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I had an interesting conversation with customer support re HD services - (over No Valid Subscription message despite services valid until end of August 2012).
I took the opportunity to raise the point that TomTom had reduced the distance that traffic services were being displayed, and he confirmed that the general distance had been reduced to 50 miles.
Apparently, the reason behind this decision has been the bad winter experienced this and last year, which resulted in so many traffic incidents that the servers at TomTom just could not cope, so in May, they reduced the coverage available to enable the servers to cope better should such a situation occur again.
He did also comment that TomTom are aware that their UK customer base is unhappy with this change.
He tried to get me to change to the 1005 or 825 units, without luck as I pointed out I like having control of my live 950 re customised POI's and warnings, back up to my PC etc etc.
He then hinted that changes are to be implemented for spring 2012 (in time for Olympics), where the user will be able to have greater control over the information such as customised POI's and sounds, plus ability to back up to the PC or card in device!
Make of that what you will _________________ Mick
Go 1005 in need of resuscitation
GO 950 Dead,
GO 920 Dead
Our objective with HD Traffic is to take into account all relevant data when planning a route. Like I mentioned earlier in the thread, the range was reduced in February last year after a period of extreme weather resulted in an overload of traffic incidents.
We do agree that the current range could result in some relevant data being missed out in routeplanning, as illustrated in Andy's example. We also appreciate the constructive feedback in this thread. For example the comment from Megalos about certain types of incidents, such as road closures, always needing to be taken into account.
One of the factors here is that we have added numerous feeds to enrich the quality of HD Traffic data (5.0 release, AH partnership, etc) over the last few months, so there is more data to process than there was previously. We are looking into expanding the range, but it's critical that we take all relevant factors into account and that any changes we make don't have a negative effect on our servers or on the speed of route planning. The best solution, which we are already working on, is to optimise the way we handle the data.
So like I said above, we want all relevant data to be taken into account when planning a route and are working on making that happen.
The feedback we get about HD Traffic is generally very positive and we feel that the current service and range works well in the majority of use cases. But we are listening to you and taking your feedback seriously.
To all those that seem to think 50 miles is far enough, take a look at my post showing that when at Norton Canes services on the M6 Toll heading south, your device has no traffic info for the south end of the M1 or the M25. If you are heading to London you have to make a major decision in a few miles as to which way to go - M6/M1 or M42/M40. Once you have made that decision you are pretty much stuck with it. Unfortunately, this information used to be available and either the TT or yourself could make an informed decision. I don't recall gantry information being available at this point informing me of delays south of Luton on the M1, on the M25 or on the M40.
As for the HGV driver, sorry, would you rather head down the M1 into an hours worth of traffic delay or go an alternative route that would be 20 minutes quicker???? Then again, most HGV drivers seem to not use the toll and clog up the M6 around Brum to save £10 or whatever it is. Based on the cost of derv nowadays that seems like a false economy to me!
I agree, I don't want my device to reroute me for incidents 200 miles away, but 100-125 seems reasonable in the UK.
There is no dispute as to the quality of the information, TT have taken something away yet again in secret hoping that paying subscribers don't notice, and if they do they will do all they can to ignore them and convinve them that TT are correct and the end user is incorrect.
After many years of using TT's I have had enough and will be requesting a refund on my recently renewed LIVE services and getting an alternative device.
Joined: Apr 04, 2006 Posts: 10118 Location: Bexhill, South Sussex, UK
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 7:10 pm Post subject:
AndyVaughan wrote:
After many years of using TT's I have had enough and will be requesting a refund on my recently renewed LIVE services and getting an alternative device.
Is there a better alternative device that does exactly what you want it to do?
I can have that on a factory integrated head unit in the car - no additonal devices to connect and remove etc.
The only reason I didn't go this route a year ago is because of HD Traffic. That reason no longer exists.
It is the attitude TT display that has got me this time - pay for a service, TT reduce the service, TT send me a million emails telling me HD Traffic has increased coverage and is the best thing since sliced bread, TT tell me traffic more than 50 miles away is irrelevant to me because they know best.
Joined: Jan 14, 2005 Posts: 19638 Location: Blackpool , Lancs
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 7:38 pm Post subject:
Unless the HD Traffic is returned to the same level as it used to be then I am afraid I have no reason to recommend any TomTom standalone navigation device to anyone considering a purchase.
HD Traffic was the only thing going in favour of the current model line-up now the service is crippled there is nothing worthy of a purchase.
Its one thing to put up with crap software in the guise of "MyTomTom" that still prevents users from carrying out basic maintenance such as back ups or adding Itinerary based routes, now the HD Traffic service is reduced in capability to a point below that I would feel comfortable with.
The way this has been carried out is not far off false advertising, paying full whack for a service reduced in range by 50%, all thats been offered are some rather lame hints that the reduction is due to server overload. If the server issue is at fault then why does the device still download then discard distant incidents, I don't see this as a viable reason or explaination to be honest as the server is still sending the same data but these days some of the data is ignored by the device - Mike
Joined: May 05, 2008 Posts: 870 Location: Southport
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 7:41 pm Post subject:
Mick_1959 wrote:
He then hinted that changes are to be implemented for spring 2012 (in time for Olympics), where the user will be able to have greater control over the information such as customised POI's and sounds, plus ability to back up to the PC or card in device!
Make of that what you will
TomTom will have releases the 1205 using Home 3 by then and will have lost all interest in the 1005 etc _________________ Galaxy Note 4 / TomTom GO : CamerAlert : CoPilot
They messed up the maps and now made a great HD system into a rubbish one.
I left my house ( Hitchin ) at 3.15 am this morning and arrived at G65 9AE to do a 40 minute job. It gave incorrect over night roadworks on the northbound A1 and an overall delay of 10 mins, which was totally wrong. On return it ask about Yes or No to the toll but that wasn't the way I wanted to get home, down the A66 then A1. It gave a small delay somewhere down the M6. There are plenty of problem areas down the M6 till junction one which if I did travel down it I would want to know about. Not showing traffic is worse than a false positive.
Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 14902 Location: Keynsham
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 9:53 pm Post subject:
Right, that's me out of here. I shall post in the TT Facebook page that I'm dumping TomTom as of now. Like Andy, I'll be asking for a refund of my Live subscription renewed 3rd June 2011.
Mike, which was the Garmin you chose? The sooner I start getting into the Garmin way of satnav, the sooner I'll get used to it.
PS That HGV driver is totally wrong
franb wrote:
2) if it offers a reroute because of an incident 100-250 odd miles away and you accept the reroute, even if the problem's gone away it does NOT then say "road is now clear, do you want to revert to shortest/quickest route (prior to the incident)" so you're stuck with the detour even when it's been cleared.
The device actually scans regularly for faster routes. Correct - it does NOT say "road is now clear, do you want to revert...." Instead is says "There is a ten minute faster route, do you want to go along it?" (or somesuch). You will then find that it has somehow gone back to the original route. It's a computer, it doesn't remember which way it was going, it simply looks for the current fastest route and if it finds one more than (?) minutes faster, it offers it.
Shortly available...
GO520T, with windscreen RDS-TMC antenna (USB version), App 8.351, Map UK & ROI v865
GO550 Live, App 9.058, Maps UK & ROI v870 and Greece v850.2802
Carminat TomTom, Map UK & ROI v870 - price - offers in the region of £6,000 (plus VAT) - comes complete with a 12 month old Renault Kangoo van wrapped around it! _________________ Dennis
If nothing has changed by monday my recently purchased(from TomTom) 550 LIve can also go back, fortunately I paid by credit card, so I will take it up with them. I will then buy a Garmin. With a bit of luck TomTom will see sense, but I fear they will not, at least not until it is too late. Like others on here, driving is a large part of my job, and I am often asked by friends and family for recommendations it certainly will not be TomTom anymore.....
Joined: Jan 14, 2005 Posts: 19638 Location: Blackpool , Lancs
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 11:08 pm Post subject:
DennisN wrote:
Mike, which was the Garmin you chose? The sooner I start getting into the Garmin way of satnav, the sooner I'll get used to it
I switched to a Garmin 3790T mid last year when I took a dislike to the direction (no pun intended) that TomTom were heading with the newer Navcore 10 based products.
The device isn't perfect but it knocks a Go-1000 Live in to a cocked hat, better screen resolution, true 3D mapping, handsfree for the phone that works, and it understands my rather strange Northern accent should I want to talk to it (voice control works without tapping the screen on the Garmin units).
Now for the Bad points with the 3790T:
The PC interface is on a par with TomTom Home so its crap but its not as crap as the newer MyTomTom interface.
The power lead is a combined addapter/ RDS receiver so its quite chunky but I managed to hide it completely out of sight in the car without too much trouble.
What about the Traffic data:
RDS-TMC works very well for reception, data quality isn't quite as good as the HD Traffic WAS, but to be honest no traffic system is ever going to be 100% accurate, the Garmin system works and is best used in conjunction with what you see on the overhead Motorway Gantry signs/ radio etc combined with an element of common sense.
The Garmin RDS system has a range of nearly double what the current TomTom HD Traffic system is providing and better still its free for life of the product so no subscription charges
What do I miss the most from the Garmin:
The ability to route the audio output via Bluetooth A2DP in to my car system, not everyone does this but when you have tried it and had it working you soon miss it. That said I have plans afoot to overcome this shortfall with a DIY Bluetooth equipped mount for my 3790T - Mike
2) if it offers a reroute because of an incident 100-250 odd miles away and you accept the reroute, even if the problem's gone away it does NOT then say "road is now clear, do you want to revert to shortest/quickest route (prior to the incident)" so you're stuck with the detour even when it's been cleared.
The device actually scans regularly for faster routes. Correct - it does NOT say "road is now clear, do you want to revert...." Instead is says "There is a ten minute faster route, do you want to go along it?" (or somesuch). You will then find that it has somehow gone back to the original route. It's a computer, it doesn't remember which way it was going, it simply looks for the current fastest route and if it finds one more than (?) minutes faster, it offers it.
Ah, OK thanks for clarifying that. Will pass that info onto him
...Apparently, the reason behind this decision has been the bad winter experienced this and last year, which resulted in so many traffic incidents that the servers at TomTom just could not cope, so in May, they reduced the coverage available to enable the servers to cope better should such a situation occur again...
Sorry, but I don't buy this at all. The key is that we can SEE the full details are downloaded from the servers. They are there! Then the *device* processes them and removes those out of range. Now, I can understand that during the bad weather that made the *devices* have a hard time, so it makes sense to adjust the range. But what does not make sense is not adjusting it back again when the massive load has gone! If they can do it one way during bad weather, just undo it! Again, the device is downloading all the data, so their server is handling it fine.
As I've said on Facebook, this sort of behaviour puts me off buying their app for the iPhone - what tricks might they pull for that? Fortunately I have two of their competitors on that...
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