TomTom 720 or Garmin 760?

gatorguy6996 · Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 5:02 pm Post subject:

One further note about Tyre. You need to be quite precise when using with Google Earth. Zoom in close enough that your via is placed dead center of the road. If you're off even by a tiny bit, you may get unexpected routes (double back, unable to navigate, etc.). And do note that altho Google maps can be dragged about for positioning, they cannot when used within Tyre.

colossus · Regular Visitor Joined: Apr 03, 2006 Posts: 79

Hi Andy. This sounds great. I'll download it have a look when I get home. As someone whose computer skills run as far as turning it on am I going to find this easy? It sounds like exactly the right thing. Presumably you can enter your start and end points and if it comes up with a route you don't like you can drag it to the road you want to be on? Sorry if that's a silly question. I'm sure it will become clear when I download it. Judging by the seeming fragility of the tomtom software I would be a little worried about putting things onto it from other programmes. The idea of having to back the tomtom on the computer in case something goes wrong and then having to reload it when it does go wrong fills me with dread. No doubt there are threads somewhere on this site covering all this. Scares the willies out of me!

colossus · Regular Visitor Joined: Apr 03, 2006 Posts: 79

Just had a look at google maps. It's amazing! Never looked at it before. Is it possible to download routes from here onto the garmin or just tomtom?

gatorguy6996 · Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 5:26 pm Post subject:

The entire nuvi line can interface with Google or Mapquest. In addition the 700's can also send routes remotely (no direct computer connection) from MSN maps.live. I can send routing info for a new store, restaurant, etc. directly to the nuvi using just a webmail address. Route is then sent wirelessly (via FM signal) directly to the nuvi, even if it's physically located 100 or 1000 miles away.

Andy_P · Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 5:42 pm Post subject:

colossus · Regular Visitor Joined: Apr 03, 2006 Posts: 79

[But that display..... Mad

[/quote]

Yes the photos you posted show the tomtom display to be much better. Are the POIs on the 706 much better than they are on my i3? i3 ones are pretty pathetic so I hope so.

Andy, is the proceedure for using google maps with the garmin very similar to the methods talked anout on the Itineries question further down the tomtom forum page? Will Tyre work the same way on garmin? Haven't spotted a relevant question on the garmin pages yet.

Just looked again at Hemlocks' method using houghi.org and realised that that is just for tomtom. Is there a similar link for garmin?

Andy_P · Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 6:02 pm Post subject:

No idea, I'm afraid. I've only been playing with the Garmin since Monday and haven't even worked out if I can switch the display of POIs off!
I keep seeing these little tiny icons, which if I really squint and get up close reveal themselves to be things like pizza slices!
But the TomTom doesn't even attempt to split food/restaurants up into types. It just has one big section, and that only seems to have Pizza Hut, McDonalds and KFC (and I'm a veggie!).

But then there are plenty of third-party POI files about (including from here).

gatorguy6996 · Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 6:05 pm Post subject:

Garmin 700 doesn't require a 3rd party solution, thus has no need for Tyre. Here's a neat little trick for US nuvi 700 owners that use MSN2. (Don't try this on a TomTom. It won't work on any of them)

Say I want to drive to Soledad, Rivas, Nicaragua. (It's a spa). I only have City Navigator North America map. It doesn't include Mexico, or any part of Central America. I'm only going once, don't want to buy an additional map. Go to maps.live and find the location. Send to your hotmail (email) address.
In about 10 minutes or so, you now have a drivable route all the way there remotely sent to your nuvi. Very nice feature.

gatorguy6996 · Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 6:08 pm Post subject:

Colossus, when you see the displays in person, you'll realize how much sharper the image is on the 760 compared to the TT720. The reason? Garmin uses superior anti-aliasing features with their display. Be sure to note the TomTom jaggies in comparison.

colossus · Regular Visitor Joined: Apr 03, 2006 Posts: 79

Gatorguy, can you give a how to boil an egg guide for hoe to transfer a route from google maps onto the 760? I an in the uk and can't use MSN. If you can I will order the 760 tonight!!! Stop it!

Andy_P · Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 6:21 pm Post subject:

So you're saying the Garmin 760 map looks completely different to the Nuvi 300 map?

Please post a screenshot!

You haven't commented on the comparison pictures I posted at all....
You can't possibly say those are sharper.

(a shame I have only just learnt how to get a screen dump from the Garmin)

Never seen a "jaggie" on my TomTom...

Hope this isn't getting personal.... No-one was more surprised than me how bad the display was when I got my hands on this Garmin. Up till then I assumed they would be broadly similar.

mikealder · Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 6:33 pm Post subject:

5 Pages long and nobody has commented upon map positional lag relative to your true position which is very easy to see if no route is planned, also the appearance/ rendering of roundabouts look like small blobs until you are actually at the junction - just a few observations from the times I have tried the Garmin devices - Mike

john877 · Lifetime Member Joined: Mar 16, 2007 Posts: 468

gatorguy6996 · Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 7:34 pm Post subject:

No intent to be personal. Sometimes I forget how strong we Americans come on. I agree, both the TT and Garmin devices are top shelf.
To be honest, I wish Garmin would add selective road avoidance as they did offer it in earlier devices. I think all I was trying to point out in the beginning is that the Garmin 700's are far from the crippled, dumbed-down PND's they are often portrayed to be. And yes, the 700 screens are much improved from the 300 series. If you look at the two side by side, (the 720 and 760), you will see what I refer to.

colossus · Regular Visitor Joined: Apr 03, 2006 Posts: 79

Never expected this to provoke so much response when I first posted! 5 pages all very ineresting but still not really any the wiser. Lag on garmin is worrying but doesn't seem to be a major problem on my i3. Software problems with tomtom are worrying but maybe backing things up stops that being a problem. How do you back up tomtom on a pc?

At least your not Australian Gatorguy. Out of here

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