Which TomTom

[Colin RedGriff]

Hi

Looking to buy a Satnav and my preference is for a Tomtom just because I want o be able to load itinerary files on it. It also has to be easy to use so that my girlfriend can use it when she wants .

My main use will be driving pre-defined routes through the itinerary feature. I've been on a couple of group meets where the organiser has provided a .itn file beforehand so would like to be able to use that.

Struggling to find out which TomTom will allow me to do that without spending £500 for something that will get occasional use. Called TomTom and their pre-sales were unable to tell me what model I could use and even suggested that an itinerary file created on one tomtom model might not work on a different one - which completely threw me.

So - what is the cheapest TomTom that allows itinerary files to be loaded on it from my pc?

[Blues]

Hi Colin. I use a TomTom One XL Europe. For a SatNav, i've been very pleased with it, and have done complex itinerary routes here and in France (in fact i'm just planning a great route from Boulogne to Le Mans for this year's race. I don't remember how much it cost, but IIRC it was in the £125 to £150 range. The speed camera alerts are helpful, but not the best i've used.

If you want to have a play, or even a borrow, give me a shout and you can pop round.

[Colin RedGriff]

Hi Dave



Thanks for the offer, I don't think I need to try one out, I'm happy enough with the basic sat nav stuff.

The problem I'm running into is the lack of accurate info. I've read several forum comments about the TomTom One V2 which people upgraded to V3 and lost the itinerary feature. TomTom One XL is not one of their current products so I'm trying to understand which product I can buy.

I'm hoping the TomTom XL which does support Itineraries fits the bill but it doesn't have an SD slot so don't know if you can load an .itn file onto it from a pc. The confusing thing for me is they call the product the TomTOm XL Europe 22 Assist or TomTom XL regional Assist, but on the support pages they don't have a manual for either of those products they only have a TomTom One Xl (what you have) and the TomTom XL 30. Neither of those manuals say how you load itinerary files onto them from the PC.

[Blues]

Ah, well i can help you with that Colin.
The .itn file is loaded via a usb cable, which comes with the TomTom.
When plugged in to the computer, the TomTom goes though its auto update routine, and then appears as an aditional drive on your PC.
Using windows explorer, you just click and drag the.itn file you have created into the .itn folder on the TomTom and voila!
The offer still stands, i'm happy to go though it with you, itreally is that straight forward

[Colin RedGriff]

Ah so there is some internal memory on the device that can hold the additional files.

Right I think the Xl is the one I'm going to buy.

How's that bad boy supercharger getting on? Not been much decent weather to try it out fully has there?

Hopefully see you around soon once I finish the winter work on the Griff

Colin

[Blues]

Well done Colin, we got there in the end.
The car is going well thanks. Just got her back from a service this evening.
I'm half way through giving the chassis a thorough going over, so i must get round to finishing it, but as you say, the weather hasn't been conducive to hooning, but i have a nice drive planned for tomorrow.

Hopefully catch you out there soon

[Chris71]

Be warned, the TomTom One 3rd Edition doesn't support itinerary routes. You can copy them onto the device, but stupidly you can't actually run them with the version 8.x software. Currently trying to find out if any TomToms support this with the new software...

[waremark]

Certainly itineraries work on the Go range with current 8.x software. I have only ever heard of them not working on the One V3.

You should download the free program TYRE. this makes it very easy to transfer routes between PC and Tomtom and to work with the routes or view them on the pc using a cut down version of Google Maps.

I use a Tomtom 920 for this sort of thing but for those who prefer Garmin the 760 and no doubt other Nuvis work much the same as the TTs. Routes can also be converted between the two formats using free software.

Itinerary files define routes by reference to a list of waypoints which they pass near. Be aware that different devices may choose different routes to link the waypoints.

Isn't it stupid that TT don't say which models have the itinerary feature?

[Colin RedGriff]

waremark said:

Isn't it stupid that TT don't say which models have the itinerary feature?

Yes - and their pre-sales don't have any more information than is on their website

In the end I have purchased a One XL Europe off ebay, the same model as Blues, as I was not able to find out which of their current models supported itineraries without spending £500.

[Blues]

Colin RedGriff said:

waremark said:

Isn't it stupid that TT don't say which models have the itinerary feature?

Yes - and their pre-sales don't have any more information than is on their website

In the end I have purchased a One XL Europe off ebay, the same model as Blues, as I was not able to find out which of their current models supported itineraries without spending £500.

Tuition fees are running at about 2 pints per hour

[Chris71]

Colin RedGriff said:

waremark said:

Isn't it stupid that TT don't say which models have the itinerary feature?

Yes - and their pre-sales don't have any more information than is on their website

In the end I have purchased a One XL Europe off ebay, the same model as Blues, as I was not able to find out which of their current models supported itineraries without spending £500.

I've yet to put it into practice (after the TT One debacle) but I've tried planning routes using a program called TYRE:

http://www.janboersma.nl/gett/index.php

And it's fantastic. Goes anywhere in the world with the Google mapping and interface and it's perfect for stringing together good driving roads. The Evo triangle, Route Napoleon... you name it. One of the most useful features for a petrolhead I reckon.

What I'm told by Tom Tom is that One 3rd Edition and One 4th Edition are the only ones not to have it. I've put that to the test by ordering a One XL.

edit: Arrived today. Works beautifully, as does the itinerary function (finally). Now off to plot that Wales trip for the end of the month.

Edited by Chris71 on Friday 30th January 14:37

[Colin RedGriff]

TomTom finally arrived today - no thanks to DHL.......

So will be playing with it tonight and trying out TYRE too. Itinerary option is all working - trialled by loading the TITT3 .itn file on it....

Now just got to get the car back on the road and try it out.

[Blues]

Colin RedGriff said:

TomTom finally arrived today - no thanks to DHL.......

So will be playing with it tonight and trying out TYRE too. Itinerary option is all working - trialled by loading the TITT3 .itn file on it....

Now just got to get the car back on the road and try it out.

well done Colin, good luck

[Chris71]

Be warned - Tyre becomes addictive. You'll find yourself eyeing up B-roads going 'I wonder if that's any good?' and before you know it'll you'll have a 150 mile route planned out visiting all of them. Either that or it's just me...

[Blues]

Chris71 said:

Be warned - Tyre becomes addictive. You'll find yourself eyeing up B-roads going 'I wonder if that's any good?' and before you know it'll you'll have a 150 mile route planned out visiting all of them. Either that or it's just me...

nope - it's not just you!

[Chris71]

Blues said:

Chris71 said:

Be warned - Tyre becomes addictive. You'll find yourself eyeing up B-roads going 'I wonder if that's any good?' and before you know it'll you'll have a 150 mile route planned out visiting all of them. Either that or it's just me...

nope - it's not just you!

I've yet to do one for 200 cars throught the centre of London though, so I think you're still ahead.

[Blues]

Chris71 said:

Blues said:

Chris71 said:

Be warned - Tyre becomes addictive. You'll find yourself eyeing up B-roads going 'I wonder if that's any good?' and before you know it'll you'll have a 150 mile route planned out visiting all of them. Either that or it's just me...

nope - it's not just you!

I've yet to do one for 200 cars throught the centre of London though, so I think you're still ahead.

I suspect that i know the name of the road in your profile picture

[Big Rumbly]

I've just got a tt1 xl europe off fleabay , spent some time putting a new memory card in it so can have the latest s/w version, and used TYRE for the first tme, looks like just what is needed for pain free intinery planning, just got to stop the bloody thing from falling off the windscreen now

[Chris71]

Blues said:

Chris71 said:

Blues said:

Chris71 said:

Be warned - Tyre becomes addictive. You'll find yourself eyeing up B-roads going 'I wonder if that's any good?' and before you know it'll you'll have a 150 mile route planned out visiting all of them. Either that or it's just me...

nope - it's not just you!

I've yet to do one for 200 cars throught the centre of London though, so I think you're still ahead.

I suspect that i know the name of the road in your profile picture

Yep. I have another one, taken at the same place, with a Chimera that you might recognise passing as a blur between the car and the camera!

[Blues]

Chris71 said:

Blues said:

Chris71 said:

Blues said:

Chris71 said:

Be warned - Tyre becomes addictive. You'll find yourself eyeing up B-roads going 'I wonder if that's any good?' and before you know it'll you'll have a 150 mile route planned out visiting all of them. Either that or it's just me...

nope - it's not just you!

I've yet to do one for 200 cars throught the centre of London though, so I think you're still ahead.

I suspect that i know the name of the road in your profile picture

Yep. I have another one, taken at the same place, with a Chimera that you might recognise passing as a blur between the car and the camera!