Tom Tom RDS/TMC Receiver

cosmosmallpiece · Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 8:22 pm Post subject: Tom Tom RDS/TMC Receiver

can anybody tell me how this thing works. i have just bought the Tom Tom ONE XL and the RDS/TMC Receiver. when its plugged in some times the reciever comes on the screen but more often i have to switch it off and back on to get it to work.
when it does work i have the option of manual or auto search. when i request either all i get is the little yellow dial in the top right hand corner which appears in segments.
i have no idea if this thing is working or picking up any information just seems like i've wasted my money.
can anybody help please. cos its doing my head in. Evil or Very Mad

mikealder · Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 9:11 pm Post subject:

Have a read through the page linked from #9 on the FAQ Page, this first part can be ignored as it details GPRS Traffic, but the majority of the page contains information on how to use the RDS-TMC unit with a TomTom device, it was written pre XL days, but the functionality is the same.
I am not surprised you are having trouble with it though as the coverage in the UK is patchy, read the links I have mentioned and see if that can aid the situation - Mike
Edit Once to ammend the hyperlink which I messed up - MikeAlder

cosmosmallpiece · Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2007 7:51 pm Post subject:

Hi Mike,
thanks for your reply, the info was just what i was after. just a pity TT don't offer similar advice or instructions when you buy the product. I followed your link and tried all that was suggested. even manually tuning into Classic FM. all to no avail the TT didn't pick up a thing. all it did was remain yellow and tell me no service picked up and then resumed scanning. is this common for the RDS TCM reciever and do you have to have a route planned for it to work?
Thanks again.
Dave.

mikealder · Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2007 8:10 pm Post subject:

You do need to have a route planned, otherwise it wouldn't know if there was a problem on it!

To be honest there are pages of posts on the forum covering the RDS-TMC device and associated problems, it simply doesn't work well in the UK, TomTom have been offering a free upgrade to a new revised receiver to customers experiancing problems, this was due out at the end of Q2 2007 but no UK customers have obtained such a replacement as far as I know.

Other people (myself included) have modified the reciever by opening it up and connecting it to an external aerial - this does improve matters, but it does invalidate the waranty, I had RDS-TMC working for about six hours throughout the LakeDistrict yesterday, but local to me I get very patchy response, even with a high quality aerial feeding the device - last week in Lincolnshire the reception was non existant - Postcode lottery springs to mind in the UK - Mike

nmbaker · Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 9:59 am Post subject: TMC-RDS receiver

I have just returned from a drive over to Romania. In the UK reception was very sketchy. A brief reception at Preston, some down the M6 to tell me there was a five minute delay (6/7/07) held up by over an hour, reception to tell me an accident near Dartford Tunnel another hour wasted. No information to tell me M20 junction one closed. No reception in France or Belgium, some in Holland. Germany reception was fine, none in Austria or Hungary. Coming back on Sat and Sun, no reception at all until M1 so stuck on M25 for an hour because of accident. No reception in Europe at all on Sat and Sun.
Mike I haven't modified the unit at all, and I believe according to TomTom, they are going to be using a new system entirely with the new models of 520,720. But I am emailing them for a replacement today.
_________________
TomTom Go720 v8.320
Maps - latest 830NA,W&CE,C&EE,UK&ROI
TomTom Home 2.6.3.609
TTCams latest 19/05/09 Traffic - live
SDHC 16GB

NRG · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 15, 2004 Posts: 10

have the 720T. Used the traffic receiver first time today 4th December 2007 on a trip to Plymouth. It struggled to get a connection, did a couple of times briefly but no information came down.

Set off back the next day and I got a green circle (connected) immediately but no info until I got to Bristol when it popped up that there was a lane closure on the M4 with a 12 mile tailback adding 3 hours,

Blimey I thought thats good, showed me a map and everything, I was about to re-route when I saw a Motorways sign confirming it but it said delay 30 minutes??? 3 hours?? 30 Minutes?

As it was the first traffic notifcation I decided to risk it and check and I got to Junc 15 in about 25-30 minutes, gritting my teeth expecting the worst... yes there was a lane closure and I went through at 70mph, no queue for 12 yards never mind 12 miles, delay? NONE!

So my first venture proved to be not only incorrect but ridiculously incorrect so right at this moment I have to say it seems absolutely worthless so I would caution first anyone thinking about spending £50 on it.

I bought it with the tomtom so was much cheaper but Im wondering now if Ive wasted that money?

If anyone has had a more positive experience I would love to hear about it

Cheers

NRG

xda

mikealder · Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 8:21 am Post subject:

NRG please do not multiple post within the forum, were I sat at my PC I would delete the other six or seven posts, someone else can do this when they realise.

I understand your frustration with the RDS device, but there are things that can improve reception, sadly there is nothing you can do about data quality which is better than it used to be, but there is certainly scope for further improvements - Mike

123dixie123 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 06, 2007 Posts: 55

'sadly there is nothing you can do about data quality which is better than it used to be, but there is certainly scope for further improvements'
Very true and TT should NOT have the damn cheek to charge for it!!!

mikealder · Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 10:20 pm Post subject:

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