W210 Comand TMC assistance

[IanT]

A quick question...

On Saturday I pick up my 'new to me' car and it's fitted with the COMAND 2.0 system from 2001.

The older COMAND units that use the 'DX' Teleatlas discs had a TMC receiver built in. I've searched and read a few threads that say it's a bit limited, in that you have to be tuned to Classic FM for example. I think since those threads, other stations have started transmitting the TMC subchannel, but my question is does the TMC function expire?

Using the same generation of navigation software (Teleatlas DX), VDO Dayton units seem to expire and even though they were once capable of receiving and using the TMC data, they cease to do so... Does the MB COMAND do this also, meaning that you need to have the current year's disc for the dynamic routing to work?

Thanks,

Ian.

 

[whitenemesis]

The TMC "subscription" does not expire on COMAND discs

 

[IanT]

Thanks, that's good news.

How well does it work, and does it still require me to listen to Classic FM, or do the new generation of TMC encoded stations also work? (e.g. Heart et al)

Cheers,

Ian.

 

[markmifsud]

yes, its classic FM if you want TMC

 

[IanT]

Presumably that's hard coded into the MB units then, as I'm sure the similarly aged VDO units are station agnostic provided the subchannel data is there.

Is it still true that there are no firmware updates that change that limitation?

Thanks for the help - good to know what it's 'supposed' to do.

Ian.

 

[Shude]

COMAND 2.0 will search for a TMC signal from any station, this is obviously useful when on the continent when CLASSIC will be less useful!

My COMAND 2.0 used to tune to SMOOTH for TMC as it was a stronger signal than CLASSIC but no data ever appeared. It only did that for a month or two and it made me wonder if SMOOTH were trying out TMC or something.

 

[Stratman]

Wikipedia link for TMC in the UK.

Twenty years ago, who would have believed that the world's primary reference source could be edited by drunk teenagers


Back to COMAND and TMC. I am sure that the COMAND unit has two FM receivers: one to listen to and the other searching for a better signal in the background. If this is indeed the case, would it not be possible in a future software update to use the second receiver for TMC when selected in the NAV settings?

 

[scumbag]

I had TMC in the previous chariot.

You do not need to have radio tuned to Classic FM. You do not even need it selected on any of your presets.

Classic FM carry the signal needed for TMC as they are a commercial channel and get paid for doing it. They are also,or at least were, the only UK Wide commercial radio channel so nobody else would have got the signal option.

It works in the same way the old TA signal put your radio onto the local news for traffic alerts. You did not require to have that station tuned in.

 

[eGuru]

I had TMC in the previous chariot.

You do not need to have radio tuned to Classic FM. You do not even need it selected on any of your presets.

When I use the TMC option in route guidance the radio automatically changes to Classic FM. And if I try to choose another station I get the message that Dynamic Route (TMC) will be disabled. Am I doing something wrong?
The car is 2002 W220.

 

[IanT]

When I use the TMC option in route guidance the radio automatically changes to Classic FM. And if I try to choose another station I get the message that Dynamic Route (TMC) will be disabled. Am I doing something wrong?
The car is 2002 W220.

That's the behaviour I have seen people describing in (mainly) old threads on here and elsewhere, hence my question. It seems that it's COMAND only that does this, the aftermarket DX units seem to just use whatever is available.

The reason I'm confused is because the units have two tuners, which would indicate they should at least be capable of receiving TMC with one tuner set to Classic FM and the other listening to something else, Chris Moyles or Woman's Hour... The best explanation I've seen of their function so far (unconfirmed) is that the second tuner is simply to provide more seamless retuning of RDS stations while the AF (Alternate Frequency) function is enabled.

In theory there could have been a firmware upgrade that altered this default function to use the second tuner purely to monitor TMC and disconnect the two from each other so you can listen to what you like.

If that makes sense...

Ian.

 

[markmifsud]

some of the newer systems either have a twin tuner so that the nav can use classic fm all the time, or a dedicated TMC tuner. Older comand's have just the single tuner so unless your into classical music, or you want to play a cd instead, your stuck with little choice.

 

[IanT]

Wikipedia link for TMC in the UK.

Twenty years ago, who would have believed that the world's primary reference source could be edited by drunk teenagers


Back to COMAND and TMC. I am sure that the COMAND unit has two FM receivers: one to listen to and the other searching for a better signal in the background. If this is indeed the case, would it not be possible in a future software update to use the second receiver for TMC when selected in the NAV settings?

Yes, I agree, but it's an old system (COMAND 2.0) now and has long since been superseded. I don't doubt that firmware support from Bosch ended several years ago and we're lucky to still be getting map updates for that generation

That's the same function as I understand from reading up elsewhere. Not logical to me and I know there was an upgrade available early in the system's life but I know nothiong of what it was intended to fix / upgrade.

Thanks for the wiki link - you can follow the Global Radio link from there and see the list of stations transmitting TMC. I will report back on Saturday when I take delivery, given I know what to look for now.

Ian.

 

[scumbag]

When I use the TMC option in route guidance the radio automatically changes to Classic FM. And if I try to choose another station I get the message that Dynamic Route (TMC) will be disabled. Am I doing something wrong?
The car is 2002 W220.

I dunno how yours works.

You just pressed it when doing some navi stuff and off it went. In fact I remember TMC being quite annoying as it sent me with all the other traffic that was trying to avoid the hold up it was attempting to get me round.

I never defaulted to Classic Fm however.

 

[IanT]

In fact I remember TMC being quite annoying as it sent me with all the other traffic that was trying to avoid the hold up it was attempting to get me round.

I can imagine that being the case. I'm more interested in it for pre-warning of problems on the route ahead than anything else, so hopefully there's an option to just display the issues and let you work out to some degree where you want to go instead.

Ian.

 

[scumbag]

It probably works out if you are a long way from the jam and you get the warnings so that it can route you well away from it.

The occasion I remember, it took me off the M6 and off onto some merry long winded road, that the entire UK had been diverted onto all heading where I wanted to be.

I liked the warning signs on the raod map, but choose to head my own way and it spent a while recalculating routes back to where I was wanting to go.

In fact, I think I tend to use the Nav system for only parts of the journey as it tends to annoy me at other times.

Can live without it, but don't want to. saves lots of worry.

 

[IanT]

Can live without it, but don't want to. saves lots of worry.

Yes, I agree, knowing that the machine thinks you'll be there in x minutes is a big plus for me, even if I already know where I'm going. Many of my trips go round the M25 early in the morning to avoid the rush, then I use the sat nav to tell me how long I can sit in the services on the M3 / M4 for a slice of toast and a coffee, as they are more reliable roads generally.

Ian.

 

[verytalldave]

Ian, I live in Orpington. If you want, I can pop round to yours (or you can come round to mine) and I can show you TMC in action on my COMAND in my 2004 W203 and give a full explanation.
PM me if you are interested.
Cheers.................

 

[Stratman]

Yes, I agree, but it's an old system (COMAND 2.0) now and has long since been superseded. I don't doubt that firmware support from Bosch ended several years ago and we're lucky to still be getting map updates for that generation

That's the same version that I have, and what leads me to believe it has twin tuners is the seamless switching of FM stations as I trundle along the motorways. If it had only one then the station would sound poor as the signal weakened then there would be a short gap in proceedings as the single tuner found a better one.

I'll have a look on t'interweb when my laptop has finished installing Windows 7 for any manafacturers information about COMAND 2.