Which live info twat nav?

[Stonker]

I need to buy a sat nav that I can also use in the car on an interactive basis so that it will route me clear of traffic Jams. Do both TomTom Rider and Garmin do this? Does anybody know what the options are and the best way to go?

 

[Balders1450]

I need to buy a sat nav that I can also use in the car on an interactive basis so that it will route me clear of traffic Jams. Do both TomTom Rider and Garmin do this? Does anybody know what the options are and the best way to go?

TT Rider, and it's cheaper than Garmin and as it comes with Scala headset and car attachment thingy.......

 

[Stonker]

I do have an older version of TT running on a PDA and considering the cost have resisted 'upgrading' to Garmin (which seems the popular choice) as TT has given me everything I need (except sharing routes etc when group riding).

I have been driving a Nissan Navara though which has a 'live' sat nav of some sort and I have to say it's brilliant when traffic is bad. That's why I think it's time to upgrade.

Do TT charge a fee? ( I thought it was about £50 a year)

 

[Bumpkin]

I think all the bike orientated Garmins will accept a traffic receiver. Alternatively you could go for a higher end Garmin Nuvi that comes with one included. The T suffix denotes that a traffic receiver and subscription are included. You would need to arrange suitable mount and waterproof case for serious bike use but Givi and RAM have the bits to make that possible. The high end Nuvis are capable of accepting pre defined routes for ride outs etc.

I bought a Nuvi 765T for my wife a month or two ago, £115, new, from an eBay seller. Ticks all the boxes for the above.

Not too sure about TomTom, the Rider doesn't seem to appear in the compatibility lists for their traffic receivers.

Don't know what version of TomTom you have on your PDA but you might find that it will accept routes. I had Navigator 7 on my old phone and that accepted ITN route files, worked very well and only let down by the phone making it slightly laggy.

 

[Tomcat]

I use a TT "XL Live" in the car because it offers TT's HD traffic info service. I tried using Garmin's FM traffic info with my Zumo 550 and the info was so patchy and just plain wrong it was virtually useless. But this was 2 years ago and it may have improved since then.

The TT HD service is generally very good BUT you have to pay a sub and I'm not sure if it is available on their Rider models. I use the TT in the car for almost every journey solely for the traffic info - the HD service updates frequently and covers minor roads as well as trunk routes.

Have a look through the forums on pocketgps.co.uk to get a feel for the pros and cons of TT and Garmin traffic services.

 

[Bumpkin]

Oh yeah, I wouldn't bother with traffic receivers for bike use TBH, it's not particularly relevant on two wheels. Any detours can easily be longer than filtering past the hold-up.

 

[Stonker]

Thanks guys. Yes, I would only use the live info when on 4 wheels

 

[Stonker]

If I go for the TT Rider, Which Scala headset do you get and how do I integrate an mp3 player?

 

[Stonker]

nobody know?

 

[Stonker]

TT have told me that there is no way to play mp3 through the scala they supply. Pretty pants really and looks like I need to go Garmin

 

[AberdeenAngus]

Zumo 660. MP3's, live updates, comes with a car kit.

 

[Stonker]

I think that's the impression I'm coming to. What's the best bluetooth headset to go for? I do have in ear monitors which I don't know if I'll be able to use

 

[Stonker]

Can I assume that there is only 1 version of the 660? (maps are the same etc? Best price is about £375

 

[Stonker]

looks like I'm on my own on this one....

 

[GlynnJ]

I feel your pain. I have a Garmin 2610 which works fine but is obsolete and not compatible with NT mapping - so it is stuck in 2007. Not a real problem on the bike, but not great in the car.

I have used TomToms in the car with both the FM antenna and the online (via mobile phone) traffic service. The antenna sucks, not least because you have to drape it over your dashboard or stick it to your windscreen with suckers. Then when you park up you have to remove it all for fear of having your windows smashed by opportunist thieves.

AFAIK, Garmin only uses the antenna system. Also AFAIK, TT does not have any products that allow routes to be pre-configured on a PC. I want antenna-less traffic routing and PC-based mapping! Anyone know of such a system

 

[spm0912]

Only partly answers your question but I have the Tom Tom app on my iPhone 4. I just put it in my pocket and with in ear monitors and follow the voice prompts. It's clear, accurate and once you get used to it you don't need to see the screen. I also use it in the car with the tom Tom mount, anyway this Xmas I took out a month subs to the live traffic update. Bloody brilliant, coming back from Devon to Kent it took me round all the normal queues on the A303/M3, recommended. We have TT rider and a 660 at work, I prefer the 660 for map detail but the TT is easier/faster to use, apart from waterproofing/ charging issues TT iPhone app is far superior to to either of them. Food for thought?