So upset with TOM TOM Navigator 2004

[DavidW]

The SD update is not documented as changing the Bluetooth stack in any way, and I had thought that the only reason there were different upgrades for Bluetooth and non-Bluetooth models was that the contents of the ROM chunk changed by the XIP updater were different on the two devices to start with.

However, HP could have sneaked in a change in the Bluetooth stack without telling anyone, and I confess it's a long time since I used the Pocket PC 2002 ROM. As there's a Bluetooth stack change as well, that's just another reason for applying the SD update; though it's worth applying just to fix the broken SD driver in the 2.10 ROM. Can you remember what was changed in the Bluetooth stack, Lutz?


I think the conclusion holds - apply the 2.10 ROM and the SD update, which is the latest and almost certainly last Pocket PC 2002 ROM for the 3970. If that doesn't solve the problem, order the 2003 upgrade quickly!



David

[CAL]

For everyone who has helped, here is an update on where I stand. After the 2.10 ROM update and SD Driver update, I didn't see any improvement in the requirement to soft reset to re-establish the BT connection after a power-off.

However, I have battled it to a draw by coming up with a technique that minimizes the problem. I can avoid the soft reset, if I: 1) exit TomTom, 2) power down the BT GPS, 3) off-button the iPAQ. Then at some later time, I can power-up the BT GPS, and turn on the iPAQ and re-load TomTom.

There may be other, even less odious, methods and I will continue to seek those out. But this is, at least, acceptable. Thanks again.

I am not highly motivated to get Pocket PC 2003. Besides HP, CDW seems the only retail channel that sells it. Does anyone know of other retailers that would have it? When HP pulls the upgrade, will supplies in the channel still have it for awhile?

[DavidW]

To be honest, most navigation software requires exiting before switching off the Pocket PC.


One problem is that the memory card on the Pocket PC is not kept powered up all the time to save battery power - it is, after all, non volatile storage. When the Pocket PC is switched back on, it can take a few seconds for the memory card to become available again, which can be enough to crash the resuming navigation software.


Meanwhile, Bluetooth connections don't often take that well to the Pocket PC being turned off when active, and may not necessarily recover. The older stacks are particularly bad at this, often getting into such a mess that they won't recover without a soft reset. This applies to the stack in the Pocket PC 2003 ROM for the 3970 in my experience, though HP have recently released a later stack that can be soft loaded onto a 3970 with Pocket PC 2003 (I've yet to experiment with that - I will when I get some time).

I just tried an experiment on my setup - as listed in my signature. Although it was on my desk, it was in my usual configuration - Bluetooth connections from the Pocket PC to the GPS and to my phone for GPRS (for TomTom Traffic).

With both Bluetooth devices connected, and having got a Traffic update so I was connected to the Internet over GPRS, I switched off the Pocket PC in TomTom Navigator 3's Navigator screen.


When I switched it back on, the connection to the GPS recovered, but the connection to the phone did not. The iPAQ tried to redial the Bluetooth connection, but couldn't connect to the phone using any software on the Pocket PC even after I power cycled the phone - I had to switch off and switch on Bluetooth on the Pocket PC to be able to make a Bluetooth connection to the phone.


Now - it's hardly a scientific study, and the problem with reconnecting to the phone (a Nokia 6310i, 5.50 firmware) may be something to do with the phone rather than the iPAQ's Bluetooth stack (a later version than even the latest available for the 3970 with Pocket PC 2003). It may also be because I only waited a second or two before switching back on - if I'd let the connection time out, maybe things would have worked better.

However, even this quick experiment demonstrates that switching off devices with active Bluetooth connections tends not to work out that well.



David

[CAL]

Thanks for the good reference data. It sounds like the 2003 upgrade won't make much difference, so I will sit wiht what I have.

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