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Retty Frequent Visitor
Joined: Sep 07, 2006 Posts: 336
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Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 7:01 pm Post subject: C710 problems? |
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I've just used a Mio C710 on a 700 mile or so round journey and I have to say, despite some nice points, I'm quite disappointed by it's journey performance. The hardware seems to be good (good processor speed, good bluetooth and so on) but the software is odd and troublesome to say the least.
Can anyone answer the following questions (especially the first 2) - any help would be appreciated. Despite reading the manual I can't work out where I'm going wrong:
1) I couldn't force the C710 to display Points of Interest icons during the journey. I made sure that all the relevant Points of Interest selections were turned on from the "Manage POI" menu. Occasionally, *very* occasionally, a petrol pump icon would appear - about 4 or 5 on a 700 mile urban and rural journey! With other sat nav units I've seen icons appearing by the side of the road during a journey (including icons for road cafes, garages and so on). I couldn't get this to work with the C710 despite making sure that the settings were correct. The C710 had address details for the relevant Points of Interest - I could see them in the text list but I couldn't get the details to pop up as icons during the journey.
2) I set speed camera audible alerts to "simple". But on only 5 occasions did the C710 alert me to a pending camera with a turkey like warbling sound (on 2 occasions the camera was facing the wrong way and on one occasion there was no camera). Many, many camera icons were displayed but on only 5 occasions did I get an audible warning (unless I set the audible warning to detailed mode which was a nuisance). Is there a known problem whereby the C710 doesn't provide a "simple" audible alert to cameras?
3) The voice instructions could frequently be odd or misleading or simply incorrect: a left bend in the road would often be voiced as left "turn" instruction especially but not always where the bend amounted to a change in the road name; left turns would sometimes be voiced as "bear left". I found that I was sometimes told to take a 2nd left turn when the first left turn was a narrow pedestrian alley way (one of which, in Exeter, was a 3 foot entry point in to someone's private garden courtyard!) The visual map representations were by and large very good (not very detailed though) but the voice didn't seem to match a commonsense reading of what the map was saying.
4) The C710 (Miomap 3.11) crashed on 3 occasions requiring a reset. On all occasions the crash happened in the same geographical location (give or take 20 feet). It was a junction that wasn't especially complex - just lights:
http://tinyurl.com/yf8bot
I think the hardware is good but the software - especially the voice instructions - seems to be a bit flaky.
Also, is there anyway of turning the text entry screen keyboard in to a QWERTY keyboard? |
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GPSBear Regular Visitor
Joined: Jul 15, 2006 Posts: 137
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Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 7:40 pm Post subject: |
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The simple speed alert only warbles if you are *over* what it thinks is the camera's speed setting. I find a quick glance at the map when it says anything usually clarifies the turn. Assuming it is safe to do so of course. _________________ Mio C710 on MioMap 3.3 |
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Retty Frequent Visitor
Joined: Sep 07, 2006 Posts: 336
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Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 7:56 pm Post subject: |
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GPSBear wrote: | The simple speed alert only warbles if you are *over* what it thinks is the camera's speed setting. I find a quick glance at the map when it says anything usually clarifies the turn. Assuming it is safe to do so of course. |
Thanks - I was confused by the fact that the camera warnings were sounding at the wrong speed (too low a speed recorded for the relevant cameras). Just the POI problem I can't seem to fathom.
Yes, the map usually clarifies things as far as confusing voice directions are concerned.
Does anyone know if Mitac offers firmware updates for the C710? I see that the firmware has been recently updated for the C710. I wonder if it's even technically possible to flash the C 510/710? |
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Sallyann Lifetime Member
Joined: Jun 23, 2006 Posts: 768
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Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 11:37 pm Post subject: Re: C710 problems? |
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Retty wrote: |
Also, is there anyway of turning the text entry screen keyboard in to a QWERTY keyboard? |
Have you tried the 'Keys' button?
Sal |
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Retty Frequent Visitor
Joined: Sep 07, 2006 Posts: 336
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Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 12:08 am Post subject: Re: C710 problems? |
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Sallyann wrote: | Retty wrote: |
Also, is there anyway of turning the text entry screen keyboard in to a QWERTY keyboard? |
Have you tried the 'Keys' button?
Sal |
Yes, finally got it - it took about 4 presses though.
Just the PoI problem to resolve now. It doesn't seem to be working at all on my C710 other than the (very, very) odd petrol pump icon appearing.
I'm intrigued by the question of firmware updates. I assume that the C510/710 firmware can be updated but I can't find anything on the Mio site. It does seem however that some new C510/710s come with a later firmware than the release batch (and the current batch as supplied by some retailers). I would bet a portion of the little money I have that the lack of software stability in Miomap 3.1 and 3.2 is partly caused by firmware bugs. If this is true then solutions are unlikely to be found in tweaks to the I-Go based software alone. |
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ernest_mio Regular Visitor
Joined: Aug 24, 2006 Posts: 98
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Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 4:38 pm Post subject: |
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If I recall correctly - the displaying of POI information, othe rthan the tiny blue dot, is controlled by an option within one of the config files. This file has an entry for each POI type and the "map distance" at which it will be displayed. One of the hack forums talked about this and suggested a fix. However, I tried it and the Mio crashed and I had to reload from DVD again - not tried it since.
can't recall which Hack forum it was - but it was on this site. |
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ernest_mio Regular Visitor
Joined: Aug 24, 2006 Posts: 98
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Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 6:51 pm Post subject: |
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ernest_mio wrote: | If I recall correctly - the displaying of POI information, othe rthan the tiny blue dot, is controlled by an option within one of the config files. This file has an entry for each POI type and the "map distance" at which it will be displayed. One of the hack forums talked about this and suggested a fix. However, I tried it and the Mio crashed and I had to reload from DVD again - not tried it since.
can't recall which Hack forum it was - but it was on this site. |
http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=44907&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=hack+poi |
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Retty Frequent Visitor
Joined: Sep 07, 2006 Posts: 336
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Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 10:56 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks.
I wasn't even getting the blue dot - absolutely nothing at all except for very occasional almost random icons appearing.
Upgrading to Miomap 3.2 seems to have fixed the problem.
I notice also that the most recent Miomap 3.2 version is dated 24 November 2006.
Now, I wish someone could find out from the Dutch site whether or not a firmware upgrade is on the way. I think although, I can't prove it, that the crashes owe more to firmware problems than to Miomap software problems.
I notice from the Oz site that there was a firmware update for the C510 some time ago. This suggests that the concept of firmware update is relevant to the C510/710.
I wonder what the new firmware, supplied with some C710s, actually changes. |
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