Sat Nav Device with particular requirements

[PauloR]

Dear Tomtomers,

I'm looking for a navigation device that meets certain criteria. A part of those criteria is that it does what my ONE IQ Routes does, and a bit more, with a bigger screen.

As I said on another thread, I'm a tourism coach driver over Europe and I am avoiding to buy a Truck device because of reasons stated in the post
https://www.tomtomforums.com/threads/live-service-still-available-on-old-models.29935/#post-176836
I am also running away from buying a new model because they seem not to do what I want.

So I ask for the advise of the experienced users on this, please.

My required specifications (all met by GO 720 and ONE IQ Routes except on screen size) are:
0. Screen diagonal 4.3" or 5"
1. Preparing itineraries with more than 20 stops/pass points. Those I know allow up to 48.
2. Allow navigate by coordinates.
3. Capable of avoid part of the route/ Avoid roadblock
4. Allow other operations and map navigation in different parts of the map while driving
5. Have POI categories
6. Allow creation of my POI
7. Supports RDS-TMC antenna and service
8. Works with IQ Routes
9. Lane choice assistance
10. With minimum 4GB internal memory or with a memory card slot
- I really need the above features! -

And my preferred specifications, if possible, as an improvement:11. Spoken street names
12. Free hands kit, connecting via bluetooth with the cell phone
13. Voice command for addresses
14. Enhanced Positioning Technology (available on GO 950 and 940, but maybe more)
15. Eco Routes
16. Supporting LIVE services
17. Capable of storing Favourites

Is there any product that gathers these specs? Or more than one?
Thanks a lot!

 

[canderson]

When you find a 940, let us know As we've discussed elsewhere, little by little, TomTom keeps removing features, several of which are important to you.
Of the bigger items,

No Nav3 units handle 1 (maximum 3 'via' points), 14
No Nav4 units handle 1 (not in the 'old' sense, anyway), 3 (huge problem if you find surprise roadworks or accidents and don't know the area), 6 (zero support), 12, 14

Once you get past the older units like the 940 that were actually fully featured, the closest 'current' product for Portugal in a Nav3 might be a GO Live 1005.

 

[PauloR]

I tink I will not buy a LIVE device because in these old ones LIVE only works on 7 or 8 countries. I won't pay 50 euros a year for 8 countries service! Besides that, customer service is saying those LIVE equipments on the old GO series do not support TMC antenna! This information is opposite to the one got in this forum!!!

What is the difference between the non LIVE GO 920, 940 and 950?
Because I could not find a 940 but could find a 920 and maybe a 950!

 

[canderson]

To the contrary (not that tech support is always wrong, just most of the time), all of my older Live devices also support an RDS-TMC antenna if the Live service is unavailable (either due to lack of subscription or lack of service in the area of travel). Switching from Live to RDS is automatic. My GO740 Live (same as GO940 but less memory and not world maps) came with the RDS-TMC antenna/charger cable.

They did not sell the GO950 here, so we need our European moderator to explain in more detail (Andy, you there?).

That said, Live traffic covers a LOT more than 8 countries in Europe (where did you get that information? It may be very old.) See attached chart for coverage:

 

[PauloR]

Canderson,

I checked the user guide for the GO x50 LIVE and there was absolutely no mention of being RDS-TMC compatible. Made a search in the whole PDF document.

On the list of compatible equipments of the RDS-TMC chargers, also it does not mention the GO x50 LIVE.
http://www.tomtom.com/en_gb/products/accessories/accessories/traffic-receiver-9UUC.002.00.2/
http://www.tomtom.com/en_gb/products/accessories/accessories/go-1000-rds-tmc-receiver-9UUC.002.01/
Scroll down for compatible items.

But it includes something here:
http://uk.support.tomtom.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/9603/kw/RDS

Are you shure the GO 950 LIVE will work with RDS data?

Is the supplied dock already with the antenna?

And again, in what are 950 different from the 940 LIVE and 920, besides LIVE service, of course, and the outter design?

 

[PauloR]

Regarding the coverage of LIVE services, that chart is valid for new products. Those Nav2 ones came with a SIM that doesn't work in every country. That's the explanation I got from TomTom phone support.
See here for coverage
http://uk.support.tomtom.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5826/kw/RDS

 

[canderson]

I have no knowledge of the GO950. As I said, that unit is not offered on our side of the Atlantic. I am hoping that Andy (on your side) will help us out. However, your RDS link does show the x50 models (including the 950) as working with RDS.

The chart you supplied was ONLY for RDS coverage, not for Live coverage. RDS coverage is indeed more limited in the number of countries served. Whatever we do, we must not confuse Live coverage with RDS-TMC coverage. Different technologies serving different areas with different quality of service.

 

[PauloR]

In fact, the chart I supplied is for Traffic and Traffic HD services in the upper section. Bellow is the coverage for RDS which is wider for those models.

Anyway, I saw the GO950/750 windshield dock have the mini USB connection. Does anyone know if it is compatible with the car charger/RDS antenna? Because the traffic dock costs 72 euro!

Could you say anything about differences between GO 920, 940 and 950?

 

[canderson]

That list for what they're calling "TomTom Traffic" appears to be a bit out of date. Here is a list of countries that I know for certain were running these 'older' devices (e.g. x40 and x50 units) with Live services of various sorts:

Australia
Austria
Belgium
Canada
Czech
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Gibraltar
Ireland
Italy
Luxembourg
Monaco
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
San Marino
South Africa
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States
Vatican City

Again, I can't speak to the feature differences of the 750 or 950, but the primary positive difference between the 920 (or 930) and the 940 was the introduction of the Live services feature.

 

[PauloR]

I hope you are right! What you state is contradictory with the information I got from TomTom customer service, that the SIM on those models is old and does work only in 8 counties in Europe. For example, when I cross the border to Spain, I won't have Live service there. Your gess is they are not udated regardinfg this issue, right?

 

[PauloR]

Check on tis page
https://www.tomtom.com/pt_pt/services/live/#tab:tab4
You can pu it in to the google translator and see that in the second line ot text it says that, except for the new devices, the service is limmited for 8 european countries listed there :-(

 

[Andy_P]

Sorry for late reply...
I can confirm that the Go950 LIVE *does* work with an RDS-TMC receiver.

To be specific, I use it with the accessory windscreen mount that has an RDS receiver built into it, so it works with that, but I can't absolutely guarantee that it works with any other version of the receiver, but I don't see why it shouldn't.

There are only a few differences between the 940 and the 950, the biggest one being the 940 has an mp3 music player and the 950 doesn't. Some of the menu items are in slightly different positions on the 950, and it has a matt black screen surround rather then a gloss one. Apart from that there's not much difference operationally.

 

[canderson]

@Andy
The big question was how many countries are supporting the 940/950 Live models with Live HD traffic. I think you know where my list above came from.