Voice problem after 8.3 on 720

NAM-UK · Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 9:33 pm Post subject:

Because that is the download compressed file format your useing..

mikealder · Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 10:09 pm Post subject:

Winar is known to extract the files and replace them within the correct folders - the built in software supplied with Windows doesn't do this and the end result is a device that won't work.

I guess there are other decompression software utilities that can work correctly with a TomTom supplied download, but the instructions I posted back on page 28 include the use of WinRar. I am not going to re-write these instructions to take in to account every possible software option as I don't have time to test them or document their use - Mike

bullyterrier · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 11:31 am Post subject:

This is my latest reply from trashtrash support in response to me asking what and when are they going to sort this problem out:

This will be resolved in an application update. Unfortunately we do not have a resolve for it yet which is why the latest application update did not change the operation.

We apologise for the inconvenience.

layingback · Regular Visitor Joined: Feb 12, 2009 Posts: 124

Translation: "Our ***** engineers haven't even started work on it yet, but we were so beaten up here in support by irate users that we saw there was an updated app (for AU) and we hoped putting it up might buy us a day or 2's peace while you all went on a wild goose chase installing and testing it. In the meantime we pursued our support group and they set us right." Laughing

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Passionpantz · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 13, 2006 Posts: 15

Received this as a response from TomTom today. Cant help but notice that they are not commiting to a date for the updates, so pleased i followed p28 on this thread to get me going again.
I still feel we are all being robbed as the item i purchased is not doing what it should,nor have the features they boast about on the box.

1. The computer voices on some GO x20 / x30 devices with a 8.300 application can be missing or faulty.

We are currently working on a solution to this challenge. This solution will be offered to you with the next application update on TomTom Home.

In the meantime, we advise you to use a standard voice.

To select a standard voice, please tap on Voice preferences, then Change voice.

We apologise for the inconvenience caused.

2. As far as the map lag is concerned, please try the following:

Please follow the instructions on this webpage:-

http://www.tomtom.com/6178

You should no longer have the map lag issues that you are experiencing with your TomTom device.

3. We understand that you are concerned about the recent change to the TomTom application which has disabled FM Transmission of navigation instructions. We deeply regret that it has become necessary for us to implement this change, as our FM Transmission technology was a unique innovation at the time of its release.

Unfortunately, due to recent legislation, it is no longer allowed to occupy an unused FM frequency unless audio transmission is constant. Because the signal that carries your TomTom's voice instructions is not constant (voice instructions are only given occasionally, as needed) it has now become illegal to transmit this kind of audio via FM radio transmission.

We regret that this feature can no longer be offered under the current legal restriction.

4. As far as your latest map guarantee is concerned, we unfortunately cannot extend this as you did not contact us with the limits of this guarantee (thirty days following the purchase of your device). We are sorry that you could not benefit from your latest map.

Steveee · Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2009 1:49 am Post subject:

OK, as suggested by TT in my previous post on page 43. TT suggestd the lag and stutter is also linked to battery level.

As requested by TT support, I started a long trip (Colchester UK to Noordwijk, Netherlands) with a fully charged GO920. It behaved impeccably with no apparent lag or stutter. Cool

I was using TTS, FM, RDS and hands free phone on blue tooth. It even took a few calls without locking up.

Overnight I used the TT for planning the next day route so it started the return journey this afternoon with a slightly discharged battery. Initially there was a noticeable GPS lag but no stutter. The lag was very apparent when the RDS was downloading traffic alerts for the Rotterdam and other areas. At one point I missed a diversion because of the GPS lag and lost 10 mins on my journey. Evil or Very Mad

By the time I reached Antwerp the unit was fully charged and performed well for the rest of the journey. Very Happy

In conclusion, there does appear to be a linkage between battery level and performance. That being said, the unit should work correctly at all times apart from when the battery level is really low.

Another long trip ( CoPilot

110 miles) this morning. Let's see if it keeps up the good performance. Question

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Andy_P · Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2009 4:12 am Post subject:

Malouff · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 15, 2008 Posts: 30

layingback · Regular Visitor Joined: Feb 12, 2009 Posts: 124

@passionpantz: At least you got a clear itemized response. I raised same points and got 1) same verbiage about EU Directive, and 2) asked to send in details of my BT phone!!! Everything else was skipped.

Use of clearflash (if recommended by engineering staff, not the support crew acting independently), would be the first positive indication I've seen from TT that it is an ineffective (or buggy) garbage collector (ie. memory fragmentation). A clearflash would certainly give the memory manager a fresh start with unfragmented memory.

The symptoms certainly point strongly to me that it is a memory fragmentation issue. Partly observing the nature of the manifestation of the problems, and also from studying its recovery patterns. Also anything that can vary in terms of its impact so wildly over multiple units/usage patterns, has to be some "2nd order" functionality, else results would be more determinant. Also updating the app or the map brings longer term relief, quite possibly caused by the copy process using all free memory and thus again making it homogeneous (whole).

But what's causing it? If it is a memory leak or similar, it should be quick to find and fix, now they know to look for it - but that does presume they are actively working on it of course ;-) If it is build size, then why is it not as bad on other builds which do not seem that much smaller? Ditto different map sizes should mean the problem would affect all versions of app equally, if using same maps. Plus I ran for almost 30 days with 8.3 and 715 maps while waiting to use LMG and the results for me were just the same (equally bad) with 715 masp as they were with 8.15.

So I'm leaning towards a poorly designed/implemented garbage collection routine which has never been stretched as much as it now is. With more features = more code + more on-the-fly working space requirements. And/or possibly recent new memory usage patterns with newer features, e.g. if previous features allocated and subsequently released memory in similar sized chunks then even if the garbage collector was slow to reconnect the free space into larger chunks, the existing even-sized chunks could still be (re-)used fairly efficiently. But if a new feature suddenly required much larger (or smaller) chunks, this would lead to all sorts of memory fragmentation, and the garbage collection need would be more critical and/or need to run more frequently.

Now rewriting a garbage collector is not something that you do quickly, unless you are very, very good. (And if you were then it would probably not be so bad in the first place.) Plus it is would typically be fairly old, and therefore unfamiliar, code.

So IMHO TT could be up against it on this one, and genuinely need a lot of time to fix it. But I would have hoped for more interim help along the lines of what's been happening here on this site - try this version of app, avoid using these features in combo, etc. If they haven't narrowed down the cause enough to do even that yet, then we still have a long, long wait for a true fix.

The reference to a fully charged device seems suspect to me. I was running my 720 without in-car power at all times (until I discovered that all sound would cease when power got low, often triggered by an incoming BT phone call!). So I can say that the lag, stuttering, etc., behaved the same when battery was good, med, and poor - once the sound had cut out and the (nearly invisible) low battery symbol appeared then the map lag *MIGHT* have been longer, but it was still a very consistent display, so I don't think it was. Plus that would mean that the in-car "charger" was not capable of feeding enough power to run the device AND charge the battery? That would mean incredible penny pinching on TT's part, and the charger is certainly physically big! Plus those using 3rd party chargers should be getting better/worse problems. Anyone noticed that correlation?

Sorry, that turned into a long post :-)

Will be testing 8.320 today for first time. How do I get hold of this 8.204 app to try if 8.320 doesn't do it for me?
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mikealder · Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2009 10:16 am Post subject:

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