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Relying on TMC? Better be careful!
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swing
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 9:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

thezerocool wrote:
if you would just read the instructions and fit it in your car properly.
Both my TMC units are fitted as per the instructions, and although they work in some places, they don't in others - how do you explain that?

Quote:
the TMC adaptor give me info ALL the time.
Whereabouts in the UK are you based, and where do you travel to? Or, are you in mainland Europe...?

Quote:
Remember that updates only appear every 15 mins and there may be nothing to report.
Not true and not true.
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andydigital44
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 9:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rather than just saying "Not true" and "not true" why not tell him what the Truth is then. I'd be enlightened to know as its a subject i have no knowledge of.
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swing
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 12:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ok - in the UK the TMC stream is just that - a near constant stream of data. Trafficmaster, for example, run a 5 minute cycle, but at times (in rush hour for instance), it pretty much fills this cycle time.

It might take up to 15 minutes for a traffic report to appear on the TomTom GPRS service, but I would expect it to appear much quicker within the TMC service (once the TMC company have the traffic information).

Claiming that people aren't seeing traffic data on their TMC unit simply because they are not waiting 15 minutes is wrong - many people have left there units connected for hours and not had a single message.

Both TMC services report on roadworks, even when there is no traffic delay, so it is very uncommon to have absolutely no TMC messages at all - my experience is that even on a quiet Sunday morning, there will be a fair few delays somewhere, and the same is true overnight (where there are often more roadworks to provide information on, even as I say with no traffic delay).

Again, people are never getting messages even in rush hour, which again means this is not a cause of the lack of traffic information.
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GJF
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 2:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

swing wrote:
Quote:
Claiming that people aren't seeing traffic data on their TMC unit simply because they are not waiting 15 minutes is wrong - many people have left there units connected for hours and not had a single message.


For some strange reason (it can only be freak signals) i have had days where in East Kent i have so much info on the screen it is a mass of red signs, I have moved off towards London and the screen turns to none, then a few warnings and then back to none again, then a few more warnings, the time i need help it is often too late.

For the last two weekends the M20 has been shut between Folkestone and Ashford due to new bridge construction at Ashford, this hasn't even shown on my screen despite reports of up to 5 hour traffic jams, luckily i knew it was there.
I wonder how many in that jam had Sat Navs, there was dozens of lorries and coaches in it.

I still don't understand whether it is Garmin, Traffic Master or just the crap looking aerial, but whatever thezerocool thinks he has i would like to know what it is, so i can buy it.
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swing
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 2:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

GJF wrote:
or just the crap looking aerial
I would certainly look here first Smile

Most of the main problems across all manufacturers are being caused by the inability to receive the traffic signals when not connected to an external aerial.
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mikealder
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 5:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have been trying out a Navman T1 RDS-TMC unit in the North West of the UK which is renowned for poor coverage (NW that is not the T1).

Guess what - it works, this uses iTIS data supplied via Classic FM it uses an external (to the device) the aerial stays in the car though. I was going to make up a lead to couple the mMCX connector on the T1 to the cars aerials but found this wasn't necessary - but at least I have this as an option available to me.

Just goes to prove RDS-TMC can work, this wasn't an issolated freak occurance either, so far it has received data on 7 separate power ups (nothing else I have tried local to home works this well).

The supplied aerial is considerably better than a "shoe string" but the really important part is the availability of the connector which provides the upgrade path for a top quality feed aerial to be connected should you need it. I will try it connected to the Hirshmann amplified feed once I get a connector from CPC later in the week (cheaper then the addaptor leads some are using, I think I can make a lead to length for under a tenner with top quality cable and gold plated connectors if anyone wants one) - will post the results of the external feed once I try it - Mike
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jonandmarkuk
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 5:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rumour has it there is two different versions of the T1, the latter being released in responce to customer complaints about receiption.
Could be wrong though as Navman would never confirm or deny this rumour
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GPS_fan
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 8:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

mikealder wrote:
I wish the RDS-TMC recievers that are currently available had an external connection to feed them with a decent signal, they might start to work a little better - Mike


I second that Exclamation

The GPS is fitted with an external feed, so it would seem a logical step to have an external feed for the TMC receiver.

By the sound of it though, all manufacturers are suffering from the same apathy here.
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GPS_fan
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 8:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

thezerocool wrote:
OMG YOU GUYS ARE USELESS!!!

TMC works a treat if you would just read the instructions and fit it in your car properly.

Im running TT 910 with the £69.99 RDS/TMC adaptor for my work EVERY day and for personal at the weekends and evenings and the TMC adaptor give me info ALL the time.

Remember that updates only appear every 15 mins and there may be nothing to report. Not every que will be on there if the traffic network doesnt know about it. And if you are getting NOTHING... they maybe use your brains and check why, a penny to a pound it coz you installed it all wrong!!!

I wont have my TT connected anymore without TMC as it works so well so the rest of the world (PocketGPS) must be doing something seriously wrong!!!

READ THE INSTRUCTIONS!!!

the ZC


Perhaps you have perfect reception with your GPS, but out in the REAL world, reception is a problem for many, many users.

I have PERFECT reception within 10-15 miles of my home from at least 3 radio stations - but elsewhere reception is more patchy as the number of radio stations supplying an area decreases. Also, if your GPS uses iTIS then reception is restricted to Classic FM - which isn't always the best even on the car radio.

Do you always travel the same route? What area do you cover?
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Hamie
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 2:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'll worry about fake messages when I start to get some real ones... Maybe we could all build one and finally get some bloody traffic on these pathetic examples of engineering that the vendors are pushing off on us.


jesus, there are better things to worry about that the ability to fake radio messages (Which people have been able to do for about 70 years now, ever since WWII).

Hamish.
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idiot
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 7:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

GTM 12...GTM 21 Garmin this Garmin that-I give up, back to TomTom One v2 and a bluetooth phone.
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Hamie
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 7:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

idiot wrote:
GTM 12...GTM 21 Garmin this Garmin that-I give up, back to TomTom One v2 and a bluetooth phone.


I would too, but the data quality is crap. Bad data is NOT better than no data. It's worse.
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Kar98
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 27, 2007 1:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

jonandmarkuk wrote:
How difficult would it be for car makers / gps makers decide on a standard connection which the car would have and the GPS plugged into it


That worked so well with car stereos, didn't it.
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swing
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 27, 2007 7:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yup, they only managed 3 main connectors Smile

However, one would have thought the car manufacturers could provide 1 connector, and then, if needed, the SatNav vendors could provide an adaptor cable to their chosen connector type.

However, look at how long it's taken the car manufacturers to offer Bluetooth Handsfree, or ipod / mp3 connectors - why should they provide an aerial connection for a third party SatNav unit when they will want to sell their £800-3000 fully fitted SatNav unit (which might also do traffic, when the can be bothered to provide TMC disks).
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thezerocool
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 11:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

mikealder wrote:
thezerocool wrote:
OMG YOU GUYS ARE USELESS!!!
I am not even going to answer that part!

Perhaps you could inform the forum exactly where you find it works so well in the UK, and what vehicle you are using it in? - I can assure you there are plenty of us that have jumped through hoops trying to get this to work and got nowhere. - Mike


I use mine all over the country as im driving around for work all the time. I also use it for personal when im out and about. I drive a Signum which is basically a Vectra. I have no issues whatsoever.

And to add to the later comment, if you not recieving a traffic message, have you thought you could be sat in a black spot where the FM signal doesnt reach you, or maybe there is not traffic. If its your cars fault then you should hardly sit on here winging, get a new car or a external aerial into the boot window or whatever. Quite simple really.

Ive had signals going into the peaks towards Glossop where I thought I would get none.

As far as im aware the GPRS is traffic info on demand. Granted the updates will come as they are delivered buy you can download the older updates instantly and worst case they arnt going to be more than 15 mins out of date. The TMC picks up updates every 15 mins without fail and I have never seen it not work. The only common denominator is people cars change, so I can only presume this is why some people cant get it to work. Either that or they are not using it as the intructions say!

the ZC
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