Garmin Digital Traffic service will end June 2021

[Privateer]

Hi Paul,

[pcaouolte]

I agree that TomTom has the best routing.

I already use POIViewer, I think that it was you who suggested it a few years ago, it is very useful with Waze and Google maps thank you.
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Paul

[Kremmen]

After my first testing Smartlink is only mediocre when compared to Inrix digital.

On the way to Reading Inrix was spot on showing just a roadworks zone. Smartlink showed that the M4 was closed between junctions 7 and 10, which it wasn't.

On the return journey Smartlink showed a red zone traffic jam very near the end of my route for the whole 45 minute journey time that didn't exist. Inrix correct.

So Smartlink still shows obsolete roadworks.
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DashCam:
Viofo A119 V3

[pcaouolte]

I got a strange result this morning. A section of road near to where I work is closed for resurfacing. viaMichelin have the correct section shown as closed on their web site but Inrix show a longer section of road as being closed, which included the road that I was travelling on.

Even though the Garmin was receiving traffic from SmartLink it was showing the Inrix version of the road closure.
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Paul

[BigJohnD]

Inrix are renown for road closure errors. I've had rows with then in the past. I've sent them Local Authority closure notices and photos but they seem to ignore them.

My current dispute is the introduction of a no right turn onto the A5117 at Dunkirk(!) near Chester. They refuse to accept it, even with photos.

[Kremmen]

I'll continue to monitor the 2 back to back.

What I'm looking for, hopefully solved, is the old situation, about a decade ago, with a Garmin, pre-digital traffic, where either Garmin or Smartlink had a 200 'alert' limit.

What I found was that when I had 200 sets of local roadworks then I got no yellow or red traffic alerts because they were essentially frozen out, too low down the pecking list. When I went into Smsrtlink traffic, used the list function, there were exactly 200 entries, all roadworks.
When I got out to Surrey and did the same trick there were less than 200 showing and some of them were now red and/or yellow traffic alerts.

At that time there were dozens and dozens of obsolete roadworks. I had one set of 5 day roadworks on the M4 that were still showing active 6 months later, maybe longer, because I got a new Garmin with digital traffic.
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DashCam:
Viofo A119 V3

[BigJohnD]

The Garmin is good for live traffic, probably based around queues, volume and speed; but pretty useless for roadworks, closures and mandatory diversions.

[Kremmen]

I've been watching the TT forum and some posts are putting me right off them with quite a few posted failures requiring a device reset.

If I did go TT Go Premium then it seems the onboard Sim only uses 2G which is an old tech and as some have posted may be dropped = needs a switch to a TT smartphone link setting up anyway.

I'm still not happy with the chunky looking TT devices so it's looking like I'll stick with my Garmin and use Smartphone Link even though it's not as good as receiving through the TA cable in my current comparison tests. The smartlink traffic holds onto roadworks and road closures well beyond the road has cleared or opened whereas the Inrix digital seems to clear them quite quick.

Still comparing .......

Also, the Garmin 61 is actually a 7" screen.
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DashCam:
Viofo A119 V3

[Kremmen]

This is the sort of post that is putting me off TT:

[walkerx]

only just seen this post regarding the digital traffic

I've not really used my garmin device for a while, but when I did use it the smartphone linkage was poor and the cameras within the app overrode what you got on the garmin unit itself.

So if you pay for camera subscription on the device it will get overwritten by the ones on the app and if you have poor signal or the app doesn't pick up the cameras you don't get them on the device, you loose both traffic and cameras

TomTom won't be getting rid of Inrix, so this is definitely a Garmin issue.

If you have an old mobile phone, then use the TT app on that, you can still use the PGPSW camera alerts using the PGPSW app or the SpeedAlert app.

Also if running Android Auto, TomTom have released Amigo in beta with Android Auto support

And when I had an issue with my older TomTom it had to go to Netherlands and was only about 10 days overall in turn around, with TomTom paying the postage costs

[Kremmen]

I've been watching the TT forum for ages and the failed traffic reports are numerous.

From what I can tell the built in sim uses the almost obsolete 2G network and is very flaky in places. The lesser units use your phone like Smartlink.

There also seem to be a fair amount of traffic failures because of TT account failures that have to be reset on request. During Covid resets are slow which is causing more problems.

I'll use Smartlink for a while on my DS61 and see how it goes. I have been testing Smartlink on my 2599 and it doesn't always auto connect which is a pain.

As far as Inrix is concerned, they are still in business, it's the DAB delivery methodology that is being terminated, no idea why.
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DashCam:
Viofo A119 V3

[walkerx]

as i've got android auto working on my car now, i'm not using the pnd's that much

i'm waiting for tomtom to release their app onto aa, sygic have but it unusable and tomtom have released amigo

[Privateer]

I have an iPhone and not an Android.

[walkerx]

amigo started as camera only app for free but seems to be progressing to navigation as well

it is useful for users who don't want tomtom navigation app and instead use waze or google maps as

[Kremmen]

What I want to know is why Garmin now have 2 apps.

Smartlink
Drive

Smartlink for pre 2020 PND's and Drive for 2020+

What's the difference ?
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DashCam:
Viofo A119 V3

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