Difference between full USA and regional US Maps?

[jkhonea]

OK, I'm a bit confused to say the least today. I just downloaded and installed the new verion 7.20 USA map that was purchased from Tomtom for $79.95. All fine and great. Noticed the map was 786 megs. OK, great. Now looked, and the full North America is 1.6 gigs. Hmmm, figured it was Canada and Alaska ramping up the size. Well, looking further, I get to the regional maps to purchase, i.e., Southeast, Northeast, Plains, etc. Those sell for $59.95 each.
Now here's where the complete confusion comes in. The Southeast file alone is 365 megs. When I added all of the regional US files, which would, I though, compile the entire USA maps I bought, I realized the total size of all regions came to 2.28 GIGS. Compared to 1.6 gigs for the North America purchase. Can someone tell me what the difference is with the amount of information on the regionals compared to the overall maps? Like exactly what all the extra information is per file. I can't find anything specific on Tomtom's website.
I travel a lot for business and pleasure specifically in the Southeast and want to make sure I have the max roads, etc. loaded. Would purchasing and loading the Southeast region give me that much more information than the USA maps I downloaded today and the overall 1.6 gig North America maps?
I'm just a little confused at this point and would really appreciate whatever information anyone can give me

 

[dhn]

OK, I'm a bit confused to say the least today. I just downloaded and installed the new verion 7.20 USA map that was purchased from Tomtom for $79.95. All fine and great. Noticed the map was 786 megs. OK, great. Now looked, and the full North America is 1.6 gigs. Hmmm, figured it was Canada and Alaska ramping up the size. Well, looking further, I get to the regional maps to purchase, i.e., Southeast, Northeast, Plains, etc. Those sell for $59.95 each.
Now here's where the complete confusion comes in. The Southeast file alone is 365 megs. When I added all of the regional US files, which would, I though, compile the entire USA maps I bought, I realized the total size of all regions came to 2.28 GIGS. Compared to 1.6 gigs for the North America purchase. Can someone tell me what the difference is with the amount of information on the regionals compared to the overall maps? Like exactly what all the extra information is per file. I can't find anything specific on Tomtom's website.
I travel a lot for business and pleasure specifically in the Southeast and want to make sure I have the max roads, etc. loaded. Would purchasing and loading the Southeast region give me that much more information than the USA maps I downloaded today and the overall 1.6 gig North America maps?
I'm just a little confused at this point and would really appreciate whatever information anyone can give me

The North American 7.x map is the most comprehensive of the maps. The regional USA 7.x maps are simply chunks of the NA map. The USA & Canada map 7.x is inferior to the NA map both in details and poi's (as well as incapable of having Voice Recognition, I think). The new USA map 7.20 (USA map only was not offered before 7.20) is, I suspect, just part of the USA & Canada 7.20 map.

In summary, if you had gotten the NA 7.20 map, you would have gotten the most comprehensive of all; methinks, you've wasted a bunch of money, if I understand your post. Sorr.

 

[sab]

I noticed I cannot purchase the NA map from Home for my One XL but I can through TomTom website. If I purchase a 2G memory card will the NA 720 map work in my device????

 

[jkhonea]

The North American 7.x map is the most comprehensive of the maps. The regional USA 7.x maps are simply chunks of the NA map. The USA & Canada map 7.x is inferior to the NA map both in details and poi's (as well as incapable of having Voice Recognition, I think). The new USA map 7.20 (USA map only was not offered before 7.20) is, I suspect, just part of the USA & Canada 7.20 map.

In summary, if you had gotten the NA 7.20 map, you would have gotten the most comprehensive of all; methinks, you've wasted a bunch of money, if I understand your post. Sorr.

That's what I was afraid of, but this is also where the confusion is really coming in. When I add up the sizes of each of the regionals that would comprise the entire US, not counting Canada and Alaska, the files add up to 2.23 gigs. The North America file for sale, including Canada and Alaska, is only 1.6 gigs. This is what frustrates me about the new maps. The Tomtom site does nothing to explain the differences between the maps.

 

[46jimbo]

I think that in as far as mapping the roads, all maps are equal. The differences come in the number of POIs and things like more detail of bodies of water (Note: this doesn't affect your routing - it just makes the screen prettier and more interesting).

I think that the difference in the total file size can also be explained by the fact that some files will be duplicated in each map. The actual map is contained in the 'cline.dat' file. But all you can see is the total size of all the files, thus making you think the map is bigger.

I don't believe that you will gain anything by buying the regional map.

 

[jkhonea]

Thanks, that's exactly what I was trying to figure out. I really have had a lot of good luck with my 720 and enjoy it, but they really should clarify things on their site as far as information included in the new maps and what you get for your money.
I do so love forums, you can find all of the information that SHOULD be on the company websites.

 

[flyer1024]

I think that in as far as mapping the roads, all maps are equal. The differences come in the number of POIs and things like more detail of bodies of water (Note: this doesn't affect your routing - it just makes the screen prettier and more interesting).

Actually they are not equal. Not by a long shot. The NA 7.xx maps have far more road detail than any of the others. roads here I've used for 40 years were not on my original canada/usa versions 675, 705, and 710. They ARE on NA 710.

So far I've had no navigation problems with NA710 due to map problems. But plenty of missing roads and subdivisions on all of the canada/usa maps mentioned above and that prevented accurate and fast navigation in my neck of the woods.

tomtom does have a pretty good map available, but due to size limitations on some units, this map is cut down considerably in size to fit the 1 gig sized unit....result many many missing roads etc, and a much smaller POI database.

I would say that preference when decided what to omit is given to the US resulting in poor quality canadian maps.

 

[jkhonea]

So I guess the general consensus is that by getting the USA only map, I very well could have shorted myself on some scenery detail level, POI's in the database and possibly some more minor roads. Would that be a safe assumption?

 

[flyer1024]

Don't know what you'll find with that map, but you can get a decent poi database here

http://tomtomforums.com/showthread.php?t=4998&page=7

post #64

just unzip and copy the two files to your map on the unit. I'm assuming you have an sd card and enough space to do so.

the member who posted that poi database has just posted a link here to another poi database which is slightly larger again, but I've lost the link to that thread.

 

[jkhonea]

Don't know what you'll find with that map, but you can get a decent poi database here

http://tomtomforums.com/showthread.php?t=4998&page=7

post #64

just unzip and copy the two files to your map on the unit. I'm assuming you have an sd card and enough space to do so.

the member who posted that poi database has just posted a link here to another poi database which is slightly larger again, but I've lost the link to that thread.

Thanks, I appreciate that greatly. If I have found one slight letdown with the Tomtom, its usually the POI database. Size won't be an issue. Put in a 4 gig high cpaacity SD card, and to my amazement, looks like the Tomtom is actually allowing access to all 4 gigs. Didn't expect that.

 

[Smokiewolf]

Thanks, I appreciate that greatly. If I have found one slight letdown with the Tomtom, its usually the POI database. Size won't be an issue. Put in a 4 gig high cpaacity SD card, and to my amazement, looks like the Tomtom is actually allowing access to all 4 gigs. Didn't expect that.

I have learned that access is not the problem with the HC cards, it's writing to them. To do that you need to take the card out and use a separate reader to write data to the card.

 

[flyer1024]

Wish you had posted that yesterday while my brother was still here. he had offered me a 4gig sdhc and I told him to hang on to it as I had no need for it...

I guess then with the sdhc tripmaster and eventlogger wouldn't work as they write to the card when being used???

 

[Smokiewolf]

Wish you had posted that yesterday while my brother was still here. he had offered me a 4gig sdhc and I told him to hang on to it as I had no need for it...

I guess then with the sdhc tripmaster and eventlogger wouldn't work as they write to the card when being used???

I suppose you would be correct. There was another user...can't remember his name that figured this out, and has been using HC cards with success in a read only capacity.

 

[irvinf]

Hope you do not mind if I jump in. TT does not list the NA V7.20 map for my
ONE XLS, just US and US and Canada. Using a 4GB SD card that would fit if
old map was removed.

 

[Smokiewolf]

Hope you do not mind if I jump in. TT does not list the NA V7.20 map for my
ONE XLS, just US and US and Canada. Using a 4GB SD card that would fit if
old map was removed.

Maps are device specific, and you cannot use the NA map on your XL-S. Even if you put it on a card.

 

[flyer1024]

Actually you can. it will run just fine and will fit on 4 gig no problem.

maps are device specific only in the sense that the one running on mine cannot be transferred to run on yours.

 

[Smokiewolf]

Actually you can. it will run just fine and will fit on 4 gig no problem.

maps are device specific only in the sense that the one running on mine cannot be transferred to run on yours.

You can't use a map that is not specified for a certain device. People used to be running the NA maps on cards in ONEs, and about 4 months ago, Tom Tom changed it so that you cannot use the NA map in a ONE.

 

[dhn]

You can't use a map that is not specified for a certain device. People used to be running the NA maps on cards in ONEs, and about 4 months ago, Tom Tom changed it so that you cannot use the NA map in a ONE.

Read this thread now going on in the Brit forum:
http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=67005

especially the link in the 4th post.

 

[Gilbert]

I was curious as to the changes on the v7.20 vs v7.15 and have not been able to find any detail. I went to the Tele Atlas website and searched for information using different search arguments and navigation between different options and did the same on the TT website. I spent about 1.5 hours and am sad to say no real info is available. There was a document that was floating somewhere with detailed changes on the v7.15 and had hoped for something similar for v7.20 but have not found anything so far.

I am not satisfied with a simple ?it's newer? without knowing if the changes affect my local area which has major issues that affect routing. If the changes only affect NY, BC and NS, I'm not interested. Happy for those that do get the changes but if there's nothing for me, I'd like to know about it.

 

[dhn]

I agree that there isn't much reliable information around from the proper companies (TomTom & TeleAtlas) to help a consumer decide if he/she is to spend the money wisely on a new map ugrade.

I guess that only 'word of mouth' will work in that, for example, a user puts out a call to see whether a location NOT on an older map is there on a newer one. If enough newer locations for one user are appearing, that may convince the user to purchase the map.

That's why Pedro made a 'sticky' of the thread about seeing if a location was in a 715 map---to help people decide. I guess a new sticky (or revised one) is needed related to the 720 series of maps.