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Joined: Jan 04, 2007 Posts: 2789 Location: Hampshire, UK
Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 6:50 pm Post subject:
I think we're kind of concluding that both iTIS and TrafficMaster systems are about the same.
It appears that the major problem is one of TMC reception - which will presumably not be fixed by any Mio upgrade since this is unrelated to the MioMap software or maps.
There are still a few hiccups with TMC but the technology is still fairly new and may take a while to be brought up to speed.
I must admit that it's kind of reassuring to have TMC in the car - but I also listen to the radio traffic bulletins.
I think we're kind of concluding that both iTIS and TrafficMaster systems are about the same.
It appears that the major problem is one of TMC reception - which will presumably not be fixed by any Mio upgrade since this is unrelated to the MioMap software or maps.
There are still a few hiccups with TMC but the technology is still fairly new and may take a while to be brought up to speed.
I must admit that it's kind of reassuring to have TMC in the car - but I also listen to the radio traffic bulletins.
It's too complicated for amateurs - even gifted amateurs like some posters - to understand the issues. I know - and if I could be organised enough to take a camera in the car with me I could prove it - that there is an intermittent problem with ITIS TMC data in terms of traffic flow. It's an intermittent problem and, oddly, whilst it still exists it's got better in the past week or so.
The last 2 days I've driven to work the TMC has alerted me to problems on a of an A road. It's worked like a dream and the non journalistic information would not, I'm sure, be provided by Trafficmaster which has no sensors on the road in question. Quite why it has worked so well for the past 2 days? Who knows. But it has. I can't find a pattern - maybe it's just a matter of luck in terms of sensor equipped vans and lorries using the road in question? I think, with some caution, that ITIS is as good as Trafficmaster in terms of raw data. The reception for Classic FM is a real pain though.
A well functioning sat nav unit with TMC is like man and dog together working in unison to hunt or herd or just enjoy a good walk. Anyone who loves the company of a good dog (or a good TMC sat nav unit) will know what I mean without any further explanation. 'Nough said.
Joined: Jan 04, 2007 Posts: 2789 Location: Hampshire, UK
Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 9:10 pm Post subject:
Part of the problem manifested in this thread is that some of the difficulties seem to be limited to 'seasoned professionals' like Retty who appears to be the only member posting such messages.
Clearly, the rest of us are too dumb to understand what's discussed even if we use TMC on a daily basis.
Considering that both iTIS and TrafficMaster now use a combination of fixed and vehicle-mounted sensors, the 2 systems should be very similar.
However, since iTIS broadcasts are restricted to Clsassic FM, reception may be more restricted than TrafficMaster, which uses a whole host of radio stations to broadcast its data.
Having looked through other threads, these problems are not exclusive to Mio GPS units.
Part of the problem manifested in this thread is that some of the difficulties seem to be limited to 'seasoned professionals' like Retty who appears to be the only member posting such messages.
Clearly, the rest of us are too dumb to understand what's discussed even if we use TMC on a daily basis.
Considering that both iTIS and TrafficMaster now use a combination of fixed and vehicle-mounted sensors, the 2 systems should be very similar.
However, since iTIS broadcasts are restricted to Clsassic FM, reception may be more restricted than TrafficMaster, which uses a whole host of radio stations to broadcast its data.
Having looked through other threads, these problems are not exclusive to Mio GPS units.
ITIS does not use fixed *sensors*! It does use information culled from AA Roadwatch which uses CCTV and other on site sources but this is not the same as the the fixed distance/time ANPR data mining method used by Trafficmaster at great cost to Trafficmaster I should add.
I only describe what I see - there *is* an intermittent problem with mio ITIS TMC traffic flow reporting in the UK which does not impact continental use (even my continental use) and which did not impact Mio Trafficmaster reporting. I have tried to be helpful in suggesting possible causes for the problems I experience (including the fact that main heading/subheading discrepencies cease to exist in a right hand drive mode). I can replicate the problem without effort on other Mio C710 systems.
Part of the problem manifested in this thread is that some of the difficulties seem to be limited to 'seasoned professionals' like Retty who appears to be the only member posting such messages.
Clearly, the rest of us are too dumb to understand what's discussed even if we use TMC on a daily basis.
Considering that both iTIS and TrafficMaster now use a combination of fixed and vehicle-mounted sensors, the 2 systems should be very similar.
However, since iTIS broadcasts are restricted to Clsassic FM, reception may be more restricted than TrafficMaster, which uses a whole host of radio stations to broadcast its data.
Having looked through other threads, these problems are not exclusive to Mio GPS units.
ITIS does not use fixed *sensors*! It does use information culled from AA Roadwatch which uses CCTV and other on site sources but this is not the same as the the fixed distance/time ANPR data mining method used by Trafficmaster at great cost to Trafficmaster I should add.
I only describe what I see - there *is* an intermittent problem with mio ITIS TMC traffic flow reporting in the UK which does not impact continental use (even my continental use) and which did not impact Mio Trafficmaster reporting. I have tried to be helpful in suggesting possible causes for the problems I experience (including the fact that main heading/subheading discrepencies cease to exist in a right hand drive mode). I can replicate the problem without effort on other Mio C710 systems.
I must say that I have posted a question on this topic to ask if the problems have been sorted and it seems like there is a disagreement between GPS fan and Retty.
I decided to switch on the "Use Traffic Information" and here are my results
Travelling from Walthamstow (East London) to Greenford (West London)
I was feed from an ITIS transmitter 100.9FM for most of the way. (wasn't consistant)
I wasn't alerted to traffic approaching the Hanger Lane roundabout in West London but I sat in 2-3 miles of traffic. Looking at my screen it would seem as if the traffic was displayed on the opposite side of the road but looking on the other side it was clear. Maybe this is what Retty is talking about.
Funny enough on my return leg back to Walthamstow I was alerted to traffic and the unit diverted me all around the Hanger Lane roundabout which worked fine but I ended up in a very slow moving lane on a small A road. Pity TMC (both ITIS and Trafficmaster) doesn't cover small roads too. _________________ Regards
Dave J
Joined: Jan 04, 2007 Posts: 2789 Location: Hampshire, UK
Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2007 2:03 pm Post subject:
I stand corrected
...but until today, Retty has been the only user reporting such problems.
These problems are a good reason why I use radio traffic bulletins in conjunction with TMC.
In addition to the A roads etc not covered by either TMC provider, I often think that it would be nice if there was a way of filtering information from people phoning in to radio stations and using this too so that A roads and other localised problems could be included in TMC data.
Also, information given in a phonecall from a motorist could be more immediate and accurate than waiting for the appropriate sensor(s) to detect a problem.
Reception is still a thorn in the side and I clocked my Mio this morning as having 'TMC present' for less than 50% of the journey - despite being in good range of multiple transmitters much of the journey.
Over the next few days, I'll be trying out and amplified aerial instead of the shoestring thing that Mio provides - I'll report back with my findings.
Joined: Jan 04, 2007 Posts: 2789 Location: Hampshire, UK
Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2007 3:55 pm Post subject:
In addition to the problems you've both experienced, does anybody out there know how long TMC providers claim it takes for data to be received, processed and transmitted?
Is one provider any better than the other when it comes to data processing times?
Also, information given in a phonecall from a motorist could be more immediate and accurate than waiting for the appropriate sensor(s) to detect a problem.
An excellent idea! Next time I have to travel up the A23 into London I'll phone Capital and Classic FM to tell them of massive jams - that should clear all the b*****s out of my way.
Also, information given in a phonecall from a motorist could be more immediate and accurate than waiting for the appropriate sensor(s) to detect a problem.
An excellent idea! Next time I have to travel up the A23 into London I'll phone Capital and Classic FM to tell them of massive jams - that should clear all the b*****s out of my way.
Sal
Sally,
I remember on one of your previous posts (on possibly a different topic thread) that you have done a permanent ariel fixture in your car. GPS fan says that he will bedoing this soon to see if it helps with TMC reception and I was thinking to do this too.
As you have already done this can you let us know if it have improved connectivity to TMC broadcasts, if so by how much (are you always connected now) _________________ Regards
Dave J
Joined: Jan 04, 2007 Posts: 2789 Location: Hampshire, UK
Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2007 7:39 pm Post subject:
DeeJay,
What I'm going to try is an amplified glass mount aerial - but instead of mounting it on the windscreen, I'm going to try mounting it on the dashboard (with velcro) for easy removal.
With a dedicated amplified feed, I'm hoping that this may be better than adding a splitter and possibly weakening the signal strength to the radio and/or Mio.
By mounting the aerial on the dashboard, I'm also hoping that this will eliminate any dangling wires and being able to remove it from its mounting there shouldn't be a huge "break into me" notice on the window
Also, this should (hopefully) be easier than having to take out the radio and play with wires which are bearly long enough to begin with!
Sally,
I remember on one of your previous posts (on possibly a different topic thread) that you have done a permanent ariel fixture in your car. GPS fan says that he will bedoing this soon to see if it helps with TMC reception and I was thinking to do this too.
As you have already done this can you let us know if it have improved connectivity to TMC broadcasts, if so by how much (are you always connected now)
The aerial (sp!) I use is very thin copper wire that hangs from the rear view mirror. It's not any longer than the supplied aerial wire but doesn't obstruct vision or show from outside.
I haven't noticed any significant loss of TMC signal in urban areas or on motorways. In rural areas it might drop out but there is no TMC info in these areas anyway. I tend to check the incident lists before starting on a long journey and the signals from both TM and ITIS are strong in my home area.
Regarding the suggestion that the Mio might display reports in the wrong direction, I have not noticed this. When I have looked at the commuter routes into London, the delays are shown as inbound in the morning and outbound in the evening, which suggests that they are being shown correctly.
Sallyann,
Am I right in thinking that you simply replaced the shoestring aerial with a thinner piece of wire of the same length, but less obtrusive?
That's right. I found there was much more signal if the original wire was hung from the mirror rather than laid across the dashboard. But the plastic covered wire is a nuisance when driving, and too conspicuous from outside. I replaced it with a length of thin enamelled copper wire and that picks up plenty of signal.
I did think about fitting a separate outside antenna or patching it into the car radio aerial, but that seemed too much trouble for any possible benefit. Life is too short.
The amplified aerial seemed to have WORSE reception than the shoestring aerial thing that came with the unit :o
In that case something must be wrong with it. Are you sure the amplified aerial is properly connected to the Mio? Which pin did you use and did you fit a DC blocking capacitor? Where was the screen of the aerial lead connected?
GPS_fan wrote:
If we're having so much trouble receiving TMC via the RDS/FM signal, what will happen after the switchover to digital?
There are currently no definite plans to switch off the FM broadcast transmissions. Your Mio will be worn out long before that happens.
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of an A road. It's worked like a dream and the non journalistic information would not, I'm sure, be provided by Trafficmaster which has no sensors on the road in question. Quite why it has worked so well for the past 2 days? Who knows. But it has. I can't find a pattern - maybe it's just a matter of luck in terms of sensor equipped vans and lorries using the road in question? I think, with some caution, that ITIS is as good as Trafficmaster in terms of raw data. The reception for Classic FM is a real pain though.
