2004 COMAND Navigation CD is TMC Enabled.... just....

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saorbust

MB Enthusiast
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CLS350CDI
Those of you who have the COMAND Navigation System that uses DX type CD's (ie, not the DVD based version in the new E Class, S and CL Classes), be advised a new nav CD is out.

http://www.navshop.com/

However - don't buy it yet. Its the non TMC (Dynamic Route Guidance) version. That version will be out (so I'm told) in the middle of November, and lets face it - traffic avoidance is what we all want right ?

I've used TMC in France, Germany, Holland and Belgium - its superb. Its well worth the wait. If you want just an updated road network - then go for the other one. Its called United Kingdom + Ireland 2004 Update, and costs £89. The TMC one will cost more - no idea how much.

Don't do what I did and order it, without checking first. Anyone want a non TMC version ?!

Clarky.
 
Hi Clarky,

Could you tell me how the TMC system works please - is it a subscription service attached to the COMMAND system?
 
Originally posted by saorbust
The TMC one will cost more - no idea how much.
Not sure how they can justify charging more for the GB TMC-enabled disc, when all other countries come with it already for the same price!
 
Hi

TMC stands for 'Traffic Message Channel'.


Essentially its a digital traffic message. In the UK the signal is carried by Classic FM (although they do not provide the info). Its a bit like trafficmaster. If you call 401100 (AA Roadwatch) then you'll get the same information, but via a voice interface.

Basically your COMAND unit will take the information (via its second tuner), and in order to make sense of it it needs to be able to relate it to locations. These location codes are the key.

They are stored on the CD - and in the UK we've not had this feature for a while yet - although its been available in other countries for sometime now.

Why ? Well in this country the license holder is a commercial entity (hence the price increase) and they don't wish to give it away for nothing. In Europe - its a free service.

In the UK we get a special service - its been upgraded and is based on traffic models etc. As you use the comand system - instead of selecting the 'Fastest' or 'Shortest' route option - choose the 'Dynamic' route. This means the system spends about 2 minutes tuning to a TMC service, downloading the info and then translating it - in addition to working out the route. If on the route you have a traffic jam, it will work out the detour, and then decide if you need to take it or not (it may be shorted to sit in the jam). Its that clever. The data is updated in real time - so your system is continuously checking.

You can also see other jams. It shows up as an icon on your screen - with a Red triangle indicating a jam on your route, and a grey border triangle indicating a jam, but not on your route. The length of the jam is shown as a hashed red / white line.

Its worth using I think. If you travel a lot, and especially over long distances, then you'll get benefit. I go from London to Manchester a lot - and in this case it should prove invaluable !

Incidently the information for the system comes via fleets which have transmitters fitted. Eddie Stobart trucks have the transmitters etc. So the information itself is also live.

Hope that helps !

PS. I've heard the first CD will cover the Motorway network. The second CD (released next year probably Quarter 2) will cover some A Roads too.
 
Just got a new "United Kingdom - Ireland DX 2004 - TravelPilot DX" and I now get the TMC logo and option on the Comand unit but when I select "show traffic info" it just returns "none available" :crazy:

Just been looking on the web and can't see any info???

Gav
 
Gav,

Yep - you have the new 'old' one. It will search for it (hence the menu option - I have it too), but won't be able to receive / decode it. I suspect if you do a 'station list' from the FM/AM button you'll also see 'Classic FM :TMC' as well. Still you can't pick it up. :(

I have that same disc. If you goto www.navshop and look at the info for any other 2004 CD - such as the German one - you will see it has TMC-RDS as a 'feature' on the disc. The UK - IRL 2004 one doesn't. :devil:

Clarky.
 
Interesting info. Were you told this by Navshop ?

Having just bought the 03/04 non TMC disk myself, I'll be interested to see how much more the TMC version costs.

S.

** EDIT ** Just looked and its interesting that they are not doing a package with the 04 UK CD to include Major Roads of Western Europe any more . . . you have to pay £69 to get that on top of the £89 for the new UK CD !! The package I bought was 03/04 UK & Belfast + Major Roads of W Europe for £109..... so effectively a £50 price hike already now if you want the europe CD as well, and this is still for a UK disk without TMC !!
 
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Shame, I've just got the 2004 UK/Ire disc as well with the same problem as above. Looks like more money to be spent on a new CD!
 
Thanks for that explanation Clarky, it was very helpfull.


I have a new ML on order which is due to be delivered in Feb 04, with the COMMAND installed - do you know if the TV facility comes wired up or is this 'another' extra cost?

Also can email be used on the COMMAND system and if so do you need the phone preparation option installed?

Thanks
fatboab
 
TV Option is around £800 extra IIRC :(

Gav.
 
Sym I know all this cos I've been researching it for the past year or so ! Its taken ages to pull it all together. I've met with a number of people to write an article on the whole thing.

I will of course be happy to answer any q's people have !


TV Option is extra - as is the telephone wiring. As for email - I've no idea - I thought you could only get that on the DVD based system (this post relates to the CD based nav disc - the DVD is widescreen). I think in your ML you have the CD based disc.
 
Originally posted by saorbust
Sym I know all this cos I've been researching it for the past year or so ! Its taken ages to pull it all together. I've met with a number of people to write an article on the whole thing.

Nice 1.

Sounds like you've done your research well ! Point us to your article when its finished. Wish I'd known about this a couple of weeks ago. I bet Navshop won't take my less than a week old disc back & exchange it for the new one when it comes out, will they !

S.
 
Originally posted by sym
I bet Navshop won't take my less than a week old disc back & exchange it for the new one when it comes out, will they !
They are legally obliged to!

Have a read of these:

http://www.dti.gov.uk/ccp/topics1/facts/distancesell.htm

I understand I can change my mind if I do not want the goods. Does that apply to all products?

In most cases, the Regulations provide a 7-day cooling off period and an unconditional right to cancel during that period. This allows the consumer time to examine the goods or services being offered, as they would have when buying in a shop. The cooling off period starts 7 working days after the day the goods were received and for services 7 working days after the order was made. However, if a service starts immediately, before the end of the cooling off period, the consumer must be informed (in a durable medium) that they will not have the right to cancel.

If you've had the disc for less than 14 days you can send it back for whatever reason you like and they are legally obliged to take it back and give you a refund! :)
 
HI TV is not a factory option on the ML, your only choice is to have it retrofitted, most audio dealer can do it, either oem merc or aftermarket type (veba)

Oem is around £800 fitted, if all new bits and aftermarket is around £350 up for self install.

There is no email on the CD based Nav, the ML will not get DVD nav as it will be replaced in 2005.

cheers

Kenny
 
Is finally here...

From your friendly navshop

www.navshop.com

..who will be pleased to take £155 for the privilege.

I understand that the system is only currently for Motorways but I think Santa will need to buy it for me - perhaps he can tell us how good/bad it is ?
 
see below

How do you know it is for Motorways only clegsr? I just placed an order and now read this thread. I will call Tele Atlas to check this as I have been waiting three years for this feature and hoped that seeing that TMC has been out for over a year now, that it would cover more than just motorways.

Anyone actually got it?

Will check tomorrow, to see if I should cancel the order.

N
 
I've had a test CD for a number of weeks now, and I can confirm it works well.

However it works for Motorways only. This is due to the COMAND system - not the CD / TMC broadcasts.

I've also discovered (and I don't know if its my system with a fault or not) that you need to be tuned into Classic FM all the time to get the TMC broadcasts. The seperate tuner in the COMAND system doesn't appear to work for me - and a read of the manual confirms this. I have a horrible feeling COMAND has one tuner, and two receivers - one for radio, one for TMC / RDS - but they take a feed from the same tuner. ie, if its not in the signal its not there.

The 1st point is a shame, but the CD does still work really well. The 2nd point - well if this is the system working as MB designed, then frankly its really bad. I'd love to know if anyone else has this issue.

Incdiently, I should add I have an error code in my COMAND diagnostic screen at the moment - but I'm not sure what it means at present. It could well be that my tuner is knackered.

And of course - I am using a TEST CD, so I've no idea if that is the cause of the problem, although I've been informed the CD is identical to the one you have brought.

Updates when I have them..
 
for info the pdf file for the tmc enabled disc states it is for motorways only - but this information isn't on the web page I don't think.

-anyway , saorbust, how did you get your hands on a "test" disc? that sounds like a great deal to me.

I'm not convinced the extra functionality is worth £66 extra - but I perhaps in another couple of months I will have convinced myself.
 

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