I'm now a TomTom owner

[silversid]

I've finally got a TomTom after all the searching this site and your recommendations.

I have purchased a GO 940 in mint condition from the bay.

It’s boxed and got everything with it and up-to-date maps, I should receive it in about 2-3 days.

Thanks again for all the great advice.

 

[canderson]

Sweet. Just make certain that you have any registration information from the previous owner that will make it possible for you to manage updates later.

 

[silversid]

Sweet. Just make certain that you have any registration information from the previous owner that will make it possible for you to manage updates later.

Will do that, is there any thing else to do when I receive it?

 

[canderson]

The original email address and password associated with the device would be used if you wished to "log in" using Home to purchase a map update or Live services, for example. IF the device has never been registered using Home, then it won't matter, you can create one as you like, but while you say it is "mint", that doesn't tell us if it's actually been used, and if so, whether it's ever been registered before, and perhaps already associated with some other email address.

 

[Andy_P]

Also. make sure you do a FULL BACK-UP straight away.

Do not use TomTom Home for that job, see instructions in our "Articles" section (Link at the top of the page)

 

[silversid]

Well its arrived, absolutely mint condition, better than I thought t would be, always a bit of a gamble buying of ebay but really pleased.

Only thing is its only got the car charger that clips into the screen mount, I was wanting to mount it in my vent holder so it looks like ill have to buy another cable, will this do?

http://www.tomtom.com/en_gb/product...d-cables/tomtom-go-connect-cable-9UCE.000.00/

And the something like this.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/PowerGen-Ch...73451833&sr=8-9&keywords=dual+usb+car+charger

 

[Andy_P]

Maybe, maybe not....

Sorry I can't give a specific answer, but I'd be cautious about a cable advertised as being intended to connect to the PC. It MIGHT work fine, or it MIGHT automatically put the unit into PC transfer mode or just switch the unit off after a few minutes of no screen taps.

 

[silversid]

Maybe, maybe not....

Sorry I can't give a specific answer, but I'd be cautious about a cable advertised as being intended to connect to the PC. It MIGHT work fine, or it MIGHT automatically put the unit into PC transfer mode or just switch the unit off after a few minutes of no screen taps.

Do you know of another way of powering the 940 without the screen mount?

 

[Andy_P]

I'm probably just being overcautious...but I'd give TT customer services a call just to be 100% sure it will work as a straightforward power lead.

On my own GO940, I have taken the mount apart at the ball joint and just use the main part, attached to a home made dash mount made from a butchered GO720 mount!

Maybe you could do something similar, if the cable you were suggesting won't do?

 

[silversid]

I have found another lead.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Advanced-TomTom-Mini-Auto-Charger/dp/B002695WQ0/ref=pd_ybh_3

Would this be ok?

 

[Andy_P]

My point is that it's not possible to tell until you try it.
TT's software will make the unit behave differently if it thinks the unit has been connected to a PC - it will ask if you want to "connect to computer" when you first switch on, and it will switch off after about 9 minutes if you don't interact with it in some way.
If I remember correctly, there needs to be a particular resistance across the data pins in the USB to tell the GO it is only connected to a charger. This would probably be in the charger itself, not the cable.

So the original cable you looked at is probably OK, but I was trying to make sure you ask first before you buy, so you have a good reason to be able to return anything if you DO have problems.

As for your new find, they seem to be mainly advertising the USB charger itself, (i.e. how small and neat it is). The cable they supply with it is not really mentioned and you can't even see the multipin connection to the GO properly.

The cable is probably much the same as the one you first looked at, but until you see it, who knows!

 

[silversid]

Thanks for that, I'll give TomTom a call.

 

[silversid]

Just found an old post, someone doing the same as me.

https://www.tomtomforums.com/t27474-tomtom-950-live-car-charge-cable.html

 

[silversid]

Called TomTom, they said I could use the GO Connect Cable, as long as the unit was fully charged before connecting to the power source.

 

[Andy_P]

Interesting... never heard that one before!

 

[silversid]

He said that the charger you plug into the cig lighter socket is only like a trickle charger, and it should just be used to keep the unit topped up, not to charge one that has no charge.

Which was news to me also, I’ve charged loads of things from my cig lighter with no problems.

 

[Andy_P]

To be honest, I think he's got that completely wrong!
The cigar lighter chargers are very powerful, usually 1.5A to 2A current rating.
On the other hand, charging via a standard PC's USB socket is limited to 1/2 and Amp and will therefore take longer. That's why there is a software switch to turn the screen off after a few minutes when charging from a PC, in order to help it charge quicker (That was my initial concern when we were talking about specific cables earlier)

 

[silversid]

Can you only charge them with car/computer, or can you get a mains charger?

 

[dhn]

A mains charger works as well. Actually, better than hooked to a computer.

 

[canderson]

@silversid
No matter what charger you are trying to use in whatever location, you will want to look for one with decent current output as Andy has explained. Your computer is capable of producing 1/2 amp of current. A 'fair' quality mains or car charger will produce something around 0.8 to 1 amp of current. A 'good' mains or car charger will produce 1-1/2 amp or perhaps more of current.

The higher the current (up to a point), the faster your device will charge. Each such device should have a clear label that identifies what its output current is, so choose accordingly.