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Quote: Originally posted by Bosco Bear on 11/2/2010 I find that if I plug it into my computer every now and then, it works better because it updates itself as to the position of all satellites for the upcoming week(s). 

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Quote: Originally posted by JTQU on 12/2/2010

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Quote: Originally posted by Bosco Bear on 11/2/2010 I find that if I plug it into my computer every now and then, it works better because it updates itself as to the position of all satellites for the upcoming week(s). 

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Are you sure as my understanding, such as it is, is that the whole concept works on the satellites being geostationary? So that ought to have no influence on the choice of receiver to buy.

 

TomTom offers a free update called QuickGPSfix.  Here is a description of it from their website:

"Your TomTom device uses the signals of at least 4 satellites to to pinpoint your location. To start navigating, it needs to know exactly where each satellite is. Stop waiting! Start navigating faster with TomTom QuickGPSfix™.
This smart service speeds up the time it takes to fix your GPS position, helping you to get a GPS signal within 30 seconds - even when it's is weak or partially blocked."

 

I find that it does speed up the time to locate it's current position.

Maps will be wrong on all sat navs in some areas, but so will paper maps. Its still a lot easier driving on your own with a sat nav rather than trying to follow a paper map.

Newer sat navs have much better GPS systems which work with a much weaker signal than before, so whereas a car with an athermic windscreen would cause problems and require an external antenna for older sat navs, modern ones will be fine. Mine even works in the glovebox.

The Tomtom QuickfixGPS does help get a quicker fix, its vitually instant when its found 3 satellites. You need to update it every Sunday.

Quote: Originally posted by navver on 12/2/2010

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Maps will be wrong on all sat navs in some areas, but so will paper maps. Its still a lot easier driving on your own with a sat nav rather than trying to follow a paper map.

Newer sat navs have much better GPS systems which work with a much weaker signal than before, so whereas a car with an athermic windscreen would cause problems and require an external antenna for older sat navs, modern ones will be fine. Mine even works in the glovebox.

The Tomtom QuickfixGPS does help get a quicker fix, its vitually instant when its found 3 satellites. You need to update it every Sunday.

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Not always so,  I had a Tomtom 730 which died at Christmas and replaced it with a Tomtom XL Classic which does not have the facility to take a antenna because Tomtom say that it no longer requires it due to technology advances, well they do, I used it for two weeks when ever you turned it on it would take as long as 15 to 20 minutes to find a satelite even if turned off for a couple of minutes. It is now back in its box and I bouught a refurbished 730 direct from Tomtom so I can plug in the antenna again and no problems.

Newer technology is not always better.

Quote: Originally posted by ad210358 on 12/2/2010

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Quote: Originally posted by navver on 12/2/2010

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Maps will be wrong on all sat navs in some areas, but so will paper maps. Its still a lot easier driving on your own with a sat nav rather than trying to follow a paper map.

Newer sat navs have much better GPS systems which work with a much weaker signal than before, so whereas a car with an athermic windscreen would cause problems and require an external antenna for older sat navs, modern ones will be fine. Mine even works in the glovebox.

The Tomtom QuickfixGPS does help get a quicker fix, its vitually instant when its found 3 satellites. You need to update it every Sunday.

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Not always so,  I had a Tomtom 730 which died at Christmas and replaced it with a Tomtom XL Classic which does not have the facility to take a antenna because Tomtom say that it no longer requires it due to technology advances, well they do, I used it for two weeks when ever you turned it on it would take as long as 15 to 20 minutes to find a satelite even if turned off for a couple of minutes. It is now back in its box and I bouught a refurbished 730 direct from Tomtom so I can plug in the antenna again and no problems.

Newer technology is not always better.

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Al I can say is I have a French car, Peugeot 406 with athermic windscreen. The Navman 635 I used to have would only work in the little gap of non athermic screen by the mirror. The tomtom 520 with Sirf 3 chipset works anywhere in the car, even in the centre console in front of the gear lever. 

IQ routes are absolutely brilliant at picking routes you would actually drive as a local. Not sure if Garmin have a similar system.

"Are you sure as my understanding, such as it is, is that the whole concept works on the satellites being geostationary? So that ought to have no influence on the choice of receiver to buy.:::"

The satellites are not geostationary.  They orbit the earth twice a day in precise orbits. 

"Are you sure as my understanding, such as it is, is that the whole concept works on the satellites being geostationary? So that ought to have no influence on the choice of receiver to buy.:::"

The satellites are not geostationary.  They orbit the earth twice a day in precise orbits.