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Gee-Pee
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Joined: Feb 10, 2005
Posts: 1951
Location: Mostly somewhere in Essex
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 Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:50 pm Post subject: Usefullness of T1 traffic module for 5xx & N20 etc serie |
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| Quote: | The Traffic Message Channel (TMC) broadcasts real-time traffic and weather information via the FM Radio Data System (RDS). FM radio stations transmit traffic information updates on a regular cycle, particularly around rush hours, with up to hundreds of events broadcasted to TMC receivers. Your T1 will decode these events and send them to your iCN, which will then display the various events and give you options on how to avoid traffic congestion.
The channel used in the UK is 'Classic FM'. |
This is the description of the T1 which I intended to buy with my new N20. However, I believe (source Navman) that the information gets to the T1 by the police/others getting to an accident, then reporting in to an agency which then gives it to the broadcaster who updates at regular intervals via RDS.
How fresh is the information when it gets to the user and how useful is it  . I've heard some reports that it is not that useful. Perhaps on long distance journeys it could be useful in giving well in advance notification of traffic jams. Perhaps in winter it could give advance notice of roads blocked by snow (remember that stuff?)
Any experience would be useful....please 
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Gee-Pee
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Tim Buxton
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Joined: 14/09/2002 20:56:18
Posts: 5231
Location: Surrey, United Kingdom
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| Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 2:37 pm Post subject: |
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I have a T1 which I have used on a 530 and 750. I have found reception to be quite poor when using the supplied aerial and if your car has an athermic windscreen then it's next to useless.
However, unlike TomTom's offering, the T1 has an external antenna socket into which I plug a Minimag which makes it a whole lot better. There are still times when I get no reception but they are now few and far inbetween.
Like TomTom, the data is transmitted via Classic FM and comes from Itis. I'm not sure how Itis collect the information but I have found it to be fairly accurate in the main although there have been a few occasions when I got caught in traffic which hadn't shown up and others where I risked running into a jam which had disapeared by the time I got there.
My version tells me how old the data is, too. I expect that Navman have carried this over onto the N series as it is handy to know, IMO.
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Gee-Pee
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Joined: Feb 10, 2005
Posts: 1951
Location: Mostly somewhere in Essex
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| Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2006 11:44 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | However, unlike TomTom's offering, the T1 has an external antenna socket into which I plug a Minimag which makes it a whole lot better. |
Not used one of these, Tim: does it involve drilling through the body to fit? I presume they are readily available through say halfords or similar?
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Gee-Pee
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Tim Buxton
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Joined: 14/09/2002 20:56:18
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Location: Surrey, United Kingdom
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| Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2006 11:53 am Post subject: |
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I've only seen the Minimag at Maplins. It is a magmount so no drilling is required. The cable is plenty long enough and will run though any door seal.
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mostdom
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Joined: Jul 10, 2006
Posts: 1964
Location: Surrey, UK.
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| Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2006 1:41 am Post subject: |
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Same location as tim, same general experience with the t1. some occations it's been bang on, other times not so good.
Ultimatly you choose to accept the info.
In Jan I intend to really test this thing across france to french alps, 800 miles. Should be an interesting post when I get back.
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Dom
HERE LIES PND May it rest in peace.
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Mojo
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Joined: Dec 13, 2004
Posts: 199
Location: Sussex, UK
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| Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 1:18 pm Post subject: |
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Is the T1 any better or worse than Garmin's version on the Nuvi 660?
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DRP
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Joined: Mar 03, 2004
Posts: 353
Location: "The Green Green Grass of Home"
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| Posted: Thu Nov 23, 2006 12:45 am Post subject: |
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Hi Tim
When you say ‘minimag’ are you referring to a CB minimag mount aerial. If so how did you convert the PL259 plug, which is a standard CB RF plug to the T1.
This topic has also been covered on the iCN 7xx forum. They talk about a powered windscreen aerial to do a similar job.
Regards
DRP
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Tim Buxton
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Location: Surrey, United Kingdom
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| Posted: Thu Nov 23, 2006 10:08 pm Post subject: |
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Sorry, my mistake. Miniscan, not minimag. The connector is a BNC one so I bought a BNC socket and an MCX plug with coax to make a suitable 'converter'. I might cut the BNC off altogether, though, and buy another MCX and make a proper job of it.
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DRP
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Joined: Mar 03, 2004
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| Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2006 1:27 am Post subject: |
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Hi Tim
Have you used the industry standard, centre positive, ground outer?
Regards
DRP
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Mio M400 WEU, N60I, T1, 2x B2, iCN 510 & lots more |
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Tim Buxton
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Location: Surrey, United Kingdom
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| Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2006 9:54 am Post subject: |
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Yes. The MXC plug that I got from RS comes with a length of coax attached. I merely connected the other end to the BNC socket I bought.
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DRP
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Tim Buxton
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Location: Surrey, United Kingdom
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| Posted: Sat Nov 25, 2006 12:29 am Post subject: |
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It looks better than the one I made, and is cheaper, too. 
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portman
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