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Tom Tom GO 530T or GO 520UK. Advice on either please.
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sunter18
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 7:51 pm    Post subject: Tom Tom GO 530T or GO 520UK. Advice on either please. Reply with quote

After much research i am now down to 1 of 2 models to replace my Go 300.

I can get hold of the GO 520UK version at £159.99 or the newer 530T for around £220. The main differences i can see are the IQ routes mode and the traffic update, neither of these are needed although may be useful occasionaly. Can anyone tell me other than those are there any other differences and whether they would pay the £60 extra for them.

Has anyone got a 520 and are there any problems to look for. I want an easy to use unit that i can upload GPSworld cameras and POI's onto and think the seperate card is a good idea. Has it got itinery planning as i cannot see it mentioned anywhere. Also think the FM transmitter is a useful tool.

All thoughts gratefully received. TIA.
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mikealder
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 7:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

IQ routes are actually quite handy and tend to provide a route that contains more in way of local knowledge, the x30 is the first device I have used that routes me to work in the same way as I would drive using local knowledge, no other device has ever done this. The Lane Assit function is also very handy which is a new feature restricted to the x30 units.

FM Tx is good if you live away from a major city, trying to locate a free frequency to use this feature in London or Birmingham is somewhat difficult.

All the x20 and x30 units have Itinerary planning, and you will have no problems using the PGPSW Speed Camera database on the units - Mike
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sunter18
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 8:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks again for your prompt reply Mike.

Only thing i forgot to mention is i tow a caravan so do you think the IQ would help in anyway?
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shadamehr
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 8:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As soon as you choose any of the other options, such as "Avoid Motorways", or more likely for caravans, "Limited Speed", then IQ Routes goes out the window, as you are instantly OVER-RIDING IQ Routes, if choosing a different type of routing.

In terms of IQ Routes itself left as default, when towing a caravan, hard to say, as all it does, is give the supposedly QUICKEST actual route, based on actual historic road data.

So whether this route is of use to you or not with a caravan, is unlikely to be affected any way - that is to say, the relevance of a route created by IQ Routes, when driving with a caravan, is of no greater or lesser benefit, than a none IQ Route used, also when driving a caravan - the route is a better one than a none IQ Route, but it doesn't add anything especially for a caravan drive.


In terms of prices too, just to let you know, if it's still in your budget,, and IQ Routes doesn't sound your thing, but Europe driving at some point might, that a Go 720 none traffic version can currently be had for £199.99 from Play.com, if that's any use.

Or microwarehouse.com (of whom I have no experience) is doing a new Go 530 for £208.82 if you prefer the UK only option, but want IQ Routes etc.

Hope this helps. I struggled to explain myself well over the IQ Routing thing, I realise re-reading it. All I am trying to say, is that IQ Routing, is a plus in general, for driving, full stop. But not really adding anything individually to the experience of driving with a caravan, would be the best answer. Others can surely word it better or add their views in this regard.
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shadamehr
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 8:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ADDITIONALLY:

Not seen a Go 530 TRAFFIC version for the price you state mate, so happy to hear where.

All the ones I have seen, with a Traffic edition, are around the £235-£250 mark.

The one I advertised at £208 is a none Traffic version.

Also, be mindful - the PC World Business site, claiming a Traffic version of the 530 at a lower price, when you click through, says NOTHING then, about it being an actual 530 T.

Finally, on all the sites I have checked, they tend to claim the 530T has 4GB Internal Memory.

If this IS true, this would let you add Europe Maps later, becuase of the size.

BUT, that seems strange, as that's MUCH larger than the 520 it replaced, which was so short of storage, you couldn't add Europe unless using an SD Card.

AND more than my 730 I think.

So I reckon that's a mis-print on all the sites, so be careful!

AHA - Confirmed on the TomTom site - the 530 has only 1GB of Internal Memory, NOT 4GB, as claimed. So this means no Europe maps at a later stage, unless you can somehow buy them by persuading TT, then putting it on a an External SD Card.

So another consideration for you.
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sunter18
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 9:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for your reply shadamehr. Your right, my mistake. When searching through i had not come across a none T model so misread an advert diverting me to Dixons, thought it was the Traffic model.

Thanks for your input regards towing, it can be a touchy subject. Yep i understand what your saying.

For what i actually use the satnav i dont see the IQ or traffic options being necessary at the minute so it is looking like the 520 will suffice for the difference in price. Also very unlikely to drive through Europe.

Any other opinions or info greatly appreciated. Smile)
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shadamehr
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 10:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just that if you were ever minded to get a Europe map in the future, the cost would be a LOT more than £40.

As this is what you can get a 720 for, over the cost you indicate for a 520, then I would at least pause and consider that option, if you ever felt you MIGHT want a Europe map.

Especially as the 520 only comes with the 1GB Internal Memory, as mentioned, which makes adding new maps a right pain, if at all.

BUT, if budget constraints are the driving factor for you (as they are with lots of us to be fair), then the 520 will serve your UK needs, if you don't need IQ Routes too (the 720 doesn't have them either).

Additionally, BOTH units will allow FM Transmission of instructions, to your car speaker (not a gimmick, it makes hearing them so much better and easier), as well as allow for use as a Mobile Phone handsfree, if your phone is supported.

And BOTH can also be converted to Traffic based devices, either by buying an RDS-TMC aerial for it, or buy purchasing a Plus Traffic Subscription if you pair it with your mobile phone, if you have an Internet Allowance on your tariff.

So both are still reasonably future proof, and feature rich, to be sure.
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Calomax
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 10:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you choose Fastest Route when planning, your route will stick mostly to main roads so towing shouldn't be much of a problem. Just remember to add on a bit of time to allow for slower speeds. When I'm towing I use the Limited Speed option which also keeps me on main roads generally. My 720 doesn't have IQ routes though.

It's also worth remembering that some of us have been able to upgrade to version 8.010 software and we hope that option will come back together with version 8 maps. If so, a 520 should gain all the 530 improvements.
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mikealder
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 11:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

To be honest if I were towing I would use the Itinerary option to force the unit to go where I wanted, the simple fact is the nav unit has no knowledge of driving styles or preferred route options when you have a van on the back.
Whilst I mentioned the virtues of IQ routes in an earlier post within this thread it was based purely on car only driving, I wouldn't use any offered route if I were towing a van, other than the basic Motorway and some A road routing - research which takes little time using online applications such as Google Earth can help pick out a route that would be easier to drive than that offered by the device.
The problem here is the lack of support for towed vans and even HGV vehicles, they both require different driving styles, the nav units do not offer profiles based upon this type of setup currently, even an avoid POI capability to miss out narrow bridges/ roads etc is not available.
Such functionality would be far more useful than Bluetooth connectivity, FM Transmitters/ Map Share/ Remote Control and other easy to add functionality - Mike
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Calomax
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 8:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've been using TT navigator 5 & 6 for some years and a Go 720 this year.

My caravan is only 1.85 metres wide so is only marginally wider than the Spacewagon I tow it with so it's not likely to be a problem for me. But I do regularly keep an eye open for unsuitable routes for mine and, just out of interest, for larger caravans both when towing and when solo.

So far I've never been routed anywhere I wouldn't want to tow a normal sized caravan. That's one reason I stuck with TT instead of going for a Garmin.

As always with any sat nav though, it is prudent to take responsibility for the roads you use and not to follow the device blindly then to blame the sat nav when you end up on a farm track etc.
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shadamehr
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 6:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Calomax wrote:
If you choose Fastest Route when planning, your route will stick mostly to main roads so towing shouldn't be much of a problem. Just remember to add on a bit of time to allow for slower speeds. When I'm towing I use the Limited Speed option which also keeps me on main roads generally. My 720 doesn't have IQ routes though.

It's also worth remembering that some of us have been able to upgrade to version 8.010 software and we hope that option will come back together with version 8 maps. If so, a 520 should gain all the 530 improvements.

Calomax,

Not sure if you spotted this on another forum where I posted it, but just to say, that using Limited Speed, you MAY be artificially adding to the length and time of your route in some regards.

You see, Limited Speed, DOES NOT (I am told by multiple people who have tested this), simply choose the normal route it would go for, but then limit the roads to x mph that you set.

On the contrary, it uses the maximum speed you select, to CALCULATE roads to use.

Let me make it clearer by way of example...


On a NORMAL speed route a fictional journey from point A to Point B, is FASTEST when using the MOTORWAY that connects them, even though the motorway is actually slightly LONGER geographically, than the Major 'A' Trunk Road near to it that also connects the two points

This is because, in my fictional example, the Main 'A' Road is not dual-carriageway, so has a maximum top speed, for normal cars, of just 60mph.

With me so far - Motorway is slightly longer in miles, but a faster journey overall, given the top speed of 70, compared to the 'A' Road with a max speed of just 60mph.

Ok so far..?

So, we move on to Limited Speed.

And as such, if you tell TomTom that the mximum speed is 50mph, this applies to all routes.

So as a result, The main 'A' Road, gets given a top speed of the SAME value as the motorway - BOTH become 50mph roads, as it were.

Now, as a result, because the 'A' Road is slightly SHORTER distance-wise, than the motorway, but has the SAME speed, then the TomTom is likely going to route you via the 'A' Road, rather than the motorway, as the journey will be shorter both in terms of distance, AND TIME then.

EXCEPT OF COURSE... on this route, if you get stuck behind a slow moving HGV with no place to overtake, your journey will realistically be MUCH longer than if it had of used the slightly more lenghty motorway option.

In short, a BAD route will have been generated, as a result of choosing Limited Speed. (Possibly open to debate, but if so, then let's pretend instead that the two roads are near identical distances, with the motorway only the tiniest bit longer)

This is a fictional example only, but used to emphasise that Limited Route, contrary to what many assume, DOES NOT simply choose the same route it usually would, but limiting the journey to a set speed.

Instead, it will use that set speed, to actually decide upon which roads, and which routes, it will calcualte for you, and then be subject to errors such as my example.

So, I point this out, just to draw attention to how Limited Speed actually works, as many will nto realise this.

And to emphasise what Mike says, that the best option for caravanning etc is by Itinerary, BUT, you can of course then combine this with the "Limited Speed" option then, as this will ensure the route YOU dictate, by adding relevant waypoints to force it, but time it based on the speed you have set as the limit.

Hope this helps, and above all, makes sense what I am saying...

(LONG POST, AS IT CAN'T REALLY BE SHORTENED WITHOUT MAKING IT MORE CONFUSING)
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sunter18
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 7:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks all for the help and info.

As with others when towing i put a fair amount of preperation into which roads i use, which way i approach the site etc and use my satnav as a guide only (and for the dreaded cameras Laughing Out Loud). My problem came twice last year when i was enroute and happened on an incident that sent me on a detour. Now even with a mapbook onboard it can be quite daunting when sent down narrow or single track roads so i want to get off them as quick as possible. As others do i almost always use the fastest route as this keeps you to the major roads, was just wondering if the IQ would help in this matter. It looks like not so am off to the store tomoz, voucher in hand and going to buy the 520 if they have stock.

Had not realised that the limited speed had a bearing on route, thought it was just a giude for time ie; i am travelling 250 miles down the motorway and my maximum speed i drive at is 50 mph so i will arrive in 5 hours. Have had my current unit for three years so as they say, you live and learn.

Thanks again guys for the input.
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Calomax
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 10:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Shadamehr, Thanks for the explanation. It's logical when put in that way. In future I may just use fastest route and expect to take a bit longer. After all when we have the caravan we are on holiday and not in a hurry to get anywhere. Also, all our caravanning is in France where the speed limits are the same whe towing as when solo and as our caravan is very small and light being towed by a Spacewagon which is 50% heavier, it is quite safe to tow at higher speeds than allowed in the UK if we ever were in a hurry.

Having said that, I never noticed TT Navigator 5 or 6 changing the route when setting limited speed (I haven't tried it yet with the GO, roll on 28th June when we'll be off Very Happy ) but as we're only towing for a handful of days in the year, I probably would notice. We're still routed on major roads including Toll Roads.
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shadamehr
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 10:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

sunter18 wrote:
Thanks all for the help and info.

As with others when towing i put a fair amount of preperation into which roads i use, which way i approach the site etc and use my satnav as a guide only (and for the dreaded cameras Laughing Out Loud). My problem came twice last year when i was enroute and happened on an incident that sent me on a detour. Now even with a mapbook onboard it can be quite daunting when sent down narrow or single track roads so i want to get off them as quick as possible. As others do i almost always use the fastest route as this keeps you to the major roads, was just wondering if the IQ would help in this matter. It looks like not so am off to the store tomoz, voucher in hand and going to buy the 520 if they have stock.

Had not realised that the limited speed had a bearing on route, thought it was just a giude for time ie; i am travelling 250 miles down the motorway and my maximum speed i drive at is 50 mph so i will arrive in 5 hours. Have had my current unit for three years so as they say, you live and learn.

Thanks again guys for the input.


My understanding of how it behaves, using your example above rather than a fictional one as I did, is that by setting max speed as it were to 50mph for ALL roads, even those with a normal higher limit than this, then on your 250 mile journey down south, it could well offer you a route in some parts that uses an 'A' Road rather than an equivalent motorway, if this 'A' Road shortens the distance, as the two roads would both have the same speed rating.

That's what others testing has allegedly shown.

Makes sense I suppose too, conversely.
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Calomax
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 10:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As an experiment I just planned the same route twice. Using fastest route, it was 238 miles but at limited speed of 55mph it was 203 miles so it did plan a different route, although it still used some Toll roads.
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