New RDS-TMC cable from Ebay fixed my problems

[Krellan]

Great news, my TomTom 930 once again receives traffic!

It was the cable's fault, not the jack in the TomTom, which is good. TomTom support wouldn't help me, because my device is out of warranty and they don't sell that part over the phone.

I bought a new RDS-TMC cable on Ebay, and it now works!

If it helps anybody else, the part number you need is 4V00.083. This is for North America (not Europe). Searching by this part number will guarantee you get a compatible cable, since the European cable looks just the same, this can be confusing!

This cable cost around $10, from Ebay seller "zkarlo".

This is a lot cheaper than having to renew my RDS-TMC subscription for $60 each year! I wish I had known about that, before buying the renewal. My previous cable, even after buying the renewal, stopped working a few months later.

I wonder how the RDS-TMC service enforces the renewal time, anyway, if I can buy a new cable and it continues to work great? Does the TomTom itself enforce the subscription time limit?

 

[mvl]

It was the cable's fault, not the jack in the TomTom, which is good. TomTom support wouldn't help me, because my device is out of wI wonder how the RDS-TMC service enforces the renewal time, anyway, if I can buy a new cable and it continues to work great? Does the TomTom itself enforce the subscription time limit?

Each cable has its own expiration date programmed in the cable hardware. When you buy a renewal home downloads an override file with the new expiration onto your device.

 

[Krellan]

Each cable has its own expiration date programmed in the cable hardware. When you buy a renewal home downloads an override file with the new expiration onto your device.

Wow, so each cable has a preprogrammed expiration date that it transmits to the TomTom? If a cable has been sitting on a shelf for over a year, then wouldn't it be DOA when installed, because the date has expired by then? TomTom cables must have quick stock turnover

Maybe that's why my cable now works again: I bought the renewal from TomTom, so the file is still on my device, providing an override to the expiration date, so I can swap cables and use any cable I want, because the date's being enforced by the TomTom software, and not the cable itself.

Interesting. That opens up the possibility of hacking a renewal file to expire in the year 2099 or something like that

 

[mvl]

Sorry I mispoke. It's not preprogrammed. It works like latest map guarantee. It is permanently set on the cable's memory when first plugged in.

 

[darussell]

I haven't been able to get a satisfactory reply from TomTom, and wondered if you might have any insight into my issue. I pirchased a GO930 a little more than two years ago, primarily for its RDS TMC traffic capability. After the 1st year's free service, I renewed. On the next expiration notice I renewed again only to have the unit shut down my Traffic. After several calls to TT, I was told they had to discontinue the service as they were having issues providing reliable service. I never had any difficulties; the service worked flawlessly for me, so I was baffled. The refunded my renewal monies, and informed me they were working on a fix.

A few months later I inquired on the status of the fix and was directed to purchase a new RDS TMC that was incorporated into the cigarette lighter power supply. I ordered, received, and installed the new RDS TMC antenna, but without success. After several more calls to TT, I was told that there was something about the software on my unit that precluded the new antenna from working, and that TT had no plans to fix/correct. This leaves me with a product that I spent a good deal of money and effort (customizing its installation in my vehicle) that no longer performs what is was originally advertised to do. I find this a significant breach in product advertising/marketing and cannot believe TT does not see themselves responsible to provide a fix/correction/replacement. Anything you might know/share on this? Thanks in advance.

 

[canderson]

@darussell
Based upon this and your prior post - what firmware DO you have on your 930 at present?

You may wish to consider a 3rd party source for the cable. It's a pretty cheap experiment.

 

[darussell]

Does 8.351 sound correct? I don't recall the process to find out the 930's specifics beyond tapping on the lower right corner of the screen.

 

[darussell]

@darussell
Based upon this and your prior post - what firmware DO you have on your 930 at present?

You may wish to consider a 3rd party source for the cable. It's a pretty cheap experiment.

How about this:
DEVICE AKXXX XXXXX
App 8.351 (9982/040301) OS: 1000
64MB RAM (free: 64MB)
GPS v1.20, Boot 1.0012
Map: 'North_America' v860.3101
Language: English US

 

[canderson]

Does 8.351 sound correct? I don't recall the process to find out the 930's specifics beyond tapping on the lower right corner of the screen.

Yes, it does. I performed an edit on your 2nd post to disguise your specific serial number.

 

[darussell]

Yes, it does. I performed an edit on your 2nd post to disguise your specific serial number.

Thank you. I wondered if there might be some info in that post that might be personal.

When you mention 3rd party provider, are you talking of another provider utilizing the 903 or an outright alternative to the 930?

I would have even considered a 903 replacement with another unit if I could be guaranteed it would fit into the dash mounting I purchased and installed.

 

[canderson]

When you mention 3rd party provider, are you talking of another provider utilizing the 903 or an outright alternative to the 930?

Neither - I'm suggesting a 3rd party source for the older model TomTom cable that comes without subscription issues. See the first post in this thread.

I'll leave further elaboration to those that use this device frequently. There are cables available that appear to have expiry dates way out into infinity (well, into the next decade at least) that are functional on the older GO model units using 8.351 firmware (e.g., GO630, 720, 730, 920, 930).

 

[darussell]

I have the original cable that came with the GO930. That whole issue (I read about) with cables carrying dates was confusing. When my unit powers up, the traffic seems to operate correctly, but then brings up the subscription expiration message after a minute or two. I wondered if there was some sort of verification date buried in a file on the unit that was signaling expiration. What's confusing to me is that the unit worked fine, no troubles, until TT disallowed renewal of subscription, stating something to the effect that it was troublesome or costly for them to continue to support. Why wipe out everyone with working units if some are having trouble?

Anyway, I gladly paid the $60 for the new USB/lighter cable which I was told would be a lifetime subscription. I've since returned it after they told me it would not work. Beyond a fix/alternative RDS TMC solution, I inquired if there might be another means to obtain traffic, for example linking it to my cell phone to dial/connect to a TomTom Service. I heard nothing back.

 

[canderson]

That whole issue (I read about) with cables carrying dates was confusing. When my unit powers up, the traffic seems to operate correctly, but then brings up the subscription expiration message after a minute or two. I wondered if there was some sort of verification date buried in a file on the unit that was signaling expiration.

No. The cables we're talking about have the expiry information embedded in the cable electronics, and the dates (I can't recall specifically what they have been) were WAY out into the future so as to cause them to be, for all intents and purposes, non-expiring. Understand that some cables were being sold by TomTom as "lifetime" units.

 

[darussell]

I've gone ahead and ordered one of the $10 cables through EBAY. I'm only skeptical because I don't understand the architecture and inner-workings, but I'll be happy to share my success/failure with one of those 3rd-party cables. Any other thoughts and suggestions are welcome and encouraged. Thanks for all your help so far.

Seems to me (my memory) that the limitation by TomTom was somehow tied to the fact that no new release of firmware was planned, or something like that. That's why I was incensed that they were simply walking away from the product.

 

[dhn]

And the $60 combo rds-tmc antennas/car chargers do NOT work with that model and application ..... or any x20 or x30 model, for that matter.

 

[darussell]

And the $60 combo rds-tmc antennas/car chargers do NOT work with that model and application ..... or any x20 or x30 model, for that matter.

Are you saying the 4V00.083 cable will not work with the 930?

 

[canderson]

Seems to me (my memory) that the limitation by TomTom was somehow tied to the fact that no new release of firmware was planned, or something like that. That's why I was incensed that they were simply walking away from the product.

While I think you've got a solution in the mail, I certainly agree that you should be annoyed -- first -- that TomTom has discontinued availability of the cable you need, and -- second -- that they were sufficiently uninformed so as to offer you a cable that could not possibly work with your unit since they have no plans (as far as I know) to offer 9.XXX level firmware to the older GO models.

 

[darussell]

Well, you were correct. I received the new cable, plugged it in to my GO930, and it started reporting traffic. I'm perplexed; how does this get TomTom off the hook and what trouble was this arrangement causing them that prompted them to ull support? I hooked it up independent of my built-in dash arrangement. To replace the old RDS TMC cable will require me to pull some of my dash apart. Ignorant to how this fix has affected the unit, do you suppose if I were to just plug it back in to the arrangement with the old cable it would work, or give me the expired message again? I wouldn't want to jeopardize the new cable's status, so I won't try it unless you think it worth a try.

I'm curious what happens if you move a TomTom from car to car, each equipped with its own RDS TMC cable? Maybe I'm pushing my luck, as I'm now thinking of ordering several new cables just to prevent another expiration a year down the road. I don't know if my new cable necessarily has an unexpirable date in it.....

 

[canderson]

Doesn't really get TomTom off the hook, but our understanding is that they no longer have a supply of the old 'updatable' cables available to ship as service spares.

As for your current 'subscription', I'm borrowing this from a user in another old thread:

In the root of your GPS there is a folder "rdstmc" with a file "subscription.bif". Open the file with any text editor and there is a single line with something similar to this

RDSTMCExpirationDate=2356875071

The number is a Unix style 'seconds since whatever' which you can decode at Online Conversion - Unix time conversion . Enter the ten digits of your expiry 'date' into the first box and submit.

It'll probably come back as some time in 2044. Should cover your needs <g>.

 

[darussell]

You are too intelligent! Yes, it came back with a 2043 date, so I'm guessing my 2004 Tahoe will no longer be runnin by then, and (if so) the state of California will not allow me (at then, 93-years of age) to renew my license!

Turns out replacing the cable under the dashboard fascia was not all that difficult. Every day traffic works, going forward, is a bleesing and I am very appreciative to you and all on this forum for your guidance and assistance. Suspect my next crisis will be changing out the internal battery, although I'm fighting by cycling through deplete/recharges now in an effort to revive some life in the current battery.

Thanks again!