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zel Occasional Visitor
Joined: Nov 30, 2005 Posts: 4
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Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 12:39 pm Post subject: SiRF STAR III & The TomTom Go Products. |
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Firstly I'm new around here so please don't shoot me for a stupid question
I've been researching a portable satnav product for some months now and as I drive many different cars (I'm a car dealer) I became quite concerned about the needing of an external aerial to pick up a signal, due to most of the vehicles I drive are mid-top end luxury/sports cars.
To be honest that was the only thing stopping me from buying a TomTom GO 700 (I travel abroad a lot)
Now I was just about to throw caution to the wind and get a TomTom GO in Argos special 20% off sale until I discovered the TomTom One and it's SiRF Star III technology people are reporting that they are getting a much better and quicker satalite lock and some are even mentioning they can get a sat lock in vehicles they could not with the GO product.
So I'm in a bit of a dilema I'm hoping some of you lovely people can help me out with!
Surely if the benefits of the SiRF Star III chipset is that great TomTom will have no choice other than to release the go product with it?
Is that pyshicaly possible do you think? are there any technical reasons why it can't be introduced into the GO Range?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I really don't want the hassle and mess factor of external aerials and need the luxury of street level europe at the touch of a button and not preloading countries onto SD cards all the time.
Thanks. |
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MarkHewitt Frequent Visitor
Joined: Nov 16, 2004 Posts: 1077 Location: Chester-le-Street & York
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Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 1:08 pm Post subject: Re: SiRF STAR III & The TomTom Go Products. |
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zel wrote: | Surely if the benefits of the SiRF Star III chipset is that great TomTom will have no choice other than to release the go product with it?
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Perhaps they will when they release a new version of the GO. For now they are selling well so they have no need!
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Is that pyshicaly possible do you think? are there any technical reasons why it can't be introduced into the GO Range?
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None whatsoever. The 'ONE' is virtually identical to the GO in most ways.
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Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I really don't want the hassle and mess factor of external aerials and need the luxury of street level europe at the touch of a button and not preloading countries onto SD cards all the time.
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If you are looking for a GO 700 with srif star III my prediction is that you will have to wait for a while, probably middle of next year at a guess.
My advice is if you want a Sat Nav go ahead and buy it now. Like with all technology it is ever changing and if we always waited for the next big thing we'd never buy anything. |
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Tosty Occasional Visitor
Joined: Aug 22, 2005 Posts: 50
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Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 2:00 pm Post subject: |
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You could always consider the Garmin Nuvi 350 which I think comes with full euro maps (better ones as well ). However you would loose the bluetooth hands free calling . |
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sgould Frequent Visitor
Joined: Oct 05, 2004 Posts: 1320
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Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 4:32 pm Post subject: |
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I have used my 700 in Europe. It's fine in most cases. Signal lost in some deep valleys in the mountains and on the Paris Periphique (lots of walls and underpasses. Occasional loss of signal in central London.
I would get one. Unless you are in a car with a heat reflecting windscreen (mostly French) you should be OK.
If you get an aerial it boosts the signal even when inside the car, it rarely need putting outside. Even if it did it's small and magnetic so you can take it with you.
The biggest drawback to the aerial is the crap design. It connects via the mounting shoe and that shoe has a metre of cable attached ending in a connector. The aerial is fixed to a further 6 or 7 metres of cable with the other half of the connector attached. What most people need is an aerial that connects directly to the GO with a 2 inch lead. _________________ TTGO 700 (dead)
iPhone 3GS + TT holder
iPhone 5 (hers!)
Western Europe Map
Eastern Europe Map
Kenwood DNX-4210DAB with Garmin maps |
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DavidHobbs Regular Visitor
Joined: Jun 20, 2005 Posts: 181 Location: Kentucky
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Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 5:12 pm Post subject: |
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zel, if you like the GO 700, I'd go with it. I wouldn't be too concerned about what you mentioned. It seems like it would be a good fit for you. |
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howie555 Regular Visitor
Joined: Jun 26, 2005 Posts: 99
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Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 7:20 pm Post subject: |
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I use my 700 every week in france using the external arial in side the various hire cars.I looped the arial cable and tied it with cable ties so that i am not trailing meters of wire every where. Also a blob of blue tack to hold it to the dash board if no metal is availble.works brilliantly every where even in the urban canyons. |
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Eldar Pocket GPS Moderator
Joined: Sep 24, 2004 Posts: 1294 Location: London
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Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 10:14 pm Post subject: |
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sgould wrote: | What most people need is an aerial that connects directly to the GO with a 2 inch lead. |
won't work - it will pick up interference from the motherboard in exactly the same way the internal antenna does. |
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sgould Frequent Visitor
Joined: Oct 05, 2004 Posts: 1320
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Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 10:19 pm Post subject: |
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OK, 3 inches then :D
How is one supposed to use the GO walking around in London's West End, where you need a aerial to get a signal? I'm not brave enough to walk around the West End with 7 metres of cable wrapped around my body!!! 8O _________________ TTGO 700 (dead)
iPhone 3GS + TT holder
iPhone 5 (hers!)
Western Europe Map
Eastern Europe Map
Kenwood DNX-4210DAB with Garmin maps |
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Eldar Pocket GPS Moderator
Joined: Sep 24, 2004 Posts: 1294 Location: London
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Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 10:23 pm Post subject: |
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is your body not big enough for that? |
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zel Occasional Visitor
Joined: Nov 30, 2005 Posts: 4
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Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 11:51 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for setting my mind at rest!
After a bit more research today i've noticed Becker have released a portable nav aswell.. Looks quite nice and going by my experience of Becker incar navigation it's always been spot on with its directions.
Has anyone seen a review of it yet? |
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Eldar Pocket GPS Moderator
Joined: Sep 24, 2004 Posts: 1294 Location: London
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Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 3:20 am Post subject: |
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no, and we don't care - it's a TT GO forum :-) |
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zel Occasional Visitor
Joined: Nov 30, 2005 Posts: 4
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Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 9:25 am Post subject: |
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good point! |
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