Tom Tom Question for Way to Go or anyone who knows!

[Basil]

Hi WaytoGo or all,

 

Sorry to ask but as you seem to be the forum 'Guru' on the Tom Tom could you clarify a problem (?) please that I may have with my TT 720 associated with the speed camera warnings. I understood that there was an audible warning when approaching speed camera sites, certainly when I have been in my friends car who has one his made a noise every time we approached a camera thus bringing your attention to it.

Now in my case with my 720 it clearly shows you approaching a camera site with the little circle with the distance, but there is no audible warning, so if you do not happen to be studying the screen at the time you could easily miss it. I can find nowhere to switch the sound on or off in the safety camera menu and they do not appear to be listed in the POI's to associate a sound. Do I have a problem with mine?

A second thing I have noticed is that every time I upgrade the unit using TT Home it seems to reset everything to default settings so that you have to reset all your previous changes, is this normal as well?

 

Thanks in anticipation Bas

[Guest JudgeMental]

 

Basil while you sit on the edge of your seat in anticipation of W2G's wisdom :-D

 

the way I understand it is you have to subscribe to a database to be sent speed/safety 8-) camera downloads - and usually they are updated monthly.

 

I maybe wrong but you will soon know........ :-D

[Way2Go]

Hi Bas,

TomTom devices usually come preinstalled with a set of TomTom's speed camera warnings but I'm not sure if the TomTom ones have voice warnings or not.

What a lot of people do is, as the Judge correctly suggests, is to delete the TomTom ones and install a subscription set instead.

I subscribe to the Pocket GPS World speed camera database and get updates once or twice a month.  The speed camera POIs come as a set of THREE.  An .OV2 location file, a .BMP map icon file and an .OGG sound file.

So for instance I have the following for each speed:-

Gatso 30.OV2, Gatso 30.BMP, Gatso 30.OGG

Gatso 40.OV2, Gatso 40.BMP, Gatso 40.OGG etc, etc

I've written a 'How to link a sound to a POI' guide which is in a .PDF format but too large to post here.  If you send me a PM with your email address I'll willingly post you a copy.

It certainly shouldn't reset everything to default when you upgrade via HOME.  What exactly does it reset?

W2G

[Basil]

Thanks for the reply Judge and W2G,

 

Just to explain where I am at, as part of the deal when I got the 720 I got a free years subscription to the TT 'Safety Camera' database so I am reluctant to purchase an alternative at present. So that said the only problem I find at the moment is this lack of audible warning, the visual warning giving distance and direction is impecable.

W2G I have read, with great interest, your how to do's on POI's and adding POI's such as the CC Info's Aire positions, however the TT Safety Camera database does not appear in the list of POI's on TT so it seems there is no way of linking it to a sound.

BUT when you access the TT Services on page 3 of the main menu and select TT Safety Cameras there is a 'Change Warning Preferences' button where you can select 'All' or various types of camera (fixed, mobile, red light, toll road, restricted road and miscellaneous) individually, all of which have a sound icon at the start. If you select 'All'. as I have done, the next screen asks if you wish to 'Remove Warning' to which I select no, it then asks the time from the camera that the warning is required (defaults to 15secs) when OK'ed it then asks you to select a warning sound which it plays and returns you to the Safety Camera menu. Now having done all this, including turning all off and reselecting it does not give an audible warning on the approach to a camera position, hence my query.

With regard to the resetting of functions, the ones that concern me are volume level, brightness and in 'Safety Preferences' on page one of 'Change Preferences' menu, all ticked items became unticked. Though it is easy to reset, as I do now, the first time it happened I was caught out as I could not hear it clearly (I like the volume fairly high) and it failed to warn me I was driving faster than allowed in a 30 zone on a country road. This being one of the features that I liked on the TT as I do try to observe speed limits and always thought that a device that reminded you if you either drifted above a limit or entered a lower speed limit without realising was desireable.

Sorry to ramble on but trying to explain my query, it is so much easier to explain face to face than write isn't it! 8-) 8-) 8-)

 

Bas

[catinou]

Hi Basil,

 

I think the absence of sound for the approach to cameras is because you are driving within the speed limits!!! (lol)

 

If you approach a camera over the speed limit you will hear the warning sound BUT be sure you brake before crossing the line if you test this theory 8-)

 

This is how our TomTom works anyway......

[John H]

Hi Basil,

 

I suppose you have already done this so please excuse me if I am stating the obvious.

 

John.

 

http://www.tomtom.com/support/solution.php?GID=1&PID=1682&SID=0&CID=217-220&Language=1&FID=5520

[libby]

Why do drivers need to be aware of speed cameras, there's usually a large round coloured circle informing everyone of the laws and conditions?

 

I also have a clock inside our vehicles that indicates the speed I'm at.

 

LB

[Coachman]

W2e have the TT 700 and i have put a sound for each speed limit ie 30 40 50 60 70 the sounds come from tt menue for instance trumpets/ cow mooing chimes and so on . Little things please little minds but hey it gives the other half a smile. :-D

[Way2Go]

libby - 2008-05-15 11:54 AM Why do drivers need to be aware of speed cameras, there's usually a large round coloured circle informing everyone of the laws and conditions? I also have a clock inside our vehicles that indicates the speed I'm at. LB

Yeah, there's always at least one 'holier than thou' comment like this when the subject of speed cameras comes up.

Well done for being a model citizen and a perfect driver, but please bear in mind that if everyone was as perfect, as you clearly are, the Police Force would be bankrupt.  

[Way2Go]

Bas,

I never used the TomTom supplied speed camera files so cannot comment about how they are setup.

If you look in the 'map' folder on your device do you see any .WAV or .OGG files?  These will be spoken warnings which would be something like "Gatso 30" (see file below).

If you don't have any of these files you can always have a clanging bell or cuckoo as has been suggested.

Whilst you're in the 'map' folder have a look for the speed camera POIs.  These will be the ones which TomTom have supplied.

pocketgps_uk_gatso_30.ogg

[libby]

Thanks for the comment, it was a polite reminder only and possibly will save someone money. Yes there are many establishments that survive on the car drivers payouts. I did all my rushing about on a bicycle long before speed cameras but do dislike paying out uneccesary cash. We are all different and let it remain so.

 

LB

[bigal55]

Coachman - 2008-05-15 12:37 PM

 

W2e have the TT 700 and i have put a sound for each speed limit ie 30 40 50 60 70 the sounds come from tt menue for instance trumpets/ cow mooing chimes and so on . Little things please little minds but hey it gives the other half a smile. :-D

glad there is someone else with a little mind, iv,e done the same with a 720t, above 70 i got my wife to record, WILL YOU SLOW DOWN, i find it comforting

[tonyishuk]

libby - 2008-05-15 11:54 AM

 

Why do drivers need to be aware of speed cameras, there's usually a large round coloured circle informing everyone of the laws and conditions?

 

I also have a clock inside our vehicles that indicates the speed I'm at.

 

LB

 

Not all speed cameras are marked, and some data bases record where known mobile speed traps operate.

 

My reply would be, we drivers need al the help we can get to assimulate the amount of information around us when we drive. There are so many changes in speed limits in short distances, it is quite easy to be 10 MPH over the top for no apparent reason in the change in speed limit.

 

The French have the right idea, generally one speed limit until you pass the sign saying you are leaving town ;-)

 

rGds

 

 

[Basil]

John H - 2008-05-15 9:41 AMHi Basil,I suppose you have already done this so please excuse me if I am stating the obvious.John.http://www.tomtom.com/support/solution.php?GID=1&PID=1682&SID=0&CID=217-220&Language=1&FID=5520

Thanks John I had seen that and it was red crossed so I assumed that it was operative.

Way2Go - 2008-05-15 3:31 PM

Bas,

I never used the TomTom supplied speed camera files so cannot comment about how they are setup.

If you look in the 'map' folder on your device do you see any .WAV or .OGG files? These will be spoken warnings which would be something like "Gatso 30" (see file below).

If you don't have any of these files you can always have a clanging bell or cuckoo as has been suggested.

Whilst you're in the 'map' folder have a look for the speed camera POIs. These will be the ones which TomTom have supplied.

Thanks everyone for your helpful comments. W2G seems that Catinou has the answer I have now tried TT out following the comment

catinou - 2008-05-15 9:26 AMHi Basil,I think the absence of sound for the approach to cameras is because you are driving within the speed limits!!! (lol) If you approach a camera over the speed limit you will hear the warning sound BUT be sure you brake before crossing the line if you test this theory 8-) This is how our TomTom works anyway......

(approaching a camera in the opposite direction at 33mph according to Tom Tom) and indeed it warned me with a sound that I was over the camera speed limit! So thanks Catinou for clearing that one upClearly I do not normally speed, however unlike some obviously perfect forum users, I do like the idea of having an additional back up to my own senses for the time I miss a sign as I am quite aware that I am far from perfect.I have to say that I am over the moon with the features on this TT720 and would recommend it to anyone considering a purchase, with W2G's helpful 'How To' posts and the others who have obvious knowledge it helps with any queries.Thanks again All Bas

[Guest JudgeMental]

Basil - 2008-05-16 11:59 AM

Clearly I do not normally speed, however unlike some obviously perfect forum users, I do like the idea of having an additional back up to my own senses for the time I miss a sign as I am quite aware that I am far from perfect.

I have to say that I am over the moon with the features on this TT720 and would recommend it to anyone considering a purchase, with W2G's helpful 'How To' posts and the others who have obvious knowledge it helps with any queries.

 

Thanks again All Bas

 

OK.....So thats why mine goes ding dong repeatedly and glows red when I drive around London.

 

Will have to stop watching movies on my in dash DVD player they are far to distracting - particularly the pornographic ones...... *-)