Sat Nav Dilemma
Discussion
I have had a Syrius Proline S2000 for about 7 years.
As I do a big mileage and frequently travel the M25, I have particularly liked the TMC which up until recently has guided me around the worst of the jams. However, for the last few months, this has only worked intermittently. I will phone tomorrow to see what it is likely to cost to repair it.
A couple of people have said I am nuts repairing a 7 year old sat nav. However, when I purchased it, I paid quite a bit extra for map & camera updates for life. Other than the recent TMC issue it suits my needs perfectly and does everything I require from it. To be honest, unless it is not repairable, or the cost is going to be more than buying a new one (including updates for life) I see no reason to buy a new one.
However, it has got me thinking. If I was going to get a new one, what should I get. The requirements are as follows:-
Traffic info (whether TMC based or internet based).
Speed camera warning.
European maps.
Updates (including maps, traffic and cameras) for life. i.e. I don't mind paying more initially, but I don't want to be paying monthly or annual subscriptions for updates or data.
Not essential, but it would be nice if it had a decent battery life to avoid having to plug it in every journey.
My unit requires an extra aerial to be plugged in for traffic, which to be honest is a pain in the back side. I have a feeling that some modern units have the TMC aerial built in which, if that is the case, would be much better.
I don't know much about the internet based traffic systems. The claim to update every 2 minutes, as opposed to TMC which is about every 15 minutes. This is actually irrelevant, if a motorway you will arrive at in an hours time is closed, then does it matter if you are re-routed 15 minutes later?
Do the internet traffic systems have their own sim card or get data from your phone? If the latter, is it going to result in a large data bill, especially when abroad? If the unit has its own SIM, presumably that can be paid for for life, rather than monthly. How good is it in rural areas where there is little phone signal? Not that TMC is perfect, and in some areas that is not so good either.
So, in my position, what would you get? Or, what have you got and what do you think of it?
Don't suggest using a phone app. My phone does not have a screen anywhere near big enough and I have not yet seen a phone based nav system that comes even close to a purpose built one.
Sorry for the long post.
As I do a big mileage and frequently travel the M25, I have particularly liked the TMC which up until recently has guided me around the worst of the jams. However, for the last few months, this has only worked intermittently. I will phone tomorrow to see what it is likely to cost to repair it.
A couple of people have said I am nuts repairing a 7 year old sat nav. However, when I purchased it, I paid quite a bit extra for map & camera updates for life. Other than the recent TMC issue it suits my needs perfectly and does everything I require from it. To be honest, unless it is not repairable, or the cost is going to be more than buying a new one (including updates for life) I see no reason to buy a new one.
However, it has got me thinking. If I was going to get a new one, what should I get. The requirements are as follows:-
Traffic info (whether TMC based or internet based).
Speed camera warning.
European maps.
Updates (including maps, traffic and cameras) for life. i.e. I don't mind paying more initially, but I don't want to be paying monthly or annual subscriptions for updates or data.
Not essential, but it would be nice if it had a decent battery life to avoid having to plug it in every journey.
My unit requires an extra aerial to be plugged in for traffic, which to be honest is a pain in the back side. I have a feeling that some modern units have the TMC aerial built in which, if that is the case, would be much better.
I don't know much about the internet based traffic systems. The claim to update every 2 minutes, as opposed to TMC which is about every 15 minutes. This is actually irrelevant, if a motorway you will arrive at in an hours time is closed, then does it matter if you are re-routed 15 minutes later?
Do the internet traffic systems have their own sim card or get data from your phone? If the latter, is it going to result in a large data bill, especially when abroad? If the unit has its own SIM, presumably that can be paid for for life, rather than monthly. How good is it in rural areas where there is little phone signal? Not that TMC is perfect, and in some areas that is not so good either.
So, in my position, what would you get? Or, what have you got and what do you think of it?
Don't suggest using a phone app. My phone does not have a screen anywhere near big enough and I have not yet seen a phone based nav system that comes even close to a purpose built one.
Sorry for the long post.
BIG DUNC said:
Do the internet traffic systems have their own sim card or get data from your phone? If the latter, is it going to result in a large data bill, especially when abroad?
TomTom HD Live traffic is pretty good, it works by detecting traffic delays by monitoring Vodaphone phones movements (as well as other sources) - Their on-line route planner shows same delays as a live uint will - link - the only issue, sometimes TomTom has issues with servers. I think other internet traffic will be similar to the TMC traffic (Garmin digital is just DAB TMC I believe)All the old live devices have a SIM in them, but in the ones released this year the GO x00 models connect to the phone (and you need bluetooth tethering which is Android 4+), however the Go 6000 (5000?) have built in SIM same as the old ones - a couple of threads on the subject One, Two - someone commented on amount of data it was using (it was pretty low)
What you should do, as you are happy then find out how much to fix - compare that to what it would cost you to get alternative (TomTom have been offering free life time map upgrades on some models) and how reliable you think yours will be after fix
Personally I am waiting until TomTom have updated new range's software to include custom waypoints where I can use the Pocket GPS world camera database on, as TomTom's leaves something to be desired) then I may consider one of the sim less ones as it takes a few minutes to connect and load traffic
Edited by JimmyTheHand on Sunday 28th July 20:26
I have heard tonight that TMC only covers 35% of the country, where HD traffic covers 98% of the country.
Is this true, as not heard it before. If so, that is a big plus in the door of the HD traffic.
As opposed to the £50 a year for it, as TMC is free.
If you wanted best traffic info, which would you go for??
Is this true, as not heard it before. If so, that is a big plus in the door of the HD traffic.
As opposed to the £50 a year for it, as TMC is free.
If you wanted best traffic info, which would you go for??
BIG DUNC said:
I have heard tonight that TMC only covers 35% of the country, where HD traffic covers 98% of the country.
Is this true, as not heard it before. If so, that is a big plus in the door of the HD traffic.
As opposed to the £50 a year for it, as TMC is free.
If you wanted best traffic info, which would you go for??
The main data sources TMC use are, I believe, the main roads with traffic monitors and reported incidents - the sort of information that trafficengland.com and traffic on Google Maps shows.Is this true, as not heard it before. If so, that is a big plus in the door of the HD traffic.
As opposed to the £50 a year for it, as TMC is free.
If you wanted best traffic info, which would you go for??
HD Traffic can cover a lot more - because it is using the data from mobile phones moving - it will often tell me of a 4 minute delay going into work or the 1 minute delay on the stretch on the main road through town I use.
However there are issues in HD traffic - TomTom servers can have hick-ups, they don't always show closed roads other systems know about, delays may not always show up (especially slow moving but above thresholds or too close to another road), it can be optimistic about delay lengths, can't see delays more than 30/50 miles away (issue if choice on two routes needed further away - e.g. clockwise/anti-clockwise around M25 to other side) and subscription costs (The latest models offer lifetime (the useful life of the device - so as long as they feel like) traffic
If I spent most of my time around the M25 and found TMC to have been satisfactory, then I'd probably look at a TMC system (but not TomTom having been very disappointed by their TMC units ability to get signals)
If I was looking at lots of time off the main trunk roads - then it would be HD traffic, but
personally I would want to wait for a while before buy latest TomToms (they have radically different software to previous models) if I could.
Edit - it is probably worth spending time looking TomTom live planner and other sites above to see what is better for your needs
Edited by JimmyTheHand on Friday 2nd August 18:27
Look at "big" android phones. Or maybe a 7" tablet. Google maps does most of what you want. Including the ability to cache maps if you are going abroad and dont want to incur roaming charges. The live traffic is superb.. anyone else with a droid phone is sending updates on their actual speed down a road. Has led to me finding shortcuts I would have never though of.
My old tom tom is now in a drawer.
My old tom tom is now in a drawer.
Gassing Station | In-Car Electronics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff