RDS TMC headphone type plug or USB - Which is best?

[wazzzzupmate]

I currently use the headphone plug type RDS traffic receiver and am not impressed with the signal lock and the fact that I have two leads to connect, making concealment of the cables more difficult.
Does the USB type give improved performance? If not why the hefty price tag?
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Tomtom Go 400
Tomtom 1.15.1 for Iphone

[GPS_fan]

I think I've seen mention that the USB receiver may be slightly more sensitive.

Having said that, I have the headphone-type receiver and have good reception wherever I've driven.

It's difficult to say that there's a huge difference between the two, like there would be if HD Traffic had got off the ground for non-x40 models.
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Andy
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[mikealder]

The USB style receiver is slightly better in terms of performance from what I have seen BUT, if you turn the power off to the device when stopping for fuel/ starting the car etc it will de-power and all the traffic information will disapear - the slightly older unit with the .013 part number doesn't suffer from this and is therefore a better device IMHO - Mike

[wazzzzupmate]

Thanks for the replies. I am slightly confused with your response Mike. I have the headphone type receiver ending in 013, are you saying there is an older USB one ending in 013?
Just considering purchasing something to improve the traffic reception I get. My GPRS with T-mobile only works with an easterly wind blowing! and my RDS can take so long to lock on. I have been using the RDS for over a year in various cars so have a reasonable amount of experience in location of the aerial wire etc.
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Tomtom Go 400
Tomtom 1.15.1 for Iphone

[mikealder]

The round plug type RDS receiver with the .013 part number is the most upto date model of that type of receiver, however this is older than the mini USB style receiver which was recently made available. The mini USB style receiver has a different part number.

Being located in Rochdale you should be getting a signal from Century FM on 105,4 as thats the nearest Tx station broadcasting iTIS data (Winter Hill) although reception can be patchy anywhere in the UK, even the mini USB style unit (which I consider slightly better in terms of reception sensitivity) isn't 100% and combine the loss of the traffic signal/ data everytime you turn the power off the unit such as filling the car up with fuel etc I still prefer the older .013 style unit - Mike

[wazzzzupmate]

Cheers, I will try 105.4, I thought we only had coverage here on 101.1.
I will try running the aerial along the bottom of the windscreen instead of the top, before I purchase a new unit.
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Tomtom Go 400
Tomtom 1.15.1 for Iphone

[mikealder]

105,4 was switched live to broadcast iTIS data and covers most of the North West/ Greater Manchester area with a very good signal strength. the 101,1 you mention is from the Classic FM frequency broadcast from Holme Moss which is further away from your location than the Winter Hill station.

Manual tune is a waste of time though as the receiver will only stay tuned to the entered frequency for a few seconds before it starts to scan the FM band again - the absence of the actual frequency in use further compounds the problem for a user as you have no knowledge of what the unit is doing. We used to have frequency information displayed on the device but it was removed during a software update - Mike

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