Help with sat nav

[roxy]

Not sure if this is the place but anyway - I am having a lot of trouble with getting the French map I purchased in December onto my sat nav so my housebuying expeditions are not as calm as I would wish them to be. Does anyone know of a computer expert /shop (a gifted amateur and a friends son  have failed already) that I can get help from please. To compound the problem my internet access is very slow and I get timed out a lot, not to mention a new occurrence about unresponsive script! I am in Torigny and running out of time and patience fast......

many thanks

 

[Anton Redman]

Please could you add a post code for Torigny as Via Michelin lists about a dozen choices none of which match exactly.

Which make and model of Sat Nav or PC would also be useful.

'unresponsive script' normally means the internet connection os so slow that the process has timed out.

At the risk of having the full weigth of the forum thrown at me try buying a coffee at McDonalds and downloading there if the device has WiFi access

 

[just john]

I might suggest that the Sat-nav update is not made direct to the Sat-nav itself

but downloaded firstly to a PC or laptop which will be quicker, and less likely to time out,

once downloaded it should then download to the Sat-nav much more quickly directly from the PC/Laptop.

[Rabbie]

At the risk of stating the obvious what does your manual suggest you do

[roxy]

Sorry about omitting the postcode it's 50890 - actually conde sur vire but closer to torigny sur vire.

It's a Tomtom 530 it worked great in the UK. I don't know where a Macdonalds is! I did think about that, but imagine I would be in there for hours sorting it. Why is it all so difficult? I guess I'll have to buy a new one, thanks anyway.

[Loiseau]

Hi roxy,

I googled tom tom 530 problem downloading map, and quite a lot of sites seem to address the problem. Not sure if you or your helpers have been down that route, but maybe worth trying.

Angela

[sid]

[quote user="roxy"]Sorry about omitting the postcode it's 50890 - actually conde sur vire but closer to torigny sur vire.
It's a Tomtom 530 it worked great in the UK. I don't know where a Macdonalds is! I did think about that, but imagine I would be in there for hours sorting it. Why is it all so difficult? I guess I'll have to buy a new one, thanks anyway.

[/quote]

What you need is a SatNav.  [Www]

[roxy]

Indeed I do!

thanks for all replies.

[Patf]

Apologies for my prejudice:

I think satnavs are a ridiculous waste of money, and deprive your brain of exercise.

 Get a good map.

[Quillan]

From what I have read the 530 is a cut down version of the 730 and is now obsolete, it has a lot less memory and comes with your countries map pre installed. From what I have read you can only load the update of the map you have installed. In this case as it is a UK version you can only stick a UK map on it. This is because the device was sold at different prices in different countries so it stops you buying it cheaper in another country and putting your own country maps on it. Towards the end there was an update to the operating system that would allow you to change language which in turn allowed you to load a map for that country. So that means, assuming you have uploaded the new operating system, that you can change it to French and then upload the French map but then the system and verbal directions may well be in French, well thats what is implied.

Nothing wrong with TomToms, they are about the best you can get as are the maps. What you want to do is buy a new version with European maps such as the 'TomTom Via 130 Europe' which costs around £140. There will be a card in the box so you can get one free update to the most up to date maps.

Alternatively if you have either an Apple or Android mobile phone you can download the maps and software in to the phone and use the phone to navigate with. As normal the Apple version is more expensive than the Android version yet they look the same and do the same when you use them.

[Quillan]

[quote user="Patf"]Apologies for my prejudice:
I think satnavs are a ridiculous waste of money, and deprive your brain of exercise.
 Get a good map.

[/quote]

A good map no good if your dead because you tried to drive and read a map at the same time. [:P] According to government figures over 10% of reported accidents are cause by people driving and reading a map at the same time (try googling "how many accidents are there due to drivers reading maps"). [:D]

I love the stories about lorries getting stuck in narrow lanes or under bridges and they blame the SatNav. What they should do is blame the stupid driver who tried to use a car version for a lorry and save a few quid. There are special versions for lorries which ignore narrow roads and low bridges but they cost around £300 instead of £140 for the car version. But when it happens everyone has a pop at the SatNav when it really is not it's fault.

http://www.tomtom.com/en_gb/products/customised-navigation/truck/

 

[Russethouse]

Pat, I'm the navigator when we drive anywhere together, but if I am going somewhere new and I'm on my own the Sat Nav is great (or even if I am with Mr RH because his sense of direction leaves a lot to be desired)

[Patf]

I can understand that RH.

I just love maps, and can spend hours browsing over them and planning where to go;

[Russethouse]

Sat Nav or not, I'm never without a map !

[Théière]

[quote user="Quillan"]

From what I have read the 530 is a cut down version of the 730 and is now obsolete, it has a lot less memory and comes with your countries map pre installed. From what I have read you can only load the update of the map you have installed. In this case as it is a UK version you can only stick a UK map on it. [/quote]

Best you keep reading [:)]

The 530 does have less internal memory but the 530 has an SD card slot to take 1-2Gb SD card which will hold the map info for additional maps

[Rabbie]

[quote user="Quillan"]

[quote user="Patf"]Apologies for my prejudice:
I think satnavs are a ridiculous waste of money, and deprive your brain of exercise.
 Get a good map.

[/quote]

A good map no good if your dead because you tried to drive and read a map at the same time. [:P] According to government figures over 10% of reported accidents are cause by people driving and reading a map at the same time (try googling "how many accidents are there due to drivers reading maps"). [:D]

I love the stories about lorries getting stuck in narrow lanes or under bridges and they blame the SatNav. What they should do is blame the stupid driver who tried to use a car version for a lorry and save a few quid. There are special versions for lorries which ignore narrow roads and low bridges but they cost around £300 instead of £140 for the car version. But when it happens everyone has a pop at the SatNav when it really is not it's fault.

http://www.tomtom.com/en_gb/products/customised-navigation/truck/

 

[/quote]There is a lane near Kidderminster leading to a foot ferry over the river Severn. The lane has now got a prominent sign warning sat-nav users that it is not a vehicular ferry.  Not just lorries that can be mislead by Sat-Navs[:)]

[Quillan]

[quote user="Théière"][quote user="Quillan"]

From what I have read the 530 is a cut down version of the 730 and is now obsolete, it has a lot less memory and comes with your countries map pre installed. From what I have read you can only load the update of the map you have installed. In this case as it is a UK version you can only stick a UK map on it. [/quote]

Best you keep reading [:)]

The 530 does have less internal memory but the 530 has an SD card slot to take 1-2Gb SD card which will hold the map info for additional maps

[/quote]

But I did. The 530 has 2gb of internal memory and the 730 4gb. You can as you say add a 2gb SD card (the maximum it will take). The problem is you can't store the map over two types of memory i.e. internal and external, it all has to be in the same memory. Now you get to the cause of the problem should you try to install the European map in that it is 2.368gb in size currently. Pre 2009 (or 2008, I can't remember which) you used to be able to store the map on your PC and just upload the countries you wanted but since they changed to Tele Atlas maps for some reason you can't, it's all or nothing. Over the years the operating system has also over doubled in size to just over 1gb.

[Quillan]

[quote user="Rabbie"]

There is a lane near Kidderminster leading to a foot ferry over the river Severn. The lane has now got a prominent sign warning sat-nav users that it is not a vehicular ferry.  Not just lorries that can be mislead by Sat-Navs[:)][/quote]

And I bet lorries and cars still drive down it with or without a GPS. [;-)]

Knowing local government it probably took the about 5 years to get the sign put up and maps are continuously getting updated anyway. There was for a long time an error on mine with a roundabout locally that was not there but that was corrected about two years ago. Even paper maps are not without their errors. I bought a new one (2012) for walking locally, it still does not have a 5km signposted public footpath on it that has been there for years neither does my GPS map yet it is there and I have walked it several times following the official signposts. Just like anything in life a certain amount of commonsense is required. I know of a bridge close to where I lived in London where the height was clearly stated (with directions to avoid the bridge) well before the bridge but regularly lorries got stuck under it. Likewise the Blackwall tunnel was notorious for getting lorries stuck even before GPS's were available.

On the other hand I used only my GPS to tour Spain and it took me to the hotel every time with no errors. The only time I looked at the paper map was to work out what we wanted to visit each day.

 

[Théière]

[quote user="Quillan"][quote user="Théière"][quote user="Quillan"]

From what I have read the 530 is a cut down version of the 730 and is now obsolete, it has a lot less memory and comes with your countries map pre installed. From what I have read you can only load the update of the map you have installed. In this case as it is a UK version you can only stick a UK map on it. [/quote]

Best you keep reading [:)]

The 530 does have less internal memory but the 530 has an SD card slot to take 1-2Gb SD card which will hold the map info for additional maps

[/quote]

But I did. The 530 has 2gb of internal memory and the 730 4gb. You can as you say add a 2gb SD card (the maximum it will take). The problem is you can't store the map over two types of memory i.e. internal and external, it all has to be in the same memory. Now you get to the cause of the problem should you try to install the European map in that it is 2.368gb in size currently. Pre 2009 (or 2008, I can't remember which) you used to be able to store the map on your PC and just upload the countries you wanted but since they changed to Tele Atlas maps for some reason you can't, it's all or nothing. Over the years the operating system has also over doubled in size to just over 1gb.

[/quote]

Yes, it was around 6 years ago I got rid of my 530 so from my recollection all you have to do is not download the whole of Western Europe but only the countries up to the limit (actually just under) what the card was and I doubt I would have driven in those anyway. Then it will do as you want. As the map updates got bigger then again you must remove some others to make room for the ones you want to keep. That's why I upgraded in the end as map updates were more expensive than buying a new unit with included updates for a while and a better GPS chipset and more memory. Now the 6" ebay £46 special has taken over from TT and actually uses TT maps and others withing the Igo programme. added bonus is the e reader and MP3 player etc.

[Quillan]

Ah but does it navigate in underground car parks and tunnels or if it looses satellite coverage?

[Théière]

You have been reading my posts [;-)]  So far the Blackwall tunnel, like most devices it loses sat lock. Like the TT it does continue with the route at an assumed pace so is still helpful whereas the CoPilot just floundered hopelessly until full sat lock was achieved again. Not tried it in an underground car park though. It has on board both maps from TT and for other areas Garmin as you can view the data files within the menus.

[Quillan]

[quote user="Théière"]You have been reading my posts [;-)]  So far the Blackwall tunnel, like most devices it loses sat lock. Like the TT it does continue with the route at an assumed pace so is still helpful whereas the CoPilot just floundered hopelessly until full sat lock was achieved again. Not tried it in an underground car park though. It has on board both maps from TT and for other areas Garmin as you can view the data files within the menus.[/quote]

I've not gone through the Blackwell tunnel with mine but I have been through a few in France and it works perfectly because it has ETP i.e. a small gyro and two accelerometers built in.

I used to use CoPilot when I had a PDA with an exterior GPS receiver. It was OK but I have to say the TomTom is much easier to use

[NickP]

If I'm in a tunnel or an underground car park I don't need a sat nav, I know where I am, and if you want to get out of the car park just follow the exit sign.[:D]

[Quillan]

[quote user="NickP"]If I'm in a tunnel or an underground car park I don't need a sat nav, I know where I am, and if you want to get out of the car park just follow the exit sign.[:D][/quote]

OK Nick, nobody likes a smartarse. [:P] What is really being said is you can loose the GPS signal for longth periods of time and you still get directions. A few examples can be driving in gorges, large cities like London where there are many high buildings etc. Not all GPS units can do this.

[Alan Zoff]

My TomTom might not be perfect but it's a darn sight nearer to being so than I am without it.