Speaker options for FM

[Nexus]

Not sure if this was covered, but I found that I could not choose to broadcast instructions on the FM channel? Is this due to some laws? I have upgraded my firmware for go 730 and reading the instructions they say it allows it to do it but when I use the speaker settings they dont allow me.

Could this be done if you use line out to a cd player with line in options?

Though is not a big deal but I wished the option wasnt taken away.

 

[dhn]

Yeah, one of the issues with firmware 8.3 was the removal of fm for voice instructions.

 

[Nexus]

would the line in option solve this issue? As in able to use the car's speakers?

I believe it may be just purely because another tomtom user using the same channel and got mess up.

 

[dhn]

I would guess the line out would work if you have a line in connector on your radio and a cable to connect. I think most users are disgruntled at the need for another cord, that's all.......

 

[canderson]

would the line in option solve this issue? As in able to use the car's speakers?

I believe it may be just purely because another tomtom user using the same channel and got mess up.

Sadly, TT removed this feature for no particularly good reason apart from use in the UK, and gee.. it's a GPS ... you think that they could have managed this for the rest of us.

Yes, the "line in" solution, if you have one available on your car sound system, will work. It is one of three options still available to you. Just go from the 1/8" "line out" on your TT to the "line in" on your car audio system. From both sound and wiring perspectives, it's probably the best solution.

You can also purchase two types of FM modulators that can be plugged into the TT "line out" connection. One transmits through the air to your car's FM antenna. If you buy a decent one and aren't in areas that are totally packed with FM stations, it's a workable option. The second modulator option is one that is wired between your FM antenna and your radio. When in use, it breaks the signal from the antenna so that you don't have issues of interference with local stations. In major cities, it is often preferable to the simpler type.

 

[canderson]

To the contrary -- being a GPSr, you had possibly the very BEST device for managing this problem without annoying a portion of your market unnecessarily. I believe you'll find that it was the UK that was your problem, but for a moment, let's assume it really was the entire EU.

IT'S A GPSr!!! The firmware could have been designed such that if the unit detects use in North America or any other location outside the EU where an unmodulated low power carrier is permitted, the feature remains enabled!

Come on guys, use a little imagination!

 

[dhn]

Except the laws in North America are different and don't have such a restriction regarding fm transmitting.

It does not make sense that North American users are 'punished' for something that doesn't apply here.

 

[Malouff]

For the EU they could have also made FM only work when also playing MP3's so there is a constant sound being transmitted.

I also totally agree that the 8.3 firmware feels and looks rushed.

I would also like to ask TomTomWorker why the next street has been removed from the status bar (it was in larger text and at the bottom of the unit) to the top where it is now much smaller and harder to read.

Both of these seem like a step backwards.

Having being forced to use a non-TTS voice as suggested by FAQ:10344 all I can say is that having the smaller next street text in the upper right and only a simple turn left or right provided by a recorded voice makes it much harder to know exactly where I am going to turn especially if it is some of these streets that have multiple names or is very long as the text gets smaller and smaller up there.

 

[Nexus]

Here's the thing, why go through all this effort to find that you still can line in to get the same result

They should have left the function there, and when using in UK just blank the option. Is only a simple IF and Else statement in programming. Gosh, cant be that tough.

 

[Malouff]

canderson,

Your post number 88898 now looks very strange after all of TomTomWorker's posts have suddenly disappeared.

Please don't modify that post as I like it as a reminder that TomTom apparently doesn't want to make a positive impact on it's current and potential customers.

Here I thought we finally had someone on the inside to turn to and get some serious responses from.
I was amazed to see an employee in a public forum
After all TomTomWorker was/is a Senior Staff in TomTom at Amsterdam so should have some answers.

All I can say is that these missing/deleted posts don't reflect very good on TomTom for me and I am sure others.

It looks like TomTom is on a roll with disappointing news.
buggy and angry customers after 8.300 firmware, The Report of their Net Loss of ?870m, news of Microsoft Suing TomTom, and these disappearing posts.

I will admit the only positive news I can see recently are:
They may offer a map subscription in North America
(this is better then what we currently have but no lifetime like Garmin now has but with there losses they can't do what Garmin is doing)

x40 coming - but no live for x20 and x30 users
(you would think they would want to gain some extra income by enabling live for these devices also)

These extra services are where TomTom can currently make some income as most people probably think at this point in time buying a TomTom is a hard sale as they are not sure what will happen to Tele Atlas/TomTom.

They should also let the x20/x30 have the the new and attractive UI, night menu scheme, Spoken instructions, Google etc that would be a good gesture on TomTom's behalf for having us living with the stuttering for so long.

 

[canderson]

canderson,

Your post number 88898 now looks very strange after all of TomTomWorker's posts have suddenly disappeared.

We have no real reason to believe that the poster using that name was in any way associated with TomTom, so I'd withhold judgment on what looks like what. I posted on the odd chance that the claim was real.

 

[Malouff]

canderson,

dhn posted on GPSReview that he did work for TomTom and told him that TT thinks the stuttering is related to the battery.

But I agree it may not have been a TomTom employee but I do still find it strange that all of the posts disappeared without any reason.

 

[canderson]

canderson,

dhn posted on GPSReview that he did work for TomTom and told him that TT thinks the stuttering is related to the battery.

Related to the battery? Gee, maybe the guy DID work for TomTom. I say that since most of us with the stuttering problem work off external power. [sarcasm mode off] The few posts that I saw before they were deleted didn't indicate much depth of knowledge about the product. Then again ... oh right ... sarcasm mode already off.

 

[dhn]

Gentlemen.....the user was real. I can only presume he deleted his own messages. Remember we had a tomtom employee from NA here about a year ago? After three days of posting, he got fired by TomTom.

 

[Gilbert]

I also am under the impression he was real enhanced by his deleting his posts.

As to the stuttering problem, I wonder if it is not caused by the new compression of the map data? The Loquendo sw is identical to the previous one which was working right in previous NavCore versions. The additional IQR2 functionality required more data needing to be fitted in the internal memory footprint requiring more compression. I guess this additional work could make the TTS stutter. Let's not forget the new Loquendo has also more compressed voices when compared to the old voices of the GO 910 whose voices were over 100MB in size. I would not be surprised to see new hw models have more internal memory/faster cpus/more RAM in order to do its job.

 

[canderson]

I also am under the impression he was real enhanced by his deleting his posts.

As to the stuttering problem, I wonder if it is not caused by the new compression of the map data?

Ding. Another nice try, but many of us who grabbed 8.300 did NOT purchase the new maps to go with it, so we're still working with the old maps.

So far, for every single working hypothesis put forward (save one that comes to mind), we have numerous exceptions that disprove it.

I'm still waiting for TT to put out the call to users with the problem to hot-swap their units so TT can have them to play with, but the phone hasn't been ringing here.