Forum Discussion

Explorer

Aug 09, 2013

Garmin RV 760LMT -vs- TomTom VIA 1605M RV - GPS Wars

Sorry about the mess with the text not wrapping. I wrote this offline and I'm not about to write it out again!

First Impressions - TomTom GPS Via 1605M

Oh wow!

I am floored and impressed by this RV GPS unit!

What a step up from the Garmin I just purchased (actually I have a replacement model for the Garmin - it was "screen freezing" right out of the box)

1) This TomTom is for RV's - Right off the bat, they ask you to input what kind of RV you have - Weight, Height, Width, Length, and Axle Weight! - Impressed

2) 6" x 3" screen (seems much smaller than the Garmin) and isn't as unwieldy.

3) This GPS comes with free lifetime maps. What isn't explained in the literature is that you can also get FREE TRAFFIC TOO. Every rep I spoke with and emailed didn't know this. I suspected that my old cord could be used. Wrong! You need to buy a Micro USB CLA (cigarette lighter adapter) available at Amazon: Just search for this number: 4UUC.001.05B - $27.72

4) The TomTom is around $200.00 less expensive. Amazon: $206.74 compared to the Garmin $399.95

5) Passenger and Camper Car Options - switch between profiles to suit your needs. I couldn't find this feature on the Garmin. It should be easy to switch between trailer and car. As a matter of fact, Garmins interface sucks!

6) The menus on this TomTom and all TomToms are easy to navigate! So simple a kid could do it.

7) Custom Points of Interest for Campers and Campgrounds. I'm not
certain all that involves. Probably all KOA's are listed as POI's. You can get thousands of free TomTom POI files at this website. With Garmin, you need a separate piece of software (POI Loader) to load the GPS unit with files.

The POI Factory

8) GPX "Quick Fix" This is done via your computer and the almost daily updates from TomTom. It tells the unit where in the sky to look for the satellites. This feature is updated every few days, at lest it is the case for my XL 335 M - It's very nice that the TomTom will know the general area where to search - It speeds any kind of delay.

9) Receive 10% off entrance to all KOA Campgrounds in the US and Canada - Offer discount card expires 12/14/2014 - Garmin used their own inside company "America's RV Parks and Service" to provide RV Park and campground info. Garmin also has a RV Repair Database, which is just ok. You can get this kind of info on an independent POI file (Point of Interest) free, on the internet;

POI Factory

10) Free TomTom Roadside Assistance - Basic Membership - I'm notsure
what this entails. Probably a tire changing or a tow within "x" amount of miles.

11) Free lifetime maps. The updates come out about 4 times a year
(based on my old TomTom XL335.)

12) Lane Assist and Split Screen Junction - you get to see the 2 views at the same time. With lane assist, the voice will tell you ahead of time and get you into the right lane to make a smooth transition.

13) The best is saved for last! TomTom Maps & Map Share. TomTom has allowed it's users to make corrections into the system. After the information is vetted, it's released to the general population of users. You can choose how much you want to trust the Map Share corrections. It's all on the fly and there are daily updates!

To me, this is one of TomToms strongest selling points. The GPS QuickFix and MapShares are updated constantly. This is akin to the latest consumer driven program like WAZE, where the system is constantly dependent on the consumer to contribute to making the correct maps and data information changes available to everyone,within hours. Garmin, you're just stuck with the map that they give to you. No interaction between the company and it's users as far as I know.

I'm guessing that Garmin updates 4 times a year - and that's it.** I also despise the Garmin Trip Planning Software (Windows and Mac) which is called BaseCamp. I've not been able to get the hang of it, and I probably never will. The Garmin is going back from whence it came, unless I can talk some poor fool on the forum into buying it LOLOL.

This is the 3rd piece of software required to run the Garmin.
1) Garmin Express (updates the actual unit and maps)
2) POILoader - To load Points of interest files onto your Garmin.
3) BaseCamp - An overly confusing piece of software for trip planning. I'd imagine that the people who use Streets and Trips would want to check with that software instead otf trying to grasp BaseCamp.

As far as I know, you can customize the open and closing splash screens on your TomTom to whatever photos you want**

Oh yeah - almost forgot. You can set the TomTom up for a left handed
person! Southpaws unite!

**Please correct me if I am wrong about this.

WoodGlue

12 Replies

WoodGlue
Explorer
Aug 11, 2013
Only the Garmin has the backup camera option.
Bucky_Badger
Explorer
Aug 11, 2013
WoodGlue, does it have a input for backup camera?
schneid
Explorer
Aug 10, 2013
Three things:

Being able to update ephemeris data does speed acquisition. Get an app for your phone that does the same thing. Really helps when you get on a plane in LA, turn it off, then back on in NY.

In addition to TomTom, I use Streets and Trips for planning. A program called POI Conversion converts the MS .est to a TT .ov2 so you can import the POI's into TT. The is is also a trip planning app called Tyre that creates .itn's for TT.

As hinted, POI Factory is great source for POI's. I put all my car dealers, favorite eating places, hotel chain, tire stores and shopping spots in TT and just a touch away. Coffee shops too.
1775
Explorer
Aug 10, 2013
My RV came with an indash GPS that is a Tom Tom - not an RV specific GPS but a car GPS. The Tom Tom has more than once told me to turn right when I should have turned left and then directed me into a maze of streets or better - a parking lot - to turn me around and put me in the direction it should have told me to turn in to start with. This Tom Tom GPS also is supposed to have built in traffic using the traffic broadcast by the radio traffic data system. It does not work. Tom Tom told me that they no longer support that - they said this and still do from when the unit was new two years ago. The only good thing that I find about the Tom Tom is its ability to hold many "itineraries" with easy access and on the fly changes. But that also has its problems. My first GPS was a Tom Tom and I soon put it in a drawer and bought a Garmin. The GPS does not have lifetime maps and Tom Tom makes no offer to sell that feature separately as other GPS manufacturers do. Tom Tom wants more for a one year map subscription than I paid Garmin for a lifetime map subscription. I would not buy another Tom Tom - RV or not. Now I am not saying that the Garmin RV is any good but definitely not Tom Tom if it works like all of their other GPS units have worked.
CloudDriver
Explorer
Aug 10, 2013
A quick Google search came up with this article from Ohio State University that explains some amazing things about GPS. The satellites aren't in geosynchronous orbits, they actually are much lower and orbit the Earth twice each day. Also very interesting that the designers of the system had to use Einstein's Theory of Relativity when designing the system in order to obtain the location accuracy that we see when using GPS receivers.
WoodGlue
Explorer
Aug 10, 2013
bob_nestor wrote:
Actually the ephemeris data does tell the GPS unit where the satellites are in the sky and that speeds the processing done to correctly locate your ground position. The ephemeris data "ages" due the the satellites not being in an absolute geosynchronous orbit. It is good for about two weeks. The updated data can be downloaded to the ground unit from the satellites or preloaded. Usually on an initial setup of a GPS unit that doesn't have current data it will take longer to acquire the satellites and compute your ground position. GPS units that have been more recently used will tend to acquire quicker because they have more up to date information. That's why on some units (like military GPS) they pre-load the units before going on a mission. They're loading current ephemeris data and may also load the decode keys to access the higher precision signals not available to non-military users. But you are correct in how the GPS uses time and signal phase differences to compute ground position.

Again, very interesting. I always felt that it helped speed up acquisition, but you guys are of differing opinions, so I'm just trying to learn all I can.

WoodGlue
bob_nestor
Explorer III
Aug 10, 2013
n7bsn wrote:
WoodGlue wrote:
Sorry about the mess with the text not wrapping. I wrote this offline and I'm not about to write it out again!
...

8) GPX "Quick Fix" This is done via your computer and the almost daily updates from TomTom. It tells the unit where in the sky to look for the satellites. This feature is updated every few days, at lest it is the case for my XL 335 M - It's very nice that the TomTom will know the general area where to search - It speeds any kind of delay....

WoodGlue

I'm sorry you have bit into this complete bit of marketing. That's all it is. Period.

No GPS on the market (and I've used consumer, military, commercial navigation, etc) can "know" where to look in the sky for the GPS satellites, nor would you want them to.
Every GPS has an omnidirectional antenna, meaning the antenna "listens" in all directions, equally.
Since the GPS is listening to multiple satellites at a time, with a non-directional antenna the idea that the GPS is "looking" for a special area of the sky is complete BS.

How your GPS works is it each Satellite sends out time mark signals, the GPS measures the difference in arrival time for the time signals. and computes your location based on these signal.

Actually the ephemeris data does tell the GPS unit where the satellites are in the sky and that speeds the processing done to correctly locate your ground position. The ephemeris data "ages" due the the satellites not being in an absolute geosynchronous orbit. It is good for about two weeks. The updated data can be downloaded to the ground unit from the satellites or preloaded. Usually on an initial setup of a GPS unit that doesn't have current data it will take longer to acquire the satellites and compute your ground position. GPS units that have been more recently used will tend to acquire quicker because they have more up to date information. That's why on some units (like military GPS) they pre-load the units before going on a mission. They're loading current ephemeris data and may also load the decode keys to access the higher precision signals not available to non-military users. But you are correct in how the GPS uses time and signal phase differences to compute ground position.
WoodGlue
Explorer
Aug 10, 2013
n7bsn wrote:
I'm sorry you have bit into this complete bit of marketing. That's all it is. Period.

No GPS on the market (and I've used consumer, military, commercial navigation, etc) can "know" where to look in the sky for the GPS satellites, nor would you want them to.
Every GPS has an omnidirectional antenna, meaning the antenna "listens" in all directions, equally.
Since the GPS is listening to multiple satellites at a time, with a non-directional antenna the idea that the GPS is "looking" for a special area of the sky is complete BS.

How your GPS works is it each Satellite sends out time mark signals, the GPS measures the difference in arrival time for the time signals. and computes your location based on these signal.

Thank you for that information. It is interesting to learn about areas that I'm not qualified to speak about.

Thanks,

WoodGlue
n7bsn
Explorer
Aug 10, 2013
WoodGlue wrote:
Sorry about the mess with the text not wrapping. I wrote this offline and I'm not about to write it out again!
...

8) GPX "Quick Fix" This is done via your computer and the almost daily updates from TomTom. It tells the unit where in the sky to look for the satellites. This feature is updated every few days, at lest it is the case for my XL 335 M - It's very nice that the TomTom will know the general area where to search - It speeds any kind of delay....

WoodGlue

I'm sorry you have bit into this complete bit of marketing. That's all it is. Period.

No GPS on the market (and I've used consumer, military, commercial navigation, etc) can "know" where to look in the sky for the GPS satellites, nor would you want them to.
Every GPS has an omnidirectional antenna, meaning the antenna "listens" in all directions, equally.
Since the GPS is listening to multiple satellites at a time, with a non-directional antenna the idea that the GPS is "looking" for a special area of the sky is complete BS.

How your GPS works is it each Satellite sends out time mark signals, the GPS measures the difference in arrival time for the time signals. and computes your location based on these signal.
iawoody2
Explorer
Aug 10, 2013
I have the Garmin RV760LTM, and it has most all campgrounds loaded, including KOA and Good Sam. Easy to switch between rv and car mode. Have been using it for about 6 weeks and love it.
Last week when approaching Minneapolis it alerted to road construction and how long of delay and offered a alternative route.