Problem with new 730 & FM Transmitter stops after some seconds

[SimonHF]

I just bought a new TT 730 and did all the online upgrades. It's very nice except that the FM transmitter stops transmitting after a seemingly random number of seconds, e.g. 10 to 60 seconds. This causes the car stereo to play the regular loud noise of static. When I go back to the menu to select the FM transmitter again then it's already selected (even though it's not working) and if I click on 'Done' then it does start working again but, again, will cut out after so many seconds... please help!

 

[canderson]

Can of worms, bet we have to open it with this question:

Are you trying to run ONLY the directional information through your car's FM radio, or are you talking about playing music through it? If the former, we'll have to find the thread here that goes through all of the gory details of getting around this, but suffice it to say, TomTom got stupid about some arcane rules in Europe having to do with an umodulated (no sound) carrier (FM signal) and instead of defeating this only in Europe (hey, it's a GPS, it knows where it IS, right?!?) they disabled that feature in the U.S. as well.

Like I say, if that's what you're doing, there is a goofy but effective workaround.

On the whole, how is the sound for you via FM? Satisfactory? Does your vehicle have an "aux in" port for the audio system? If so, that's a really clear way of dealing with it as well.

 

[SimonHF]

Everything seems to work very well until I foolishly let the desktop software upgrade the TT 730 software. I bought the TT 730 over the TT 630 because of the FM transmitter. I knew that the aerial on my truck is at the front and therefore very close to the TT 730... and indeed I get excellent quality. I our other car the aerial is at the back of the car -- and therefore much further away -- and the quality is too bad to tolerate.

Unless somebody has some other suggestions then I'm considering reseting the unit to its factory settings in the hope that the older software doesn't have this problem... at least on the ride back from the store where I bought the unit then the problem didn't occur... it only occurred later after the software was upgrading and I had paired by blue tooth cell phone (which is also giving me grief in that the TT 730 won't answer incoming calls).

So any even hacky workarounds will be welcome...

 

[canderson]

OK - you didn't ever get around to answering either of my questions, but from what you are posting, I'll work with the assumption that it was the directional information you were listening to, not music from its MP3 player, and that you have no "Aux In" feature on your truck's stereo. The questions were for very specific reasons designed to help you get to where you want to go with this unit.

You've got two choices. Back up to the earlier firmware (just doing a 'factory reset' won't take you there, either) and lose some other functionality that you might not have noticed that you picked up, or stick with us here and we'll get you through the alternatives.

I'll need some help from my homeys here to remind me of how far back (8.032?) you need to go from your current (likely 8.351) firmware to recover the normal FM function, or we can explain how you play a non-stop track of music I like to call the TomTom Lullaby (a "dead air" track) on the MP3 player that will fool your unit into thinking music is playing all the time and won't shut down your FM for directions. Either way -- you'll be wanting to do one or the other if you don't have an "Aux In" on your stereo.

 

[dhn]

With application 8.351, you need to be playing a silent mp3 file and then should be able to get instructions via fm. Go to this link], read the info and get the file in the 3rd post in the thread (the one posted by Andy_P)

 

[SimonHF]

canderson: Sorry for not replying more directly. Here are my replies to your question:
1. There is an AUXIN socket (but I spent extra money buying the TT 730 over the 630 so I wouldn't have to have the extra wire flapping around).
2. I can't remember exactly whether it was only the instructions cutting out, or only the music, or both :-(

At this point it's difficult for me to believe that a professionally run firm like TT -- which probably has its own ISO quality department -- would drop the ball and effectively cripple their FM transmitter feature like this. I'm on the verge of taking the unit back for a refund... How long has the FM problem been around? Is it just a temporary thing which will be fixed soon?

I'm tending towards winding back the software because nobody seems to be helping me with my other problem regarding receiving calls via blue tooth and maybe that problem doesn't exist with the older software either. I have the impression that the newer software is buggy. Twice I have had to reset the unit because it just froze; once connected to the PC and once upon restart with the startup picture.

Unfortunately I never backed up the original software. How can I get an old version of the software onto the device? Is the easiest way to return the unit to the shop and exchange it for another one?

 

[SimonHF]

dhn: Thanks for the link but it does not seem to be working for me. The link takes me to a page containing links to US cities rather than something like a forum where I can find the name Andy_P :-( Did you post the wrong link by mistake or am I missing the obvious?

 

[dhn]

I'm sorry....................

Too much cut and paste earlier today.

Link is fixed. Try it now.

 

[canderson]

canderson: Sorry for not replying more directly. Here are my replies to your question:
1. There is an AUXIN socket (but I spent extra money buying the TT 730 over the 630 so I wouldn't have to have the extra wire flapping around).

Well, it's a simple option, but I don't think you'll need to resort to that if you don't want to. Sounds like the TomTom/antenna are positioned well to give you decent FM performance.

2. I can't remember exactly whether it was only the instructions cutting out, or only the music, or both :-(

OK - if your MP3 player music from the TT behaves normally, we aren't dealing with anything 'strange' that would need to be addressed first.

At this point it's difficult for me to believe that a professionally run firm like TT -- which probably has its own ISO quality department -- would drop the ball and effectively cripple their FM transmitter feature like this. I'm on the verge of taking the unit back for a refund... How long has the FM problem been around? Is it just a temporary thing which will be fixed soon?

I don't believe we should expect a 'fix' for the way they are currently managing the FM. This all started out as a regulatory agency problem in the UK. The way it works now is how they intend for it to work to keep it 'legal' there, even if it isn't necessary for it to behave this way in the U.S. where our rules are quite different. IF you are playing music (even a 'dead track'), there will be no point where the FM shuts down, and you'll get no hiss from lack of signal between directional info.

I'm tending towards winding back the software because nobody seems to be helping me with my other problem regarding receiving calls via blue tooth and maybe that problem doesn't exist with the older software either. I have the impression that the newer software is buggy.

Each of the versions has its quirks -- which of course is why they release new software. Reverting to a previous version is certainly a worthwhile course. If it weren't for the fact that I recall a BT issue with the current firmware (MVL should have a handle on that, too), I'd suggest you do the "Silence is Golden" thing as described by DHN and linked here: Pocket GPS World - SatNavs | GPS | Speed Cameras

MVL - my brain is disfunctional this a.m. - what are the issues with 8.351 and BT, and do we need to head backwards to avoid them?

Unfortunately I never backed up the original software. How can I get an old version of the software onto the device? Is the easiest way to return the unit to the shop and exchange it for another one?

I'm hoping DHN or MVL will pop up with the link to the prior firmware. Understand, though, that you may not be able to use the currently available map sets with the older firmware. To whomever has the links I mentioned, do I recall correctly that the OP will be stuck at map 810 (or 815) if the older firmware is used?

 

[dhn]

The 8.302 app file can be found here.

The Bluetooth works properly on this version but the fm broadcasting does not..........

Make a complete Explorer backup of your unit's contents now before you download and install the lower app, if that is your plan.

 

[canderson]

Thanks for chiming in there, DHN (we could just combine you and MVL, call you "DHL" and give you some snappy slogan like "We Deliver").

So the ticket will be 8.302 plus the "dead audio file" fix, it would appear (pardon my previous goof talking about 8.032). Between this firmware release and the audio file fix, you should be back to where you were but with the benefits of newer map abilities.

 

[dhn]

Except the fm fix doesn't work with the lower app. It's a catch-22 situation.

 

[canderson]

The looping audio doesn't fool 8.302? Man - I need to go back and review all of the versions again. That absence for a couple of months around the turn of 2010 really has me screwed up.

 

[mikealder]

8,302 has the FM Tx disabled completely it simply doesn't work at all, this was the "Knee Jerk" reaction by TT to the EU directive about transmitting dead band, after this (8,35x) lets you have FM Tx working IF you have the mp3 player running even playing silence is acceptable as far as the device is concerned.

This stance means TomTom comply with the EU Directive and its down to the owner to elect to transmit dead band by loading a silent mp3 track, stupid directive though as the FM Tx is so low powered that in a moving car it would never be detected! Equally stupid is the application of EU standards in North America, although the model ranges aplicable to Europe vs North America seem to drifting further apart these days than they have ever been.

I would try going back to Navcore 8,010 which has decent Bluetooth and working FM Tx AFAIK - Mike

 

[canderson]

8
I would try going back to Navcore 8,010 which has decent Bluetooth and working FM Tx AFAIK - Mike

Thanks for all of the historical reminders, Mike. When I started the replies to the OP, I was concerned that somewhere in the back of my memory, the correct version (whatever it was) for his situation was going to become a problem on map features. Do you recall all of the specific downsides to 8.010 with regard to currently released maps? Or was that just an early issue in Australia? I'd swear there was something I'm forgetting.

 

[mikealder]

8,010 might not support SDHC but as this is boot loader related as long as 8,3xx has been installed even with 8,010 Navcore loaded it should still address the larger card formats (I think) Also need to check IQ Routes or IQ Routes 2 as I can't remember which version of Navcore this came in to play.

To be honest I have a mate who wants 7,221 re-installing to his device to get it back to the same condition it was in when he purchased it as the later Navcore software has done nothing but cause issues with Bluetooth support and FM Tx - A 720 running 7,221 is a great device but it won't work with the later maps which is a real shame - Mike

 

[mvl]

Sorry for not jumping in earlier - been reaaaaaly busy lately...

With app 8.010, you can play FM for music or directions or both, but it cannot read maps newer than version 810 (from back in September 2008).

With app 8.302, you can play FM for music but not directions, and it can read any map version

With app 8.351, you can play FM for:
1) music
2) both directions and music
3) but NOT directions alone
app 8.351 can read any map, but has a bluetooth memory leak and needs to be reset every few days for bluetooth to work.

My preference is app 8.302. I'm perfectly happy with the Tomtom using its speakers to say directions and transmitting MP3s to the FM car radio for music. App 8.302 will suspend the music when it speaks directions, so I have no issues hearing the directions.

- To downgrade to app 8.302 (and learn about the bluetooth issues), follow this link
- To downgrade to app 8.010, follow the 8.302 steps except use this file.