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Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 9:42 pm Post subject: Changing from TomTom710 to Nuvi 360t - advice please?
Hi,
I currently own a TomTom 710 and a seperate traffic master unit.
I am looking at changing to the 360t and have a few questions about it which I am hoping Garmin users will be able to answer! My TomTom does the following, does the 360t?
1. I can set a warning for the PocketGPS camera warnings of any distance I like.
2. The warning sounds whether I am speeding OR not speeding.
3. Sounds, I can change the sounds to anything I like.
4. I do NOT have to have a route planned to get camera warnings.
Finally, my traffic master unit is brilliant - how well does the Garmin work as I know it uses FM rather than the blue posts/pager frequency the unit I currently own does? Do people get reliable traffic all over country?
Hope you guys can help me decide if I should change, my decision is MAINLY for the built in traffic, so if people say this sucks...
I mainly drive from London to Berkshire (Reading) and back and from London to Dorset (Weymouth), so would be very interested to hear anyone's thoughts!
Joined: Nov 04, 2003 Posts: 2225 Location: Bedfordshire, UK
Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 7:02 am Post subject:
If you move to the Garmin unit for built in traffic (which is wonderful when it works), don't throw away your current Trafficmaster unit - given the way it works it may be needed on certain routes to provide information when the TMC signal cannot be received. Many people have found the need to connect their GTM unit to the car's aerial feed to try to improve coverage.
You can change the alert settings, either through the Garmin utility, a third party utility, or you can just use the defaults.
With Ash's utility, you have complete control of what happens - but with the Garmin standard app, the Nuvi will give a single alert as you approach the camera, and then replay that same alert if you are over the speed.
Garmin support mp3 for changing the alert sound, although it's much more difficult to change the satnav voice to a custom voice.
If you have a route planned, you will get speed alerts on your upcoming route, without a route, you will get speed alerts for any camera in the vicinity - this can cause alerts to happen for neighbouring or parallel roads. _________________ Please don't be offended if I do not reply to a PM - please ask questions via the forums.
Many people have found the need to connect their GTM unit to the car's aerial feed to try to improve coverage.
Before you jump in too quickly the 360T uses the GTM 12 (just like my 350) which cannot be connected to an external aerial whithout damaging the unit. This is different to the 600 series which use the GTM21 which can be connected to the cars aerial as standard. (if anyone can show me a way to do it with a GTM 12 I'd love to know!).
I drove from London to Brackell (J10 of the M4) on Monday, and got no messages at all.
Joined: Nov 04, 2003 Posts: 2225 Location: Bedfordshire, UK
Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:03 pm Post subject:
The GTM12 and the GTM21 use the same hardware (albeit packaged slightly differently), but definitely share the same single wire aerial. As such, any solution that works for the GTM21 will also work for the GTM12, but I do agree attaching either to a car aerial feed is not a warranty-preserving action. _________________ Please don't be offended if I do not reply to a PM - please ask questions via the forums.
Ah ha! I'd gotten the impression from some of the other threads that the aerial splitter was a pretty standard function of the GTM21. Might be running done to Maplin during my lunch break.
Do you think someone could start a Sticky thread on how to improve reception for these devices.
Sorry for going off topic Wireplay, but I love my Nuvi, and the TMC data is great when it does work, so anything to get it working more often is good for me.
The one feature I particularly love is when it pops up the Route Icon to inform you that there is a better route to follow when there is traffic ahead, and it can calculate a quicker route.
I managed to get a brand new 360t for £187.50! So I am going to run it for month side by side good old TomTom710 and my TM freeway box, so I will report back on this thread and let you all know which is the best solution for me :-)
I am hoping that it avoids my brain having to kick in when I am approaching the M25 and hear M4 delay, M25 delay... etc. that's when I think AGGHHHH! Great to know, but which is best, should I stay on this road, continue on the M3, head to the M40 etc... too much, just too much :-)
Ah ha! I'd gotten the impression from some of the other threads that the aerial splitter was a pretty standard function of the GTM21. Might be running done to Maplin during my lunch break.
Nope. It's alter youself & break the warrenty.
Quote:
The one feature I particularly love is when it pops up the Route Icon to inform you that there is a better route to follow when there is traffic ahead, and it can calculate a quicker route.
I think it's pants... Sorry. The TT display on the right of the screen is much better. In one display you can see whether the TMC is working or not, the delays and where in relation to you & the destination the delays are placed... I'm not sure how you consider the single icon that pops up ONLY when there's a a delay on your route to be better... It's possibly you need the latest software of the x20's to get delay times? But then the TT shows you the total trip time down the bottom anyway... Which the Garmin NEVER shows you (The Garmin only shows you the ETA).
I am not sure on which display is better as I am still waiting for my Garmin, but the TMC on the TomTom is a joke to be honest, it doesnt use Traffic Master which is the most reliable system out there, the Garmin does which is why I am interested in it.
My seperate TM box is amazing, I would just like both combined, so hopefully this will do the job...
Joined: Dec 28, 2005 Posts: 2003 Location: Antrobus, Cheshire
Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 5:33 pm Post subject:
wireplay wrote:
I am not sure on which display is better as I am still waiting for my Garmin, but the TMC on the TomTom is a joke to be honest, it doesnt use Traffic Master which is the most reliable system out there, the Garmin does which is why I am interested in it.
My seperate TM box is amazing, I would just like both combined, so hopefully this will do the job...
TMC on both TT and GARMIN rely upon RDS based data (different providers but same distribution system). In the UK, legislation prevents high powers being used by the broadcasters so there are many areas that have poor coverage. I would recommend getting your nuvi TMC unit connected to an external aerial somehow. There's a lot of notes in the TMC forum on different ways to do it! Keep hold of your independent TM system - it may still be the most reliable detection method. However when TMC works - it works really well. _________________ Phil
I am not sure on which display is better as I am still waiting for my Garmin, but the TMC on the TomTom is a joke to be honest, it doesnt use Traffic Master which is the most reliable system out there, the Garmin does which is why I am interested in it.
My seperate TM box is amazing, I would just like both combined, so hopefully this will do the job...
I'm not sure TM is still better than ITiS. ITiS have feeds from not only traffic sensors (Like TM), but movement data direct from fleets of trucks. And they're active on the TMC forums here. They also seem to have a better FM network (Although apparently TM have finally replaced WinterHill which has gone to ITiS (CapitalFM)) , AND the data is available via GPRS on the TT's.
TM on the other hand never respond to any queries. Don't publish their transmitter list, and are very vague about the coverage... In fact It's pretty easy to find a diagram listing the whole of england being 'covered' wheras it's really only got sensors on the motorways, and a very few short bits of A roads (This diagram was much harder to find).
In fact if you're outside London even roads like the M4 are more miss than hit (e.g. I crawled home at about 20km/hr last night with TM on the Garmin 660 telling me there wasn't a road holdup for 28km away). Roads like the A404(M) aren't covered at all except up to HandyCross roundabout. Southbound you're S.O.O.L.
The adverts Garmin have about 'real-time' traffic alerts are at best misleading and at worst blatant lies. There's nothing realtime about TM alerts via garmin, even with a boosted aerial. (I'm not saying ITiS is better, but it's certain that TM are not any better, and ITiS now do at least have a better & wider gathering system). Certainly I don't belive that TM is fit for purpose. I didn't believe ITiS was when I had my TT500 either. But apparently they have done a lot to improve their service. I'm not sure ITiS is worth the 40odd quid a year they were charging for TT Plus subscription but that's because I haven't tried it again recently.
I would truly like something that actually works. And gives me a level of confidence. I believe the absolute minimum requirements would be
1. An indication of Data saying there's a problem AND data for clear or no data at all (Otherwise no data == it's clear) on a per road segment basis (e.g. colour coded display). Show actual traffic speed for each road segment.
2. Showing all traffic on the main map screen (No unit shows this since Garmin destroyed their traffic display in v3 on the 6xx models).
3. Higher resolution. Currently I believe TMC allows for very limited resolution of where a problem actually occurs.
4. Show the start, end and direction of a problem. Often (Always?) TMC data gets all 3 wrong... I'm not sure I've ever seen a real accurate alert... I've seen alerts that co-incided at some point with reality, but start & finish are always a long way out of reality. As are travel times.
5. Link the TMC data to the data shown on the roadside displays... (For both the M25 variable speed and the speed displays on other motorways). When they flash 40, TMC should get the same data & show reduced speed on that section of road
Joined: Nov 04, 2003 Posts: 2225 Location: Bedfordshire, UK
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2007 12:10 pm Post subject:
Hamie wrote:
ITiS have feeds from not only traffic sensors (Like TM)
They only have the moving sensors (although, I think I've said they get someone else's fixed sensor data, but have no proof of that, and given I've offered iTIS a number of opportunities to agree with me, I suspect I'm actually wrong).
Quote:
it's really only got sensors on the motorways, and a very few short bits of A roads (This diagram was much harder to find).
They cover the whole of the primary trunk route network - iTIS don't even publish a map of which roads they do and don't cover...
Quote:
I would truly like something that actually works. And gives me a level of confidence.
Here Here, me too, and right now I don't believe either service offers this. _________________ Please don't be offended if I do not reply to a PM - please ask questions via the forums.
It's really only got sensors on the motorways, and a very few short bits of A roads (This diagram was much harder to find).
They cover the whole of the primary trunk route network - iTIS don't even publish a map of which roads they do and don't cover...
Define 'Primary trunk network'. I'd assume (Never do that that means the M and M class roads (e.g M4, A404(M) etc). However emperical evidence says that TM do not cover the A404(M) and M4 from J6 to J8/9. SOMETIMES they have data for J8/9 to J10/11 or so. Mostly not. There was an 80km/hr limit on the M4 from J10-11 and J11-12 for months. NOTHING listed on TM at all. I did get an alert on friday night for the M4 J4B though having said all that. It only appeared for a couple of minutes then disappeared...
There is NEVER anything for the A404(M) southbound. I've spent endless mornings creeping up from J9B to J8. It can take 30 or more minutes to travel a few km. There are sensors on the bridges (Green IIRC). But never as much as a sniff, even though the GTM21 receives data fine (With a boosted aerial).
I'd love TM to explain why there's no data for these 'primary' roads... Or have TM explain why the M4 isn't a primary road of course. That should be interesting...
Quote:
Quote:
I would truly like something that actually works. And gives me a level of confidence.
Here Here, me too, and right now I don't believe either service offers this.
Agreed, but I think ITiS has a better solution as long as there's traffic on the roads (And either could feed speed data and info that the roadside info units show. But don't). It more comes down to which unit provides the better nav solution. And I don't believe that's Garmin.
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that means the M and M class roads (e.g M4, A404(M) etc). However emperical evidence says that TM do not cover the A404(M) and M4 from J6 to J8/9. SOMETIMES they have data for J8/9 to J10/11 or so. Mostly not. There was an 80km/hr limit on the M4 from J10-11 and J11-12 for months. NOTHING listed on TM at all. I did get an alert on friday night for the M4 J4B though having said all that. It only appeared for a couple of minutes then disappeared...
