TomTom 530 (pre-purchase questions)

[Lester_Burnham]

Just got a few questions about these...

1. Are they compatible with the cheap TomTom TMC adaptors that were being sold a while back (connection looks a little bit like a headphone jack and works with an existing 510)?

2. I can see from TomTom's website that the 730s can do that IQ route thingmy, could a new 530 do this too?

3. Is there a TomTom equivalent of the ecoroute thing that Garmin do, and if so, will the 530 do it?

4. Is bluetooth compatibility / pairing restricted to what TomTom's website says, or will it pair with other bluetooth enabled phones (but maybe not support all the features)?

5. If bought new / refurbished from TomTom's website would it have up-to-date mapping, or entitlement for that (the website doesn't really comment on that)?

Cheers, and thanks in advance for any help.

[AliOnHols]

Hi Lester_Burnham, Some answers to your questions.

Firstly, I am a fan of the GO x30 range as my signature shall probably tell.

1) Yes, the RDS-TMC you are talking about fits the 530.

2) Yes, the 530 has IQ Routing. But 530 are not "new". They have been superseded by the x40 and the x50 GO's. You may find a new un-used 530 but technology has moved on with "Live" functions, etc.

3) No, the 530, has no Eco-Route function.

4) Bluetooth pairing on the TT web-site is reasonably accurate but out-of-date. TT say that they have not the time to test new phones and keep the list up-to-date and rather than add new(er) phones to the list, they just re-move the existing ones when users complain that their phones no longer work following a NavCore "upgrade". Sony Ericsson have the best track record with pairing with TT's but it's not guaranteed that all SE's shall work.

5) A brand new, unused 530 shall have new maps as part of the Latest Map Guarantee function. Re-furbished 530's do not have a new maps unless you are lucky and TT let a map update "Slip by". Many people, including me, have been lucky enough to get the Latest Map on a Re-furb but, equally, many people have not been so lucky.
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Garmin Nuvi 2599
Android with CamerAlert, OsmAnd+, Waze & TT Europe.
TomTom GO 730, GO 930, GO 940 & Rider2.
SatMap Active 10 & 20.

[Andy_P]

My two cents...
I think MOST people have got newest maps with refurbished units by using the LMG.

But I'm not guaranteeing it!

[Guivre46]

The usb tmc-rds is a much more sensitive antenna than the jack-plug version. Some posts here have reported problems, for me it has just been plug it in and go. It is a limited coverage though, I think I recall it covers 23,800kms of roads, wheras HD covers 238,000kms
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Mike R [aka Wyvern46]
Go 530T - unsupported
Go550 Live [not renewed]
Kia In-dash Tomtom

[DennisN]

I'll support that comment about the USB RDS-TMC being better - not least because it's the closest thing to an active mount - I only have to plug that in of a morning, not two things as with the jack plug version.

But beware this pairing business. Sadly, EVERY TT model I've owned after the 700 has let me down with bluetooth handsfree phone and the list (710, 910, seven 720s, 920, 930) has just been joined by the 550 which worked fine until it didn't. Now it won't hold more than a couple of calls a day without having to be rebooted etc. It's back to my dedicated bluetooth handsfree kit tomorrow!
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Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

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