Tom Tom 5.1 & Acer N35...The bane of my existence.

Marlowe · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 27, 2005 Posts: 4

Hello all - this is my first post after lurking for several months, so please be gentle!

Due to my profession, which requires me to travel around a great deal, I purchased an ACER N35 (with the usual Destinator 3 package pre-installed) a while back for navigation and also for the ever-useful speed camera definitions which this site kindly provides.

Unfortunately, I found Destinator 3 a bit...unwieldy in unfamiliar city centres etc (Bristol in particular!), where I found myself taking random turns as the program attempted to send me (literally) around the bend, so I decided to switch to TT5.

Long story short, while TT5 is excellent and very useful for dual purposes when run in conjunction with the Acer N35, on my particular PDA it seems to freeze incessantly, and by freeze I mean as in entirely lock up, with no solution other than to have to hard reset the pda, and lose all program data etc installed.

This would be just a minor hassle, were it not for the fact that I DEPEND on this contraption to get me around in unfamiliar areas, and not carrying the tom tom discs around with me all the time, if I have to hard reset whilst out and about, it means I have to guess my way around, which isn't as I hope you'll all agree acceptable for a device bought entirely for this purpose.

Unfortunately the device did it yet again this morning, and I got very lost, which was the final straw - so I'm pleading to you all, please help me before get tempted (for the umpteenth time) to throw the blasted thing out of the window!

If anyone could, I'd be forever in their debt - as it'll save me trampling the thing into oblivion, and buying a Palm T5. I've had a few searches, and can't find this issue reported in this form elsewhere, but apologies if I've simply been too inept to locate it.

And now for the nitty gritty: I've tried TT5, and 5.1 with similiar effect, and with and without Checkpoint to ensure it wasn't that. At first I assumed my PDA (not being the fastest on the block) simply couldn't handle it, but after double-checking both here, where many other Acer n35 users seem to be very happy with TT5, and on the TomTom website, my device is definitely supported. I reinstall the program on a nearly daily basis now, so I presume that's ruled out any mistake I've made with installation, and I've tried it on both the provided UK and Major EU Road maps with the same result. In desperation I even tried a friend's old (and no longer used, before the legal vultures descend upon me!) copy of TT3, but have found this to have the same issues - although at least not on a daily basis.

So in short, if you can help me, I'd really appreciate it!

lbendlin · Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2005 6:55 am Post subject:

Methinks your PDA is not necessariy the most stable. Have you considered trying another N35, or another PDA altogether?
_________________
Lutz

Report Map Errors here:
TomTom/TeleAtlas NAVTEQ

Mystery · Regular Visitor Joined: Jun 04, 2005 Posts: 68

I use Acer n35 and TTN5
I found that 5.1 actually fouls up the Acer. Having removed it I have used it for hours on end with no problems.

Check the settings
I use
Other Cable NMEA GPS
GPS Baud Rate 57600
GPS ON NAVAGATOR (that is how it is spelt on mine)
and you should find all OK.
DO NOT install 5.1

Good Luck

hogbreath · Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 8:47 pm Post subject:

You didn't say what the maps where loaded on SD or CF?

What was the Gps driver version on TT3?

What Gps are you using now?

What free memory do you have prior to starting TTN5?

Pete

Marlowe · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 27, 2005 Posts: 4

Apologies for the delay in responding. Just to update, and to say that either due to some sort of corruption with the TT files on the SD card, or as Mystery suggested, Tom Tom 5.1, that was causing the poor installation, as I have now successfully fixed the problem.

In desperation I entirely reinstalled Tomtom onto the SD card from a backup I'd made when I first purchased TT5, and tried to run it again. Bizarrely, this backup succeeded where just about every other thing had failed, but the upshot of this is that it now seems to be both working and stable - as much as appears possible from TT5 on an Acer N35. I had the chance to help someone set up TT5 on a new IPAQ this morning, and found that it seemed to run much smoother on a £300 odd PDA with a £100 cradle / GPS receiver - I suppose it goes to show that you really do get what you pay for... Sad

Many thanks to all for posting on this. Your help has been most appreciated, and made me feel very welcome here!

Kilo5 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Oct 31, 2005 Posts: 2

I am also running (or trying to!) TT5 on an Acer N35. Destinator worked fine but can't get TT5 to recognise my GPS.
I have used the settings above but it just stays on the screen showing the GPS setup info. There is no other button besides the "cancel". It just wont locate it. Any ideas?

Mystery · Regular Visitor Joined: Jun 04, 2005 Posts: 68

Now this may sound strange but if you think about it, then it makes sense.
When using an Acer n35 in the mount.
Turn the GPS flap so that it is at 90 degrees to the Acer. This means more of the Antenna is picking up the GPS signal. A mobiel phone mount close to the GPS may interfere as well.
My Acer needs about 2 to 3 mins to log on sometimes, if I have not been using it for a few days. It may be that the necessary login settings etc for the GPS may need to self re-configure.
Be Patient and it will work. Just ensure you have the settings as per my previous post.
I am now using GPSGate with TTN5 and GPS Speed Sentry. The Speed Sentry logs on within seconds but TTN5 still takes a minute or two even when Speed Sentry is running and has GPS connection.

Mystery
Acer n35
TTN5
GPS Speed Sentry
GPSGate

Kilo5 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Oct 31, 2005 Posts: 2

Many thanks, managed to get it working today. Didnt realise that you had to highlight the "GPS on navagator" selection on the screen! Did seem slow to get a signal though!

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