Smartlink Traffic

Kremmen · Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 2:11 pm Post subject:

This is what I'm now using, CamerAlert on my HTC One:

Which has traffic. OK, not the same view as Garmin but enough for me:

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DashCam:
Viofo A119 V3

alan_sh · Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 7:24 pm Post subject:

I don't use an app on my phone (so, I suppose my post is not very helpful) - the digital signal comes from the power cable that was supplied with the Nuvi.

All I was saying is try the sat-nav with the built in traffic and see how it goes. Mine works great.

Alan

sussamb · Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 7:35 pm Post subject:

+1 to that, although in France recently it didn't warn me of a major jam, more I suspect to do with the lack of data and nothing to do with Garmin ... it can't report what it's not told Wink

In UK it's been nigh on 100% reliable in over a year of use.

Kremmen · Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 3:53 pm Post subject:

Decisions decisions ................

Having come back to Garmin I hid my TA20 cable behind the dash but the 'coil' is now not as severe as before, more of a small loop with just one small bit overlapping.

I am now receiving traffic on the M25 but it's a bit out of date but nothing too serious.

Having got that sort of working, if I only knew for certain that a digital traffic cable was more sensitive I would upgrade to digital traffic.
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DashCam:
Viofo A119 V3

sussamb · Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 4:16 pm Post subject:

Theoretically it should be ...

Could you not see if you could get one from somewhere like Halfords to test?
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Where there's a will ... there's a way.

Kremmen · Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2014 4:45 am Post subject:

Trouble is it's not a quick job taking the front panel off the dash to invisibly wire in the cable to the fusebox and secure the cable.

I think I'll see how the FM cable goes for a week or two before I have more time available (as you know).

I was hoping someone here has had both and could say that they have better/more reliable reception from the digital cable on the basis that the FM cable was sort of make and break during journeys.

If not it looks like I'm going to be the guinea pig Smile

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DashCam:
Viofo A119 V3

sussamb · Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2014 8:22 am Post subject:

Well it would give you something to do to fill those empty hours Very Happy

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Where there's a will ... there's a way.

Kremmen · Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2014 9:27 am Post subject:

I know me too well and I'm sure during October I will probably get a digital traffic unit to test the reception Smile

.. or wait till the next range of models is released to see what extras they have.

I would test SmartLink with the new 4.5 firmware but now that my main phone is auto connected to the cars handsfree phone system it means I don't have to carry a spare phone for it.
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DashCam:
Viofo A119 V3

Petekk · Regular Visitor Joined: Mar 06, 2004 Posts: 137

something is odd. i have a garmin unit with the rds digital receiption. the traffic shown does not seem to match that shown by the inrix app.

some roads are coloured showing traffic, but not as many as shown by inrix

if the list of incident is called up, then this does not seem to list any roads that are coloured.

I am trying to work out if coloured roads is actually mytrends (i.e historical data rather than live traffic)

i do not like the way the garmin shows traffic. on the tomtoms the traffic is shown much clearer on the maps and navigation screen, but there is no way to change the colour scheme etc on the garmin.

Kremmen · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 6:26 am Post subject:

I updated my Garmin to a 2599. I tried the digital traffic for a few days via the TA10 cable but I was getting hit and miss reception. This is purely my decision to hide the cable rather than have it sprawled across the dash covering dials and buttons.

I could drive all the way to work at 05:30 and the unit would be continually searching for a traffic provider (about 40 mins journey). All the way no reception bars. Then on the way home it found the Inrix provider quite quickly and held onto reception with 2 or 3 out of the 5 bars all the way home. Almost like they don't turn it on till the morning rush perhaps.

In the meantime I also noticed that Garmin have updated SmartLink to version to 1.8 so I have updated. I don't do the mileage now so I've not had time to test but the only bug I have noticed in the new SmartLink is that the app itself when viewed on the phone always says 'no incidents' and won't display the map when you try the live traffic button. Doesn't seem to stop the data getting to the Garmin though.

I will be doing a fairly long run next week so that will give me some testing opportunity.
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DashCam:
Viofo A119 V3

sussamb · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 7:08 am Post subject:

Petekk · Regular Visitor Joined: Mar 06, 2004 Posts: 137

[quote="sussamb"]

sussamb · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 12:50 pm Post subject:

Well I've never bothered to compare what my Garmin shows me with anything else as I've found it so reliable Wink

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Where there's a will ... there's a way.

BigJohnD · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 4:02 pm Post subject:

While the traffic info system works, I do find that several incidents are just unreported.

Recent roadworks near my home which took several days included a closure and a diversion of an extra couple of miles. This was absent from the display for the duration.

A recent complete closure of the M53 in both directions for some 6 or 7 hours did not appear for at least 3 hours after the event - and well after the formal diversions were in place..
Press report of incident
(I found out about the closure on Twitter.)

For me local knowledge meant I could dodge down back roads as soon as I noticed, but for non-residents it must have been an unnecessary pain.

The point is, as has been said often, the system is only as good as the info supplied. Which I think is not as comprehensive or a speedy as it should be.

sussamb · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 4:13 pm Post subject:

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