further categorized, but I saw that too during my research. I'm hoping the tradeoff for the good routing and rerouting capabilities (especially at this price) will make up for it. Thanks everyone.

 

[Thom]

I've got a 540TM as well.

Is there a way to have the 540 announce when a safety cam is coming up? I see them on the display but was wondering if there's an audible alert.

I get a tone when approaching an intersection with a speed camera. I don't think I did anything special to get this.

How do I get data for a POI to show up on the display? If I see a restaurant icon, for example, and ask my wife to get the data, how would this be done? Can it be done as an overlay to the map?

I don't do this much, but there is a way to get POI's to show on the map. I believe tapping them will give you a bit more info on the address, phone number, etc.

I did notice the automatic rezoom, which I had read about before ordering this GPS. I'm not sure I like that, but maybe I'll get used to it. I also think it's too bad POIs can't be further categorized, but I saw that too during my research. I'm hoping the tradeoff for the good routing and rerouting capabilities (especially at this price) will make up for it. Thanks everyone.

I've always had TomTom's so I don't know any different. I'm probably wrong, but this last map appears to be on a bit more of an angle over previous maps. It looks like I can see further down the road on the display. Again, maybe this is just me...

 

[tony22]

I get a tone when approaching an intersection with a speed camera. I don't think I did anything special to get this.

Hi Thom. Hmm, I passed two of them this morning and heard nothing. I set the volume inside my house last night and also set the "adjust volume to road noise" option. I even checked to make sure the sound was not turned off.

I don't do this much, but there is a way to get POI's to show on the map. I believe tapping them will give you a bit more info on the address, phone number, etc.

I tried tapping but it took me directly to the set up pages. More

 

[rustybirman99]

Hi Tony22, I downloaded trapster.com (which works much better in the US than TT's speed cameras) and chose to be notified of speed, red light cameras, police enforcement locations (verified). It is free and updated all the time. Following the directions these are set up as POIs in Tom Tom and you can set them with any of the TT tone options (cukoo, horns, etc) or use the customize option where it reads out any message you set up. For example, I set up the speed traps to SAY, "Speed trap, speed trap" as you approach known locations, and YOU set up how far away you want this notification to announce it. This is one main reason I can never see going to a Garmin which do not give you all these custom options. You took a gamble getting one from Amazon with their noted 540 bad (TT software) batch problem, but I hope you got a very new good one. I've had the 540TM since May/June and have not had any problems at all. I have been rerouted around traffic too many times to remember.

 

[tony22]

Hi Tony22, I downloaded trapster.com (which works much better in the US than TT's speed cameras) and chose to be notified of speed, red light cameras, police enforcement locations (verified). It is free and updated all the time. Following the directions these are set up as POIs in Tom Tom and you can set them with any of the TT tone options (cukoo, horns, etc) or use the customize option where it reads out any message you set up. For example, I set up the speed traps to SAY, "Speed trap, speed trap" as you approach known locations, and YOU set up how far away you want this notification to announce it. This is one main reason I can never see going to a Garmin which do not give you all these custom options. You took a gamble getting one from Amazon with their noted 540 bad (TT software) batch problem, but I hope you got a very new good one. I've had the 540TM since May/June and have not had any problems at all. I have been rerouted around traffic too many times to remember.

Thanks for this great info rusty. So far (one day! ) my 540TM seems to be working just fine, but it does have the "This functionality is not yet supported" problem for Home Operate My XXL. But it's not a software "problem" from what I understand... just a lack of the necessary emulator.