Go Live 1005 World Problems

[Chris__M]

Just had a very fraught trip from Peterborough to Glasgow and back, where suddenly my TomTom refused to see any satellites whatsoever.

Tried various things, numerous times, including the 20-second press and a complete factory reset, but it stayed perpetually searching. while my phone and tablet both were picking up satellites galore. In the end, the phone got me through the trip, using Google Navigation.

Now safely back home, it is still the same, it is sitting in my polycarbonate-roofed conservatory (so clear view of satellites), next to my tablet - the tablet is getting a signal from 18 satellites, 5 of them strong, while TomTom has absolutely nothing - not just no fix, but not one satellite.

I'm getting it replaced via Amazon. My first thought was to talk to TomTom, and this is also what Amazon preferred; but the device is only 3 weeks short of 1 year old, and I don't want to waste time with TomTom, only to be told by Amazon "sorry, our year's warranty has expired". (I would argue that a device of this value warrants more than a year, but it is just easier to say to Amazon "it's broke, replace it").

One thing I found a bit strange, that I had had no cause to notice before. I noticed that the date/time was something in 2010, and figuring that it might affect the coordination with satellites, thought I would try to set it as accurate as possible manually. The Amazon guy also asked me to do this when troubleshooting.

With this device, there is no way to manually set it straight to a given date (at least no way I can see). All you can do is advance (or reverse) the date with an onscreen button push. Which meant to get from January 2010 to today, I had to push the button over a thousand times, stepping through each day in turn!

This seems really dumb to me; unless it's me that is dumb, and there is a simple alternative method that I didn't see.

 

[dhn]

Weird. All units have the ability to set the time with scroll bars for the different 'wheels' but I honestly don't remember if -- and how -- I've ever needed to change the date on a device.

Clearly it appears the hardware in the device for capturing the satellite info seems shot. Anyway, glad you can get it replaced. Remember to use a different email address than your other device when logging into MyTomTom.

 

[Chris__M]

Yes, the date as a whole is a single "wheel", so it can only be advanced one day at a time.

With regard to using a different email address, is that necessary? I assumed that I could simply connect the replacement device to my existing account. As I have paid for regular map updates, wouldn't using a different address mean that my new TomTom wouldn't have access to them?

 

[dhn]

What you will need to do is call CS at 0845 161 0009 or 020 7387 5444 and have them associate the map updates with the serial number of your replacement device.

 

[Andy_P]

All you can do is advance (or reverse) the date with an onscreen button push. Which meant to get from January 2010 to today, I had to push the button over a thousand times, stepping through each day in turn!

As you said later, the date setting is a single "wheel" which is dumb (I told TomTom it should be two, but they didn't listen)

But you don't have to push the button a thousand times! You can just HOLD your finger on it and it will cycle upwards quite quickly

 

[Chris__M]

Thanks to both of you for the information - extremely helpful.

It occurred to me last night that having my TomTom replaced by a new, still in shrink box might be an opportunity to sell it and move on.

Although I was completely enamoured by it when I first got it, and still love some of the features, there have been some things about it that made me want to throw it out the window.

In particular, the inability to preplan and upload in preferred routes. Every GPS I had owned previously had this facility, so it didn't occur to me that a GPS unit wouldn't have it.

That, and the TomTom's insistance that a one-mile shortcut down an unlisted single-lane road is preferable to staying on the A road you are on, and will shortly be rejoining, as happened to me a number of times in the West Country. (No, I was not using "shortest route".)

Trouble is, I am not sure any other manufacturer's products are any better.

 

[Andy_P]

I quite agree with a lot of your comments Chris... it's just the "better the devil you know" feeling that keeps me with TomTom these days.

It's very sad how they have wrecked their range by stripping so many features off the new models rather than improving them.

 

[Chris__M]

I think what makes it feel worse for me is that I was actually quite happy with my previous GPS, which didn't have the fancy bells and whistles like speed limit display and camera warnings; but did the actual navigation bit just how I liked, and never once took me through a small village unless I was sight-seeing.

Unfortunately, although the unit was working perfectly, Garmin stopped supporting it, and map updates were no longer available. After my installed map got 2 years out of date, I finally gave up and bought the TomTom, having decided not to give Garmin any more of my money.