Not Getting QuickGPSfix Updates

[sab]

I'm one of those freaks who likes to update my unit everyday . There would be QuickGPSfix updates daily in the past.

I have noticed that in the past few days Map Share updates are downloaded but I haven't received QuickGPSfix updates for a few days. Anyone else notice this or is it a problem with my unit?

 

[krvic]

I have experienced the same thing lately. Glad it is not just me. I was beginning to wonder myself.

 

[flyer1024]

There are several ways go get a gpsfix without using home. This one I use all the time....in fact I hardly ever open home anymore.....

http://home.tomtom.com/download/Ephemeris.cab?type=ephemeris&eeProvider=globalLocate&devicecode=xxxxxxxxx"

replace the x's with your device number. the file downloaded is a cabinet file so you need a file manager what can open .cab files. just copy the contents into your emphem folder on the tomtom.

 

[Rick F.]

There are several ways go get a gpsfix without using home. This one I use all the time....in fact I hardly ever open home anymore.....

http://home.tomtom.com/download/Ephemeris.cab?type=ephemeris&eeProvider=globalLocate&devicecode=xxxxxxxxx"

replace the x's with your device number. the file downloaded is a cabinet file so you need a file manager what can open .cab files. just copy the contents into your emphem folder on the tomtom.

Hey, this may come in handy when on vacation and away from 'HOME'! I tried this out, I went to that link (adding the device code for my unit in place of xx's), downloaded the cab file and noticed 2 files there. When I opened the cabinet, the date says 12/21/2102! (see attachment below). This seems strange. Is this correct? Seems odd when those files on my TT-3rd edition show June 4th... which is 2 days ago.

If this is correct, do I have to copy the "ee meta.txt file too?

Thanks.

 

[flyer1024]

the only file you need is the lto.dat file.

the date stamp on the files themselves is always crazy.....

the meta text file shows the expiry date in unix timestamp format I believe. copy the numbers in this file and paste into this link

http://www.onlineconversion.com/unix_time.htm

hit the submit button and it gives you the expiry date,....in this case June 11th...

leave it to tomtom to use such a system instead of just saying june 11th

 

[Gilbert]

the only file you need is the lto.dat file.

the date stamp on the files themselves is always crazy.....

the meta text file shows the expiry date in unix timestamp format I believe. copy the numbers in this file and paste into this link

http://www.onlineconversion.com/unix_time.htm

hit the submit button and it gives you the expiry date,....in this case June 11th...

leave it to tomtom to use such a system instead of just saying june 11th

The lto.dat file is good fro HammerHead gps chipset which comprises most if not all ONE models. For SirfStarlll gps chipset the file is packedephemeris.ee that comprise the following models: go510, go520, go530_1024, go530_2048, go710, go720, go730_1024, go730_2048, go730_4096, go910, go920, go930_4096. The number after some of the models refers to internal storage capacity. For SirfStarlll the download url should be: http://home.tomtom.com/download/Eph...s&eeProvider=SiRFStarIII&devicecode=2

Since I only own a ONE XL-S, I have yet to experiment with other models but took that info from some other board a while ago.

 

[Rick F.]

Okay, I'm confused.

I don't see a 'lto.dat' file anywheres. All I see is a file called: 'packedephemeris.ee'.

Is this not correct for ONE 3rd edition?

(again, see attachment above for file info)

Thanx.

 

[flyer1024]

that must be the one for your chipset. I get the lto.dat when I input my device number.

pop it into the emphem folder and see if it works. it can't hurt anything.

 

[Rick F.]

It worked!!

I replaced the existing file (which was called, 'packedephemeris.ee') with the one I downloaded manually. It worked just fine. My TT found the satellites in about 15 secs.

Thanks flyer!

** update edit **

When trying it again after creating an email with instructions, I now get the 'lto.dat' file... which won't work for my TT 3rd edition. I then tried the link that Gilbert posted ( http://home.tomtom.com/download/Eph...s&eeProvider=SiRFStarIII&devicecode=2 )
It works fine.

Thanx

 

[Gilbert]

It worked!!

I replaced the existing file (which was called, 'packedephemeris.ee') with the one I downloaded manually. It worked just fine. My TT found the satellites in about 15 secs.

Thanks flyer!

** update edit **

When trying it again after creating an email with instructions, I now get the 'lto.dat' file... which won't work for my TT 3rd edition. I then tried the link that Gilbert posted ( http://home.tomtom.com/download/Eph...s&eeProvider=SiRFStarIII&devicecode=2 )
It works fine.

Thanx

Good for you! Until a few weeks ago, if you had asked me which GPS chipset my XL-S was using and I would have answered the SirfStarlll because those were the specs listed on FutureShop for the XL-S model when I bought it. It is only when I learned the bit I posted here about the two different chipsets used by TT that I learned the truth. After all, if TT Home sends me the lto.dat file when requesting the ephemeris QuickFix, it must know about my GPS chipset...

OTOH, when reading the experts on GPS chipsets, they consider the HammerHead as a pretty good one and there are some who prefer it to the SirfStarlll.

 

[tmtmone_xl]

It worked

There are several ways go get a gpsfix without using home. This one I use all the time....in fact I hardly ever open home anymore.....

http://home.tomtom.com/download/Ephemeris.cab?type=ephemeris&eeProvider=globalLocate&devicecode=xxxxxxxxx"

replace the x's with your device number. the file downloaded is a cabinet file so you need a file manager what can open .cab files. just copy the contents into your emphem folder on the tomtom.

Cheers flyer1024. ..you're brillant.....just managed to update my tmtm xl after months...thanks a ton...

 

[storm180]

GPSfix is garbage. I will NEVER download this ever again. 8 out of 10 times I downloaded this garbage my gps would show me on another street for miles. Almost every time it has happened the gpsfix has been the cuplrit on my new 730. Tomtom support said they would look into it and for the time being do not download it. Since I stopped I have not had any off road experiences.

 

[flyer1024]

Cheers flyer1024. ..you're brillant.....just managed to update my tmtm xl after months...thanks a ton...

yer welcome!

Brilliant? gonna have to show that to my wife....

 

[Old Baldy]

GPSfix is garbage. I will NEVER download this ever again. 8 out of 10 times I downloaded this garbage my gps would show me on another street for miles. Almost every time it has happened the gpsfix has been the cuplrit on my new 730. Tomtom support said they would look into it and for the time being do not download it. Since I stopped I have not had any off road experiences.

I believe you have a different issue than the GPS fix file. I don't see how a bad GPSfix file can affect your positioning on the map. It's used only to speed up the initial location calculation and should not affect the location once the 3D fix is calculated, which is calculated from the sats once they are found and locked in, not the GPSfix file itself.

This is my understanding until someone who really knows explains this is incorrect.

 

[ChillyCat]

This is my understanding until someone who really knows explains this is incorrect.

You are 100% correct in your thinking.

Updates cannot majically make your position go off track.

 

[storm180]

Actually not true. If a bad GPSfix file with bad almanac data is downloaded to the tomtom and when you go to aquire the fix it can easily throw off your location because the almanac data is bad. It takes longer to aquire when this data is bad and then it has to re-almanac that proper data from the sats. Tomtom techs have confimred to me on two occassions that there has been bad gpsfix files put up through tomtom home. They actually had me send them the file to verify this.

 

[Old Baldy]

Actually not true. If a bad GPSfix file with bad almanac data is downloaded to the tomtom and when you go to aquire the fix it can easily throw off your location because the almanac data is bad. It takes longer to aquire when this data is bad and then it has to re-almanac that proper data from the sats. Tomtom techs have confimred to me on two occassions that there has been bad gpsfix files put up through tomtom home. They actually had me send them the file to verify this.

I'm not disputing this, because I really don;t know, but do you know how long the system takes to correct its location from the Sats, with a bad GPSfix file? I'd have guessed that this happens relatively quickly once the satelites are found.

If so, how does this allow the moving map to remain off course from the real position for more than a few seconds or minute or so?

 

[storm180]

GPSfix can interrupt the real information from the sats for up to 1/2 hour. GPSfix if it is wrong data can interfer with the actually sat signals causing you to be off course and show you a few streets over. Just so you know also, I had 9 sats locks with full bars when it was off also so it had nothing to do with signal strength.

For a fact I can tell you as soon as I removed the gpsfix file from the unit, it has not malfunctioned like that. It has been several weeks now and no errors like it was when I was updating my gpsfix.

 

[sab]

How long does it take you to get a signal when you turn on your unit now that you do not update it?