[ghosty]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone knew how the TP (traffic programme) works in the BMW's? I have idrive, not sure if it makes any difference

In my old car i would leave the radio on radio 1 for example and any BBC traffic alerts would come on automatically. If i had a CD on the i would leave the radio on radio 1 then put the CD on and it would also pick up the BBC traffic alerts.

Radio on the idrive is confusing cos it picks up all the radio stations that it can get a signal on. When i am listening to the ipod/usb it doesnt pick up any traffic alerts. What am i doing wrong?

(and i do have TP/TMC displayed if anyone asks )

cheers
g

[xenon]

Just to be certain do you mean TP or TMC? If you mean the traditional TP where whatever you're listening to is interrupted by audio from local stations you need to have the tick set next to "TP". If you mean TMC then the TMC station has to be Classic FM.

[ghosty]

I currently have both on, but its a bit random whether i get traffic alerts or not (or at least i haven't figured the pattern yet)

[ed335d]

Originally Posted by ghosty

I currently have both on, but its a bit random whether i get traffic alerts or not (or at least i haven't figured the pattern yet)

Me too, except I have identified a pattern:

Good traffic = receive traffic reports

Bad traffic = do not receive traffic reports

[BanziBarn]

What does TMC do? Don't remember seeing that option.

[rsmallwo]

TMC is used by the idrive satnav to see the traffic issues in the country. If you set a route on your Satnav that is affected by traffic issues that TMC has been notified of then your sat-nav starts blurting out "the traffic situation has changed on your route" it then recalculates your route based on the traffic info. Its quite good, but not perfect.

See here for TMC info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_Message_Channel

[ghosty]

Originally Posted by ed335d

Me too, except I have identified a pattern:

Good traffic = receive traffic reports

Bad traffic = do not receive traffic reports

thats explains it, my route's the lovely M25!!!

[BanziBarn]

Originally Posted by rsmallwo

TMC is used by the idrive satnav to see the traffic issues in the country. If you set a route on your Satnav that is affected by traffic issues that TMC has been notified of then your sat-nav starts blurting out "the traffic situation has changed on your route" it then recalculates your route based on the traffic info. Its quite good, but not perfect.

See here for TMC info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_Message_Channel

Oh that. Cool, thanks.. What has this got to do with Classic FM though?

[xenon]

Classic FM is the only national station to broadcast TMC.

[ianmandlindaf]

Originally Posted by rsmallwo

Its quite good, but not perfect.

I've done over 70k in the last 18 months and I could count on one hand the amount of times it's got it right.

[ed335d]

Originally Posted by ghosty

thats explains it, my route's the lovely M25!!!

Mine too - between Junctions 11 and 21a most days

[ghosty]

on the contrary, the TMC seems to work ok for me. its just the TP that i cant get to work consistently.

i figure theyre less likely to lie on a live radio broadcast plus the radio stations that broadcast the TP sometimes get their info from people calling into them, so is somewhat accurate

[ghosty]

Originally Posted by ed335d

Mine too - between Junctions 11 and 21a most days

haha! i feel your pain, im going the other way, J27 to J15. can regularly be spotted stuck in the road works! you got to laugh..

[BanziBarn]

Originally Posted by xenon

Classic FM is the only national station to broadcast TMC.

I've been re-routed before though while not tuned into Classic. Are there two tunes in the car?

[xenon]

Yes, the radio has two tuners.