Basic "Should I or Shouldn't I?" Questions

[Deleted account 210609001]

I've had a scan through many of these threads and there's some really useful information - thanks everyone. What I'm really after is a comparison of the Zumo 550 with the Quest 2 that I'm currently using. Perhaps some kind soul can answer these questions for me:

1. Does it use the same Mapsource software for route planning?
2. I've read that the output is in mono. That's fine for the directions, but one of the attractions is having music on there as well. Are the music files played in mono as well? And what is th equality like?
3. Does it have a normal jack output for sound (i.e. wired headphones)? I'm a bit wary of Bluetooth and have heard that the connection with the headset isn't particulary reliable.
4. The main question: I have occasional problems with the Quest 2 either "freezing" or very slow recalculations. Although these are quite rare, they always seem to happen at the worst possible moment - just approaching a complex junction or 6-exit roundabout, never on a motorway. It the recalculation when you go off-route that annoys me most. It seems that by the time it's recalculated you're far enough away from where it started to recalculate that it needs to recalculate all over again.

So, in your experiences, is the Zumo more reliable and better/quicker at this?

Thanks in advance,

Robin.

 

[DodgyGeeSer]

1. Does it use the same Mapsource software for route planning?

Yes, as well as route planning on the device itself, which is a lot easier than it is on the Quest/Quest2 (touchscreen, etc.).

2. I've read that the output is in mono. That's fine for the directions, but one of the attractions is having music on there as well. Are the music files played in mono as well? And what is th equality like?

All bluetooth output is mono (and there is still some optimism (possibly unfounded) that this may be fixed in the future by a firmware update). Not sure yet if this is a hardware limitation though. The outputs from the cradles are stereo. I've found the Bluetooth music output to be very low quality, when streamed to either the Scala headset or the car stereo.

3. Does it have a normal jack output for sound (i.e. wired headphones)? I'm a bit wary of Bluetooth and have heard that the connection with the headset isn't particulary reliable.

It surely does. I've had zero issues with the bluetooth, and I've cross connected a number of devices, including a Scala headset, K800i mobile phone, Sony BT5000 car stereo.

4. The main question: I have occasional problems with the Quest 2 either "freezing" or very slow recalculations. Although these are quite rare, they always seem to happen at the worst possible moment - just approaching a complex junction or 6-exit roundabout, never on a motorway. It the recalculation when you go off-route that annoys me most. It seems that by the time it's recalculated you're far enough away from where it started to recalculate that it needs to recalculate all over again.

I can only compare with the Quest1, but would have to say that I have found it immeasurably quicker at calculating / recalculating.

So, in your experiences, is the Zumo more reliable and better/quicker at this?

Is it more reliable? Hard to tell. If you read the various forums, there are a lot of returns/issues, but that's really what forums are for discussing, isn't it? Definitely far quicker for re-calculating. Problem is that you need to travel a certain distance before the zumo knows that your are off-route. I recently took a wrong turn on a road that was parallel (and nearby) to the road I should be travelling on. Took ages to tell me that I was on the wrong road!

BTW: I still haven't decided whether to rid myself of the Quest1 yet. I was holding onto it, just to be sure, but haven't turned it on since.. So I think I'll be selling it on soon..

 

[Deleted account 210609001]

Thanks, Dodgy. I can feel my credit card twitching now...

 

[Paul Wakefield]

Having read the various threads, seen there have been various updates to the Zumo since it was released, I'm confused (easily done).

Can anybody give us a list of things you can't do on a ZUMO that you can on a 2610 (and I presume a Quest). e.g. switching off recalculation, zooming in for a magnified view of a junction, tailoring the screens and route preferences? - I think some of these you can not/could not do on a ZUMO. Is that correct?

 

[DodgyGeeSer]

Having read the various threads, seen there have been various updates to the Zumo since it was released, I'm confused (easily done).

Can anybody give us a list of things you can't do on a ZUMO that you can on a 2610 (and I presume a Quest). e.g. switching off recalculation, zooming in for a magnified view of a junction, tailoring the screens and route preferences? - I think some of these you can not/could not do on a ZUMO. Is that correct?

That's quite a broad question, but here's answers to some of your questions:

Switching off recalculation - Zumo - Yes
Options are: [Auto] [Off] [Prompted]

Zooming in for a magnified view of a junction - Yes
Does this automatically, but you can also press the bottom right of the screen for a zoomed in view of the next junction.

Tailoring the screen:
Not quite sure what you're looking for, but you can switch between 3D view, 2D view (Track Up, or North Up). You can zoom in and out, but I don't believe you can preserve the setting.

Tailoring route preferences:
You can:
Change Name
Add/Remove Points
Manual Reorder Waypoints
Optimal Reorder
Recalculate
Delete!

Other points:
Battery Life:
Quest - 20 hours (no back light)
Zumo 550 - 4 Hours
2610 - No battery

Remote control: 2610 only (did you ever really use it?!)

After that, check the manual.

 

[Paul Wakefield]

Thanks - that's helpful. Cheers