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Should I move from old Tomtom to 65 MT-D + reversing camera?

 
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filbert42
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 01, 2020 8:56 pm    Post subject: Should I move from old Tomtom to 65 MT-D + reversing camera? Reply with quote

I have an ailing Tomtom 1000 Go Live that is starting to misbehave (refusing to connect to the traffic servers is the worst issue). I'm not keen on the current crop of Tomtom devices due to the vast range of features that has been dropped. So I'm looking at a Garmin - probably the DriveSmart 65 MT-D - but I might opt for the smaller model.

My main concern is the traffic system which seems to be very different from Tomtom's. How effective is it. I do rely on it on the occasional long trip.

I'd also like to add a reversing camera to my vehicle and the Garmins support this without needing a separate screen, which is also attractive.

How do the two traffic systems compare in practice and does the reversing camera work well?

I'd be grateful for any thoughts.
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sussamb
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 01, 2020 9:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Can't comment on TT but my Garmin traffic, even in France, is generally very accurate.
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Kremmen
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 02, 2020 5:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I prefer Garmin because they are still open to third party speed cameras. I would never buy a TT because they have gone down the Apple route of lockdown in some features.

As far as traffic is concerned, both units get their trsffic from roughly the same places but TT have an advantage as they also include Vodaphone data who monitor mobile phone movement and can detect jams earler, by how much I don't know.

But, as already posted, my Garmin traffic has also always been perfectly OK and certainly far superior to TrafficMaster RDS.

The ability to add the PGPSW database to my Garmin far outweighs the traffic difference.
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filbert42
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 02, 2020 9:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the info - sounds like I'll be going Garmin. I do use POIs and the ability to choose the icons to go with them.

I'm going to have one last attempt to get the TT sorted but I'm not optimistic.

I think I might start a separate thread about reversing cameras, it's probably not a good idea to try to cover two issues in one thread.

Thanks again..
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M8TJT
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 02, 2020 10:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

filbert42 wrote:
I think I might start a separate thread about reversing cameras, it's probably not a good idea to try to cover two issues in one thread.
Absolutely the right thing to do for the very reason you said.0 The opportunities for confusion are high otherwise.
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Privateer
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 02, 2020 12:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi filbert42,

I must admit that I don't use my Garmin Camper 770 LMT-D much if at all these days. When I first had the Garmin, I ran it alongside the TomTom GO iOS app.

I found the routing of Garmin to be just wrong when compared to what I was used to with TomTom. I think TomTom's IQ Routes is better than Garmin's trafficTrends™.

I found Garmin's traffic was generally less accurate than TomTom's traffic. One occasion, when I'd just got the Garmin, I was returning home from Cornwall and just about to get onto the A30 when the TomTom warned me of a delay and the Garmin didn't. I ignored the TomTom and got caught in a tailback for over an hour.

I rely on my own custom POIs, which you can't use with the standard TomTom GO iOS app itself, but you can with a third-party app called POIViewer. I keep all of my custom POIs in Excel spreadsheets for universal use (Garmin and TomTom) and then extract the data for either make.

I use an iOS app called POIViewer which is a POI manager, you search for your POI(s) in POIViewer and then it sends the POI's destination to the TomTom GO iOS app.

The only problem is that you don't get POI icons on the screen - but it is something that you get used to.

For PGPSW camera warnings, I use CamerAlert in the background. Android users will probably use SpeedTrap Alert instead.

Please note that this is purely my own findings and what works for me may not work for you. Also, Garmin may well be better nowadays. But as a TomTom user, I suggest that you borrow a Garmin first or buy one that you can return and test it well for a week or so.

Sorry, can't comment on the reversing camera.

Regards,
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Robert.
iPhone 6s Plus, iOS 14.0.1: iOS CamerAlert v2.0.7
TomTom GO Mobile iOS 2.3.1; TomTom (UK & ROI and Europe) iOS apps v1.29
Garmin Camper 770 LMT-D
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filbert42
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 02, 2020 11:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Privateer wrote:
Hi filbert42,
.....
Please note that this is purely my own findings and what works for me may not work for you. Also, Garmin may well be better nowadays. But as a TomTom user, I suggest that you borrow a Garmin first or buy one that you can return and test it well for a week or so....,


Thanks for the comprehensive response, Privateer. I’ll give that approach careful thought.
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Privateer
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 11:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

filbert42 wrote:
Thanks for the comprehensive response, Privateer. I’ll give that approach careful thought.

You're welcome. Please let us know what you decide to do. Thumbs Up

I don't know how you store your POIs but if all of your POIs are only stored on your old TomTom 1000 Go Live then I strongly suggest that you copy all .ov2 (POI) files and their associated .bmp (icon) files and also .ogg (audio) files to your computer for back up purposes.

Never save a POI in only the "Favourites" of your SatNav device, as Favourites have a habit of getting corrupted. Make sure all POIs stores in your Favourites are also stored in another POI category for backup.

Once you have your .ov2 files then I'd reverse engineer them into .csv files that are easily read by MS Excel and other software. I go further, I have all of my custom files in .xlsx format for each master file so it's easily read and the spreadsheet creates URLs for each POI to place it on to online maps such as Google, OpenStreetMap, TomTom, and Here We Go (Garmin).

Once you have a Master File for each POI category you are no longer tied to a specific make or family of SatNav. You can create a POI for any SatNav that takes custom POIs such as TomTom, Garmin, etc..

If you have a smartphone then have a look at the iOS or Android version of TomTom app - although be aware that the app will be less functional than your old TomTom 1000 Go Live, however, the routing and traffic should be OK.

If you need any further help or advice on the above then please don't hesitate to shout out - especially if it's for iOS TomTom on the iPhone or if you're running a Mac and not a Windows computer and want help with POI software.

Regards,
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Robert.
iPhone 6s Plus, iOS 14.0.1: iOS CamerAlert v2.0.7
TomTom GO Mobile iOS 2.3.1; TomTom (UK & ROI and Europe) iOS apps v1.29
Garmin Camper 770 LMT-D
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filbert42
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 11:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks again.

I have used the mobile TomTom app in the past when visiting my brother in Canada - as a cost effective way of getting maps for that country rather than buying them for my device. I didn't like it that much, for setting the journey up, at least. I guess navigation was OK and that's the main thing.
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Kremmen
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 04, 2020 5:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've been spending the last 6 months or so doing some work in Reading and I've had occasion to travel to the various DIY outlets and a few other places in an area I'm not that familiar with.

I can't fault the routing. It certainly hasn't sent me down any side streets.

It's a matter of using some common sense. Garmin, apparently, tries to route you down the actual shortest route at times and it apparently, in rural areas, uses some single track roads. I have to say apparently because it's not happened to me on my routes.

If you know you are still some distance from your destination then ignore turning off an A or B road and let it recalculate.

In days gone by I've had Tomtom's try to take me off a motorway, down the off sliproad, back up the on sliproad to the same motorway.

I won't argue that TT routing may be less prone to taking you off main roads but you lose the PGPSW database and fully customisable POI's.


The other difference is traffic. From what I've read here, TT's have a traffic distance cutoff of about 100 miles, but it could be slightly less. That means if you plot a route of over 100 miles then any far off roadworks or delays won't be factored into the route. Normal traffic will of course probably change by the time you get there.

Garmin will show you the traffic situation for the whole route and that may make a considerable difference......
...... do you use the M1 or M6 for example. Maybe one of them have major roadworks beyond TT's suggested route.
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Privateer
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 04, 2020 11:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

filbert42 wrote:
I have used the mobile TomTom app in the past when visiting my brother in Canada - as a cost effective way of getting maps for that country rather than buying them for my device. I didn't like it that much, for setting the journey up, at least. I guess navigation was OK and that's the main thing.

The legacy TomTom app called "TomTom app" was pretty good. It had the usual routing and traffic. It even allowed you to load custom POIs (both .ov2 and .bmp files) which you could see on the screen and navigate to various categories. The only problem was that you couldn't edit the custom POIs or their categories and you had to use a program like iMazing to load the POIs onto the iOS app.

The newer TomTom GO app was originally called "TomTom GO Mobile" but is now called "TomTom GO Navigation" has a GUI similar in appearance to current TomTom PNDs. The iOS and Android versions of the same app are different in their ability to deal with POIs - sorry I'm not familiar with the Android version.

Unfortunately, all current products from TomTom (PNDs, iOS app, or Android app) are dumbed down versions wth fewer features than TomTom products 10 years ago.

I have a set of requirements that I need from a SatNav, I have found that TomTom GO Navigation iOS app, when used with POIViewer app, comes closest to my ideal SatNav. I'm sure that Kremmen also has a set of requirements which the Garmin comes closest for him.

In all honestly, I don't think that there is a perfect SatNav today. You just need to fine-tune your list of requirements and find the closest match by trying different systems.

Regards,
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Robert.
iPhone 6s Plus, iOS 14.0.1: iOS CamerAlert v2.0.7
TomTom GO Mobile iOS 2.3.1; TomTom (UK & ROI and Europe) iOS apps v1.29
Garmin Camper 770 LMT-D
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