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zYx Occasional Visitor
Joined: Jul 01, 2006 Posts: 41 Location: EU
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Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 11:44 am Post subject: RDS-TMC - to buy or not to buy |
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Hello everyone.
I am considering purchase of RDS-TMC USB version receiver for tomtom go 520. Is it worth buying? I don't drive for living, but it would be nice to know of any roads blockages..
Thanks in advance. _________________ TomTom Go 520 8
Western and Central Europe 8
N95 8GB Web'n'Walk, Google Maps, TT6, Garmin 5 |
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Gee-Pee Lifetime Member
Joined: Feb 10, 2005 Posts: 1951 Location: Mostly somewhere in Essex
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Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 2:57 pm Post subject: Re: RDS-TMC - to buy or not to buy |
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zYx wrote: | Hello everyone.
I am considering purchase of RDS-TMC USB version receiver for tomtom go 520. Is it worth buying? I don't drive for living, but it would be nice to know of any roads blockages..
Thanks in advance. |
Ask yourself, "How often do I get held up by traffic holdups?" And, "Does it really matter if I get held in a traffic jam for half an hour + or - ?" The answers should give you an indication of how necessary a TMC unit would be.
Personally, I have one because I drive long distances on the continent and it can be useful to avoid big jams - I still ignore the smaller ones where I only have to wait a shortish time. Great gimmick, though _________________ Gee-Pee
Lifetime member PGPSW - time rapidly decreasing |
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zYx Occasional Visitor
Joined: Jul 01, 2006 Posts: 41 Location: EU
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Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 4:35 pm Post subject: |
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Does it actually change your route
I think I just want a new gadget, but I do drive long distances in europe indeed :]
I will get one anyway, £28 ish on amazon ;)
Thanks _________________ TomTom Go 520 8
Western and Central Europe 8
N95 8GB Web'n'Walk, Google Maps, TT6, Garmin 5 |
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spannersatcx Regular Visitor
Joined: Mar 17, 2006 Posts: 60 Location: Cheshire
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Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 7:21 pm Post subject: |
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it offers you a shorter route timewise based on the delay's being reported. I used it recently on the a trip from London to Manchester, took me off the M5 at Birmingham and around town then rejoined M6 above spaghetti junction, brilliant. |
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gareth71 Regular Visitor
Joined: Oct 07, 2004 Posts: 146
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Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 8:13 pm Post subject: |
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If it were me, I'd be questioning why it had taken me from London to Manchester via the M5 in the first place! ;) |
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JimmyTheHand Frequent Visitor
Joined: Apr 16, 2005 Posts: 386
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Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 9:21 am Post subject: Re: RDS-TMC - to buy or not to buy |
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zYx wrote: | I am considering purchase of RDS-TMC USB version receiver for tomtom go 520. Is it worth buying? I don't drive for living, but it would be nice to know of any roads blockages.. |
It would be nice - however I find the TMC accuracy leaves so much to be desired - even if there is a blockage you won't be told - or you'll be sailing past what you are told is stationary queue of traffic _________________ J. |
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zYx Occasional Visitor
Joined: Jul 01, 2006 Posts: 41 Location: EU
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Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 6:27 pm Post subject: Re: RDS-TMC - to buy or not to buy |
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JimmyTheHand wrote: | zYx wrote: | I am considering purchase of RDS-TMC USB version receiver for tomtom go 520. Is it worth buying? I don't drive for living, but it would be nice to know of any roads blockages.. |
It would be nice - however I find the TMC accuracy leaves so much to be desired - even if there is a blockage you won't be told - or you'll be sailing past what you are told is stationary queue of traffic |
Do you think it is worth buying? _________________ TomTom Go 520 8
Western and Central Europe 8
N95 8GB Web'n'Walk, Google Maps, TT6, Garmin 5 |
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JimmyTheHand Frequent Visitor
Joined: Apr 16, 2005 Posts: 386
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Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 7:20 pm Post subject: Re: RDS-TMC - to buy or not to buy |
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zYx wrote: | Do you think it is worth buying? |
for the £22 pounds Amazon has them - I'd be willing to experiment to see whether it helped on the daily commute/long runs (on main roads/motorways) as it wouldn't need to save much to seem worthwhile - and if using on Continent might be more worthwhile _________________ J. |
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spannersatcx Regular Visitor
Joined: Mar 17, 2006 Posts: 60 Location: Cheshire
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Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 7:55 pm Post subject: |
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gareth71 wrote: | If it were me, I'd be questioning why it had taken me from London to Manchester via the M5 in the first place! ;) |
(Heathrow)M4-M25-M40 then delays on M42 (avoided) I think there was a vehicle fire or something, so stay on M40 to M5 then up to M6, (don't pay for toll road) it was a typical Friday afternoon jam. |
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JaguarV12e Regular Visitor
Joined: Feb 07, 2005 Posts: 171 Location: Cambridge UK
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Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 9:13 pm Post subject: |
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I find TMC to be really quite good in France on the Autoroutes, with delay indications 90% accurate. It is hit or miss in the UK. It has saved me from a couple of bad delays on the M11, but doesn't seem to bother with general delays on the M25. _________________ Tomtom Go 1005
Tomtom Go 730T |
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zYx Occasional Visitor
Joined: Jul 01, 2006 Posts: 41 Location: EU
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Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 9:36 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you guys for all opinions, I just bought one from amazon.
Will let you know how it works too :] _________________ TomTom Go 520 8
Western and Central Europe 8
N95 8GB Web'n'Walk, Google Maps, TT6, Garmin 5 |
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zYx Occasional Visitor
Joined: Jul 01, 2006 Posts: 41 Location: EU
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Posted: Tue May 12, 2009 6:45 pm Post subject: |
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Hi all,
I received it today and I'm comparing it with http://route.tomtom.com. I don't exactly know how tmc is working, but I have some missing traffic info on my tomtom go and vice versa, some of the traffic info is available on tomtom go, but is missing on route.tomtom.com. I must admit, I'm testing it at home with tmc aerial outside the window but do you think it depends on signal strengh?
Last edited by zYx on Tue May 12, 2009 6:59 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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falkirk81 Pocket GPS Verifier
Joined: Jul 07, 2006 Posts: 1651 Location: Newcastle, England, UK
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Posted: Tue May 12, 2009 6:48 pm Post subject: |
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Traffic through the RDS receiver is different to the HD traffic display used in the http://routes.tomtom.com website.
HD traffic is supposed to be better than RDS traffic, thus the discrepancy and the £8 a month charge for all LIVE services! _________________ Tomtom GO 1005 LIVE
iPhone 12 |
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welshwizard Occasional Visitor
Joined: Feb 11, 2006 Posts: 10
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Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 3:15 pm Post subject: Re: RDS-TMC - to buy or not to buy |
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zYx wrote: | Hello everyone.
I am considering purchase of RDS-TMC USB version receiver for tomtom go 520. Is it worth buying? I don't drive for living, but it would be nice to know of any roads blockages..
Thanks in advance. |
Been reading this correspondence and have ordered and received mine today from Amazon for my GO520. However, I have a problem - the unit has spent about 30 minutes trying to find a signal. Do you think its a "dud" unit or does anyone have any ideas? |
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MrT Frequent Visitor
Joined: Nov 14, 2003 Posts: 2143 Location: Surrounded by A1, M1 & M25
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Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 3:39 pm Post subject: |
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Usually if it shows it is trying to find a signal it is is sign it works. If it is broken plugging it in usually has no effect.
My personal experience is that it can take ages to find a signal, so much so that I have found it useless on short trips. Others here have not had this issue.
I think a lot depends on where you live and the signal strength, you can manually set a frequency but I usually find it gives up and goes back to searching.
Shame as I could do with it working when I go to France and my Live Services don't. _________________ Drivelux |
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