TT910 v Garmin Nuvi 660
Discussion
Was on the point of buying a TT910 at Halfords when the very knowledgeable assistant showed me the Nuvi 660.
The Nuvi looks better built, will fit in a pocket, has Trafficmaster as standard but costs about £50 more. TT has a remote control, masses of hard drive memory. Speed camera subscriptions seem comparable in price - but which database is updated more frequently? Which has a better reputation for reliability?
Was told that Garmin maps are more up to date and more precise - apparently TT buy in maps and super-impose their data, also that Garmin is the platform used by most German manufacturers.
Incidentally was also told that Halfords had room for negotiating on the price - perhaps down to internet levels! - far better to buy from a shop than some unknown business, and if it goes wrong you can drop it in - rather than face costly postage/insurance.
Which should I buy?
Thanks for any advice.
The Nuvi looks better built, will fit in a pocket, has Trafficmaster as standard but costs about £50 more. TT has a remote control, masses of hard drive memory. Speed camera subscriptions seem comparable in price - but which database is updated more frequently? Which has a better reputation for reliability?
Was told that Garmin maps are more up to date and more precise - apparently TT buy in maps and super-impose their data, also that Garmin is the platform used by most German manufacturers.
Incidentally was also told that Halfords had room for negotiating on the price - perhaps down to internet levels! - far better to buy from a shop than some unknown business, and if it goes wrong you can drop it in - rather than face costly postage/insurance.
Which should I buy?
Thanks for any advice.
nüvi 660 - you won't regret it!
90 day free scamera database which is updated weekly; afer that it's by subscription. Unit software updates on-line and very straightforward.
Street level mapping for Western Europe.
Compact, well made and looks professional. The Tom-tom is bulky and looks like a bit Fischer-Price.
The TMC receiver requires you to plug a cable from the mounting cradle into a fag plug and an antenna cable to the windscreen. That's the only thing I don't like - there should be a proper 'hard wired' method of plumbing a TMC receiver into the antenna line and the 12-to-5v dropper into the car electrical system.
90 day free scamera database which is updated weekly; afer that it's by subscription. Unit software updates on-line and very straightforward.
Street level mapping for Western Europe.
Compact, well made and looks professional. The Tom-tom is bulky and looks like a bit Fischer-Price.
The TMC receiver requires you to plug a cable from the mounting cradle into a fag plug and an antenna cable to the windscreen. That's the only thing I don't like - there should be a proper 'hard wired' method of plumbing a TMC receiver into the antenna line and the 12-to-5v dropper into the car electrical system.
Edited by nickwilcock on Tuesday 20th February 14:29
Whereas the 660's FM transmitter feature is not available for European markets, for the 670 they've tried to get round the law by stating:
Use of FM transmitters is currently illegal in certain European countries due to specific radio frequency restrictions. You must check the local regulations in all European countries in which you intend to use the FM transmitter to ensure its legality. You accept full responsibility for complying with all such laws and regulations applicable in your particular country of operation.
Hmmm.....
The 670 also has both European and North American mapping pre-installed.
Use of FM transmitters is currently illegal in certain European countries due to specific radio frequency restrictions. You must check the local regulations in all European countries in which you intend to use the FM transmitter to ensure its legality. You accept full responsibility for complying with all such laws and regulations applicable in your particular country of operation.
Hmmm.....
The 670 also has both European and North American mapping pre-installed.
Edited by nickwilcock on Wednesday 21st February 21:12
I have a Nuvi 660 and think it is excellent. A straight comparison is difficult for me as I have not used a recent TT. I was not interested in the 910 because of the bulk, so the alternative which I considered was a TT One Europe.
Things I like about the Nuvi include a great screen, fantastic reception, that it turns on and off with the power supply, and that there is no extra power cable to plug in when mounting it on its base. Most importantly it has great mapping and reception and does a good job navigating. Things I don't like include that you cannot enter more than one intermediate waypoint, that you cannot create a route on the PC and transfer it to the unit, and that if you have the unit muted you don't get any sound to tell you that your telephone has rung. The speaker is OK but a bit weak, which would make the 670 interesting. I have not been happy with the camera database, but different people have such different preferences for this. The Garmin supplied database warns of masses of mobile camera sites which are rarely active. I would like to have warnings for fixed sites only, which you cannot do with the Garmin database. I should be able to use the personalgpsworld database and choose what kind of sites to get warnings for, but I have not yet bothered to do this. I like the way warnings are given, which is with a brief warning sound accompanied by words on the screen, eg '40 mph fixed speed camera'.
I was amused recently to be taken in a fairly new S Class 'taxi' where the driver had a Nuvi on the dashtop as well as the Merc Command system (currently about £1,800). He wanted the Nuvi as well as the built in system because he said the traffic info was better on the Nuvi (remember - lifetime sub included) and address entry was easier using full post code entry and the soft keypad on screen than in Command.
Things I like about the Nuvi include a great screen, fantastic reception, that it turns on and off with the power supply, and that there is no extra power cable to plug in when mounting it on its base. Most importantly it has great mapping and reception and does a good job navigating. Things I don't like include that you cannot enter more than one intermediate waypoint, that you cannot create a route on the PC and transfer it to the unit, and that if you have the unit muted you don't get any sound to tell you that your telephone has rung. The speaker is OK but a bit weak, which would make the 670 interesting. I have not been happy with the camera database, but different people have such different preferences for this. The Garmin supplied database warns of masses of mobile camera sites which are rarely active. I would like to have warnings for fixed sites only, which you cannot do with the Garmin database. I should be able to use the personalgpsworld database and choose what kind of sites to get warnings for, but I have not yet bothered to do this. I like the way warnings are given, which is with a brief warning sound accompanied by words on the screen, eg '40 mph fixed speed camera'.
I was amused recently to be taken in a fairly new S Class 'taxi' where the driver had a Nuvi on the dashtop as well as the Merc Command system (currently about £1,800). He wanted the Nuvi as well as the built in system because he said the traffic info was better on the Nuvi (remember - lifetime sub included) and address entry was easier using full post code entry and the soft keypad on screen than in Command.
FYI, the FM feature is not present in the UK/European models. Apparently, where it is available, reception is not good either.
I'd like such a feature so one idea I have (in lieu of the FM feed option) is plugging a cable from the earpiece jack to one of those casette tape input thingys into my my radio (yes, it has a cassette input!) and then having the satnav speech and phone calls via the car system - does anyone know whether this would work?
I'd like such a feature so one idea I have (in lieu of the FM feed option) is plugging a cable from the earpiece jack to one of those casette tape input thingys into my my radio (yes, it has a cassette input!) and then having the satnav speech and phone calls via the car system - does anyone know whether this would work?
I know I said that the internal speaker of the 660 is not great. However, I find it good enough for phone and navigation. I would not want to have another wire dangling over the dash in order to connect to your car's head unit.
Thanks for pointing out that like the 660 the European version of the 670 does not include the FM transmitter. That makes the extra price over the 660 expensive just to add US mapping - though I might not think so if I expected to use it in the US!
Thanks for pointing out that like the 660 the European version of the 670 does not include the FM transmitter. That makes the extra price over the 660 expensive just to add US mapping - though I might not think so if I expected to use it in the US!
waremark said:
Thanks for pointing out that like the 660 the European version of the 670 does not include the FM transmitter. That makes the extra price over the 660 expensive just to add US mapping - though I might not think so if I expected to use it in the US!
Funny as I purchased a 660 at Christmas and then went to the US - didn't take it (for obvious reasons) and now they do the 670 with US mapping included which would have been perfect. I wonder how much the 670 is anyway and how much is the US mapping by itself?
AMG Merc said:
FYI, the FM feature is not present in the UK/European models. Apparently, where it is available, reception is not good either.
I'd like such a feature so one idea I have (in lieu of the FM feed option) is plugging a cable from the earpiece jack to one of those casette tape input thingys into my my radio (yes, it has a cassette input!) and then having the satnav speech and phone calls via the car system - does anyone know whether this would work?
I'd like such a feature so one idea I have (in lieu of the FM feed option) is plugging a cable from the earpiece jack to one of those casette tape input thingys into my my radio (yes, it has a cassette input!) and then having the satnav speech and phone calls via the car system - does anyone know whether this would work?
Yes it does. I use one of those cassette thingies with my Nuvi 360 to receive instructions, phone calls and MP3 music via my car radio.
lambochick said:
AMG Merc said:
FYI, the FM feature is not present in the UK/European models. Apparently, where it is available, reception is not good either.
I'd like such a feature so one idea I have (in lieu of the FM feed option) is plugging a cable from the earpiece jack to one of those casette tape input thingys into my my radio (yes, it has a cassette input!) and then having the satnav speech and phone calls via the car system - does anyone know whether this would work?
I'd like such a feature so one idea I have (in lieu of the FM feed option) is plugging a cable from the earpiece jack to one of those casette tape input thingys into my my radio (yes, it has a cassette input!) and then having the satnav speech and phone calls via the car system - does anyone know whether this would work?
Yes it does. I use one of those cassette thingies with my Nuvi 360 to receive instructions, phone calls and MP3 music via my car radio.
Great, thanks LC!
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