How will I benifit from a RDS-TMC receiver?

[MrChris]

I recently purchased a TomTom GO 920. I do a lot of traveling across the State of Texas (US) and sometimes the US depending on the situation. I have been doing a little reading on the RDS-TMC and am a little confused on a few things.

1.) If I have a physical RDS-TMC attached to my 920 do I still need to pay for the subscription from TomTom or anyone else? I mean I already spend close to $300 for the 920 I would hate to still have to pay a monthly service fee to be told that there is an accident ahead when I am sitting in traffic in Down Town Houston or any other Metro Area.

2.) What type of data can I expect to pick up off the RDS-TMC? Traffic Only? Is this limited to areas where the Clear Channel Network is broadcasting such info?

3.) Is the info received Real-Time?

4.) What can I expect from spending close to $100 for a RDS-TMC receiver?

5.) I see that a lot of the really cool TomTom service is not avail in the US such as HD ect... Does this mean that living in the US I paid for something that will never do me any good here in the US or at least not for a while?

I do not have a data plan on my cell phone there for am unable to download updates from the "paid service" that TomTom offers.

Thanks for any input,

MrChris

 

[Birdman]

I recently purchased a TomTom GO 920. I do a lot of traveling across the State of Texas (US) and sometimes the US depending on the situation. I have been doing a little reading on the RDS-TMC and am a little confused on a few things.

1.) If I have a physical RDS-TMC attached to my 920 do I still need to pay for the subscription from TomTom or anyone else? I mean I already spend close to $300 for the 920 I would hate to still have to pay a monthly service fee to be told that there is an accident ahead when I am sitting in traffic in Down Town Houston or any other Metro Area.

YES. You do get a 1 year subscription free in the US, but after that it is about US$60 per year. I believe some other countries have lifetime subscriptions.

2.) What type of data can I expect to pick up off the RDS-TMC? Traffic Only? Is this limited to areas where the Clear Channel Network is broadcasting such info?

Info is accident information, construction information, and the such....TomTom should alert you when you are receiving this information and it will allow you to route around the areas........and, yes, it is limited to areas where it is broadcasting, just like an FM radio station.

3.) Is the info received Real-Time?

As real-time as it can get, yes. Just like a radio station.

4.) What can I expect from spending close to $100 for a RDS-TMC receiver?

I believe I answered that in #2 above --- your decision if that is something you feel you need.

5.) I see that a lot of the really cool TomTom service is not avail in the US such as HD ect... Does this mean that living in the US I paid for something that will never do me any good here in the US or at least not for a while?

I'm not sure of the coverage in the US, but I would suspect it is limited to some very large/congested cities.

 

[dhn]

Courtesy of Tim at gprsreview.net:

http://www.gpsreview.net/traffic/

The coverage areas are in links half way down the article.

 

[berkisho]

RDS-TMC Receiver Info...

You will not have to pay wireless phone tethering charges that most carriers require to tether your phone to another device...

The RDS-TMC receiver uses a different traffic source then that used for "tethered" traffic.

I recently had a problem w/ my RDS-TMC receiver, the traffic had expired, yet TT had no way to update/change the expiration date - they had to send me a whole new receiver (free of charge )

The RDS-TMC traffic is only as good as the radio station that broadcasts it, where the tethered traffic seems to come from a central source.

 

[Birdman]

RDS-TMC Receiver Info...

You will not have to pay wireless phone tethering charges that most carriers require to tether your phone to another device...

True, but this seems to imply there is no cost associated with using the receiver....and there is. Once the 1 year trial is up, it'll cost $60/year

 

[MrChris]

Thanks for the info.

The Radio Station Network is broadcasting the info. And I pay TomTom (after a free year is up) to receive this info?

So is it just a matter of TomTom (the company) allowing my TomTom itsself to "turn on" the receiver?

MrChris

 

[GAW]

It will essentially "turn itself on" when you first connect ti. You will have to possibly set a few preferences the first time.

As for the service - if you are trying to avoid sitting in traffic in Houston - it should work OK. But if you look at the coverage, you will not get any info over much of Texas, so if you are driving to Houston - you will not know what the traffic will be until you are in the metro area.

If you already have a data plan with your cell phone or PDA carrier, you might consider the data traffic subscription. It will work anywhere, and since you will not have to buy a receiver - you will save some money (first year subscription vs. the cost of the receiver).

If you do not have a data plan - the data plan can add up in a hurry, so you probably would not want to get it only for the TomTom.

 

[GAW]

RDS-TMC Receiver Info...


I recently had a problem w/ my RDS-TMC receiver, the traffic had expired, yet TT had no way to update/change the expiration date - they had to send me a whole new receiver (free of charge )

How recent ? I have a receiver that had a contract through Sept '09 on my 910, and support is having trouble with their server that lets them view traffic and other info on TomTom accounts, so they have not been able to move it over.

Maybe that is why they sent you a new one. Anyone else heard otf this recently ?