Jewell THief
New Member
Has anyone tried the TMC disk for comand if so is it worth buying?
Comand 2, Tmc Dx Nav Disk
- Thread starter Jewell THief
- Start date
saorbust
MB Enthusiast
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2003
- Messages
- 1,444
- Car
- CLS350CDI
Its good yes - but your radio has to be tuned to Classic FM to get the signal.
It also only covers the motorway network for the CD based comand system.
I wrote a big article on it for another club - if you want a copy PM me - in fact if members want me to post the text of the entire article here I can.
It also only covers the motorway network for the CD based comand system.
I wrote a big article on it for another club - if you want a copy PM me - in fact if members want me to post the text of the entire article here I can.
Michael Cliffor
New Member
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2005
- Messages
- 8
What is the TMC disk please?
It does have two tuners, one for the radio and the other to surf the frequencies for other stations etc. I think they missed out on something very clever there, I'd much rather it used the other tuner for TMC and only station surfed every few minutes.drifting said:
EDIT: moving to electronics section!
Last edited:
saorbust
MB Enthusiast
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2003
- Messages
- 1,444
- Car
- CLS350CDI
Michael Cliffor said:
Traffic Message Channel. Digital broadcast of traffic information.
Update - going to post article here !
saorbust
MB Enthusiast
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2003
- Messages
- 1,444
- Car
- CLS350CDI
Okay its not the full article - but it includes enough information to be interesting. Essentially its the story of the collection our CLK from Germany - some 2 years ago now. TMC wasn't on general release in the UK - hence the 'German' field trip.
Enjoy.
COMAND is the abbreviation of “Cockpit Management and Data System” – defined by Mercedes Benz as the car audio, navigation system and CD player in one, as well as the command centre for audio, telematics and telecommunications equipment. First introduced in the W220 S-Class saloon, it is fast becoming one of the most popular options for all models. All the functions can be operated either from the COMAND unit in the central console or using keys on a multi function steering wheel. The central display in the instrument cluster and the COMAND display screen in the central console are linked, but can be operated independently. Two versions are now available in the MB range. The first unit, made by Blaupunkt / Bosch and based on CD-ROM’s is the most common option and certainly the one most people will be familiar with. This is available as an option throughout the range, apart from the A Class and SLK Class models. The E-Class, S-Class and CL-Class models now use the DVD based system.
During the month of July, I ordered a new shape CLK and having duly ticked the box for the COMAND option, waited until late September to collect the car. This variant of COMAND is made by Blaupunkt / Bosch and the one I’m most familiar with.
For our proposed tour the COMAND system would be very useful, particularly when the CD range available from Teleatlas covers the entire continent of Europe. Using these CD’s is a simple affair, just eject the CD currently in use, and insert the new one. After a short pause, the CD displays the ‘loading’ screen – where voice data and other important information are loaded into the semi permanent memory of the head unit.
One particular aspect of the COMAND system really interests me. It’s the “Dynamic Route Guidance” option. Essentially this system receives data broadcast over a public network (in Germany – more on the UK later) via the FM antenna regarding traffic flow data problems. Similar to the Traffic information broadcast via voice on the normal FM band (known as Radio Data System), except in this case its data and the COMAND header unit can translate it – if it has the right software. This is the critical point.
TMC or Traffic Message Channel; developed as an industry standard by European broadcasters and receiver manufacturers, is a major advance on RDS. RDS-TMC delivers the most up to date information the instant it becomes available, directly to the vehicles satellite navigation system. Once received the information is decoded and translated into visual or audible traffic alerts – and displayed as warning symbols on the systems screen. This enables the driver to see where the traffic problems are located ahead. More importantly, because the traffic data is incorporated into the navigation system, this automatically gives the driver the option to take an alternative route to avoid traffic or even have the navigation system perform this option automatically.
This essentially is what Dynamic Route Guidance is about. However the software to decode the RDS-TMC signal is contained on the Navigation CD as a series of “Location Codes” and without these the option is not available. The Hardware is built into the COMAND header unit – via the twin receivers. One is capable of picking up the TMC broadcasts which are ‘carried’ via a donor radio station – in the same way as the RDS signal shows the radio station name.
In Germany this broadcast has been in operation for some time. I remember collecting a CLK Coupe from Bremen 3 years ago and finding the dynamic route guidance option working perfectly. In fact 2 years ago my brother and I found it invaluable for avoiding a three hour traffic jam on the main road from Berlin to the West. The COMAND screen showed our proposed map, and rather like the display when a ‘block in the route list’ is shown, we had a red and white dashed line down the main highway – nothing new there, but we also had a small red triangle with a symbol of queuing traffic.
Approximately 15 minutes later and right on schedule our car appeared. Mercedes in Bremen had even installed the ISOFIX car seat for us, something we requested in the UK. After a familiarisation processes where every part of the car is explained to you by a technician, we loaded a previously purchased German Navigation CD (A simple process of ejecting the disc in the header unit, and putting the new one in). After a 30 second wait, the system informed us ‘the program had loaded into memory’.
I entered the destination of our hotel in Cologne and selected the Dynamic Route Guidance Option from the final screen. At this point the system starts to search for a TMC broadcast with one of the two FM tuners installed in the COMAND unit – a process which takes roughly 30 seconds. I should add here that if you get an error message related to ‘TCS’ – then you need to reconfigure your navigation unit to use TMC instead. This is easily done via a menu for settings – check your user manual on how to do this. TCS is a similar product, but it’s chargeable and uses the installed telephone to call a centre with database for information.
With a full tank of petrol and a route already mapped out we left the collection centre at approximately 2pm and started the 200 mile trip to Cologne. I won’t make too much comment on the roads in Germany, other than to say the drivers overtake and move lanes far better than we do in the UK. The traffic flows very quickly and easily. Our only horror is the length of the slip roads – they are too short!
As expected our journey meant we’d encounter plenty of traffic jams on route – since most of Europe is currently undergoing a major resurfacing exercise on all the roads. Sure enough the TMC system picked up information, and our route continuously updated (the overall distance to the destination changed several times). We also noted the appearance of the ‘icons’ on the COMAND MAP display, which are either black if queuing traffic is on the route – but not in the direction you are travelling, or red – which indicates they are on the route you are travelling. The system also shows other traffic jams in other areas for completeness. The COMAND system is continuously updating the route and figuring out the quickest way to the destination. So as rush hour approached, and more traffic jams built up – we found the display showed more and more information. By pressing the ‘i’ key we could pull up a short summary of the TMC traffic information being received – detailing the junctions, the type of problem (accident, road works, etc) and the time delay likely. I recommend you ask your passenger to read this information from the screen as its quite detailed!
We arrived in Cologne at approximately 6pm and checked into our hotel. We left the car in the basement of the hotel for the next two days, preferring to leave it safe in a secure environment whilst we explored the city. Cologne is a wonderful city – it has suffered from flooding on several occasions as a result of the river bursting its banks but the local architecture and attractions are still there. We decided to shop for some German books, to browse the shops and high streets – and we also discovered a wonderful chocolate factory – which had an incredible history of the manufacturing process and a chocolate fountain where one could sample the finished product.
On the Thursday morning we checked out of the hotel, and having given it a lot of thought, decided to make our way back to the UK in one go. It’s not as far as it seems – a journey of about 300 miles and most of it on motorway. We set off and again configured the navigation system to use TMC – although this time we loaded the ‘Major Roads of Western Europe’ CD so we wouldn’t have to change discs at country borders. Our journey would take us back through Holland, Belgium and France – not to mention the UK.
TMC again proved its value when we encountered problems round Brussels. The entire ring road seemed to have back to back road works – and since we could see the delays for the entire journey on the navigation screen we worked out our rest stops to avoid the worst periods and thus minimise our delays. Sometimes you can’t avoid traffic jams, but it does make a huge difference when you know the extent of the delay and can plan around it.
All this is very well, but why can’t we get this information in the UK? Well in a short while, users of the Blaupunkt / Bosch system will and as a bonus our service will be even better. The offering in Germany is a public system – it’s paid for by the government. In the UK the service is broadcast by ITIS Holdings as a sub carrier of Classic FM and it runs as a commercial service.
This has a downside and an upside. On the downside the information has to be licensed so you can receive it. This is easy; the cost of the license is included with the navigation CD brought from Teleatlas. The upside is the service is far superior to the public service – the AA already uses it for the ‘401100’ service as do numerous other companies. However, the service isn’t available yet. A bit of background first.
ITIS Holdings have developed a sophisticated model of the motorways and A-roads in the UK and they have a large database of travelling data points. Cars, Vans, Trucks and Lorries with a transmitter report regularly to the control centre, giving information on speed, direction, etc – which is overlaid onto a logical map of the road network. This is used to build the Floating Vehicle Data (FVD) system.
FVD is a process for the collection, analysis and forecasting of journey times using data collected from the probe vehicles travelling the road networks. The vehicles are equipped with a GPS tracking unit that transmits the vehicle location and its speed to a central database via either the GSM network or radio download. Collecting traffic information has for many years been considered to be a possible alternative to the fixed roadside sensor networks currently used in many countries. Until recently, the conventional industry view has been that the number of FVD probe vehicles required delivering such a service, the costs of installation and the on going costs of communicating with each unit would be too expensive and render the solution economically unviable.
However recent advances in technology, substantial reductions in hardware and communications costs coupled with a dramatic rise in the installation of tracking devices in commercial fleets to deliver services other than traffic data has completely changed the context in which FVD can be judged. ITIS Holdings identified this changing trend as early as 1998, and over the intervening period has invested heavily in time and capital to develop what is arguably the world’s largest commercial network, delivering traffic information (not just RDS-TMC) to variety of platforms. As previously mentioned, the results of this labour can be heard when using the IVR service by the AA Roadwatch brand.
This now means users of car navigation systems in the UK, equipped with the appropriate receiver and translation software can begin to receive the data and take advantage of dynamic route guidance. Imagine – no more arriving at the back of a traffic jam on the motorway, calling the AA Roadwatch service and discovering you had a 45 minute wait. Your navigation system automatically tells you where to go to avoid the problems.
Enjoy.
COMAND is the abbreviation of “Cockpit Management and Data System” – defined by Mercedes Benz as the car audio, navigation system and CD player in one, as well as the command centre for audio, telematics and telecommunications equipment. First introduced in the W220 S-Class saloon, it is fast becoming one of the most popular options for all models. All the functions can be operated either from the COMAND unit in the central console or using keys on a multi function steering wheel. The central display in the instrument cluster and the COMAND display screen in the central console are linked, but can be operated independently. Two versions are now available in the MB range. The first unit, made by Blaupunkt / Bosch and based on CD-ROM’s is the most common option and certainly the one most people will be familiar with. This is available as an option throughout the range, apart from the A Class and SLK Class models. The E-Class, S-Class and CL-Class models now use the DVD based system.
During the month of July, I ordered a new shape CLK and having duly ticked the box for the COMAND option, waited until late September to collect the car. This variant of COMAND is made by Blaupunkt / Bosch and the one I’m most familiar with.
For our proposed tour the COMAND system would be very useful, particularly when the CD range available from Teleatlas covers the entire continent of Europe. Using these CD’s is a simple affair, just eject the CD currently in use, and insert the new one. After a short pause, the CD displays the ‘loading’ screen – where voice data and other important information are loaded into the semi permanent memory of the head unit.
One particular aspect of the COMAND system really interests me. It’s the “Dynamic Route Guidance” option. Essentially this system receives data broadcast over a public network (in Germany – more on the UK later) via the FM antenna regarding traffic flow data problems. Similar to the Traffic information broadcast via voice on the normal FM band (known as Radio Data System), except in this case its data and the COMAND header unit can translate it – if it has the right software. This is the critical point.
TMC or Traffic Message Channel; developed as an industry standard by European broadcasters and receiver manufacturers, is a major advance on RDS. RDS-TMC delivers the most up to date information the instant it becomes available, directly to the vehicles satellite navigation system. Once received the information is decoded and translated into visual or audible traffic alerts – and displayed as warning symbols on the systems screen. This enables the driver to see where the traffic problems are located ahead. More importantly, because the traffic data is incorporated into the navigation system, this automatically gives the driver the option to take an alternative route to avoid traffic or even have the navigation system perform this option automatically.
This essentially is what Dynamic Route Guidance is about. However the software to decode the RDS-TMC signal is contained on the Navigation CD as a series of “Location Codes” and without these the option is not available. The Hardware is built into the COMAND header unit – via the twin receivers. One is capable of picking up the TMC broadcasts which are ‘carried’ via a donor radio station – in the same way as the RDS signal shows the radio station name.
In Germany this broadcast has been in operation for some time. I remember collecting a CLK Coupe from Bremen 3 years ago and finding the dynamic route guidance option working perfectly. In fact 2 years ago my brother and I found it invaluable for avoiding a three hour traffic jam on the main road from Berlin to the West. The COMAND screen showed our proposed map, and rather like the display when a ‘block in the route list’ is shown, we had a red and white dashed line down the main highway – nothing new there, but we also had a small red triangle with a symbol of queuing traffic.
Approximately 15 minutes later and right on schedule our car appeared. Mercedes in Bremen had even installed the ISOFIX car seat for us, something we requested in the UK. After a familiarisation processes where every part of the car is explained to you by a technician, we loaded a previously purchased German Navigation CD (A simple process of ejecting the disc in the header unit, and putting the new one in). After a 30 second wait, the system informed us ‘the program had loaded into memory’.
I entered the destination of our hotel in Cologne and selected the Dynamic Route Guidance Option from the final screen. At this point the system starts to search for a TMC broadcast with one of the two FM tuners installed in the COMAND unit – a process which takes roughly 30 seconds. I should add here that if you get an error message related to ‘TCS’ – then you need to reconfigure your navigation unit to use TMC instead. This is easily done via a menu for settings – check your user manual on how to do this. TCS is a similar product, but it’s chargeable and uses the installed telephone to call a centre with database for information.
With a full tank of petrol and a route already mapped out we left the collection centre at approximately 2pm and started the 200 mile trip to Cologne. I won’t make too much comment on the roads in Germany, other than to say the drivers overtake and move lanes far better than we do in the UK. The traffic flows very quickly and easily. Our only horror is the length of the slip roads – they are too short!
As expected our journey meant we’d encounter plenty of traffic jams on route – since most of Europe is currently undergoing a major resurfacing exercise on all the roads. Sure enough the TMC system picked up information, and our route continuously updated (the overall distance to the destination changed several times). We also noted the appearance of the ‘icons’ on the COMAND MAP display, which are either black if queuing traffic is on the route – but not in the direction you are travelling, or red – which indicates they are on the route you are travelling. The system also shows other traffic jams in other areas for completeness. The COMAND system is continuously updating the route and figuring out the quickest way to the destination. So as rush hour approached, and more traffic jams built up – we found the display showed more and more information. By pressing the ‘i’ key we could pull up a short summary of the TMC traffic information being received – detailing the junctions, the type of problem (accident, road works, etc) and the time delay likely. I recommend you ask your passenger to read this information from the screen as its quite detailed!
We arrived in Cologne at approximately 6pm and checked into our hotel. We left the car in the basement of the hotel for the next two days, preferring to leave it safe in a secure environment whilst we explored the city. Cologne is a wonderful city – it has suffered from flooding on several occasions as a result of the river bursting its banks but the local architecture and attractions are still there. We decided to shop for some German books, to browse the shops and high streets – and we also discovered a wonderful chocolate factory – which had an incredible history of the manufacturing process and a chocolate fountain where one could sample the finished product.
On the Thursday morning we checked out of the hotel, and having given it a lot of thought, decided to make our way back to the UK in one go. It’s not as far as it seems – a journey of about 300 miles and most of it on motorway. We set off and again configured the navigation system to use TMC – although this time we loaded the ‘Major Roads of Western Europe’ CD so we wouldn’t have to change discs at country borders. Our journey would take us back through Holland, Belgium and France – not to mention the UK.
TMC again proved its value when we encountered problems round Brussels. The entire ring road seemed to have back to back road works – and since we could see the delays for the entire journey on the navigation screen we worked out our rest stops to avoid the worst periods and thus minimise our delays. Sometimes you can’t avoid traffic jams, but it does make a huge difference when you know the extent of the delay and can plan around it.
All this is very well, but why can’t we get this information in the UK? Well in a short while, users of the Blaupunkt / Bosch system will and as a bonus our service will be even better. The offering in Germany is a public system – it’s paid for by the government. In the UK the service is broadcast by ITIS Holdings as a sub carrier of Classic FM and it runs as a commercial service.
This has a downside and an upside. On the downside the information has to be licensed so you can receive it. This is easy; the cost of the license is included with the navigation CD brought from Teleatlas. The upside is the service is far superior to the public service – the AA already uses it for the ‘401100’ service as do numerous other companies. However, the service isn’t available yet. A bit of background first.
ITIS Holdings have developed a sophisticated model of the motorways and A-roads in the UK and they have a large database of travelling data points. Cars, Vans, Trucks and Lorries with a transmitter report regularly to the control centre, giving information on speed, direction, etc – which is overlaid onto a logical map of the road network. This is used to build the Floating Vehicle Data (FVD) system.
FVD is a process for the collection, analysis and forecasting of journey times using data collected from the probe vehicles travelling the road networks. The vehicles are equipped with a GPS tracking unit that transmits the vehicle location and its speed to a central database via either the GSM network or radio download. Collecting traffic information has for many years been considered to be a possible alternative to the fixed roadside sensor networks currently used in many countries. Until recently, the conventional industry view has been that the number of FVD probe vehicles required delivering such a service, the costs of installation and the on going costs of communicating with each unit would be too expensive and render the solution economically unviable.
However recent advances in technology, substantial reductions in hardware and communications costs coupled with a dramatic rise in the installation of tracking devices in commercial fleets to deliver services other than traffic data has completely changed the context in which FVD can be judged. ITIS Holdings identified this changing trend as early as 1998, and over the intervening period has invested heavily in time and capital to develop what is arguably the world’s largest commercial network, delivering traffic information (not just RDS-TMC) to variety of platforms. As previously mentioned, the results of this labour can be heard when using the IVR service by the AA Roadwatch brand.
This now means users of car navigation systems in the UK, equipped with the appropriate receiver and translation software can begin to receive the data and take advantage of dynamic route guidance. Imagine – no more arriving at the back of a traffic jam on the motorway, calling the AA Roadwatch service and discovering you had a 45 minute wait. Your navigation system automatically tells you where to go to avoid the problems.
Last edited:
Jewell THief
New Member
just checked the disk it just so happened to be a tmc tele-atlas w2 disk dynamic route now works as i have tuned the radio to classic FM (bit of a pain but i can use the cd or ipod for music)
it actually really works i have just returned from twickenham via M3 and M25 TMC showed the traffic was stop go and sure anough it was.
it only seem to show the motorway network is this right? seems a good traffic aid.
it actually really works i have just returned from twickenham via M3 and M25 TMC showed the traffic was stop go and sure anough it was.
it only seem to show the motorway network is this right? seems a good traffic aid.
saorbust
MB Enthusiast
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2003
- Messages
- 1,444
- Car
- CLS350CDI
Jewell THief said:
Yep spot on.
I used an iPod or CD player too !
Now just waiting along with everyone else for the DVD version.
Jewell THief
New Member
The comand in our new 280 SLK is dvd based can u get a tmc disk for this system if so who makes it?
Wilfred
Member
Date will not stay set on my command radio
Has anyone had this problem
Also how to fix
Thanks wilfred
Has anyone had this problem
Also how to fix
Thanks wilfred
Wilfred
Member
Will check it out Geoff cheers
The final release of the DX map (which is made by Tom Tom) includes the TMC on it. There used to be separate TMC and non TMC versions with Mercedes having TMC and TomTom not. Buy the TomTom (Teleatlas) version as you get an extra disk with European major roads compared to the Mercedes version.
TomTom / Teleatlas DX UK & Ireland 2013-2014 with Major Roads of Western Europe + Merian scout guide
Richard
TomTom / Teleatlas DX UK & Ireland 2013-2014 with Major Roads of Western Europe + Merian scout guide
Richard
Wilfred
Member
Looking how to set the date on my command radio.
It keeps going back to 12/08/2000
Do you have any ideas on how to fix this
Cheers
Wilfred
Last edited:
Go into underground car park (no satellites). Turn off, wait 5 mins, turn On and try then. Ie no satellites and startup. It’s due to the GPS date overflowing every 1024 weeks.
R
R
Wilfred
Member
Will give it ago cheers
Wilfred
Wilfred
Member
STILL GOES BACK TO 12/08/2000
