View Full Version : What SatNav
Right, my parents have suddenly decided they need satnav (and I do mean suddenly - decided today, need to get it this weekend).
So, what do I recommend? There's the blindingly obvious - TomTom, but which one, and there is anything better?
They don't need loads of bells and whistles like speed camera databases and the like, but no harm in having the capability. Keeping the price down would therefore be good. :)
My parents have a TomTom One and they're very pleased with it. Dad also has a TomTom Rider which is holding up very well considering it fell off the mounting bracket at about 50mph yesterday.
If only for the ease of use (which lets face it, is of paramount importance with parents), I'd go down the TomTom route. If I were buying now then I'd get a Go 510 I think - widescreen rocks.
Shame there's a £120 difference in price (£220 vs £340 - from GPS Warehouse).
A fairly big difference then :/ I think the 'One' is the best option then.
I'm actually leaning towards the 510 and they didn't seem too averse to spending £350-ish. 510 has a faster CPU (quicker routing) as well as the much better screen (and better speaker as well, I suspect). They actually mentioned the rider as well, until I pointed out that was designed for bikes. :)
I know how frustrating things like slow route calculation can be from past experience.
The One isn't exactly slow when it comes to calculating routes but the 510 is definately a bit nippier.
Nope, I'd agree with that. It's 250MHz vs 400MHz with the same maps, so there's a bit of difference. :)
I thought the one was regional maps, and then you pay extra for more/the whole uk?
Don't think so, though there appear to be several different versions of the ONE.
It depends which of the numerous versions of the One you buy. My parents have the full UK maps on theirs but you can get regional or even city level maps if that is all you need.
Garmin knocks TomTom into the middle of last week, look at the C510 or the i3.
Will do, as a Garmin owner, I should like them. :)
OK - checked both as suggested, and I can't say I'm that impressed with what I've seen. I don't see what's so special about them. :undecided:
LeperousDust
07-09-2006, 00:19
Ive only seen the very low end garmin and i know the low end tomtom absolutely destroys it!
Personally i'd grab a second hand PDA and acquire tomtom6 navigator :)
Or buy a new phone (if you need one) preferrably a smart phone and use that with tomtom navigator6!
Neither of which would be parent-suitable without me going there and setting it up for them. Not saying they're idiots, but both of their last two PCs have been installed by me.
The PDA solution has it's place, but this isn't it. This is also why I didn't post this elsewhere. :)
Parents + PDA = A whole lot of trouble. Tomtom is the easiest to use and that in my opinion makes it the best option for parents.
I can recommend the tomtom one. Ok the initial routing might take 10secs and then a replan takes 3-4secs but thats acceptable really. Also the one works with heated front screens whereas I know some of the other models have issues
Personally i'd grab a second hand PDA and acquire tomtom6 navigator :)
Ooooh, didn't know TT6 was out :D
/goes off to acquire
Let us know if it's any good dude :)
I can recommend the tomtom one. Ok the initial routing might take 10secs and then a replan takes 3-4secs but thats acceptable really. Also the one works with heated front screens whereas I know some of the other models have issues
Must admit I was pretty sure you had the One and based some of my thoughts on that. :)
Ooooh, didn't know TT6 was out :D
/goes off to acquire
Lemme know if you manage to obtain it - I'd be interested in a copy.
Got it on my PDA but it doesn't look like it works with the old maps so just getting some of them now as well :)
Bugger. I downloaded the Western and Central Europe maps thinking each country would be separate but they're not. It's just one 1.5GB file so it's too big to fint on my PDA memory card :/
Getting hold of what looks like Spain on it's own so I can at least test it's all working properly. If that works then it's just a case of waiting for the UK map :)
Well, TT6 looks a bit more flash, has a couple more features but overall it's not that much different to TT5.
TT6 Setup and GB Map here : http://www.megaupload.com/?d=F80FD52V
LeperousDust
07-09-2006, 13:43
Yeah it's not that different, and I was under the impression you could use old maps? I've currently got an installer that comes without maps its only about 40meg! But i don't was the fart around yet because i will actually need tomtom to get me to Ed.
Sorry Mark i skim read your post, and totally missed the parents part. I agree tomtom One is definately the way forward. I got my dad that its still pretty quick at route planning, and for the odd time they will have to wait an extra 40 seconds its not worth the speed increase and money.
Mine wouldn't work with the current GB map, although I'm not sure it was working 100% at the time so I could be wrong. But I don't care now as I've got the new GB map :p
I'll need to get the European maps (and ideally the US maps) too as I use my TomTom more often abroad than at home.
So, any advance on TomTom One or 510, or convincing that I was wrong about Garmin? :)
Piggymon
07-09-2006, 20:27
My Mum and Dad who are complete technophobes can use my TomTom - I made them borrow it for their first trip from Swansea > Pigmopad and it worked a treat for them :)
Neither of them can use texts and my Mum can just about receive a call on her mobile phone :p
LeperousDust
07-09-2006, 22:18
Tomtom one for cheapness and effectiveness. It does the job, it's like a cheap cheerful nokia mobile. Nothing special but it does exactly what you need :).
Personally not a fan of the garmin especially since the one i looked at wasnt even touchscreen...
Parents selected the TomTom Go 510. I think they thought it was likely to be of use longer-term than the TomTom One. Also, I got the price down under £300, which helped (although they'd already found it on Amazon for just over £300).
Thanks for all the advice and information. :)
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