Media 2.2 traffic reports

wbabbington

Guest
Hello all

Since i picked up my FR+ on wednesday (not brand spanking new but still very new) Ive been lurking and reading a few interesting topics and learning a lot. But despite my searching on here one thing still baffles me about the 2.2 media system, and its to do with the live traffic reports.

For some reason they don't seem to be coming through. I've just done a few hundred miles over the weekend and for example I was sat in an almighty traffic jam on Friday (for at least an hour) and it wasn't until I had been in it for around 30 mins that any reports were showing up. It simply said 'no reports available'. This was despite the TP kicking in with the various traffic news all stating the problem.

Then today again there were no reports, until I was about half an hour from home and it suddenly kicked in, telling me of some issue that wasn't going to effect me. At first I thought it only showed news that related to your route but when the reports do come on they are for places I've never been too and haven't been passing by.

Is there some sort of criteria that has to happen for the reports to happen more immediately? I've got TP and dynamic selected and can't find any other setting related to the traffic reports.

Apologies for the long first post and thanks for your help

Cheers.
 

ATGNI

Active Member
Jun 16, 2009
163
0
I have the same problem too mate.

I do a lot of miles per week and have a TomTom with Live traffic updates and it is invaluable to me. Nearly always spot on, granted sometimes it gets things wrong but I wouldnt be without it.

My TomTom subscription ran out and for a week I relied on the 2.2, never again. I renewed my TomTom subscription straight away after the 2.2 sent me off the M5 at J6 after there was a crash on the M6 at J10. After about an hour and about 50 wasted miles it then put me on the M6 lower than the crash! Didn't avoid it at all.

The 2.2 is fine for short journeys, even long ones when traffic isnt an issue but if youre doing the Friday gum-ball rally it's next to useless.
 

Benjic2

Active Member
Aug 29, 2011
1,030
3
It's not the system that is useless, it is the radio stations that it relies on for the information. If you are in the middle of no where it won't bring up any updates due to a weak radio signal, but if you are in a built up area then I am stumped. Mine has always been spot on and always brings up the latest information and adjusts my route accordingly.
 

wbabbington

Guest
It's not the system that is useless, it is the radio stations that it relies on for the information. If you are in the middle of no where it won't bring up any updates due to a weak radio signal, but if you are in a built up area then I am stumped. Mine has always been spot on and always brings up the latest information and adjusts my route accordingly.

Thanks. That's what I thought, its that the radio stations that aren't sending out updates. Does yours display the info pretty much straight away or does it need a bit of time to gather the info?

But the fact that the TP announcements always come on made me think that it wasn't that as they would be sent out at the same time. Although thinking out loud, the TPs mainly seem to come from the BBC local stations and the reports (when they do come through) seem to come mostly from the commercial stations. I wonder if having the commercial ones on my stored lists of radio stations might make them more effective.

In terms of locations, I set off from Liverpool this afternoon and went to Darlington via Leeds. So two major cities and a very heavily used motorway network, but it wasn't until I turned off the A1 into Darlington that any reports came through.

Is the dynamic feature of the satnav reliant on the traffic reports to adjust your route and try avoid the jams?
 
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Benjic2

Active Member
Aug 29, 2011
1,030
3
Thanks. That's what I thought, its that the radio stations that aren't sending out updates. Does yours display the info pretty much straight away or does it need a bit of time to gather the info?

But the fact that the TP announcements always come on made me think that it wasn't that as they would be sent out at the same time. Although thinking out loud, the TPs mainly seem to come from the BBC local stations and the reports (when they do come through) seem to come mostly from the commercial stations. I wonder if having the commercial ones on my stored lists of radio stations might make them more effective.

In terms of locations, I set off from Liverpool this afternoon and went to Darlington via Leeds. So two major cities and a very heavily used motorway network, but it wasn't until I turned off the A1 into Darlington that any reports came through.

Is the dynamic feature of the satnav reliant on the traffic reports to adjust your route and try avoid the jams?

Yep, mine lists them straight away and it should say what time the information was sent out by the radio station and mine are always within a few minutes. The dynamic feature will change the route according to the traffic updates yes and you have to have the TP function activated in the menu too. What is very strange is that the traffic announcments have never come through the speakers, it always stays on the station I choose, but still recieves information from other stations on the list.

For example I was listening to Rock FM on friday, then the sat nav said traffic problems ahead, so I flicked to the Traffic function and information had come from Real Radio of a crash effecting my route...

There must be a setting in the setup window somewhere, I will have a look tomorrow and see what mine is set on :)
 

OLDLACE

Active Member
Feb 25, 2012
29
0
Near Portsmouth
rerouting

I've become a little cautious of the rerouting. Recently 2 of us were travelling to the same destination. I got the "Traffic problems on route" and was rerouted. My friend ignored his message and the only delay was to slow down to 90Kmph for 2 Km. I was rerouted to the next autoroute turn off and then taken all through the country. I arrived over 1 hour after my friend.

Otherwise, I am now impressed by the satnav, though initially I preferred my standalone Navman.
 

wbabbington

Guest
Thanks for your answers guys.

Will see how, it goes over the next few days, and try changing the radio station setting back from only scrolling through saved ones to all (long shot I know but worth a go) and see what happens. Otherwise its a call to SEAT I think.
 

ATGNI

Active Member
Jun 16, 2009
163
0
What I have noticed is that if the 2.2 reroutes you it only takes into account the first traffic problem and not the ones along the whole of the route.

Like I said though, it's a good setup and I'd rather have it than not but for my needs it TomTom all the way.
 

wbabbington

Guest
Quick update to this. I've been doing some reason about TMC in the UK and it seems that all the traffic information is sent out by Classic FM with some other commercial stations also sending out the info. So I stored Classic FM as well as a couple of others that I've seen send out news (Stray FM and Capital for me) and now it seems to work straight away.

Fingers crossed it will now work all the time.
 

ATGNI

Active Member
Jun 16, 2009
163
0
Sorry to sound a bit thick on this mate but are you talking FM only or the DAB station too?

Cheers.
 

wbabbington

Guest
Sorry to sound a bit thick on this mate but are you talking FM only or the DAB station too?

Cheers.

I tuned the FM stations for classic and the other two. I read that the TMC is sent via FM signals rather then the DAB so figured it would be best to have it as FM.
 
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