TT1 V3 Navigation Problems

Joined
Dec 18, 2007
Messages
5
I bought a TT1 V3 for my son and myself. I have come to the conclusion, unfortunately, the the route determination ability of the unit is so poor I must return it. Here are some facts and observations:

I let the unit select my route from work to home, a 50 mile trip (fastest route preference). This trip, involves only 6 turns. Of these 6 turns, the unit made errors on 4 of them:

1. Told me to make a right, then make a U turn, when I could have easily made a left. It seems this unit likes to try to have you avoid left turns, even at the expense of time/mileage.

2. At one point, it told me to turn left into a canyon. If I had done that, it would have added at least 1 hour to may otherwise 50 minute commute.

3. It wanted me not take a freeway, which was the most direct route, and go a longer route on surface streets. This would have added 6 miles and about 15 minutes to my commute.

4. It told me to take a loop near my destination, rather than turn left, adding 5 minutes and 3 miles.

I do not understand how the TT1 can have such bad route algorithms. It really seems incomprehensible some of the choices it makes.

I really wanted to like this unit, but unfortunately I am going to get a Garmin. My wife has one and it does a great job in routing.

Ron
 
Thanks for informing us of your experience....sorry that it seems to be an unusable device in your situation...
 
I bought a TT1 V3 for my son and myself. I have come to the conclusion, unfortunately, the the route determination ability of the unit is so poor I must return it. Here are some facts and observations:

I let the unit select my route from work to home, a 50 mile trip (fastest route preference). This trip, involves only 6 turns. Of these 6 turns, the unit made errors on 4 of them:

1. Told me to make a right, then make a U turn, when I could have easily made a left. It seems this unit likes to try to have you avoid left turns, even at the expense of time/mileage.

2. At one point, it told me to turn left into a canyon. If I had done that, it would have added at least 1 hour to may otherwise 50 minute commute.

3. It wanted me not take a freeway, which was the most direct route, and go a longer route on surface streets. This would have added 6 miles and about 15 minutes to my commute.

4. It told me to take a loop near my destination, rather than turn left, adding 5 minutes and 3 miles.

I do not understand how the TT1 can have such bad route algorithms. It really seems incomprehensible some of the choices it makes.

I really wanted to like this unit, but unfortunately I am going to get a Garmin. My wife has one and it does a great job in routing.

Ron

What area was this in?
 
I bought a TT1 V3 for my son and myself. I have come to the conclusion, unfortunately, the the route determination ability of the unit is so poor I must return it. Here are some facts and observations:

I let the unit select my route from work to home, a 50 mile trip (fastest route preference). This trip, involves only 6 turns. Of these 6 turns, the unit made errors on 4 of them:

1. Told me to make a right, then make a U turn, when I could have easily made a left. It seems this unit likes to try to have you avoid left turns, even at the expense of time/mileage.

2. At one point, it told me to turn left into a canyon. If I had done that, it would have added at least 1 hour to may otherwise 50 minute commute.

3. It wanted me not take a freeway, which was the most direct route, and go a longer route on surface streets. This would have added 6 miles and about 15 minutes to my commute.

4. It told me to take a loop near my destination, rather than turn left, adding 5 minutes and 3 miles.

I do not understand how the TT1 can have such bad route algorithms. It really seems incomprehensible some of the choices it makes.

I really wanted to like this unit, but unfortunately I am going to get a Garmin. My wife has one and it does a great job in routing.

Ron


#3 seems to happens quite a bit to a lot of people. I experience it everytime I take a trip.

I like my tom-tom, but it desperately needs a "route to closest 4 lane" or "stay on 4 lane as much as possible? option.

Randy R.
 
#3 seems to happens quite a bit to a lot of people. I experience it everytime I take a trip.

I like my tom-tom, but it desperately needs a "route to closest 4 lane" or "stay on 4 lane as much as possible? option.

Randy R.

Really? I have the opposite experience. TT (v3) wants to route me via interstate or turnpike when available... even if it routes me via extra miles. (I have the option for 'quickest route' selected.) The only way I could get my TT to route me on US Hwy 60 (from Vero Beach, FL to Tampa, FL) was to redirect via Lake Wales, FL. Then it took me the correct way - and not up to Orlando via Tpk and I-4.
 
I made the original post. I was going from Newbury Park, CA to El Segundo CA. The initial route it gave me was ok, going along the 101S to the 405S. However, in the morning, this route is poor so I decided to go over Malibu Canyon to PCH (HWY 1). I had it recalculate the route when I was mostly through the canyon. When I hit HWY 1, it told me to take a right, followed by a U-turn. Instead, I took a left onto HWY 1. When I neared Topanga Canyon, it told me to take a left back to the 101. This was crazy for a variety of reasons. There is not one good reason for making that choice that would have added ~ 40 miles, and probably 50 minutes in no traffic. I continued along the coast toward Santa Monica. I had to have the TT1 recalculate the route to get me away from going on Topanga. Things went smoothly and I merged onto the 10E. It then told me to get off a Licoln and take a right. A correct route, but not along the freeways and very slow. I igonored that, continuing on the 10E with the intention of merging onto the 405S. Again, I had the TT1 recalculate my root. It did, but much to my surprise, it wanted to have me not take the 405S, the most obvious and best choice, but rather get off at La Cienega and go south.

This was just one of my experiences. I think part of the problem may be when you recalculate an alternative route, it somehow remembers some of the other routes you have chosen, and chooses to not let you take some of those roads. Perhaps if I had cancelled the route and started over, it would have made better choices. It doesn't matter now, as the unit was returned. It does frustrate my, however, when I cannot understand how a unit like this "thinks."

Ron
 
Bad routing experience on XL

Just had a bad routing experience on the XL. Going from 19xxx Collins Ave, Miami Beach to NE 18th st, Miami. TomTom took me all the way there via Rt. 1, lots of traffic and traffic lights, speed limit of 30-35mph. I was later told that was crazy by local people, should have taken Rt. 95. I confirmed this with google maps, which routed via Rt. 95. I took 95 on the way back and it was much faster. Routing preferences on TomTom are all set to defaults (fastest route, etc.). Surprised to see these types of routing problems on a mid-range GPS system, I thought TomTom was suppposed to be good.
 
The whole point of having a GPS unit is having directions when you're not familiar with where you are. That being the case, if you're not familiar with an area, you're not going to care if you get routed somewhere that adds a few minutes to your trip. You're going to care about getting to your destination without getting lost. Why are people bothering to use their Tom Tom to tell them where to go if they already know where they are, where they are going, and the best roads to use for traffic conditions!?!?!? If you already know that, you don't need your Tom Tom!!! I don't have mine in my vehicle every where I go. I only use it when I need to get somewhere that I'm unfamiliar with, and I don't want to get lost. So far, I have arrived at my destinations, and I haven't gotten lost. I'm sure it will do the same for you too. Not a sermon, just a thought.:)
 
I do not think ANY GPS unit will direct you any better than someone with local knowledge. The whole point is to get you there with reasonable directions.
 
The whole point of having a GPS unit is having directions when you're not familiar with where you are. That being the case, if you're not familiar with an area, you're not going to care if you get routed somewhere that adds a few minutes to your trip. You're going to care about getting to your destination without getting lost. Why are people bothering to use their Tom Tom to tell them where to go if they already know where they are, where they are going, and the best roads to use for traffic conditions!?!?!? If you already know that, you don't need your Tom Tom!!! I don't have mine in my vehicle every where I go. I only use it when I need to get somewhere that I'm unfamiliar with, and I don't want to get lost. So far, I have arrived at my destinations, and I haven't gotten lost. I'm sure it will do the same for you too. Not a sermon, just a thought.

I'm in full agreement with Smokiewolf.
 
I'm in full agreement with Smokiewolf.

The whole point of having a GPS unit is having directions when you're not familiar with where you are. That being the case, if you're not familiar with an area, you're not going to care if you get routed somewhere that adds a few minutes to your trip. You're going to care about getting to your destination without getting lost. Why are people bothering to use their Tom Tom to tell them where to go if they already know where they are, where they are going, and the best roads to use for traffic conditions!?!?!? If you already know that, you don't need your Tom Tom!!! I don't have mine in my vehicle every where I go. I only use it when I need to get somewhere that I'm unfamiliar with, and I don't want to get lost. So far, I have arrived at my destinations, and I haven't gotten lost. I'm sure it will do the same for you too. Not a sermon, just a thought.:)

I Agree I keep mine in the car all the time but only use it when I do not know where I am going. If I use it to go to work it would take a lot longer during rush three hours.
 
I had it recalculate the route when I was mostly through the canyon....
Here's a thought. How did you instruct it to 'recalculate the route'?

Why do I ask? I noticed if I hit 'alternate route' the GPS decides to take non-optimal roads. Even if it is recalculating your route automatically. You have to tell it to recalculate original route - or clear your route and create a new one. If you don't, it will keep trying to use alternate routes that will avoid the most direct route.


BTW, speaking of routing problems. When I plan a route from Hillsboro, OR to Gresham, OR and tell it to Avoid freeways - it doesn't. It takes you straight to Highway 26. I have to manually go in and tell it to avoid Hwy 26.

Maybe a 6 lane freeway is only a freeway if TomTom calls an Interstate (like I5)?
 
On my North America v710 map, Hwy 26 in fact looks like a city street (Powell St.) as it crosses the city. Doesn't look like a freeway at all.

I know that some highways get upgraded over time with extra lanes, but it seems that TeleAtlas will only treat interstates and the like as true freeways.
 
<snip> Why are people bothering to use their Tom Tom to tell them where to go if they already know where they are, where they are going, and the best roads to use for traffic conditions!?!?!? If you already know that, you don't need your Tom Tom!!!
This is true, but I think many of us are new to a GPS unit and are using it to test 'known' trips first just to know what to expect of our new unit when we actually need it. At least that's why I'm using it for the first couple of weeks. :cool:
 
The whole point of having a GPS unit is having directions when you're not familiar with where you are. That being the case, if you're not familiar with an area, you're not going to care if you get routed somewhere that adds a few minutes to your trip. You're going to care about getting to your destination without getting lost. Why are people bothering to use their Tom Tom to tell them where to go if they already know where they are, where they are going, and the best roads to use for traffic conditions!?!?!? If you already know that, you don't need your Tom Tom!!! I don't have mine in my vehicle every where I go. I only use it when I need to get somewhere that I'm unfamiliar with, and I don't want to get lost. So far, I have arrived at my destinations, and I haven't gotten lost. I'm sure it will do the same for you too. Not a sermon, just a thought.:)

I am sorry, but this is simply ridiculous logic. The number one feature you want in a GPS unit is to get you from point A to B efficiently. If a GPS unit cannot accomplish that, it is not a very good unit. How does one determine if a unit navigates efficiently? One tests it on routes they know, so that when they need to use it in areas they do not know, they will have confidence in its abilities. Unfortunately, as I really wanted to like the TT1, this unit failed the test.

Ron
 
Here's a thought. How did you instruct it to 'recalculate the route'?

Why do I ask? I noticed if I hit 'alternate route' the GPS decides to take non-optimal roads. Even if it is recalculating your route automatically. You have to tell it to recalculate original route - or clear your route and create a new one. If you don't, it will keep trying to use alternate routes that will avoid the most direct route.


BTW, speaking of routing problems. When I plan a route from Hillsboro, OR to Gresham, OR and tell it to Avoid freeways - it doesn't. It takes you straight to Highway 26. I have to manually go in and tell it to avoid Hwy 26.

Maybe a 6 lane freeway is only a freeway if TomTom calls an Interstate (like I5)?


An intersting post, Skramblar. When I did try recalculating original route, it tried to put me back onto my original route, even though there was now a better route. But perhaps if I had progressed further on my alternate route, it would have made the right decision. If so, having me try to take Topanga Canyon was an enourmous error. I wish I could understand the algorithms used for the TT1. It is totally baffling.

Ron
 
The whole point of having a GPS unit is having directions when you're not familiar with where you are. That being the case, if you're not familiar with an area, you're not going to care if you get routed somewhere that adds a few minutes to your trip. You're going to care about getting to your destination without getting lost. Why are people bothering to use their Tom Tom to tell them where to go if they already know where they are, where they are going, and the best roads to use for traffic conditions!?!?!? If you already know that, you don't need your Tom Tom!!! I don't have mine in my vehicle every where I go. I only use it when I need to get somewhere that I'm unfamiliar with, and I don't want to get lost. So far, I have arrived at my destinations, and I haven't gotten lost. I'm sure it will do the same for you too. Not a sermon, just a thought.:)

Interesting point. Just got TT1 V3 for xmas and have been using it on known routes. I also found the routing was not quite what the preferences would lead you to believe. In the first instance the route preferred a 4 lane highway but the route would have taken me 20 to 30 miles out of the way and added 20 minutes to a 1 hour drive. In the second instance I didn't know where I was going however at the end of the route it took me onto a side street for 6 blocks through 4 stop signs when staying on the main st with no stop signs and making one right turn would have gotten me there. Seems like the issue might be with how they have secondary roads modeled, there is a big difference between 25/35 mph roads and 45 mph roads through the country with no stop signs but the routing seemed to treat them all the same in calculating the route.

Since the forum is to help users get the most out of their devices, discussions on how the devices are working will help others understand the units better. Bottom line is on my unit I take preferences with a grain of salt and if my preference is the fastest route I won't count on it being the fastest route.

Don't get me wrong, I have no doubt my TT1 V3 will get me where I want to go. And for the price I'm satisfied. Hope other find the info useful in selecting the device that's right for them
 
On my North America v710 map, Hwy 26 in fact looks like a city street (Powell St.) as it crosses the city. Doesn't look like a freeway at all.

I know that some highways get upgraded over time with extra lanes, but it seems that TeleAtlas will only treat interstates and the like as true freeways.

I agree that Powell is not a freeway. But it is US26 on the west side of portland that is a real freeway. See link below (google maps). If you look north of Hillsboro, you can zoom in on US 26 and see it is a major freeway. My TomTom One 3rd Ed. routes to this same freeway when I select avoid freeways. And boy do you want to avoid that one during rush hour...

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=...2,-122.837448&spn=0.214997,0.462799&z=11&om=1
 
In the second instance I didn't know where I was going however at the end of the route it took me onto a side street for 6 blocks through 4 stop signs when staying on the main st with no stop signs and making one right turn would have gotten me there. Seems like the issue might be with how they have secondary roads modeled, there is a big difference between 25/35 mph roads and 45 mph roads through the country with no stop signs but the routing seemed to treat them all the same in calculating the route.

I had a very similar experience last weekend. The TomTom took me thru downtown Gresham on a road that is congested & has about a dozen stop signs. But if the GPS took me down the street 2 more blocks, it connects to a major divided street that is a 35mph street with no stop signs at all. A much faster path.

I remember with TomTom mapping on the smartphone, the program initially favored taking you thru town and multiple stop signs, rather than take the freeway bypasses around downtown. Then TomTom made a change to add weighting to the stop signs/traffic lights, which then made the program behave properly.

I also wonder about my TomTom's ability to know road speeds. When I turn on speed warnings, I get none. I remember using this feature in a rental car at it work there, but not on my TomTom One 3rd edition. Now I wonder if the GPS even knows the difference between a 35mph or 45 mph street. Or maybe it doesn't recognize stop signs. It does pick some weird streets sometimes.
 

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