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Traffic update technology

  • 31-03-2017 11:50am
    #1
    Leup0ld
    Registered Users Posts: 4 ✭


    I have just been researching which new sat nav to get and narrowed it down to the TomTom 5200 or the Garmin 50LMT-D. Hard to decide so I had a look at how the Traffic info was delivered. Garmin use the DAB system and it looks like TomTom use the Vodafone 2G phone network so as the DAB coverage in Ireland is poor, it looked like the TomTom would get the business. Then I discovered that the 2G networks around the world are being turned off and the Vodafone UK and Ireland 2G coverage would be turned off in September this year. As the Sim is built into the 5200, I suspect that changing to a new network might be a problem. How can a new product be launched with such a limitation?
    My solution is to use a good Sat Nav which gets the traffic info from my Smart phone which has better future proofing.


Comments

  • #2
    Alun
    Registered Users Posts: 21,412 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    AFAIK Garmin use TMC which uses plain old FM, not DAB.

    See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_message_channel#Ireland


  • #3
    Leup0ld
    Registered Users Posts: 4 ✭Leup0ld


    They do use FM on some devices and as a backup to DAB on the digital devices but it uses TMC via RDS which has a very limited band width so it is much more limited than the DAB version.


  • #4
    Alun
    Registered Users Posts: 21,412 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    I don't think there is any traffic information transmitted via DAB, which is still officially a trial, here though, even if you can pick it up reliably. I have a Nissan that has DAB radio built into the head unit, and it's almost useless here mainly due to the low transmitter power used, but when over in the UK I've seen TMC in action in combination with the built-in SatNav and it's excellent.


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