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RNS-E & TMC - Free DVD Upgrade


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The guys over at RS246.com have been speaking with Audi about the lack of TMC on the RNS-E units in the RS4 and the A3/A4 range. As a result their contact at Audi has asked people to email him stating that they would like something done about it.

Here is the link to the thread on RS246.com

Please keep the emails courtesous and professional. Maybe with enough complaints they might eventually do something about it.

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Did anyone read the “Talking Technology” article in issue number 35 of the Audi Magazine, just to give some of there quotes “It’s trickier for the A3, A4 and TT. These work on a different operating system and an entirely new DVD system is being developed by Audi and Trafficmaster to include TMC on these models” another quote “A final delay occurs in DVD disks: the production cycle for any new batch is once every six months and the data to go on the disks must be submitted six months before they’re produced” they go on to say “When TMC does go live on Audi A3, A4 and TT models there will also be an option to retrofit the system on older models. They will require a new DVD mapping disk and probably the ‘flash’ upgrade.”

Going from that we could be looking at the back end of 2007 before Audi will produce a TMC enabled DVD, and considering the unit looks to have TMC already in the firmware, it appears to me that Audi are just stalling. Also I wonder how much they will charge for the upgrade? After all you have to buy the nav DVD’s as they are not covered by the warranty. If you did purchased a new car with the RNS-E was the TMC option include as part of the sale?

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The bit about DVD cuts taking 6 months is b0ll0x. In 2005 we had the 2005_1 nd 2005_2 disks out within 1 month of each other, and again in 2006 we had 2006 and then 2006_1 about 2 months or less later. Only differences were firmware changes, not mapping. So they can release new code fairly quickly.

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Done, lets hope it has some effect. If they can have it working on the A6 & A8 then there can be no reason why not on the A4 series. On the way to the Le Mans Classic a couple of weeks ago, the TMC re-routed me past a 5Km tail-back outside Rouen - when you see the system working properly you realise how effective it is.

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Got a very prompt reply from your man Tom Peterkin, basically saying that because the A4 isn't state of the art, it is very difficult to get the TMC system working on it. Nice to know that my £34k+ A4 bought June 2005 wasn't state of the art, wish they had advertised that in the brochure! There was no indication at all of the time scale involved before it will be functioning, if at all.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I honestly think that Audi UK thought. 'Well if we keep telling the Customers that its "on its way" then they'll eventually get bored and go away!!'

So they've finally paid the Licence; the next bit is getting a new DVD Rom sorted so I'd guess Mid-07 at the earliest!

It's just such a shame that Audi UK have let the brand down like this! frown.gif

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  • 2 weeks later...

I emailed Mr Peterkin and then queried the assertion in his reply that a retrofit will be required.

I received a phone call back from his colleague today. He agreed that the issue is, basically, a commercial one, relating to licensing.

I'm assured that UK TMC is in development and that the current plan is for a release 'late' this year. However, as we all know, there have been earlier deadlines, all of which have been missed!

Oh, Audi claim that TMC was never officially supported by the older CD-based systems - it just so happened that if we purchased a TravelPilot disk with TMC it would work in the Audi unit!

It seemed that I knew as much about the technical aspects as, if not more than, the guy who called me!

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[ QUOTE ]

Oh, Audi claim that TMC was never officially supported by the older CD-based systems - it just so happened that if we purchased a TravelPilot disk with TMC it would work in the Audi unit!

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry to hijack the thread but does this mean if I bought the 149 CD for my VW MFD (CD based) Sat Nav unit Blaupunkt Sat Nav CD ROM opposed to the 89 one I would get TMC - my SatNav unit has a TMC button so I guess so ?

Thansk

Martin

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  • 4 weeks later...

Just received this mail today from Audi Customer service:

Thank you for your recent email enquiry.

At present there is no further information regarding TMC availability on

the Audi A4. May I respectfully suggest that you keep checking the

website: www.audi.co.uk as any information will be posted on there as soon

as it is available.

Thank you for taking the time to write to me and if I can be of any

assistance in the future, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Kind regards

Great, i will check the web site...

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  • 1 month later...

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

Oh, Audi claim that TMC was never officially supported by the older CD-based systems - it just so happened that if we purchased a TravelPilot disk with TMC it would work in the Audi unit!

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry to hijack the thread but does this mean if I bought the 149 CD for my VW MFD (CD based) Sat Nav unit Blaupunkt Sat Nav CD ROM opposed to the 89 one I would get TMC - my SatNav unit has a TMC button so I guess so ?

Thansk

Martin

[/ QUOTE ]

Be aware that the TMC will only work in the older CD-Rom based systems IF the TMC tunerbox was fitted at production. If it was then buying the UK TMC equipped CD will work.

Also on the older systems the TMC coverage only extends to the Motorway network, and a couple of Major A roads. This cannot be changed as it is a inherent problem in the way the mapping levels were designed/ incorporated on the map.

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