Battery saving preferences

[GAW]

This probably applies to x20 and x30 devices.

I finally got a more responsive TomTom tech to check into these preferences (especially the "turn off screen after instructions" setting). He took a unit outside (no signal in their facility) and confirmed that this does not work when operating on the battery, but does when docked and powered.

He indicated that this will be passed up - as he agreed it was logically backwards.

I have a copy of Navcore Beta 8.05, but have not played with it very much. Has anyone given it a good try to see if this and a number of 8.01 issues have been addressed ?

 

[Arno]

This probably applies to x20 and x30 devices.

I finally got a more responsive TomTom tech to check into these preferences (especially the "turn off screen after instructions" setting).

930 OS 8010 "Turn off screen between instructions" has been in use most of the time. I st it to "Never turn off screen" when I was dirving in cities in the UK.

Never tried it in the week that I had 8002, before 8010 came out.

 

[GAW]

I have the never turn off set in safety preferences, and the turn off after instructions battery preference works when powered on - but not when on the battery only. That is where I am trying to get to.

 

[Arno]

I have the never turn off set in safety preferences,

Ditto

and the turn off after instructions battery preference works when powered on

Ditto. I also have enabled Turn off when external power is lost.
The latter used to work but not any longer (should shut off, after removing from cradle).
This is not a matter of 8010 (used since June 03) as it worked a month ago when making multiple trips to a hospital three towns over.

- but not when on the battery only. That is where I am trying to get to.

I just realised that my previous post was not based on battery only but on connected via car adapter.
I set a short 10 minute trip, demo at 100 %, and must confirm your obeservation.

 

[GAW]

It is sort of working now unplugged.

I uninstalled the application for a different reason, and reinstalled it (after first deleting previous application downloads of 8.01 from TomTom Home - otherwise it would just use the same one again).

There may have been some problems with the apparently old download of 8.01 I kept on reinstalling, but now I see it shut down after about 30 seconds from the last instruction when it is in the car and not plugged it.

It looked like it does not shut down if I am using the 920 bluetooth remote, but have to test more to be sure if that is the case.

For anyone having little issues that seem to be unusual - you might try to install a current and clean application - but be sure to get rid of the old ones in Home first.

 

[Arno]

I have a copy of Navcore Beta 8.05, but have not played with it very much. Has anyone given it a good try to see if this and a number of 8.01 issues have been addressed ?

In my thread on computer voices I mentioned that I only got BS to my written Support questions.
Once on the phone the tech told me to just download and install 8.010 while she was on line.
It worked right afterwards.

As mentioned, it would not blank out during a battery powered Demo run.
Will try it on battery power in the car and revert.

 

[Arno]

Battery saving preferences
(.) Turn off screen between instructions.
Switch off when external power is lost [ v ]
Speech preferences
Disable early warning instructions ('ahead, left turn') [ v ]
Disable 'keep to motorway lane' instructions [ v ]

During a drive yesterday I set a destination with the bluetooth remote and then pulled the plug
from the cigar lighter. The 930 does not switch off after 10 seconds as it used to two months ago.
(I noticed that about four weeks ago when I got into the car after having a coffee and just
after opening the door I heard the muffled "at the end of the road ..." coming from the glove box.)

The display blanked properly after some time and awoke in time to announce an impending turn.

I then plugged the power back in and the display came on and remained on.
After a little more than five minutes I switched the unit off. Switching it on again,
the screen blanked off after the normal time frame. Pulling the plug again made no change from before.

I have not tried to remove the connector from the unit when operation on battery only.

I do not know why "Switch off when external power is lost" does not work any longer
but it should be the over riding command for Battery saving preferences.

Short of knowing why it will not switch off the unit I must presume
that it could have been caused by the reinstallation of 8.010
(per Support call instructions to get the computer voices to work).

 

[GAW]

It sounds like the "turn screen off after instructions" is working ??

Again - it would not work until I deleted the 8.01 app from the device and computer both (so it would get a clean new version downloaded and installed).

Nest time I take a long drive on the freeways, I will see how long the battery lasts with the shut down after instructions (plus - will disable the early "turn ahead" preference setting - as it doubles the instructions that turn the screen back on at times).

 

[dhn]

But when you are in the car, isn't the unit connected using the car charger? And, if so, why bother with any battery saving measures?

 

[Arno]

It sounds like the "turn screen off after instructions" is working ??

Yes.
Whether plugged in or on battery.

But when you are in the car, isn't the unit connected using the car charger? And, if so, why bother with any battery saving measures?

Why bother change the mode for when in the car.

 

[GAW]

I forgot the mention at the end of my last post that I am trying to establish the usefulness of the 920 for using on my motorcycle without having to wire it for power.

With my old 910, it would stay on for up to 4 hours - plus I turn it off when on long stretches of highway were there is no need for instructions. The 910 was a tremendous help on a bike in Europe, where all the streets were unfamiliar and often convoluted.

I am trying to see when the 920 is on, how long it will last with the battery saving preferences, as it is now clear that TomTom put a much smaller capacity battery in the newer units.

Turning down the brightness on the bike in the daytime is not an option, as even with a sunshade, the TomTom screen brightness at 100% sucks.

 

[dhn]

Okay....I understand.

You know, computer voices require more processing power than non computer voices. I wonder whether CV would therefore put more strain on a battery. I don't know.

But, I suspect that on a bike, you may NOT be using CV anyway.

 

[Arno]

I forgot the mention at the end of my last post that I am trying to establish the usefulness of the 920 for using on my motorcycle without having to wire it for power.

I wouldn't bother with all those machinations.
For about five bucks you can get a cigar lighter socket and wire it to your battery to run on full power.
Here are some, also fancier ones.

 

[GAW]

I am probably going to end up doing that, but the socket and adapter plug will be somewhat awkward to position on my bike. Plus - I will need two adapters - one for the RAM aqua box and one for the regular RAM mount.

In the meantime, I am trying to see how I do without the two adapters. I guess I am also still frustrated with the downsized batteries TomTom put in the new units.

 

[dhn]

I am probably going to end up doing that, but the socket and adapter plug will be somewhat awkward to position on my bike. Plus - I will need two adapters - one for the RAM aqua box and one for the regular RAM mount.

In the meantime, I am trying to see how I do without the two adapters. I guess I am also still frustrated with the downsized batteries TomTom put in the new units.

Would a 100 mile extension cord work? Just trying to help!

 

[GAW]

Would a 100 mile extension cord work? Just trying to help!

100 miles is not long enough - I need to get up the Calgary Stampede next year from California by way of Colorado....

 

[dhn]

Seriously, you know those 'thingies' that provide additional battery power to items such as cell phones, pdas and gps units with usb ports? Some provide up to 4 additional hours of power.

Could one of those work for your unit with the 'thingy' somehow attached to part of the bike so it can be plugged into the gps unit?

 

[GAW]

Thanks - I was going to be looking into them also. This would let me avoid having to do the permanent wiring for only occasional use on the bike.

Since I now know the capacity of the 920 battery, I can focus on finding a unit that does at least equals that - the more the better.