PLUS traffic is broken

[GAW]

FYI - I am still using App 8.302 and NA Map 630.2284 map, and traffic is currently working. As I mentioned before, in just under 3 weeks will be driving from SF Bay area to western NC. I am NOT going to upgrade or otherwise mess with my 920 until after I get there. Hopefully, TT will have gotten their act together with respect to Plus Traffic and the new maps.

As for them getting their act together with respect to releasing insufficiently tested apps and maps - I am not expecting that to ever happen. i was one of their first US customers (910 - currently happily navigating for an eBay buyer in Spain), and it only seems to have gotten worse over the years.

 

[mvl]

do you mean map 830.2284? and you get regular highway flow alerts? if so i'l try that combo. i havd a backup at that level.

 

[dhn]

I'm sure it was a typo and Gaw meant 830, not 630.

 

[mvl]

I tried to wipe out my Tomtom and restore that app/map, and no luck. I did the following steps:

- manual backup
- factory reset
- quickformat
- copy app 8.302 manually from cab
- clear flash (2x)
- pin reset
- clear flash one more time
- manual map 830 install

This still gave me the issue of no highway traffic in Boston. I checked out SanFran and NYC, They have some sideroad traffic showing up, but they're missing all the major highway stuff that shows up at routes.tomtom.com.

Although my reset process was still not 100%. For the first 5 minutes or so, my Tomtom enabled plus traffic under no user/pass, with my original PLUS expiration date. That means that the PLUS expiration somehow survived all the reset attempts above. It probably is stored in the inaccessible memory that stores the device ID and LMG timer.

I'm still not convinced that the sideroad traffic I see is legitimate. Usually it matches routes.tomtom.com traffic, but perhaps it is highway traffic that is being transmitted on the wrong streets, so we see it on sideroads instead.

And my PLUS extension went through, they added on a month.

 

[mikealder]

mvl, this is a real long shot but might be worth a try, install Navcore 7,481 to the device and power the unit up running this Navcore, then update to the 8,302 - I am not 100% sure but I seem to remember something about 7,481 installing something that was perhaps missed out of later releases.

Even today if you install 7,221 and update the device using Home it will allways grab a 7,481 Navcore as part of the update process, whether this was boot loader related or has anything to do with Traffic I am not too sure - Mke

 

[mvl]

I tried that too - no luck. I also tried 8.204 (traffic never connected), and tried 8.320 (same problem as 8.351). So none of this seems to help.

Although I took a ride w 8.302 and I'm kind of liking GAW's idea. I'm going to stay with 8.302 since my bluetooth won't crash. And it's volume is loud enough to hear well on the highway.

I'll leave 8.351 on an sd card, with all my MP3s - and just keep it in my palm TX until I feel like playing music on the Tomtom.

I've been looking at routes.tomtom.com and the sidestreet traffic matches very well. I really think Tomtom installed the expanded Inrix announced here, and in the process screwed up a setting somewhere.

Also, each time I look at US HD traffic on Google maps, I get really really jealous about how good it is. Tomtom really needs to hurry up with the US launch.

 

[dervari]

I take it HD traffic isn't gong to be compatible with any of the current lineup?

 

[gatorguy]

No technical reason it couldn't be with the 740's afaik. Only TomTom knows whether it would be offered. Same with the x50 functions/interface being offered to the x40's. If they want to it could be done. As far as TT's HDTraffic being as complete as Google Maps, that's going to be tough. Google has a lot more available data than TomTom will ever have, unless Google is willing to share. Then again, Google may not know how to use that input as well as TomTom, at least not yet. But with Google now in the picture, it does leave open the possibility that TomTom could change their HD plans for North America. It's not cheap to set up and maintain your own traffic reporting service and at least thus far the 740 has not sold well. And Google is giving theirs away free.
I've said over and over that Google is the one who will be driving the direction of many mobile navigation services. Once Google Maps start appearing within navigation apps, and it will happen, it's going to be a tough sell convincing people to pay for services that Google is willing to give away.

 

[mikealder]

It all depends upon where you live, in Holland they sell a HD Traffic receiver that plugs in to the mini USB socket of the x20, x30 and some XL models so HD Traffic is available to the older devices, sadly the receivers are country specific so they will only work in Holland - Mike

 

[mvl]

HD traffic receivers were approved by the FCC as standalone devices, and a GO x20 w HD reciever, GO x30 w HD receiver, and XL LIVE were all approved. (all in 2008/2009)

So Tomtom can do what they want at this point. It's all business/licensing restrictions, doubt anything except Verizon CDMA is a technical limitation.

 

[doctormstein1]

Received Friday the following concerning plus services

We do apologize that you are having issues with the our Traffic Services. We do know how important it is that it is working correctly. We are currently investigating this, as we have had other customers who are having the same type of issue. We do ask that you please be patient as we work on this. We will provide more information once it comes available

patients, patients, patients. blah blah blah. When should our patients run out. We spent alot of money for their product, and as for me I really have allot of other things that I want to do besides constant viligence about poor tech support. iF they can't do what they say maybe a refund is in order

 

[mvl]

I guess that's some progress. At least they acknowledge the issue both on the phone and on email, and are extending subscriptions. Keep the calls coming so this stays high on their priority list.

 

[InfojunkE]

I'm getting really impatient, and I'm seriously considering switching over to the 740. I rely on my tomtom for traffic information that works, which is why I pay for it. 2 questions, is the 740's traffic working (I Vaguely remember seeing something somewhere about that) and #2 is there any reason why I shouldn't switch over?

 

[mvl]

The 740 traffic appears to work - and is much much better. 740 traffic matches routes.tomom.com

The 740 doesn't have a music player nor fm transmitter. And the LIVE services are bundled together with fuel, speed cameras, and data access, at twice the cost of 720 traffic.

I would have already bought a 740, but I'm waiting for the HD traffic release and want to make sure I pay for a compatible Tomtom in my next upgrade.

I'm debating whether to order an RDS-TMC receiver from ebay. I hear they're under $20.

 

[InfojunkE]

Well I already pay for the fuel and traffic subscriptions... I can swallow the cost for something that works better. I wanted to upgrade my TomTom anyways. Thanks for the info!

 

[dhn]

To mvl.....

While the newer rds antennas (with the USB mini plugs) are supposed to be better than the older ones with the round plug, apparently if you shut the unit off while on route and restart, you lose the traffic signal with the newer one and it has to 'find' the signal again.

Also, (I'm sure you know this, but.....) the NA version of antenna isn't compatible with the European one and vice-versa.

 

[mvl]

The cheap ebay ones are the old round socket ones. model 9V00.180.

So they work fine on a 720? Do I have to disable PLUS data access on the Tomtom for the RDS to work?

 

[dhn]

I'll be honest (for a change....). I don't know...........

But I bet Mikealder does.

Seek him out for advice if he doesn't find his way to this thread.

-----------------
Just checked the link you provided and it does indeed seem to be for the US market. Check with Mike, anyway.

 

[mikealder]

Is the mini USB receiver available in the USA as I thought it was a European specific device, if you have this mini USB receiver available then its about as good as the last receiver they produced with the round six pole connector.in terms of reception.
Where it lets you down is the odd fuel stops when you shut the car down, the receiver drops the connection which can take a while to re-acquire when using the mini USB receiver, the round plug six pole plug unit takes its power from the nav unit, ok it might deplete the battery but it doesn't drop the all important signal, this is why I prefer the older .013 (European part number which is usless in the USA) receiver with the round plug - in the UK grabbing hold of a signal is rather problematic to start with.

As for which service a Live connected device will default to, while the device has a trial or paid subscription it will default to the Live services, go in to an area devoid of the mobile phone signal and it should drop back to using the RDS-TMC, it will also drop back to the RDS-TMC service once the Live subscription has expired although quite how this is handled in the USA is new to me as you chaps have a subscription RDS system, while we in the UK get this RDS data for free - Mike

 

[gatorguy]

In the US, the subscription is tied to the cable. Not dependent on the device for verification and freely swappable between devices that support it from what I understand. I don't use the rds-tmc cable myself, so just going by what I have read and been told.