Garmin C550 - traffic data

[jackal]

surely this is the new reference ... been waiting for integrated traffic data to be incorporated properly into satnav sustems and finally i think that here is a product that i will consider upgrading to. The navman 550 does traffic via RDS and it works very well apparently but you need an awful lot of wires to get it working and the additional reciever is an extra charge on top. Also that unit does not do full postcode search which is abig drawback IMO. I understand that Tom Tom can do traffic data but firstly you have to pay for it and secondly it relies on a phone connection or something in order to get that data which is not ideal IMO.


The garmin does inbuilt traffic warnings (no messy wires and no subscrition required)
full 8 digit postcode
full on board european maps

anyone on here tried one or got any experience with the 550 ?

[surfymark]

Sorry, can't offer any advice on the Garmin (sounds good though) but just to let you know, the new range of TomToms are supposed to have Traffic Info over TMC which is essentially the same thing as you are talking about. I believe that you do need a separate receiver though (about 99 euros I think). Plus they are not out yet.

Look out for them though, it is the TomTom Go 510, 710 and 910 you want to look out for.

cheers
Mark

[jackal]

interesting, tom tom and gramin really are getting to the point where they are copying one another to match up specs. For example, Tom Tom have now implemenetd Garminesque stuff like text to speech and a lockdown security code and RDS capability but then Garmin have added stuff like Bluetooth. I like the 910's widescreen but it would seem that the RDS function is an added extra which will no doubt take the price a fair bit higher and mean more wires and more boxes. They do seem very similar though... i suspect choice will com3e down to the feel of the OS and speed of the thing.