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rickwiggans Lifetime Member
Joined: Feb 09, 2006 Posts: 77
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Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 9:02 pm Post subject: |
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There is a stated intention to fix it, but hey, who are we to question such things - customers??? |
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marksnsparks Occasional Visitor
Joined: Dec 10, 2006 Posts: 53 Location: Lancaster
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Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 9:22 pm Post subject: |
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Does a lifetime subscription to a service relate to the lifetime of the device you've bought, or that of the transmitted service? Do you think trafficmaster agree? _________________ _________________
Garmin Nuvi 310 - Version 4.70 Firmware.
V9 Maps
Audio version 2.30
GTM12 - Version 4.80 Firmware
GPS v3.00
bluetooth software version 3.10 |
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Hamie Regular Visitor
Joined: Dec 30, 2003 Posts: 177
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Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 5:43 pm Post subject: |
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I wish they'd come clean and admit the GTM-21 & TMC is a gigantic cock up, and that it doesn't actually work as advertised.. Then perhaps we could get down to having a system that actually provides what we (The customers) have already paid for.
FWIW I've modified my GTM-21 and BMW 528 to take a split from the radio feed and give the amplified signal to the GTM-21 wet string excuse for an aerial. It now receives TMC broadcasts alsmot everywhere that I couldn't receive them before.
However while sitting on the A404(M) this morning which USED to be a blackspot for TMC, enjoying full TMC coverage from whatever channel it was locked to (Possibly 187 == 106.2FM), I couldn't help but think it was a pity that the A404(M) obviously isn't a major or even minor road deserving of TMC coverage as I took 45 minutes to crawl the 3km from J9B to J8/9 of the M4 where complete (Mostly in Vauxhalls & Mercs) were parked across the round-about stopping traffic from moving.
In fact there were no traffic alerts for anywhere around the Thames valley... Strange since it's one of the worst places I know of for traffic...
Anyone know why the A404(M) isn't on TrafficMasters list of monitored roads? Nor the road-works from J10-J11 of the M4 either... |
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swing Pocket GPS Verifier
Joined: Nov 04, 2003 Posts: 2225 Location: Bedfordshire, UK
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Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 8:42 pm Post subject: |
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Hamie wrote: | Anyone know why the A404(M) isn't on TrafficMasters list of monitored roads? | The latest TM coverage maps I have show the A404 as a road monitored, so although I don't understand why you were not alerted, the road should in principle be covered by TM.
Quote: | Nor the road-works from J10-J11 of the M4 either... | Roadworks can be more of a problem, for two reasons...
1. If the roadworks create a contraflow moving the traffic onto the other carriageway and no longer in reach of the existing TM sensor, TM have two options - for short term roadworks, they accept a slight degradation in service, for long term roadworks, they will add or move sensors to ensure coverage continues.
2. TM normally detects traffic in roughly 3 bands - less than 30, 30 to 50, and 50 to 70 - with roadworks in the region of 40mph (especially with SPECS cameras), the traffic ends up falling into the "very slow" category for the majority of the time - would displaying a constant delay be the right answer either (even if things are flowing freely?) Again, for long term roadworks, TM seem to modify their speed settings for the road (eg for the M1 roadworks running for nearly 3 years), but may not for shorter term roadworks. _________________ Please don't be offended if I do not reply to a PM - please ask questions via the forums. |
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perussell Frequent Visitor
Joined: May 12, 2006 Posts: 292
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Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 11:39 am Post subject: |
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I have used a TM Freeway for about 5 years now and have kept it alongside my Nuvi 310D since it tends to be more reliable. It works off the blue/green cameras seen at the side of most major roads and doesn't appear to rely on radio stations to broadcast the details (I think). Having used the A404 between the M40 and M4 many times I can confirm that the road is covered by Trafficmaster.
Interestingly the speed settings on the Freeway definitely differ from Swing's explanation above. In summary; 'traffic is flowing freely' provided it is moving at above 30 mph even on the motorways, 'slow traffic' is moving at something in the region of 15-30 mph and 'very slow' traffic below 15 mph all the way down to 'stationary'. The unit also measures traffic jams from about 10 miles / 2 M-way junctions in advance and in 2 mile 'units' so when it says there is 'slow traffic ahead for 2 miles' this can be anything from 2-4 miles. You are also advised of the expected delay. Consequently anything less than 2 miles is often missed but at least you have the comfort of arriving at the back of the jam in knowing it's not that long. I have found the unit to be more reliable than anything else - sometimes it will state 'slow traffic for 2 miles expect 5 mins delay' but by the time you get there there's nothing but it's never failed me yet on the Biggies! And all for £30 a year or just over 50p/week. Worth considering if you don't like sitting in traffic and don't trust your satnav TMC receiver. |
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swing Pocket GPS Verifier
Joined: Nov 04, 2003 Posts: 2225 Location: Bedfordshire, UK
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Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 12:15 pm Post subject: |
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You are correct that the Freeway doesn't use the radio signals.
TM have been refining their speed ranges for a while, and in fact, most units nowadays don't ever quote a speed, but rather the amount of delay, which is more important to most people (except those who were used to the old method of actual speed readings).
I'd agree with your speeds for an urban road, but TM certainly used to draw the first motorway speed line at 50mph - I have a unit here which will alert me as soon as the motorway speed drops below 50mph, so maybe they actually have 4 (or including stationary, 5) bands...
However, I'd certainly agree a portable TM unit is worth it's cost (and subscription) - I have a TM unit in both the cars I regularly drive. _________________ Please don't be offended if I do not reply to a PM - please ask questions via the forums. |
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JoshT Regular Visitor
Joined: Aug 05, 2006 Posts: 93 Location: Berks, England
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Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 3:35 pm Post subject: |
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swing wrote: | You are correct that the Freeway doesn't use the radio signals.
. |
Swing, did you really mean this - If so how does the TM unit get the signal?
This also begs the question -does TM provide a CxxP service for TMC so that fools like me who forked out a shedload of money to buy a GPS with traffic updates included in the package then have to go out and fork out an extra £30 PA for a unit that actually does receives the traffic updates |
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perussell Frequent Visitor
Joined: May 12, 2006 Posts: 292
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Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 4:14 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: | This also begs the question -does TM provide a CxxP service for TMC so that fools like me who forked out a shedload of money to buy a GPS with traffic updates included in the package then have to go out and fork out an extra £30 PA for a unit that actually does receives the traffic updates |
Well actually TM stopped selling the Freeway as a stand alone unit a few years back preferring instead to sell their Oracle offer direct to the OEMs and otherwise forcing you towards their much more expensive Monitor (which also shows maps). But as long as they keep allowing me to renew my Freeway subscription that's what I will do.
You can sometimes buy a Freeway unit on e-Bay these days |
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swing Pocket GPS Verifier
Joined: Nov 04, 2003 Posts: 2225 Location: Bedfordshire, UK
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Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 6:25 pm Post subject: |
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JoshT wrote: | swing wrote: | You are correct that the Freeway doesn't use the radio signals. |
Swing, did you really mean this - If so how does the TM unit get the signal? | Yes, thanks
The Freeway unit doesn't use the radio signal used by the RDS-TMC units. It does use a electromagnetic signal, but I can't remember whether it's technically in the radio range, or in one of the other ranges. It's certainly not FM though, it's more like 440MHz I believe (although other TM units do use an FM frequency to receive data direct from TM).
As others have said, no, TM are not trying to force you to buy a unit they don't even make anymore. TM provide the best RDS-TMC they can, based on the limitations of the radio stations outputs. This is "good enough" for many TMC units, but suffers problems with the portable TMC units that Garmin use (TomTom have exactly the same problem with their TMC units on the competing iTIS service).
This means TM aren't necessarily at fault. Garmin have produced a unit which can handle the TMC signal strength in nearly every country it's available in. It's the interaction of the two that's the problem. _________________ Please don't be offended if I do not reply to a PM - please ask questions via the forums. |
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philpugh Lifetime Member
Joined: Dec 28, 2005 Posts: 2003 Location: Antrobus, Cheshire
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Posted: Sun May 13, 2007 7:12 pm Post subject: |
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I think it uses UHF frequencies similar to mobile phone transmitted by the sensor in a manner similar to SMS. _________________ Phil |
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swing Pocket GPS Verifier
Joined: Nov 04, 2003 Posts: 2225 Location: Bedfordshire, UK
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Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 4:26 pm Post subject: |
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philpugh wrote: | I think it uses UHF frequencies similar to mobile phone transmitted by the sensor in a manner similar to SMS. | I think you might be thinking of the Vodapage data network which is used by TM (and by some of the TM units), but this system and frequency is not used by the blue posts to transmit traffic data to the Freeway device. _________________ Please don't be offended if I do not reply to a PM - please ask questions via the forums. |
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