Getting a new 910, what do i need to do next

bond007

Folks,

I'm picking uo a 910 next week and I have a few questions to ask if you don't mind. I realise these questions may not get answered until i receive the unit in my hand, but I thought it was worth asking before hand.

1. This is a new unit, so I presume I will have the new version of the mount? If not, how will i know if I don't?
2. What versions of maps will I have on it? Do I need to upgrade them? I presume all 910s ship with the same version?
3. Are the WE and US maps seperate? Can I add single country maps aswell to increase speed etc? Similar to my TTNAV6 where I already have a WE map and also the single UK&IE map. I use the single map only whilst in the UK.
4. Firmware, will I need to update the firmware? I am wondering if the quickgps fix frmware will be on it. If not, is it advantageous to update to the new firmware to get this feature? Does it asctuaslly make a difference on te 910 seeig as it is a sirfstar3 chipset?
5. Is there any advantage of using the TomTom home software.
6. Any do's and dont's with the 910?

Thanks

bond

DennisN · Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 10:08 am Post subject:

Rule number 1. Backup. (Best if you can resist temptation and backup before you look at anything.) Do this at least twice, once with Tom Tom Home, but FIRST and most importantly, with Windows Explorer - simply copy the whole thing (Explorer set to show all files and extensions). It will take quite a time, half hour even, so make sure you've got it on the mains charging.

The mount will be OK (it's just a bit of a b*** getting used to reaching the second "click" locking turn). The maps will be the latest you can get at present. USA map is separate from WE (you switch between them via the menus). I don't think you'll need to have a separate UK map, it'll be quick enough already.

The firmware will probably need to be upgraded. It'll come free via Tom Tom Home. Quickgpsfix will offer itself itself whenever you connect to TT Home and the web - only takes a few seconds and TT recommend doing it every week. It simply updates its data on where the satellites are in the sky so that it can find them quicker.

Quite a lot of us don't like TT Home and use it only when forced to for upgrades. For loading POIs (e.g. the cameras from this site) we use the OV2 and Windows Explorer method which we are more comfortable with (some of us are quite old fogies really!).

When you first get it, go through the menus and turn on all menu options, so that you can see all the choices - it comes with several turned off and surprisingly some of them are really wanted.

It seems to me you already know the important "dos", namely get cameras from here (NOT the "free" trial from TT) and visit this site for the answers to the universe and everything. Do find the reset thingy.

The only "Don't" I can think of is don't disconnect from your computer without first hitting the disconnect button in TT Home.
_________________
Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

bond007 · Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 11:01 am Post subject:

Thanks for the quick reply. I'm going thru the forum at the moment after doing a search on "910". So much to read! But yes, I will backup first via Windows Explorer (with show all options) just in case. Good advice.

Buy the way, do you ever need to defrag the 910's hard disk?

I presume it will come with the latestet firmware? If not then I guess I should upgrade. However, I heard some people are having issues with slow acquisition times with their TT1V2 when they update to the new One firmware which has the 'quickgps' hence my question, if my 910 does not have the quickgps firmware, should I update it?. If I am happy with the performance out of the box, then i will not update it. My only concern is that I do not always want to connect the unit to my PC eveytime I want to go on a journey just to update the quickgps..... I used to own a TomTomGo300 a long time ago, and I think I was happy with it acquisition performance. But having quickgps fix, does it really make such a difference?

Thanks

Andy_P · Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 1:23 pm Post subject:

That's a great roundup from Dennis Smile

I have no direct experience with Quickfix (being a Go300 owner), but I too am confused by all these stories of really long lock-up times, when you'd expect the new chipset to be much better/quicker than the old.
We manage OK without Quickfix on our old models, don't we.

Oldboy · Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 2:03 pm Post subject:

DennisN · Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 7:24 pm Post subject:

Being a dumbo, I have no idea whether defrag is good for the 910 hard disk, BUT I WOULDN'T DARE TRY IT on the grounds that it's not running Windows, if what everybody else on this site says is true. If you do a diskcheck on it you'll get a report of loads of thingies (what are they called people - .chk??) recovered fragments, WHICH IS NOT TRUE - Linux calls them so, but they're not. Let's have a reply from a guru here please!!

The firmware will probably not be the very latest, but I don't think you should worry about allowing it to update, let it go ahead. Don't think of connecting up just to update Quickgpsfix for a trip, just let it happen next time you are connected. That's what I do with my GO710 (same device more or less) and I sometimes think the quickfix is a bit of dreamware, because I don't notice it particularly helping. One thing which WILL help signal grabbing, is if you set it up to resume where you last stopped (Startup Preferences ... Continue where I left off) - then make sure you switch it on and remain stationary before moving off from the same location - it will remember where the satellites were 10 minutes ago, or yesterday, and will re-acquire them that much faster. It won't help if you leave it switched off for a week, though. Note, I use my GOs all the time - I don't drive anywhere without them running, so they always pick up where I left off.

I have both a 710 and a 700 (say, equivalents to 910 and 300) and I have not noticed any significant difference between the two regarding acquiring signals. Both get signal in seconds. Only time they don't is if I drive off without waiting for them to connect. The 710 has the new all singing, all surfing chip, whereas the 700 has an external aerial.
_________________
Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

bond007 · Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 12:13 pm Post subject:

Hi Dennis,

Good point about the defrag.... forgot about the linux software!

Thx

RQ · Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 12:45 pm Post subject:

Defragging puts all of the pieces of your files back together again.

For example, you write a letter and save it to your hard disk. Next you write a letter to someone else. The computer stores the 2nd letter right next to the 1st letter.

Now, suppose you remember you missed something in your 1st letter and then go back and edit it - where does the new information go. The new information is stored after the 2nd letter in the next available space. Repeat this many times, delete some files, add some new programmes etc. and generally after a period of time a lot of your files are split up in many places. When you need to look for a file the computer has to find all the bits in the different places and this takes a little more time than it could.

By defragging the hard disk, all the file pieces will be moved and put together so your hard drive can run optimally and access programs as fast as it is capable of doing.

This is important on a PC where you have tens of thousands of files.

However, on a tomtom, where there are not very many files and generally the only thing that changes would be:-

POIs - regularly
Firmware - sometimes
New map - once in a blue moon

Because the POI files are small I don't think we would notice the difference whether they were fragmented or not. If you are concerned then transfer your POIs to your PC, delete them from your TT and then place them back again. In this way it will remove some of the fragmentation of your files.

Does this help
_________________
RQ

TT1v3 6.560 1713 UK&NI 660.1199
TTG700 6.520 1387 MoWE 660.1219

RQ · Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 12:49 pm Post subject:

PS Put "defragging linux" into google and read a technical review on the different way in which Windows stores files and Linux stores files.
_________________
RQ

TT1v3 6.560 1713 UK&NI 660.1199
TTG700 6.520 1387 MoWE 660.1219

bond007 · Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 5:18 pm Post subject:

All good points...

Turning away from the defrag issue, do any 3rd party suppliers create any decent quick relaese monting systems? I'm thinking of non screen sucker mounted jobbies..... For example a decent vent mount.... but is the 910 too heavy to vent mount do you think?

I also remember the old GO series used to have one of those dashboard sucker mounting kits .... but then the old mount was quiet flexible to use in different ways....

mikealder · Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 5:36 pm Post subject:

I have seen "other" mounts that do secure the device to the dash rather than the suction mount. However these adaptations mean taking apart your existing mount to salvage the shoe and connection block (you lose the suction device).
These are very much DIY solutions, I have not seen an alternate mount for the x10 range as a bought out item though. You also need to consider the weight of the device, I wouldn't feel happy with that lot hanging off the air vents, it would probably pull the air vent off the first time you hit a pot hole. Mike

bond007 · Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 5:44 pm Post subject:

Yes, It seems the 910 is too heavy for a vent mount..... which explains the lack of them Smile

Anway, I've just found a link on gpspassion forum where some French guy has the the dashmount approach..... now that's what i'm wanting to be doing....

http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=58900

bond007 · Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 5:47 pm Post subject:

He even provides as link to those stick dasdboard pads..... made by Arkon.... what a helpful chappy Smile

http://www.expansys.fr/p.aspx?i=112967

bond007 · Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 5:50 pm Post subject:

And here is another variation of the mount... interesting...

http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=56059

mikealder · Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 5:51 pm Post subject:

Make sure when you apply the disk it is in the correct position, they do not remove too easily, it has been known that removal tears the dash rather than the glue! - remember they are a one shot application, get it wrong and you will have problems - also make sure it is nowhere near an airbag otherwise it could be sent flying in the event of an accident - Mike

	PocketGPS
	Web