Troubles with free Tomtom 710

[xlray]

Having trouble with the free Tomtom which I received as part of the April till June promotion on my recently delivered XL Stylance. Its works brilliantly in the car, muting the radio, and switching it on when its off to speak.

However my computer will not recognise it on the home dock. Tried a friends home dock with the same problem. I have read a previous thread about the software version , but it still has the original 6.511 installed. I to was given the complete unopened box by my dealer, after they installed the mount. Beginning to be puzzled !

xlray

 

[megadyptes]

Don't know what others experiences of TomTom Home are but it seems a bit schizophrenic to me - sometimes it finds the unit, sometimes it doesn't. There appears to be some black magic to the order in which you connect the power cable, the USB cable, the unit, and switch it on. Whether this is a problem with the PC, or an indication that all is not well with the unit itself others may be better placed to say.

I gave up on the version that came with the unit, uninstalled it and downloaded the latest version from TomTom (http://www.tomtom.com/plus/service.php?ID=17&Lid=1) - so far it seems a bit better.

If you've got it working in the past and were cautious (smart!) enough to make a backup of the default card, it may be worth buying another SD card, copying the contents of the backup folder to the new card and trying that in the unit. As far as I can make out, the TomTom Home backup facility simply copies the entire contents of the SD card to a folder on your PC, it doesn't appear to do any fancy compression, encoding etc. It might help you figure out if there's a problem with the card - if not, it's always useful to have a backup card just in case......

 

[xlray]

Tomtom card backup

Megadyptes

Thanks for your reply. I think I read a previous post before I had my unit fitted. (It did not arrive from SEAT it time for fitting before I collected the car) , it might have been your post. The first thing I did before I turned it on was to backup the files to my computer, and make a backup card.

The problem is that it just wont be recognised on either of two home docks. I am running the version of home software from the CD, and not the upgrade that it prompts you to load when it checks the tomtom site. I did at first try the upgraded software but only with my own home dock, and not my friends.

I am not sure if it should show up in the control panel,system, devices,hardware under the USB setings , but it does not at present.

I will play more later.

xlray

 

[bobbycfc]

Don't mean to hijack this thread however I have my own query on the TomTom 710.

When I test drove an Alta XL, the fitted TT did not have an external mic, you just used the one on the TT unit for the bluetooth handsfree.

I take delivery of my Altea XL on Thurs and they are fitting TT. I see from TT website that the 710 comes with an external mic. Has anyone else got this and if so, where did you get it located? I would assume the best place would be at the top of the drivers side windscreen pillar or maybe if it can be routed round to above the rear view missor.

Anyone got the external mic fitted?

 

[megadyptes]

Not certain that you can do it....

The TomTom that comes with the car is essentially the same as if you'd just bought one from your favourite shop. In with it is the unit itself, car charger, suction mounting bracket, USB cable, external mic etc etc. The mic plugs into the mounting bracket along with the unit and the car charger so giving you the external mic you can use for a bluetooth-enabled phone.

However, with the builtin docking station Seat fit there aren't any sockets, so you're limited to the mic built in to the unit, just like on the XL you test drove.
Bit of a pain in the backside, as the quality of sound from the builtin mic is poorer than from the external mic.

 

[xlray]

Tomtom 710 working on home dock - heres how

I managed to get it working and for reference here's how I did it.

After reading up on the Tomtom I realised it had a reset button underneath. So after removing the SD card I turned on the unit, it then came up with a screen inviting you to plug in the SD card. Then I pressed the reset button with a paperclip which reset the unit, and turned it off.

I then put the SD card back in placed the unit on the home cradle, and hey presto the computer regognised the tomtom on its cradle.

I was then able to do the system updates, but not before I cleared some data from the unit as it was complaining of lack of storage space.

It appears that the SEAT supplied SD card is full of voices which you probably would not need, and a map of the Canary Islands. (Don't know how you get your car there mind)

In reply to bobbycfc I have not have my Tomtom microphone installed, I was just presented with a TomTom retail looking box with SEAT stickers on it. All the contents were complete and individually wrapped.

The leads from the mount go down to a vertical panel on the right side of the dashboard. Removing this panel revealed an 8 way by 2 (16 pin) header comes from the mount and plugs on to a Black box (mentioned on another thread hear). A similar header goes off to presumably the head unit.

Of course the other question apart from how/where a microphone plugs in is where you would plug in the TMC receiver. I am assuming this uses a serial connection to the tomtom via the cradle connector. I might be a good idea if somebody is having one of these installed to more thoroughly investigate the box before it is installed. The connector from the mount has about 13 pins connected and the tomtom mount has 15 pins so there are not many unconnected.

xlray

 

[bobbycfc]

Not certain that you can do it....

The TomTom that comes with the car is essentially the same as if you'd just bought one from your favourite shop. In with it is the unit itself, car charger, suction mounting bracket, USB cable, external mic etc etc. The mic plugs into the mounting bracket along with the unit and the car charger so giving you the external mic you can use for a bluetooth-enabled phone.

However, with the builtin docking station Seat fit there aren't any sockets, so you're limited to the mic built in to the unit, just like on the XL you test drove.
Bit of a pain in the backside, as the quality of sound from the builtin mic is poorer than from the external mic.

Thats very disappointing as with the car I test drove, the person I was on the phone to struggled to hear me. Wonder if I get hold of the garage before they fit it there may be a way of connecting the external mic?

 

[megadyptes]

Wonder if I get hold of the garage before they fit it there may be a way of connecting the external mic?

It's not as if you loose anything by asking them, and the rest of us may benefit from their answer!

Maybe SEAT didn't get any further than thinking about the navigation side of the TomTom, but that could be doing them an injustice.

As a random thought....... Anyone know how the original bluetooth option addressed this issue - did it include mic's hidden around the fittings? If so, maybe there's a way of adapting them to utlise the bluetooth functionality of the TomTom?

 

[bobbycfc]

Just a follow up, went to garage today and saw the guy fitting the TomTom. There is no method of plugging in the external mic. as suggested above, this plugs into the TomTom cradle however Seat use a different cradle for the Altea which you can't plug into.

Basically all the wiring is already there under the dash and its just a case of the mechanic connecting them up with the unit.

Just need to learn to shout when on phone!

 

[nebbers]

Looking at buying a tomtom later this year. Can you answer one query?

Does it connect to the car via bluetooth and then the phone to the car in line through the tomtom? Does it use the car speakers in the same way the the phone would via bluetooth?

 

[aceman]

I think it is hard wired in as the bluetooth option is not available if you choose tomtom as the tomtom 710 already has bluetooth built in.

 

[jonial]

Hi to all

I am trying to retro fit the TomTom mount so that my 710 does not have to use the windscreen suction mount.

Can anyone with the SEAT mount installed please tell me which of the sixteen pins on the lead as factory fitted carry the + and - supply voltage.

The black box will contain a voltage regulator to convert the 12volt supply to a 5volt feed to the TomTom unit.

Many thanks

John

 

[xlray]

Power Pins on TomTom Mount

Hi Jonial

Do you have the mount, as yet unfitted?. If so it would be useful if you could trace the pins/wires which go from the 15 pin connector that the tomtom plugs on to the the header which plugs on to the black box that SEAT supply. I have the details of the 15 pin tomtom connector, and I am sure we could reverse engineer whats going on. I am tempted to take out my box and to see if it comes apart to find out what electronics/PSU is inside. My interest at some point is to get a TMC receiver and wire it in. At present however I believe there are problems with them and they have been withdrawn pending a re-issue. Guessed this from reading various other Internet posts. They are certainly unavailable on the tomtom web site last time I looked. I don't have time at present to look into this in any more detail.

XLRAY

 

[megadyptes]

nebbers: The phone and the tomtom can be used as paired bluetooth devices, the car itself doesn't have bluetooth. It may be worth checking that your phone is tomtom compatible before deciding to have one fitted.

If you opt for the Seat-fitted mount rather than the tomtom cradle you can set the tomtom to use the car's speakers so all voices (human or navigational!) come through the speakers - in fact, I think it's set this way by deafult.

 

[jonial]

Hi XLRAY

I have not installed the mount yet but it is available from my local dealer.

I just need to know how the 12volts gets into the black box and, as far as I can tell, it just needs somebody with a multimeter to plot the voltages on the input to the black box.

The output from the black box is not a problem as the interconnecting cable between the black box and mount itself takes car of the 5 volt connection.

I do not need any other info other than the input 12 volt connection.

Hope you can help

 

[nebbers]

nebbers: The phone and the tomtom can be used as paired bluetooth devices, the car itself doesn't have bluetooth. It may be worth checking that your phone is tomtom compatible before deciding to have one fitted.

If you opt for the Seat-fitted mount rather than the tomtom cradle you can set the tomtom to use the car's speakers so all voices (human or navigational!) come through the speakers - in fact, I think it's set this way by deafult.

Already have Altea with Bluetooth and a Motorola V3i, which currently works with the car.

The V3i is compatable with the TomTom, which I will buy independently and install myself.

What I am trying to establish is whether the TomTom would use its bluetooth connection to operate via the car speakers and would it relay my phone through it, to my car?

 

[EBlack]

Am having a kinda similar problem just now with my dealer supplied TT710, as my new car doesn't have a loom connector (not pre-installed), and I have no way to plug in the Seat mounting kit.

Does anyone know of a workaround?

 

[xlray]

EBlack.

I had a look at my PSU box yesterday. I did order the pre-wiring back in March, which was a good move as it gave me the "free tomtom". The box contains power supply components and routing which I assume connects the connector on the mount unit, to the 2nd connector that was pre-wired to the car. Interestingy there is a third connector which I am assuming is for connecting the TMC receiver and the external microphone to. This is only a guess!.

I am going to put in a support request to tomtom and ask for the pinouts/schematics of their box. The box is marked:


tomtom
Part number 4V01.001
Description CRIB
DOM 08/06
12/24vDC 2A


XLRAY

 

[Cupra R]

Hi XLRAY

I have not installed the mount yet but it is available from my local dealer.

I just need to know how the 12volts gets into the black box and, as far as I can tell, it just needs somebody with a multimeter to plot the voltages on the input to the black box.

The output from the black box is not a problem as the interconnecting cable between the black box and mount itself takes car of the 5 volt connection.

I do not need any other info other than the input 12 volt connection.

Hope you can help

Hello mate.

So, are you saying that the Tom Tom Cradle that's available from Seat, has a lead coming from it, and if this lead was connected to a 12v source and a negative, then the Tom Tom itself would get the required 5v for powering it??? and not 12v which would fry it.

I ask as I'm thinking of fitting one into my Leon, and couldn't get the Pre-installation wiring as I opted for Bluetooth instead. (couldn't have both.)

 

[xlray]

Tomtom PSU wiring

Hi Cupra R

The tomtom power supply unit contains I think contains two switchmode type power supplies. I know the tomtom requires 5v so I am assuming one of these switches 12v to 5v (at 2A). Not sure what the other does. maybe 24v in to 5V out if the unit is also meant for commercial use.

A 20 pin connector with 6 of the pins wired has been pre-wired to the stereo unit.

13 wires come from the mount and are terminated on a 16 pin connector, 3 pins are unconnected.

Also on the box is a spare 14 pin socket the functions of which are unknown, but I wonder if they would be where the external microphone and the TMC receiver would be connected. The PSU box would therefore route some pins from the tomtom mount back out to the 14 pin header.

This is only guesswork, but I am going to ask tomtom for for a schematic of the unit.

The markings on the box ar listed in the post above.

To summarise you would certainly need a 12v to 5v supply rated at 2A.

XLRAY