TomTom 520 advice sought....

MajorClanger · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jun 09, 2005 Posts: 10

Hello

I've decided to upgrade my current SatNav solution (iPAQ and TomTom v5) and was quite taken with the functionality and features of the TomTom520 - especially at the price it can be found for at the moment on the web (don't know if I'm allowed to mention vendors sites here so I won't - but it can be found for £159 in the promotion with the £10 iTunes voucher and iPod cable....). However, before I order and consign my iPAQ and Holux 236 to e-Bay - I wonder if anyone could help me with the answer to a couple of questions?

1. I like the idea of the "text-to-speech" function which will (I assume) tell me the road I'm turning on to rather than just "left" or "right". How good is this - relatively well spoken english or a bit like having a darlek in the passneger seat?

2. I see that TomTom have announced a new version of all it's GO products - will there be a retrospective upgrade of the 520 available or should I bide my time until the latest version comes out?

3. Finally - is there any way I can utilise my Maps of Western Europe from TomTom 5 with this unit (guessing that the answer is "no" but it doesn't hurt to ask....)

Thanks in advance for any help and apologies for the longwinded post ;-)

Kind regards

MC

mikealder · Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 3:57 pm Post subject: Re: TomTom 520 advice sought....

MajorClanger · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jun 09, 2005 Posts: 10

Mike

Thanks a million for such a quick reply :D

Kind regards

MC

john877 · Lifetime Member Joined: Mar 16, 2007 Posts: 468

To use the text to speech feature you have to use a computer generated voice although they are not as clear as Jane or Tim they are acceptable.

I think you may be able to download other computer generated voices i have no idea what they are like

Andy_P · Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 5:58 pm Post subject:

There's a video demo of the Go720 on You-Tube that shows the UK female voice Text to Speech working (listen about 2 minutes in).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzxm9pZPIok

I think they are better than "acceptable" Smile

Johnny_D · Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 6:01 pm Post subject:

Andy's Right - They are a lot more than just acceptable.

Road name reading is excellent and the voice is clear and not robotic at all.

Sometimes the pronunciation of names is a little comical - but all it should do it bring a smile to one's face!

JD
_________________
TTG 300 Died the death of a cracked screen
Navman F20 USB Fell off
TTG 520 Third time lucky?
Bloody Superb PGPSW Camera Database.
Not much else!

shadamehr · Banned Joined: Apr 25, 2006 Posts: 507

@ Major Clanger...

Have pm'd you a link to a comparison site for satnav prices (not like KK or PRunner etc - this one is specific for low priced sat navs and includes discount codes for vendors too).

Have a look, and you will see how cheap the 720 can be had for - not too much more than the 520 you refer to, but comes with Europe Mpas and more storage etc.

HTH.

john877 · Lifetime Member Joined: Mar 16, 2007 Posts: 468

Andy_P · Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 2:03 am Post subject:

john877 · Lifetime Member Joined: Mar 16, 2007 Posts: 468

MajorClanger · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jun 09, 2005 Posts: 10

Thanks to everyone above for your help Smile

Having seen the demo on uTube I think the text to speech is very good (certainly better than what Excel produces when you force it to "read"!)

However, having read up more on the 530/730 features I'm thinking it may be better to wait a couple of weeks (as they're supposed to be launched in April?) to see what the price of the "latest gadget" will be (any ideas?). Presumably even if the 530/730 are hugely expensive the fact that the 520/720 will then be "last years models" will bring their price down even further....?

Thanks again,

MC

MajorClanger · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jun 09, 2005 Posts: 10

.... although, having just read the thread about the price of the 720 in Comet it does seem too good a bargain to miss (plus, of course, there's the benefit of having a new gadget to play with sooner rather than later Smile

.

I assume that at some point in the future the operating system of the x20's will be updated to the same software as the x30's - is this the case? If so - any idea (based on past experience) of how soon it will be upgraded. If there is an upgrade then I guess you'll also be able to buy the updated maps with lane assist and the new routing stuff - or is that incorrect?

Apols for more questions and thanks in advance for all help and guidance :D

Cheers

MC

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