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jlo Occasional Visitor
Joined: Mar 18, 2006 Posts: 44
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Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 8:29 pm Post subject: Garmin C510 and Traffic master?? |
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Hi,
Bought my Dad a C510 for Christmas to which he is really pleased. He has registered it but told me today that as well as the TMC which come free life time subscription he has also paid for a subcription for Traffic master alerts as well? I thought the 2 were combined!! I just want to make sure he has not paid for somthing that he does not need or is included.
Thanks
Jlo |
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jlo Occasional Visitor
Joined: Mar 18, 2006 Posts: 44
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 10:45 pm Post subject: |
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Just an update. Yes the Traffic master and TMC is all the same thing and units in UK have this included. My Dad rung the freephone customer line and they were happy to refund his subicription as he bought something he already had.
Best wishes
Jlo |
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RoyalGiz1871a Lifetime Member
Joined: Nov 07, 2006 Posts: 20
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Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 9:11 pm Post subject: |
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Has your dad tried the TMC on his 510 yet and does it work?
I too got one for Christmas and am extremely disappointed as I can't pick up any traffic information/signal at all (M25, M4, M40, A40). This despite the fact that my old TrafficMaster Freeway unit is sitting on the same dashboard in the same car and easily picking up the signal, despite not having any external antenna. |
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jlo Occasional Visitor
Joined: Mar 18, 2006 Posts: 44
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Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 10:42 pm Post subject: |
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Funny enough we visited him today and had a demo of the unit.
Very nice but I did not see the TMC working. It was greyed out and the light on the lead was green and yellow which I think means it was searching.
Dad has had it work once when he was parked and was playing with the unit. The TMC icon lit up and when he clicked on it he saw all the alerts in the UK so he has witnessed it working once.
I will be interested to see how well this feature works. Reading on the foum I understand the tmc broadcasts are weak and it does not always pick up?
Cheers
Jlo |
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RoyalGiz1871a Lifetime Member
Joined: Nov 07, 2006 Posts: 20
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Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 11:59 am Post subject: |
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I would suggest that your dad gives the traffic receiving part a good test as soon as possible. It is not a cheap optional extra so your dad is entitled to expect one that works properly! The very least you should expect is a very good continuous signal whenever you are on a major A route or motorway.
As you say, there are lots of reports, here and in other places on the internet, about the unreliability of the GTM21 and/or its ability to receive any sort of decent traffic information signal.
I have just spoken to Garmin technical support who have asked me to the return my GTM21 to them as I can't receive a signal at all on any of the motorways I have used it on.
To save you looking it up, Garmin technical support number is: 0808 238 0000. |
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philpugh Lifetime Member
Joined: Dec 28, 2005 Posts: 2003 Location: Antrobus, Cheshire
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Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 1:55 pm Post subject: |
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RoyalGiz1871a wrote: |
I too got one for Christmas and am extremely disappointed as I can't pick up any traffic information/signal at all (M25, M4, M40, A40). This despite the fact that my old TrafficMaster Freeway unit is sitting on the same dashboard in the same car and easily picking up the signal, despite not having any external antenna. |
Different systems. The Freeway uses technology similar to SMS, which is sent from the sensors at the side of the road - this was always the one down side of the Freeway (I have one but no longer use it) which only works on roads that are covered by the network - but when it works it's very good. The TMC uses the same basic information but is transmitted (at low power levels) on commercial FM stations using the RDS technology. You need to ensure a good signal reception by connecting to an external aerial if at all posible. Otherwise try different positions for the aerial wire. _________________ Phil |
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jlo Occasional Visitor
Joined: Mar 18, 2006 Posts: 44
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Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 11:30 pm Post subject: |
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RoyalGiz1871a wrote: | I would suggest that your dad gives the traffic receiving part a good test as soon as possible. It is not a cheap optional extra so your dad is entitled to expect one that works properly! The very least you should expect is a very good continuous signal whenever you are on a major A route or motorway.
As you say, there are lots of reports, here and in other places on the internet, about the unreliability of the GTM21 and/or its ability to receive any sort of decent traffic information signal.
I have just spoken to Garmin technical support who have asked me to the return my GTM21 to them as I can't receive a signal at all on any of the motorways I have used it on.
To save you looking it up, Garmin technical support number is: 0808 238 0000. |
Just to update My Dad has seen quite a few traffic reports and alert on his unit so the TMC seems to be working OK.
Cheers
Jlo |
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RoyalGiz1871a Lifetime Member
Joined: Nov 07, 2006 Posts: 20
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Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 8:03 pm Post subject: |
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jlo wrote: | RoyalGiz1871a wrote: | I would suggest that your dad gives the traffic receiving part a good test as soon as possible. It is not a cheap optional extra so your dad is entitled to expect one that works properly! The very least you should expect is a very good continuous signal whenever you are on a major A route or motorway.
As you say, there are lots of reports, here and in other places on the internet, about the unreliability of the GTM21 and/or its ability to receive any sort of decent traffic information signal.
I have just spoken to Garmin technical support who have asked me to the return my GTM21 to them as I can't receive a signal at all on any of the motorways I have used it on.
To save you looking it up, Garmin technical support number is: 0808 238 0000. |
Just to update My Dad has seen quite a few traffic reports and alert on his unit so the TMC seems to be working OK.
Cheers
Jlo |
Pleased to here it.What car and where/how has he positioned the aerial?
I can only get a signal if I poke the useless aerial supplied by Garmin through the window and stick it to the roof! TMC signal is definitely there but in many cases the badly designed receiver/aerial supplied by Garmin seems incapable of receiving it where you want it i.e. in a car!!
Why don't they just come clean - admit they've messed up and then design/supply a decent aeriel/amplifier/external aerial with connection or some other fix to all those poor folks who have shelled out for their product, only to find it doesn't work?! |
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jlo Occasional Visitor
Joined: Mar 18, 2006 Posts: 44
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Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 10:25 pm Post subject: |
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Well my parents are still on holiday in Torqay but he drives a Volvo S60. Think he has the ariel just along the bottom of the screen but not sure.
Cheers
Jlo |
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RoyalGiz1871a Lifetime Member
Joined: Nov 07, 2006 Posts: 20
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Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 8:46 pm Post subject: |
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jlo wrote: | Well my parents are still on holiday in Torqay but he drives a Volvo S60. Think he has the ariel just along the bottom of the screen but not sure.
Cheers
Jlo |
So signal received out in the comparative sticks but extremely unreliable (in my experience) on some of Europe' busiest motorways!
Will test mine on my wife's Octavia tomorrow but it certainly doesn't like my Zafira GSi! (I've tried aerial along bottom of windscreen but still no good, although did momentarily get some info when hung out of the window and stuck on the roof!) |
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jlo Occasional Visitor
Joined: Mar 18, 2006 Posts: 44
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Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 10:18 pm Post subject: |
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I would suggest ringing Garmin Support. I have just bough a ViaMichelin satnav and I live in Worcester. TMC was working most of the time I was on the Motorway to Coventry and back. did go red a couple of times.
May be Garmin can offer an updated ariel. Also may be worth running the Garmin Updater on the web as it updated my Dads Garmin software and TMC firmware.
Best wishes
jlo |
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RoyalGiz1871a Lifetime Member
Joined: Nov 07, 2006 Posts: 20
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Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:27 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the suggestions but I have done both. Garmin Technical Support have confirmed I have latest sofware and firmware installed. They also sent me a replacement unit, which is marginally better (in that it very occasionally receives some traffic info if the aerial is outside). However, they do not appear to have or even be working on (which they and the other manufacturers whose units experience these problems damn well should be) an upgraded aerial.
As far as I'm concerned, the old, tried, tested and extremely reliable technology of the TrafficMaster Freeway is far better (I only really need traffic info on motorways and major roads anyway). |
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swing Pocket GPS Verifier
Joined: Nov 04, 2003 Posts: 2225 Location: Bedfordshire, UK
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Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2008 8:24 am Post subject: |
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jlo wrote: | Yes the Traffic master and TMC is all the same thing and units in UK have this included. | Just a small minor point - there are two TMC providers in the UK, Trafficmaster and iTIS Holdings. TomTom uses iTIS, not Trafficmaster (who are used by Garmin). _________________ Please don't be offended if I do not reply to a PM - please ask questions via the forums. |
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swing Pocket GPS Verifier
Joined: Nov 04, 2003 Posts: 2225 Location: Bedfordshire, UK
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Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2008 8:26 am Post subject: |
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RoyalGiz1871a wrote: | Will test mine on my wife's Octavia tomorrow but it certainly doesn't like my Zafira GSi! | It should have worked better in the Octavia - I think the Zafira has an athermic windscreen, which will unfortunately block more of the FM signal, causing reception problems. _________________ Please don't be offended if I do not reply to a PM - please ask questions via the forums. |
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RoyalGiz1871a Lifetime Member
Joined: Nov 07, 2006 Posts: 20
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Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2008 6:08 pm Post subject: |
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swing wrote: | RoyalGiz1871a wrote: | Will test mine on my wife's Octavia tomorrow but it certainly doesn't like my Zafira GSi! | It should have worked better in the Octavia - I think the Zafira has an athermic windscreen, which will unfortunately block more of the FM signal, causing reception problems. |
Your prediction was right. It did work a bit better in the Octavia.
Funny thing is, Garmin Technical Support asked what car I was using it in and said nothing when I told them it was a Zafira.
My understanding is that athermic windscreens also adversely affect GPS signals. However, I have never had any problem getting a good GPS signal, initially with my old Gizmondo (running CoPilot) and now with the Garmin C510. That would suggest that there is still a fundamental issue with the GTM21 module/aerial and also possibly the strength of TrafficMaster TMC signals, although Garmin's own website suggests full signal coverage in the areas of the country where I have been using it.
If there is a problem with athermic windscreens then, given that at least 27 models of cars including top sellers like the Mondeo, Galaxy and Zafira have this type of windscreen, Garmin and the other sellers of TMC equipment really ought to be coming up with a solution. |
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