TomTom RDS-TMC Traffic Receiver

I have a tomtom GO 730 and this receiver works great with it. I was skeptical at first because it was so cheap. I live in MN and I always have a good signal. There are a few times when I didn't believe the GPS, but it was right about the traffic and there I sat. The delays are not always accurate. It might tell you there is a 1 or 2 minute delay, but it is sometimes longer. I am not sure if this is the fault of the GPS unit or the data transmitted (I would assume the data). It seems to only have traffic info for major roads, at least in my area. It also doesn't seem to account for traffic lights. For the price I don't see how you can go wrong. It is 1 1/2 times the month service fee of Tom Tom's traffic service and there is no guarantee that is any better. Like one of the other posters said, the connector pin is straight so I had to adjust the height of my GPS unit off the dash. I wish it had and angle connector, but oh well.

Reading through these other reviews I was a bit unsure about ordering this thing. The fact is that the product works, no subscription necessary. The reviewer who claimed that one needed one... how did you come to that conclusion?? I used this on a 720go, and it gets the traffic info it was supposed to. I believe TomTom at some point sold these antennas with lifetime "subscription". Now, the "subscription" isnt really a subscription, it's simply a code needed to enable your antenna so it actually works. Supposedly the newer ones Tomtom sells nowadays, needs a $60 yearly fee/subscription, which they found much more profitable. Hence why they discontinued these units. I guess these units are a "get them while they last" type of item, and I can vouch that it actually works. Now for how long, I do not know. Even if it is only one year, it's still way cheaper than a 1 year subscription. Note that you TomTom gps unit needs to be enabled/prepared for a tmc antenna to begin with though. The cheapest ones isnt. Tomtoms support website could possibly give that info. The uploaded pics is what your getting. Look closely if that will fit your unit. EDIT: Now it's almost 4 years later, and it still works. I never paid a subscription for it.

I have a TomTom XL-340 GPS and this unit is not compatable with it. The connector for this unit is a mini-jack similar to that of a pair of headphones but smaller. My GPS needs a mini-USB connector. Would be nice to have a list of compatable GPS units or an indication of what type of connection this unit uses. Only reason it gets 1 star is because I can't rate it 0.

I got this in the mail and it looks exactly like the pictures added by Kjetil. I was worried that I would have to pay the $13 monthly charge to TomTom, but as soon as I plugged it into my TomTom ONE 3rd Edition and powered it on, it immediately recognized the RDS Traffic Receiver and updated the traffic info in my area. I've played around with it a little bit (in the Atlanta area), and the traffic information is slightly delayed (just like Google Maps on the iPhone), but it is very helpful. I love that when I plan a route, if there are any delays it will say (+5 MIN) or however long the delay(s) would add to the route. Definitely worth the money in my opinion, especially if you do a lot of driving during rush hour in a big city.

The antenna was easy to install and was quickly recognized by my TomTom GO 930, however, it will not work with the maps of Western Europe. The TomTom doesn't even try to tune the the antenna, it just displays a screen that states the RDS antenna is not compatible with the current (Europe) map. Bottom line is if you visit Europe (I am currently in Germany), save your money and don't buy this product thinking it will work for you outside of North America.

I bought this receiver specifically because it is a pin receiver, not a USB. I can keep my Tom Tom 630 plugged into power via its USB cable while still having access to traffic reports. Things I don't like about the unit: 1) You have to make sure you get the PIN all the way in; mine has a slight tendency to feel like it's set when it's really not. Not a dealbreaker for me, just a minor annoyance. 2) The plug is a straight plug, not a right angle like the USB plug for the power. This means I have to set the Tom Tom about an inch higher on the windshield than I would like so the cable doesn't interfere with the dash. Again, not a dealbreaker; I'll probably buy a gooseneck mounting clip to avoid the problem entirely. I've found that the traffic reports in my area are inaccurate more often than not. For example, on a recent Saturday morning I drove 45 miles to visit a friend. The traffic report indicated a construction delay. There was indeed construction, but the construction was in a slightly different location than the device indicated, and there was no delay. The device also indicated an accident with a delay. As I drove by the location, I saw neither accident nor delay; the traffic was typical light early weekend traffic. I got a third report of a delay on my way home. The device indicated a delay when the traffic was still moving at the speed limit. The unit gave the all clear indication just as we got to the residual backup from a cleared accident. So, I think the reports are best used as a warning that I should turn on the radio and listen to the local traffic report to find out what's really going on. Tom Tom doesn't control the local traffic service, so I don't consider the problem a failing of either Tom Tom or the receiver design.

This product is great, have had no problems what so ever with it, you don't need the subscription that Tom Tom say's you need, it works just fine without it, I took it out of the package, hooked it up in my car with the suction cup stabilizers and boom there you go, searching for RDS-TMC signal, signal found, updating please wait, and boom again, that's it, done...I am so darn happy now that I know exactly were the accidents or traffic is now and how long it will take, this thing is totally great, hope this review helps you out and lets you know any questions you may have.. Thanks again Amazon for another wonderful product.... Kevin (HK Kustoms) Spanaway,WA.

I bought the TomTom 540T and one reviewer said that you "must" have this antennae to make the traffic portion work...so I just went ahead and bought it. Well, it doesn't fit in the gps because there is no port for it--and the traffic receiver is built into the 540T's lighter-power plug. It's not worth the headache to return it, and I have a friend who has the model that uses this antennae, so I'm giving it to her (even though she already has one). But just an fyi--if you have this GPS, (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003B3P2CE/ref=oss_product)it doesn't work and you don't need it. All you have to do is plug the thing into the lighter outlet BEFORE you turn it on, and it will recognize it.

Récepteur RDS-TMC. Très utile pour le GPS Tom Tom que j'avais il y a quelques années. Dommage qu'on en trouve plus.

TMC traffic information is broadcast on a number of radio networks. The most reliable one for me is Classic FM, although I have picked up others. Broadcasts are fairly frequent during rush hour, but early in the morning and late at night there isn't much -- although, if there was an incident, I suppose there might well be. There are three potential problems with using this device. First, the device may not be able to find a TMC broadcaster. Second, on a short trip you may well have headed into the traffic before a TMC broadcast is sent out to warn you. And, third, TMC information is not necessarily as detailed or accurate as you might want. If you can live with this, then the RDS/TMS Receiver is a good buy. I've certainly saved more than the cost of the aerial in avoiding long traffic queues between M6 junction 10 and junction 6. You can set the TomTom to automatically reroute to avoid traffic queues, or you can ask it to reroute on a one off basis. Or, you can just use it to tell you how much later you will be -- useful for calling ahead. You do need to follow the instructions carefully -- particularly not crossing the wire -- and have the latest software updates, which are free from TomTom. The alternative is taking out the TMC subscription via GPRS and your bluetooth mobile phone from TomTom. There is an annual fee for this, and you probably have to pay your mobile phone company for the privilege. As I still haven't worked out how to get my mobile to connect to GPRS, this wasn't an option for me. Do note that this aerial requires the same socket as the iPod cable, so you can't run both at once. On the other hand, unless you have your TomTom wired through the car stereo, the iPod cable really doesn't achieve a lot.

Mit meinem tomtom ONE XL funktioniert das Teil (in Österreich) einwandfrei. Bei den Einstellungen hat sich der automatische Sendersuchlauf nach dem stärksten Sender bewährt. Mehr gibts nicht zu sagen, die damit verbundenen Funktionen des tomtom sind umfangreich, es kann zwischen Baustellen, Staus, gesperrten Spuren, etc. unterscheiden. (Mein voriges Billig-Navi konnte das nicht) Fazit: Für den tomtom ONE XL, zumindest in Österreich, kann ich dieses Zusatzteil uneingeschränkt empfehlen.

Sehr gut es hat mir immer sehr gute Dienste geleistet bis ich es mit dem Navi Verkauft habe da ich es nicht mehr gebraucht habe .

Der TMC-Empfänger von TomTom scheint stocktaub und dazu auch noch launisch zu sein. Im stehenden(!) Fahrzeug findet er manchmal (eher sehr selten) innerhalb von 30 Sekunden einen Sender mit TMC-Daten. Schaltet man seinen TomTom aus und wieder ein, findet er meistens gar keinen Sender mehr. Auch nicht, wenn man ihm mit Hand die Frequenz des vorher gefundenen Senders vorgibt. Sein Suchlauf startet dann irgenwann mal und findet die nächsten Stunden gar nichts mehr (zeigt nur noch das Sender-Such-Symbol). Wie gesagt, vereinzelt geht's wirklich gut, in 90% der Fälle aber leider gar nicht. Wenn sich der TMC einmal entschlossen hat, keinen Sender finden zu wollen, kann man ihn nur durch mehrmaliges Trennen vom TomTom irgendwann mal wieder dazu bringen, per Suchlauf einen Sender zu finden. Falls er dann doch - anscheinend eher zufällig - doch mal einen Sender findet, kommt es auch öfters vor, dass er stundenlang Daten schaufelt und zu keinem Ergebnis kommt. Er hört dann auch nicht mehr auf, zu schaufeln. Da hängt sich dann wohl die Software auf... Einen TMC, der nur ab und zu einen Sender findet und sich dann beim Datenempfang auch noch aufhängt, kann man nicht empfehlen. Übrigens: Die Firma TomTom empfiehlt, den Empfänger zum besseren Datenempfang außerhalb des Autos zu plazieren. Das heißt: * alle halbe Stunde mal rechts ranfahren, * das Teil "zum Lüften" raushängen, * auf Datenempfang warten bzw. hoffen, * weiterfahren. Einfach eine gute und sinnvolle Empfehlung! Rasten sollte man sowieso öfters. Es ist übrigens auch unabhängig davon, wie man das Kabel verlegt: obere Scheibenoberkante, Scheibenunterkante (jeweils mit beliebigem Abstand zum Blech), senkrecht, im Zickzack, aufgewickelt, verwurschtelt, .... Das kann man nach persönlichem Empfinden frei gestalten - immer mit dem mehr oder weniger gleichem miesen Ergebnis. Aber wenn er mal Daten empfangen und ausgewertet hat: Die Stau's aus der letzten Verkehrsmeldung kennt er trotzdem nicht - auch wenn die berechnete Route genau diese Staustrecken beinhaltet. Aber das kann auch an den gesendeten Daten liegen. Das kann ich nicht beurteilen, da ich keinen Vergleich habe. Auf meinem TomTom ist übrigens die neueste Software drauf (letztes Update habe ich am 4. Mai 2007 durchgeführt). Dies war auch eine Empfehlung von TomTom. Ach ja, noch was: Am 06. und 07. Mai war ich jeweils den ganzen Tag im Auto unterwegs, die Zeiten mit TMC-Empfang waren insgesamt keine 30 Minuten.