'North_America_P' vs 'USA_Canada_Mexico_P'

[pcguy]

I purchased two TomTom XL 335*TM this year. As advertised on the box, these have lifetime traffic (Clear Channel) and maps (US & Canada).

The first, purchased from Amazon in 7/2010, came with map 'North_America_P'.

The second, purchased from Target in 12/2010, came with map 'USA_Canada_Mexico_P'.
I believe the inclusion of Mexico in the map implies I got an XL 340*TM in an XL 335*TM box, which I'm pretty sure wasn't tampered with.

Besides having a different map, the second unit has a reduced number of voices (9 instead of 12), one less car image, and only one (vs. two) startup and shutdown images. I assume these reductions are to help the slightly larger map fit in the 2GB memory.

I actually purchased the second 335 because I was pleased with the first and wanted have Identical units in my two cars. So the inclusion of Mexico in the second unit was a surprise. I guess I could carry it with me the next time I land in Cancun.

But first I need the answer to 2 questions I hope someone here can answer:

1. The TT Home description of the 'North_America' map specifically mentions support for IQ routing. The description of the 'USA_Canada_Mexico' map makes no mention of IQ routing. Does that mean the second unit is not able to do IQ routing with that map? This is a must for me (at least in the USA).

2. The map with Mexico is only about 63 MB larger than the map without. Does that mean they took some details out of the US and Canada to add Mexico? What type of detail would be left out?

If the answer to either of these two questions is yes, I may want to ask TT to switch the second unit to the 'North_America' map it's supposed to have.

Both units have been updated to the current level of maps (v860.3121). Interesting that both versions of the map, 'North_America_P' and 'USA_Canada_Mexico_P' have the same version number.

Also both units (after updates) are running the same App (9.056.542741.2) and OS (541764).

So basically I'm asking if some or all of the IQ routing information (or other map detail) was squeezed out of the 'USA_Canada_Mexico_P' map to make room for Mexico.

Maybe the IQ routing is kept in a separate file in the map folder? If that's the case, I could compare file sizes.

Any insight is appreciated.

Richard

 

[dhn]

Strange...

The 335 series should have the USA_Canada map and it does come with IQ routing.

See here:
XL 335 Series - Car navigation - TomTom

 

[Rick F.]

Actually, my XL-335TM has 'North_America_P' subdir with the exact same map that the OP shares (see sig line below).

 

[dhn]

I give up...........

More errors on the US Tomtom site.

 

[Rick F.]

Sorry, can't address TomTom's website accuracy.

To Richard,

I purchased my XL-335 from Target in October. I think it came with map v845... which I updated after making my first Windows backup. I purposely bought the 335 over the 340 as I didn't think I'd ever need Mexico map. I thought that maybe this would offer a bit more room for future map updates. Not sure though.

If you look at the root dir of your device for the file "ttgo.bif" and open it with Notepad, you should see if it's the IQ route edition.

Mine shows (from original backup) the following (part of the SN is X'd out on purpose):

[TomTomGo]
DeviceName=TomTom XL IQ Routes Edition
DeviceVersionHW=XL IQ Routes Edition
DeviceSerialNumber=RU5160Bxxxxx
DeviceUniqueID=AKSG4 DJC56
RamDiskVersion=20100629
BootLoaderVersion=55136
LinuxVersion=541764
ApplicationVersionVersionNumber=9056
ApplicationVersion=542741.2
​

 

[pcguy]

Yeah, both units are TomTom XL-S IQ Routes Edition

Remember, both were sold as XL335TM. Only the second one has the map with Mexico.

Now that I've had a chance to use it some, it's clear that the second unit is doing IQ Routing (as compared to what my old ONE 125 did).

So the question is what, if any, information has been squeezed out of the map to make room for Mexico? Some miinor roads? Some IQ Routes data? Some POI data?

Maybe there's not that much data for Mexico and it all fits in the 63MB delta.

 

[pat3500]

Maybe there's not that much data for Mexico and it all fits in the 63MB delta.

Mexico only map is 63MB. http://www.tomtom.com/products/maps/select.php?D=68&M=925

So yeah, the only difference is the inclusion of Mexico. Seems like they sold you a 340 instead of a 335.

 

[canderson]

Mexico only map is 63MB. TomTom, portable GPS car navigation systems

So yeah, the only difference is the inclusion of Mexico. Seems like they sold you a 340 instead of a 335.

One quick way to tell (if the master table we use is correct). A straight XL340 in the US (not the XL340S or other suffixed models) has NO computer voices, and will not do text-to-speech (e.g., street names). The XL335 models all do so. If I purchased an XL335 and found it was a straight XL340, I'd return it for that reason alone, as it's one of the few feature differences, and the XL340 comes up short there.

 

[pcguy]

Pat, Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
That was exactly the link I needed. Why would I look there, since I never plan to buy a map?

So if you look at their descriptions of the three maps: North America (NA), Mexico (M), and USA, Canada & Mexico (UCM)

Comparing Size:
(NA) 1601.9 MB + (M) 63.0 MB = 1664.9 MB which is 0.6 MB more than (UCM)'s 1664.3 MB
So if any information is lost, it's less than 0.1% of (NA)
Actual Sizes of map 860.3121 as stored on device and reported by Home (except (M)):
(NA) 1605.3 MB + (M) 63.0 MB = 1668.3 MB which is 0.5 MB more than (UCM)'s 1667.8 MB


Comparing IQ Routes
(NA) specifically says "with IQ Routes? data for faster routing "
Neither (M) nor (UCM) mentions IQ Routes in the description - Which prompted my post in the first place (I was looking at similar descriptions via HOME). But their is an IQ Icon on the map inset for (UCM) - same as (NA). And my (UCM) unit seems to be doing IQ routing (at least in Texas). So I can only conclude that the marketers / lawyers couldn't agree on wording that the (UCM) map includes IQ data for US and Canada, but not Mexico. You'd think the lawyers would worry about the IQ Icon in the inset implying coverage for Mexico, too. Maybe it does, just not much data available.

Comparing POI's:
(NA) >7M+ (M) >.075M = (UCM) >7M Close enough

Comparing Coverage (Mexico only)
(M) 43% street network, (UCM) 41.5% of the street network
Maybe it was Mexico that got squeezed to fit the (UCM) map. More likely it's description didn't get updated with v8.60 data.

My conclusion:
I got lucky and managed to get XL 340TM packed in a XL 335TM box. And, since
1. I still get IQ routing where I want it (this car stays mostly in Texas) and
2. It looks like no significant map detail is lost
I'll be keeping it. I'll take this one when I cruise to Mexico.

Also:
DHN, I think this was just a packaging error, not website problem.

Canderson, This unit definitely has the computer voice (Susie), does text to speech. HOME calls it a TomTomXL*S IQ Routes Edition
What master table?

Thanks everyone.

 

[mvl]

The 335TM is only supposed to have USA & Canada, although the internal name of the map is North_America_P.

I also saw a batch of 335TM devices in Costco that had the USA_Canada_Mexico map, too. My guess is that there was a faulty image in the factory for a period of time.

So far, you won't lose anything. However, Tomtom knows about the 2GB max memory on all their XL IQroutes models. And if the Usa/Can/Mex map gets too big, they'll start stripping things away to make it fit 2GB. They've already done that on many Tomtom GO models. So long term, you might get a reduced-detail map during some future year of your subscription.

 

[Rick F.]

Interesting.

Some time ago I remember reading here on the forum that the 'North American' map had more detail. Not sure if that's still the case, but in comparing the map on my XL-335TM to the one on my 3rd edition (albeit a pretty old ver 7 map), I notice when driving by a neighborhood golf course with the XL model I can see some green fairways and a gray area where homes should be - also some un-named streets. Not sure if that's more detail they were referring to.