Advice about new XL Live IQ Routes

[JLee]

I was a happy user of a TTG 500 that cost me nearly 400 quid about what seems like a hundred years ago . Obviously it was beginning to look a little tired so I decided to take the plunge a upgrade to something new.

I, like some other people who've posted here, was bewildered with all the different models available and acronyms used. I know I only need UK maps and I don't have a major need for the bluetooth hands free functionality, especially as it looks like my Blackberry Bold 9700 is not supported. I wanted a device that looked sexier too so a 4.3" or larger screen was on my shopping list.

It looked like I had narrowed it down to XL IQ Routes Regional or the Live version of the same. Since the Live version was discounted on Amazon down to £136 i opted for that and it should ariive tomorrow.

My thinking was that if I didn't use the Live Services the unit would effectively operate the same as the non-live version does but with the future capability to use 'Live' if I want to. Was that a correct assumption or are there some drawbacks of having the Live version but without the subscription?

Looking at the posts in this forum there seems to be a mixed opinion on the usefulness of live services with HD Traffic and Google Search being this main benefits. Even so not everyone seems convinced about the HD traffic. Does HD Traffic just mean IQ Routes but using more up to date information than what's included in the latest map or is it something else?

Google search sounds cool but to be honest I find I already use my blackberry for a google search and it often comes straight up with the post code of where I want to go so even that sounds like a luxury I can do without. Or am I missing something?

I've also read some posts about the included mount being difficult to fit and prone to breaking. Do most people buy an after market mount and can anyone recommend one that's easier to fit and remove regularly?

All advice much appreciated.

[AndyVaughan]

You should get a 1 month trial of LIVE services, after that it will just stop working and you will effectively have a XL IQ, apart from the fact that TT released Nav9 for the XL IQ a long time ago and haven't got round to it for the XL LIVE. IQ Routes is not the same as the HD Traffic, you have IQ Routes on the XL LIVE as well as default. HD Traffic will just notify you of and divert you (sometimes) around traffic delays.

New maps are due any day so don't use your LMG until a few days after they have been released.

As for the mount, I have no issues at all with it. The mini USB power connection is a different story though .............

I like HD Traffic, it has had issues but has been stable and accurate for a while now.

Delete all the TT cameras off of the device as they are next to useless and make sure you subscribe to the cameras from here as they are significantly more accurate.

If you don't need the fuel price info then delete all of these off of the device as well using HOME (as well as the Fuel Station POIs) - they interfere with POI warnings in the vicinity of fuel stations as TT bodged the software to prevent duplicate fuel station warnings.

The XL LIVE has been the most stable TT I have owned since the GO 500, and I have had quite a few!!!

[mikealder]

[JLee]

Thanks Guys. I already subscribe to Camera Alerts from here for my 500 so will defo delete the TT Cameras. Just a couple of questions about Andy's advice...

1. Deleting fuel station POIs: I like the ability to hunt for a fuel station if I'm out and about and running low so am nervous about deleting these. Is the bug just with TT built in POIs and therefore could be avoided by adding some downloaded POI of fuel stations?

2. New map and LMG: I bought a new map in December and subscribed to quarterly updates for a year for my Go500 so presumably I can just register my new device with TT Home and I will get the new maps when they arrive? Meaning I can go ahead and register it straight away?

[AndyVaughan]

Use a different email address and register the XL LIVE against that - all hell will break loose if you try to use the same email address you already have a subscription and a device registered to.

Then log a case with TT and see if they will transfer the subscription over. Just tell them that the 500 has packed in completely.

If all you want to do is search for a fuel station rather than LIVE price info then don't install the LIVE Fuel Prices which comes with its own set of POIs. It is these ones that cause the problem as your TT will effectively ignore all other POIs within a certain radius of the LIVE Fuel stations to stop both LIVE Fuel Station POIs and normal inbuilt fuel station POIs from both being displayed. This also disables all other categories of POIs within that radius - Speed cams etc.

Don't use LMG (Latest Map Guarantee) through HOME until the new map has been out for a few days. When you do use it check the version you are being offered before downloading it as normally it takes a few days for the version offered by LMG to be updated. The version you will be looking for is v850.xxx

[JLee]

Well I received the device and connected it to TTH. It then offered to switch my TT account to the new device and warned that I would not be able to use the old device with this subscription if I went aheead. So despite the advice above I decided to give this a go and it worked fine.

It immediately downloaded and installed the UK & Ireland Map I had paid for back in December with quarterly updates. Therefore, am I right in thinking the advice above about LMG is not relevant as that relates to the map that came with the device that I will presumably have no need to use?

Two more questions...
1. I can see a bar on the right hand side of the screen relating to HD Traffic that just shows an exclamation symbol. I assume this is because I've not subscribed to live services. Is there any way to remove this bar?

2. Any idea where I go to get my free trial of Live? TTH is just offering paid subscriptions for one, 6 or 12 months.

[AndyVaughan]

Have you entered your account details in on the XL LIVE for the LIVE services?

I think you only have the free trial if you leave the details blank.

What version map have you got on the device now? I am surprised it transfered the map subscription over automatically as others have had to contact TT previously to facilitate a map subscription migration.

Tap on the satellite strength, then on the small box with the application version number in it and then on network - is your status showing as Connected?

Also from the main menu go into TT Services - what does it show as your username? Now go into My Services - what expiry date is against the various services?

Maybe using the existing account means you don't get free LIVE Services, IIRC it has to be a new account.

Why ask for advice and then not follow it?????

[JLee]

Thanks for trying to help Andy. Here's the answers to those questions one by one:

I haven't entered any account details on the XL Live. On the device once in a menu for TomTom Services or HD traffic every attempt to select any of the options makes an attempt to connect to a server resulting in a error e.g. 'An error occurred on the TomTom server. Please try again.'

My map is 'United_Kingdom_and_Republic_of_Ireland' v845.2645. Having done some further research I think TT allow you to transfer up to one device per year.

My Network status is showing as Connected. Username is Anonymous. Selecting 'My services' gets me the server error again.

Why ask for advice and not follow it? Well I think that's a little harsh but the reason is because you suggested 'all hell would break loose' if I didn't create a new account. So I connected to TT Home fully intending to follow your advice and create a new account. Then rather than all hell breaking loose TTH recognised a new device had been connected and offered some very clear options. Something like, 1. Create a new account for this device, 2. Disconnect and connect another device (I might have got that wrong), 3. Transfer your account and all subscriptions over to this device - warning this will prevent you from using the subscriptions with the old device.

So when presented with those options I don't think you can blame me for selecting the last one and it did indeed seem to work smoothly thereafter transferring my map subscription and voices.

It's just I can't see how to get my free trial of live services. It's no big deal because I doubt I will subscribe when the only real benefit is HD Traffic and, at an annual cost close to what my Blackberry SIM Only Tarrif costs me (£10 per month), the expense in comparison just for some traffic updates and a few other novelties is a joke IMO.

If it's easy to solve I'd like to just give it a try out of curiosity but if not, the bigger question is how do I remove that grey bar on the right hand side? Or would that bar have meaningful information in it if I could connect with a valid account even if I subsequently let my subscription lapse?

All help very much appreciated.

[mikealder]

You need to use a different e-mail address for the new device, forget the idea that Home will let you transfer accounts between devices as its known to cause issues like you now experiancing.

Re-register the device with a new e-mail account, note it doesn't need to be an active e-mail address that you can access, all it needs to be is in the e-mail address format, D.Duck@Disney.com or Pink@Panther.com would be quite acceptable as far as Home and the servers at TomTom are concerned!

If you need to discuss this with TomTom customer support their phone number is 0845 161 0009

Re-use of old accounts is not a good idea, their stupid Home software will make out it's possible but in reality it simply doesn't work, I tried the same approach a few years back with my 940 Live and non of the Live services worked, numerous others have posted similar results when previously registered e-mail addresses are re-used, its not worth the hassle - If you don't change the e-mail account for the device and manage to get Live working via customer support the next phase you will see is Home downloading and installing maps to your new device that are only applicable to your old nav unit - Great fun to resolve - NOT!

Each device MUST have its own e-mail address, but please remember it doesn't need to be an operational account, D.Duck@Disney.com is quite acceptable to use if you want to, its the combination of the e-mail address and device ID that are important, if everyone used D.Duck@Disney.com it wouldn't matter as each device has a unique device ID that forms part of the encription - Mike

[JLee]

I was not exactly sure how to do this but went to TTH and created another account then it prompted me to associate the connected device with it so I did. Then for the last hour it's been hanging on searching for updates

[JLee]

Edit - OK killed TTH and restarted and now it connects the device to the new account. Nothing has changed on the device re Live Services and of course it will not get my quarterly map updates any longer either. What's next? A grovelling call to TT Customer Services to sort it out?

Also is someone able to answer my question from earlier about the bar on the right of the screen?

[Wendolene]

[matthewj]

[AndyVaughan]

It looks like because you didn't follow the advice of creating a new account and then contacting TT to transfer the map subscription over, you will now need to contact them to get the LIVE activated on the new account.

I gave the advice from a lot of experience, you chose not to follow it and don't have LIVE Services.

9.053 has just been released for the XL LIVE - upgrade to that first and see if it makes any difference. Also, enter your NEW account details on the TT and see if that kicks the LIVE activation in to play.

TT are quite specific that with LIVE devices you need a new account to register each device against. I don't understand your rush to upgrade the maps to v845 using your subscription when the advice I gave was to wait a couple of days and use LMG to get v850 whilst TT were transferring your subscription over.

[JLee]

I was not in a rush to upgrade the map. I already told you I have paid for map updates so it was more important to me to have that subscription transferred over and let that keep my map up to date than seek out the latest map via the LMG.

Live services was no big issue either as I did not expect to keep the subscription up so losing my one month free trial is not a major headache. The main reason I've now created a new account is because of what Mike said about getting invalid updates down the line.

I'll call TT tomorrow and try and resolve it.

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