XL and XXL series questions, Canada

[canderson]

Ditto the 340 ...

 

[DancingSpotlights]

Very slow is right! Over an hour to update the map. Bit of a scare, finally got a good book to read and used a ruler and measured the progress bar every 15 minutes. Also scary when it stopped talking (I'd removed a voice to free up memory), and the backup /voices directory had "recovered file fragments", but found other voice files in a subdirectory. Seems to work now.

We'll spend the next few days testing it out. It's a new mindset. Pre-GPS we planned trips mostly using grid-roads, and got back on the grid-roads after each stop. This has us taking smaller roads and more turns. I'm used to memorizing a route and the navigator helping me stay on it rather than trusting the navigator to make all the decisions.

I like how it tells me what to prepare for after each turn, just the way Dad taught me to navigate for him. It's reassuring.

 

[dhn]

Make an Explorer, not Home, backup of your unit's contents now.

Yep, it'll be slow ............ carry on with the book and pour another coffee!

 

[canderson]

...and the backup /voices directory had "recovered file fragments", but found other voice files in a subdirectory. Seems to work now.

Those are NOT "recovered file fragments". While Microsoft likes to name the remnants discovered with CHKDSK *.chk files, they're not the only one using that file extension! You'll find a number of *.chk files on your TomTom, and they are NOT recovered fragments -- they're files important to the operation of your TomTom.

 

[DancingSpotlights]

Thanks for the confirmation.

I was worried about the accuracy of the backup, given the speed and I'd stopped/restarted it a few times. Even though I know developers can use any letters they want and Windows (despite its attitude of omniscience) only knows what MS uses the letters for, seeing "file fragment" was scary -- it would mean I didn't have a good backup.

Knowing that those files are supposed to be there is reassuring.

 

[6 bottom]

hi . new to gps. is the 340tm the same as the 540 except for size? thank you

 

[Rick F.]

hi . new to gps. is the 340tm the same as the 540 except for size? thank you

Yes, as far as I know the only difference is the screen size.

 

[dhn]

To my understanding, the 540 also has auto-volume, auto-brightness and a compass of sorts on the status bar.

 

[Rick F.]

My 335TM (same as 340 but without Mexico map) also has the auto volume and auto brightness - or switching from daytime to nighttime.

 

[dhn]

I stand to be corrected, thanks Rick.

 

[Rick F.]

No problem.

 

[6 bottom]

xl and xxl

hi new here . are the tt 340 and 540 the same except for size thank you

 

[dhn]

I erred initially but the 540 can show a compass on the status line. My information (perhaps faulty) is that the 340 does not have that feature.

Otherwise, except for screen size, the same...............

 

[DancingSpotlights]

No, they are not. The 350 has what TomTom thought was a new and improved menu system, which, while possibly easier to use, doesn't have as many features. It doesn't have the abililty to plan itineraries in advance, where you list several destinations / waypoints. Those are nice if you know more about which roads get icy or have bad visibility than it does, and want to plan several trips in advance.

Others here can tell you more about the changes.

 

[dhn]

The question was comparing the 340 vs the 540. Both have full menus, including IP.

 

[gatorfreak]

I need a new GPS and I was very happy with my old Tomtom one. I've narrowed the search to the 340 and the 540, but I wonder how useful it is to have a bigger screen.

So the 5xx models have the bigger screen, but does anyone know if they have a higher resolution? I mean, do you get more information to fit on that screen, or is the resolution the same and everything's just bigger?

Also, does anyone know how much the bigger screen affects battery life compared to the 3xx models?

 

[dhn]

Not sure battery life is affected one way or another by the 5" screen. All TT units are meant to be used with the car charger, anyway.

The resolution is not really higher with the 5" screen. Things are expanded to fill the screen.

That said, I do enjoy the 5" screen on my 540 more than the 4.3" on my 720.

For one thing, using the keyboard is easier with the larger screen.....

 

[gatorfreak]

Thanks a ton, dhn.
This site has been a godsend for deciphering all the TomTom secret code names for their different models. The TT site is almost worthless for figuring out the differences.

I think I'll go with the 340 as it's still an upgrade from my old 3" screen, and it's $50 cheaper than the 540 but with the same functionality.

The reason I was asking about battery life is because every once in a while I use my current TT when walking or biking. I know, not ideal, but I do it infrequently enough that it's not worth buying a dedicated unit for it.

 

[mvl]

My 335TM (same as 340 but without Mexico map) also has the auto volume and auto brightness - or switching from daytime to nighttime.

Thanks Rick, I'll add this to the next revision of the feature reference. I suspect that is what gave dhn the bad advice.

Tomtom's website manuals didn't say those models had these features, but you can never 100% trust Tomtom's website.

Do you know if the 335TM has the ability to show a compass on the main screen? It would be under menu -> change preferences -> status bar preferences -> show compass

 

[Rick F.]

Do you know if the 335TM has the ability to show a compass on the main screen? It would be under menu -> change preferences -> status bar preferences -> show compass

Yes it does. I have mine set to show the compass on the main screen. But ? it's not like the compass of old (like the 7.xx app offered), just shows a needle which points north.