Live Traffic or RDS

G4GVB · Regular Visitor Joined: Jan 04, 2006 Posts: 233

I used RDS Traffic a few years ago and found it to be next to useless even in France, going from one end to the other. I did fire it up last week and was impressed with how quickly it all started to work. Has it improved over the last couple of years?
I've never used LIVE, but having read some of the threads on here wonder if it not all its cracked up to be.
What's the general opinion, is LIVE worth it or is RDS just as good?
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GO 750 LIVE v9.430 - v8.753612 EU map
XL 350 MT v9.151 - v8.75366 US Map

AliOnHols · Pocket GPS Verifier Joined: Oct 15, 2008 Posts: 1936

I've never used HD so can't offer an unbiased view. I use RDS when traveling through France between UK & Spain. I have never found it lacking. I find that it connects more easily in France & Spain than in the Uk and it doesn't loose the signal quite so readily.

RDS' horizon/range is much more than the HD, even on a bad day (300km or more!). But, How effective is it? I don't know! I always accept the alternative route offered so I can't say how bad the delay/accident/weather is/was that I avoided or even it ever existed.

As to which one you should subscribe to depend upon your intended usage. I'd suggest that frequent, small/medium distances in Uk = HD. Occasional, long journeys through Europe = RDS.

BTW. Something that I have always found curious about HD is that somewhere, on TT's web pages, it states something like ".. for LIVE traffic in your country of purchase..." Which sort of implies to me that you can't take the HD services abroad. I'm sure that this must be a mistake in my interpretation of the wording but I've never really bothered to find out for sure.
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Garmin Nuvi 2599
Android with CamerAlert, OsmAnd+, Waze & TT Europe.
TomTom GO 730, GO 930, GO 940 & Rider2.
SatMap Active 10 & 20.

falkirk81 · Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 9:10 am Post subject:

Incorrect, a valid EU LIVE subscription works throughout all EU compatible countries. See below

http://www.tomtom.com/en_gb/services/live/#tab:tab4
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Tomtom GO 1005 LIVE

iPhone 12

AliOnHols · Pocket GPS Verifier Joined: Oct 15, 2008 Posts: 1936

Many thanks for the link falkirk81. It looks like TT have revamped the HD pages since i last visited (5-6 months ago), however, I'm still uncertain. The page that your link directs to mentions that HD coverage is available in Europe for the Go1000 series.

By clicking on the FAQ tab at the top of the TT page from your link, 5th question down -

AliOnHols · Pocket GPS Verifier Joined: Oct 15, 2008 Posts: 1936

Furthermore, the "Details" tab from your link states -

MrT · Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 2:01 pm Post subject:

I have used live services on my old 940 in France and even in Tenerife.
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Drivelux

G4GVB · Regular Visitor Joined: Jan 04, 2006 Posts: 233

This is very interesting stuff, but. . .

MrT · Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 6:56 pm Post subject:

RDS in the UK only gives basic traffic information on major routes, Live or HD traffic includes many minor routes. This has been discussed many times at length on this forum in the past few years.
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Drivelux

G4GVB · Regular Visitor Joined: Jan 04, 2006 Posts: 233

Thanks Mr T that's made it a lot clearer. I think I will swap the 750 (not LIVE) for a 950 (LIVE) if I can get one.
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GO 750 LIVE v9.430 - v8.753612 EU map
XL 350 MT v9.151 - v8.75366 US Map

DennisN · Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 9:21 pm Post subject:

Today, I planned a route home to Keynsham from Newmarket via Bicester, some 170 miles, on both my GO550 Live and my TomTom Carminat RDS-TMC. As soon as it found the route, Carminat said there was a closed road on my route, would I like to avoid. I replied NO so that I could look see what and where it was. It showed as 93 miles ahead. The GO550 Live showed nothing. The 550 did eventually show the closure after I had travelled about 30/40 miles. At the same time I also planned the same route on my GO520 RDS-TMC device - it wouldn't pick up a signal until I eventually performed a pinhole reset. Carminat always appears to get a signal because it is wired into my vehicle aerial.
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Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

AliOnHols · Pocket GPS Verifier Joined: Oct 15, 2008 Posts: 1936

Thanks for the info MrT & DennisN and apologies to falkirk81 for me being a Doubting Minnie.
_________________
Garmin Nuvi 2599
Android with CamerAlert, OsmAnd+, Waze & TT Europe.
TomTom GO 730, GO 930, GO 940 & Rider2.
SatMap Active 10 & 20.

DennisN · Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 6:56 am Post subject:

WARNING!! There is at least one user who has been complaining bitterly (on TomTom's own Discussions Forum) that his HD Traffic does NOT work in Spain.
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Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

AliOnHols · Pocket GPS Verifier Joined: Oct 15, 2008 Posts: 1936

Good find DennisN. A few months ago I had thought about buying LIVE services for my 940 but it didn't seem to be a good product for me in Spain so never bothered.

Deep down I knew I wasn't going mad. Thanks.
_________________
Garmin Nuvi 2599
Android with CamerAlert, OsmAnd+, Waze & TT Europe.
TomTom GO 730, GO 930, GO 940 & Rider2.
SatMap Active 10 & 20.

2216 · Regular Visitor Joined: Dec 10, 2005 Posts: 245

TT traffic works in Porugal though driving there in late January it gave 1 or 2 kms on boot up and nothing within the 100 mile range because there was very light traffic anyway.

Andy_P · Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2012 9:24 pm Post subject:

Be careful interpreting reports such as the one above.

A TomTom with a Portuguese SIM card may well get LIVE Services and HD Traffic, the question is whether a TomTom with a UK SIM card would get them while in Portugal.

I would say maybe NOT..
I've no personal experience, but have certainly read that a US SIM Card won't work in Canada because of the different networks being used.
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