Mio & TMC

MioC210user · Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2006 12:43 pm Post subject: Mio & TMC

I'm wondering if part of the problem with confusion over the functioning of TMC with Mio products could be caused by Mio trying to setup a dual scheme, similar to that operated by TomTom.

This web site gives a description of the differences between TMC services that are payable by subscription and the 'over air' systems that are free (or more accurately, payable as a one off fee).

http://www.tomtom.com/page.php?Page=rds-tmc&Lid=1

I guess it's possible that Mio is planning something similar since there's debate (even within Mio) as to whether TMC works in the UK.

After the v3.2 update and a 'hard reset' of my C210 (holding the power button for several seconds), the TMC icon appeared and a TMC signal was received on my journey home - yet I was told by Mio 'support' that TMC is not supported by Mio products in the UK.

TMC is a fairly new technology and I wonder if the above thought could possibly be why there's so much confusion

Sallyann · Lifetime Member Joined: Jun 23, 2006 Posts: 768

You are quite right that Mio staff are confused about TMC and give out conflicting messages. That's something they badly need to sort out.
There are just two national TMC networks, both using FM radio broadcasts to carry the data and both require a licence. Mitac uses one of these, and as you say there is a licence included in the purchase price. Having built TMC receivers into the Mio devices and paid the TMC network for the service, I doubt if they see any need to go in for an alternative service as well.
The Tomtom system is a one-off, very expensive because you pay an annual subscription AND mobile phone charges. Its only advantage that I can see is that you are less likely to run out of a service area where you can't receive it. It has been suggested (and I personally believe it) that Tomtom are simply reselling data from one of the two networks and adding a mark-up.
You'll find some more information and links if you look back at the older threads in this forum.

Sal

MioC210user · Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2006 1:26 pm Post subject:

Perhaps you're right.

In the process of trying to get TMC working on my C210 (before the v3.2 update), a friend and I spent hours trawling the internet for information and it seems that the situation abroad is quite clear because the service is FREE, but rip-off Britain is unclear because of the mention of licences etc.

I think we'll just have to live and learn as the technology develops and the situation becomes more clear.

the_pts · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 24, 2006 Posts: 25

Hi

I have C210, I spoke to MIO yesterday and was told that Noone should have said that TMC would work in the UK.

They are working on the issue, time scales they have been given is ASAP.

The UK units may just start to work or there may be a further software update, so keep checking their website

Regards

Peter

MioC210user · Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 9:59 pm Post subject:

Well, this is what Mio product support told me IN WRITING the day before v3.2 was released:

"We will release an update link on our website in about two weeks. With this
link you can update the version 3 on your device so that you can use the TMC antenna.
As soon as this link is available we will also release the TMC antenna for
Mio C210 on our site.

Kind regards,

Mio Technology Limited"

The trouble with Mio is that you ask a couple of people the same question and get at least 6 different answers.

Those well known phrases about organising a **** up in a brewery and not knowing their **** from their elbow spring to mind.

What I can say though, is that after installing the v3.2 update and performing a 'hard reset' (holding the power button for several seconds), TMC on my C210 started working.

I do, however, feel very strongly about their premium rate 'support' line and, having called it myself, I'm considering reporting them to the regulator because they put you on hold and don't necessarily give you the correct information - at least one of these is against the premium rate.

allan125 · Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 10:00 pm Post subject: C210 and TMC

My 3.2 upgrade was done at Mio in Brussegem last Monday, as they had my C210 in for not reading "Maps of Europe" from a 2GB SanDisk SD card - whilst that now works perfectly the TMC logo did not show on the "GPS Data" screen so I queried it.

I have put the piece below on the forum a few days ago, but will repeat it here for readers of this piece

"TMC in UK is not supported yet, this is a payable service which is not included in the price of the Mio C210.

However, we are currently testing TMC adapters for the UK, they are expected to be released in one month.

The price of this TMC receiver will include TMC license for UK.

The TMC button is not shown if no receiver is attached or no TMC stations are found, currently this is the case for UK.

On the other hand the software installed on your system is TMC UK ready.

This means, when you order a TMC UK device, you simply have to connect it and TMC will become automatically available."

When I received my C210 back I had to reset everything in the same manner as a hard reset, and found the difference between the TMC logo in the updated V3.2 manual and the lack of it on screen on mine. So I did another hard reset and still found no change so I queried it yet again:

"The manual is designed for use all over Europe, not only UK.

Payable TMC only exists in France and UK, the rest of Europe is covered with free TMC.

This free TMC is supported by all our current products."

On the "About" screen it states on mine "Mio Map program version: V3.2 Jul 29 2006" so I would be very interested to know the date on anybody who has got their C210 to show the TMC icon on the "GPS Data" screen.

That way I can refer it back to Mio Support if it differs from mine!!

The original problem of not reading "Maps of Europe" from an SD card had been rumbling on from June, but as the system has been updated from V3 to V3.2 I have no idea if V3 was the problem or not.

My SD card could be successfully read in my card-reader, but not in the C210, so I know the files were downloaded successfully.

Mio stated that the license file should have been in the "MioMap" folder and not in the root, but that hadn't worked when I tried it!! Now it is back in there and it does!!

cheers

Allan

MioC210user · Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 11:29 pm Post subject:

When you say the TMC icon didn't appear, did you have a TMC receiver connected at the time?

I know it sounds like a stupid question, but when I disconnect my TMC receiver the icon disappears.

The TMC icon only appears on th GPS Data screen if you have a TMC receiver connected and powered (from the USB cable or car cigarette lighter).

As you may have seen, TMC is available in the UK - the signal is carried over the FM radio waves and is independent of the TafficMaster system which Mio told me required a licence.

Sallyann · Lifetime Member Joined: Jun 23, 2006 Posts: 768

allan125 · Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 10:18 am Post subject:

Hi MioC210user

Thanks for the information below;

"I know it sounds like a stupid question, but when I disconnect my TMC receiver the icon disappears. The TMC icon only appears on the GPS Data screen if you have a TMC receiver connected and powered (from the USB cable or car cigarette lighter)."

as it confirms the information from Mio was correct in telling me;

"The TMC button is not shown if no receiver is attached or no TMC stations are found, currently this is the case for UK. On the other hand the software installed on your system is TMC UK ready. This means, when you order a TMC UK device, you simply have to connect it and TMC will become automatically available."

However their other statement "TMC in UK is not supported yet, this is a payable service which is not included in the price of the Mio C210." is obviously not correct if you have a TMC receiver that picks up signals in the UK!!!

At least I now know where I stand with TMC on my C210!!

With regard to my other problem with readings "Maps of Europe" from an SD card - I have tried numerous multiple cross-border tests sitting in my front room and it passes every time. So nice to be able to plot a route through different countries without having to recalculate at borders. I look forward to future use the other side of the channel.

cheers

Allan

MioC210user · Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 3:51 pm Post subject:

It still sounds like an unclear situaton.

My C210 displays the TMC icon when the receiver is connected AND I have had a full strength TMC signal displayed.

TMC is a subscription service in so far as a lifetime subscription is included in the purchase price of the receiver.

As I have said before, Mio themselves can't give a consistent answer - I was told on their premium rate phone number that TMC was NOT supported in the UK, but the day before the v3.2 update was made available, I was told:

"We will release an update link on our website in about two weeks. With this link you can update the version 3 on your device so that you can use the TMC antenna.
As soon as this link is available we will also release the TMC antenna for
Mio C210 on our site."

TMC works for me and I can see from this forum that it works for other people

darthpaul · Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 9:36 pm Post subject:

Does your C210 actually receive any TMC messages? What radio stations does it tune into?

MioC210user · Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2006 9:47 am Post subject:

darthpaul · Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2006 12:35 pm Post subject:

That makes perfet sense. I've held a PDA running Miomap v3.11 from Manchester, through Birmingham on the M6, down to Essex.. It did the same thing - endless scanning, every station had "No name", and it didn't download any messages. And believe you me, the M6 on a weekday - heh. There SHOULD have messages o plenty.

From this I'd say if you buy an external antenna I don't think it'd work.

Is this because of the licensing then?

MioC210user · Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2006 1:51 pm Post subject:

...but do we know what triggers a message on TMC?

Is it traffic moving below a certain speed?

It it a delay longer than a certain length of time?

It is a closed road?

TMC is carried on FM - how do you licence this? Systems using GPRS are easy to licence because these are effectively a dial-up service.

According to all the information I've come across, any subscription is included in the purchase price of the receiver.

My assumption was that no radio station name was given because the system was scanning several.

Unfortunately, my route has been clear since the v3.2 update last Thursday.

What I'm going to do one day when I know there's a real problem on the M25 is plan a route and see what happens when I review the route.

darthpaul · Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2006 1:57 pm Post subject:

As far as I've read, the messages appear as a list in the TMC screen, they don't actually interrupt routing unless your route is in a problem area. Messages for the whole country (or at the very least, the whole region) should come in. But no messages ever do.

As you say, the license would be paid by Mio not by us.

We used to have Navigon MN|4 for our ancient PDA, that tuned into ClassicFM and recieved messages-a-go-go for the whole country. Version 5 didn't have TMC for the UK - licensing problems.

I hope Mio/whoever can clarify our position in the UK.

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