Navigator 2.24 / GPS 2.06 released

stuartm

Quote: Originally posted by DavidW on 07 July 2003

It's just a standard SiRF command to set the approximate position and time.

It's standard stuff to read and interpret the position but they didn't exactly do a sparkling job of that did they.

Quote: Originally posted by DavidW on 07 July 2003

Thanks for the clear explanation of TomTom prioritising bugs and issues - this is certainly the way that development teams I've been part of have operated

Ditto, it's just unfortunate that they don't appear to include the five second no-brainer fixes.

Quote: Originally posted by DavidW on 07 July 2003

As you've hinted in the past, Dave, hopefully TomTom are reading this forum so that they are aware of the various program, map and database issues we're digging up.

Frankly I won't hold my breath.

Jtonline

Sorry, just read on the TomTom site that 'Better Routes' is something that was introduced in v.2.22 and not v.2.24
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Jtonline

Thanks to the info from Pocket GPS, I've upgraded Navigator from v.2.02 and got the latest GPS Driver (despite registering with TomTom for upgrade info by e-mail nothing has been forthcoming from them)

Anyway, the single most important improvement as far as I'm concerned is that it now calculates quickest routes more logically. (Well, I've only tried it on one route so far)...

To go from my home location to my work location I use an A class road followed by a couple of minor unamed roads.

On previous versions of Navigator none of the suggested routes chose the minor roads I actually use, even though doing so is the quickest route using the configured road speeds. Using the Alternate Route option would generate an even longer route incorporating other unamed roads to get me from A to B. Also, the return route would be different again!

However, I am pleased to say that since installing version 2.24 (361) the routes from home to work and from work to home are now calculated as I would expect. This gives me more confidence that it will plan longer routes that I've never driven before more accurately.

The bigger icons in the Navigator Menus are nice and easy to prod with a finger too!
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DavidW

I am genuinely surprised that changing the mode changes the operation of your GPS - except that the number of satellites being used for positioning is updated much more frequently in SiRF mode than in NMEA (every second as opposed to something like every 5 seconds in a typical NMEA configuration).

I don't know whether TomTom's GPS driver (or even Navigator itself) behaves differently when less than four satellites are being used for positioning (and hence you haven't a 3D lock) - or whether it keeps on using whatever data the GPS receiver is throwing out, so long as that data says there is some kind of position lock.

In other words, I'm not sure whether you are actually getting better GPS functionality in SiRF mode - or whether the effects you're seeing are just cosmetic (recovery of a poor fix becoming apparent on screen quicker).

At the moment, my setup is in SiRF mode, but, as I sometimes leave my GPS for long enough for the internal batteries to go flat (and hence it to reset), apparently not having "Reset GPS to this location" functionality in SiRF mode is a nuisance.

David

RichDem

Hi Dave,

Well so far I am a happy bunny, I don't know if you remember a couple of months ago I started a thread about my 9532 randomly loosing the signal. Well for the last 3 days I have been running in SIRF, today I purposely took a cross country route which involved travelling down some roads with almost complete tree cover and I never lost the signal once. The final test will be driving in London where I allways had problems with signal loss. I just have on question, which is the best speed to run the receiver in SIRF, currently I have it set to 4800, is there any benefit from choosing a faster baud rate, say 34800.

Regards

Richard

DavidW

Dave,

Thanks for the information on testing. I guessed the update had been widely tested. I can verify it works correctly on my Haicom HI-303MMF (231.000.000ES firmware) using SiRF 38400 - the GPS is in CompactFlash mode.

The only issue I've noticed with it is that, as I said earlier, "Reset GPS for this location" doesn't appear to work. This hopefully shouldn't require much extra effort to sort, as if I run in NMEA mode and select "Haicom GPS" it does seem to work. It's just a standard SiRF command to set the approximate position and time.

However - I expect that fix will come into the category of a low priority bug. Thanks for the clear explanation of TomTom prioritising bugs and issues - this is certainly the way that development teams I've been part of have operated, and is shown clearly by the fix list for version 2.24. The main items listed as resolved in this update are serious crash / lockup issues on various hardware, and Pocket PC 2003 compatibility.

My earlier post in the thread lists the two other outstanding issues I'm aware of - the bug in Edit Point of Interest when there's a "special character" (including a _, which represents a space) in the file name and the issue with Demonstrate Route when a CF GPS is not inserted.

I expect all my three issues are of low priority - and I'm certainly not hassling TomTom for fixes. Hopefully fixes will eventually come about - but for software of the complexity of Navigator 2, it is extremely good!

As you've hinted in the past, Dave, hopefully TomTom are reading this forum so that they are aware of the various program, map and database issues we're digging up.

David

Dave

As an added note, the SiRF I've been beta testing over the past few months has been with a Leadtek 9531 and 9532, one running at SiRF 4800 and the other at SiRF 9600, manually using the SiRF GPS drivers in TomTom Navigator and these have worked well.

Dave

Guy's, I can guarantee that SiRF is now fixed. I've been working with TomTom for the past 3 months resolving these issues. We've been testing these in the UK, Europe and in America and SiRF support is much better now.

As a note about bug fixes and also new features, TomTom evaluate all bugs and features to see what really are the most important, which ones will affect the majority of users, and try to prioritise these in an order that then allows for fixing these bugs, and also adding some new features in to each release. Unfortunately not all bugs will be resolved quickly, and the SiRF one was considered very low priority hence it's been outstanding since November 2002. TomTom will get round to fixing bugs, but some will be given higher priority over others.

aero

What's the advantage of running in SIRF?

Thanks.

DavidW

With the latest updates, Navigator certainly works west of Greenwich in SiRF mode - I tried it earlier today.

What doesn't seem to work in SiRF mode is the "Reset GPS for this location" function - that doesn't seem to do anything in SiRF mode (though it does work if I have my Haicom HI-303MMF GPS in NMEA mode and choose the "Haicom GPS" driver).

David

RichDem

I also downloaded the software and driver update on Friday, I have never been able to run my Leadtek 9532 in SIRF Mode, I went straight out to the car, used WinFast Navigator to change the GPS unit from NMEA to SIRF. Changed the driver within TomTom and bingo, Navigator 2 now is running in SIRF. I have been testing it all weekend while being out and about in the Reading area and so far everything seems fine.

I am hoping this is going to solve the issues I was having with the signal dropping in and out.

Watch this space.....

Richard

catken96

Hi David,

Thanks for the info on TTN updates.

Tom.

DavidW

The score sheet for Navigator 2.24 / GPS 2.06 looks like this:

It looks as if operation in SiRF binary mode west of Greenwich is fixed! I admit, though, that I've only tested it whilst static.

The bug in "Edit point of interest" I first reported in the forums here is not fixed and I have made a supplementary report to TomTom confirming this issue is still outstanding.

It looks also as if the issue where, if I try to start a demonstration without my CF GPS card inserted, I sometimes get an "Unable to start demonstration (2)" error is also not fixed.

This looks very much like a quick new release to fix problems on various hardware including anything running Pocket PC 2003. If it's achieved just that, then I'm sure it'll be very worthwhile. To get the SiRF fix is a bonus.

I expect there'll be a further version along shortly! TomTom seem to come up with new releases regularly that address problems and improve Navigator.

David

DavidW

Hi all,

New today from TomTom - Navigator 2.24 and GPS 2.06 are available here.

Fix list:

Added support for PocketPC 2003

Improved SiRF Binary support (if combined with GPS driver 2.06)

Fixed a possible application "freeze" at start-up on old HP Jornada (e.g. pre-2002 Jornada 450)

Fixed possible application "freezes" on Pocket Loox when using the "find" option

Fixed possible application "freezes" on Toshiba 330/350

In essence - a few fixes, support for Pocket PC 2003, and hopefully (and finally) working SiRF mode support when west of Greenwich.

I will install and test later today for both SiRF support and to see if my edit POI bug has been resolved (if not, I'll report it as still not fixed).

David

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