Garmin nuvi 310D GTM12 TMC problems

banjo12 · Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 8:03 pm Post subject:

I have just purchased a Nuvi 310D from Halfords and did not even know about the icon for the traffic information, after reading this thread I used a portable unit that lets you start your car if you have a flat battery it has two accessory outlets and when connected to this the icon lit up and the traffic info worked.

I have now updated the software and firmware and things look a lot more stable, I am now wondering if the 12/24v converter electronics are a cause of these strange problems ?

JT-Mech · Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 9:53 pm Post subject:

Does the GTM12 have an operational range? Or is it nationwide because its on the FM band? I ask because I have a theory on the power issue.
I live about 2 miles from the M4, when I power the Nuvi up the menu screen shows the 'Traffic symbol' but greyed out, I've got to be on the M4 before it becomes live.
Could a reduced/restricted current supply mess with the operational range?

n4nick · Regular Visitor Joined: Jun 30, 2006 Posts: 136

Hi

Had a long conversation with Gamin yesterday. The guy confirmed to me that the battery should charge within 4 hours from the 12v car supply and the light should turn green upon the battery being fully charged. He has promised to send me a new 12v supply as my battery never fully charges from the car but seems ok when charging via the USB.

As for the TMC, I have been told that these are American units which operate fine over there but over here the frequency of the broadcast is different and therefore there are some problems with reception. Garmin are trying to tinker with the software to improve the situation but the problem is at the source...ie. the transmitter and therefore its up to Trafficmaster / the broadcaster to solve this!

In conclusion he said if I wasn't happy I should take it back but that Garmin are doing there best to resolve these known problems.

Not sure where that leaves us, the unit is still more portable than tomtom and until they TMC reciever is on the market there is no really comparable sat-nav.

Nick

swing · Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 11:41 am Post subject:

swing · Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 11:47 am Post subject: Re: 12v Supply + TMC

banjo12 · Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 12:29 pm Post subject:

So does this mean that we all have to ask for a replacement in car charging lead or will we receive one that works properly as Garmin are admitting that they are faulty ?

RDS · Regular Visitor Joined: Jul 09, 2006 Posts: 242

Hmmm... I'm afraid that smells like bulls**t.

As Swing rightly says all radio frequencies are allocated and full details (frequency, modulation, power, etc) of those for Trafficmaster should be fully known to Garmin. Unless the power of theTrafficmaster signal and its distribution has been reduced (unlikely) it's fully a Garmin issue

Regardless of whether they're US or European units it's up to Garmin to make them consistently work to the known frequencies in the UK.

As you say it does however present a problem.When I was deciding which GPS to buy my shortlist was whittled down to two, the TT510 or the Nuvi 310D.
Although the graphics of the Tom Tom are superior the widely reported mount problems, lack of TMC receiver, other reliability issues and the sheer bulk made me go for the much more comapct and neat Nuvi.
Now the Garmin TMC feature is currently suspect what other options are left ?

n4nick · Regular Visitor Joined: Jun 30, 2006 Posts: 136

Hi guys

Thanks for the prompt responses. The guy at Garmin was very polite and helpful but he didn't sound too confident with the answers he was giving. Personally I think that the TMC issue is more down to signal strength than reception but unfortunately I don't think there is a signal strength indicator on the nuvi? Also, when data does arrive it is often out of date or delayed to such an extent its too late to re-route but I guess this is an issue for Trafficmaster to resolve. Perhaps their systems just aren't up the job on the UK's heavily congested roads (ie. build up of traffic occurs quicker than the data centre receive, process and distribute it).

Garmin didn't question the problem with the 12v power supply and given some of the comments on this forum I am assuming they know there is a problem but they are not openly admitting it.

My impression from a few previews on the internet is that the tomtom user interface with the TMC is better, giving information on the length of the expected delay and when the information was updated? Or was I confusing this with the tomtom plus service currently on offer via GPRS? The receiver also plugs into the mount rather than the sat-nav itself so I am guessing there are less likely to be issues with failure of the connection (see another recent thread). Overall, I am seriously considering trying to returning the nuvi, too many niggly problems at the moment...and waiting to see how the tomtom performs with TMC. The mounting problems seem to have been fixed so okay, its not as portable and mapping might not be as up-to-date but if it works efficiently then this is more important. I am also hoping there will be some "bundled" deals on the tomtom and receiver shortly after its launch and the price of the nuvi seems to be coming down too.

Nick

JT-Mech · Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 2:16 pm Post subject:

[quote="swing"The GTM12 receives an FM signal from one of many local commercial radio stations. These give fairly good broad coverage across the whole of the UK, and should certainly cover the main areas where there are roads covered by Trafficmaster.

I wonder if for those 2 miles it's picked up the signal, but still downloaded all the traffic (which can take a couple of minutes in rush hour), and it's finished by the time you get to the M4...[/quote]

I sat in the car for 45mins this morning seeing if the Nuvi picked up any traffic data.......but no luck! Even tried with the GTM12 outside the car. When I get 5mins I'll take a laptop outside to the car, power it from the USB port and see what happens.

n4nick · Regular Visitor Joined: Jun 30, 2006 Posts: 136

Hi Swing

Tried the nuvi and GTM12 in the house, traffic info was received instantly...no delay or patchy coverage issues that occur when using it in the car.

Checked the data against BBC, Highways Agency, RAC & AA websites...some issues were reported across all websites and the nuvi but the nuvi was reporting a lot of problems not appearing on any of them. Not quite sure what this means...which info is more up to date? From experience however the nuvi almost always shows a problem on the A12 Blackwell Tunnel to Bow and A3 between Roehampton and Clapham which from experience isn't correct. Perhaps it's an issue with their sensors? I still have my suspicions that the traffic info from Trafficmaster just isn't as up to date as it should or could be. Anyone else got views on this?

Nick

JT-Mech · Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 3:59 pm Post subject:

Well there goes another theory out the window! Had the Nuvi powered by a laptop both sat at home and on the road, again had to be on the M4 before traffic picked anything up.
So I guess power supply is not an issue. Can only surmise its software or the aerial is a poor receiver.

n4nick, how far from a motorway/main road do you live, beginning to think my unit works on short wave radio 8O

n4nick · Regular Visitor Joined: Jun 30, 2006 Posts: 136

Hi

Live near the A3 / South Circular in London.

JT-Mech · Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 4:38 pm Post subject:

n4nick · Regular Visitor Joined: Jun 30, 2006 Posts: 136

pretty much on the junction...metres not miles.

JT-Mech · Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 7:46 pm Post subject:

This gets more confusing as time goes on! Right, powered the Nuvi and GTM12 via the supplied usb lead from a desktop pc and guess what? Traffic reports from here to Scotland within 30secs of switching the thing on.
Strange as it seems traffic reports appeared to be received quicker if I held the tip of the aerial lead (insulation still attached), back in the car, nothing regardless of what I did with the aerial lead.
Apart from stripping the insulation back on the aerial and grounding it (which I’m reluctant to do) to see what happens my money goes back onto a power supply issue.

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