Nuvi 370 or 670 versus TT720

nosh · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 02, 2006 Posts: 7

Hi all - I've been using a PDA with TTN5 but want the convenience of an all in one unit as well as mobile hands free and good battery life. I've narrowed the search a little but am open to advice on the Nuvi 370/670 versus TT720 - or indeed any other model that has provoked praise!

Hamie · Regular Visitor Joined: Dec 30, 2003 Posts: 177

I have a Nuvi 660/GTM21 now and had a TT500 in the past. The TT software has the Garmin software beaten hands down. The main diffs as far as I am concerned are

Nav interface
Winner TT. The TT shows your route on calculation, summary & a wee map. You can see where you're going, and then get the option to avoid part of a route etc. Garmin just calculate the route & start directing... You never know where you're going to be going without some extra investigation. The Garmin doesn't AFAICF have the ability to avoid part of a route except as traffic. And then it's all or nothing.

Screen Quality
The Nuvi 660 is better than the TT500. I can't comment on the TT720 screen. I'm guessing it'll be at least as good as the Garmin.

Traffic Interface.
Both have downsides. Both the Garmin & TT software only show you traffic on your current route. bad bad bad. I'd loike to jknow if I turn off what's the traffic like. They do let you poke at the screen to find the info. But that leads to accidents. The TT traffic for your currnet route is shown as a bar on the RHS and as icons on the map. The Garmin traffic only has icons and a single popup with estimated time of delay (Also on the TT, but with better detail).

The TT also shows you traffic recept staus on the screen. garmi you have to look down at the cigarette lighted to find an LED... bad bad bad.

Map
Surprisingly to me I found the TT TeleAtlas maps far more accurate than the NavTech maps of the Garmin. e.g. the new T5/M25 interchange is on TT maps from at least 2005. It still isn't on the Garmin maps as of May 2007. This affects the whole of the junction not just future traffic. Now while this one may not be major it's enough to make me ask if it's out for a road made 2 years ago on the M25, what's it like elsewhere?

Map Display. The Garmin doesn't allow customisation with anything. Except zoom level. The TT allows custom colours etc. But sadly not the zoom level.

Support
TT wins. I can login to a personalised page on TT, review all my current & past tickets and raise calls, get answers all via the Web. With garmin it's a fire & forget email.

TMC
TT allow traffic updates via GPRS phone and dedicated TMC receiver. Garmin is TMC receiver only. Which requires mods to actually work in this country. ITiS holding which provide TT traffic also seem to be a little mroe responsive than TrafficMaster. ITiS post on the forums here (or were). I have yet to have a response from Traffic Master for anything.

In the TT720 you also have things like buddy lists where you can see where your friends are, and I believe you can personalise & share maps with people. That looks cool.

On the gripping hand, the Garmin mapformat is known & you can get opensource maps for it. Nothing like that for TT, unless the personalised maps allow that wort of detail.

I think if I was buying today I'd go the TT720 route & just live with the lack of zoom functionality. The traffic options wouldn't swing it for me wither way. far too many probs with both, but the TT just seems a more polished product

TT also seem a better company. The Garmin route seems to be one of removing functionality from the Nuvi product range... TT keep adding to theirs.

mikealder · Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 5:51 pm Post subject:

Just a quick correction Hamie, you have the ability to enable/ disable the Auto Zoom when using version 7 software which is supplied with this pre-loaded.
If Traffic information is required then the only viable method currently within the UK is to use the GPRS method via your mobile phone which again means TomTom, RDS-TMC is still a postcode lottery IMHO irrespective of the which supplier Garmin or TomTom that you choose - Mike

nosh · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 02, 2006 Posts: 7

Thanks Hamie/Mike - very informative breakdown of Nuvi Versus TT. I'm currently swaying to the TT720 but am a bit concerned that the first batch appear to be a bit fault prone. I think I'll hold off for a short while and see how TT resolve the issues. In the meantime will keep plugging away with my PDA/GPS with trailing wires and incredibly short battery life! Smile

mikealder · Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2007 7:46 pm Post subject:

What PDA are you having battery problems with? it might be easier to get a replacement cell and considerably less costly, I still use the PDA devices, but do like the PNA units for in car usage though, my 720 is performing very well with no problems to report - Mike

crazyfingers · Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 5:21 pm Post subject:

For me the key difference between any of the Nuvi's and TT 720 (or any other Go units) is that the Nuvi does not allow you to save a route for later use and only allows one planned via in a route. TT allows saving of the itinerary and multiple visa/stops/waypoints.

The lack of such on the Nuvi is a serious deal-breaker for me. OTOH, I've read of serious vaults with the 720.

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