Plug for Garmin

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andrew_s

Legendary Member
Location
Gloucester
The 205 and 305 can't display or use maps. To navigate with them you have to create a route on a PC and transfer it to the 2/305. It will then take you along the route using an arrow pointer. You are stuck if you go off the route.
There are similar 605 & 705 models just (about to be) released which do have map compatibility, but they still run on built-in rechargeable batteries, so you'd need mains electricity every night on a tour.

The mapping data required for satnav use or going to an address (City Navigator or whatever) is extra cost on top. The built-in base maps are one step above useless. You are looking at something in the region of £120.

Software for creating routes and uploading them comes with the mapping data (looks somewhat like MS Autoroute). You can also create and upload routes using packages like MemoryMap or Tracklogs, but the mapping data these use isn't transferrable to the GPS. Routes can also be created using Google Maps or sites based on it, but you will then need a transfer package to upload it. Trip and Waypoint Manager comes with map-capable Garmins, but non-capable ones will require some other package. There are a number of freeware/shareware ones around.
 

bonj2

Guest
sorry for the confusion, but...
andrew_s said:
...You can also create and upload routes using packages like MemoryMap or Tracklogs, but the mapping data these use isn't transferrable to the GPS.
surely this is a contradiction in terms? if the mapping data they use isn't transferrable, how can you upload the route? (when you say 'upload' the route, i presume you mean from your home PC to the garmin?)

andrew_s said:
Trip and Waypoint Manager comes with map-capable Garmins, but non-capable ones will require some other package. There are a number of freeware/shareware ones around.

what does "Trip and Waypoint manager" enable you to do? Do you require this to be able to analyse where you've been?
 

Brock

Senior Member
Location
Kent
As I understand it bonj, a 'route' created with mapping software on the PC and then uploaded to a 'non mapping' gps unit would consist of a set of co-ordinates that the device can display as a line with you on it. There's no map under the line, all the device knows about is it's position in relation to satellites, and the list of co-ordinates generated by the route planning software on the pc.

Is that right? :ohmy:

Trip and waypoint manager presumably are the programs that create road routes between your chosen points on a map, and generate a route.

Is that right too? :ohmy:

I hope so, because I'm getting a very itchy credit card finger for one of these mapping units. I detest not knowing where I am on tour, and having to fight with stupid paper maps in the wind and rain, scrunched up in my silly plastic map holder which cleverly funnels rain water into itself. :thumbsup:
 

davidwalton

New Member
Garmin make 2 types of hand held devices:-

1. The basic GPS models that have no maps. They are generally intended for walkers and off-road cyclists that have preplanned a route at home by creating waypoints as markers along a route they wish to follow strictly. The unit will give you the direction from one marker to the next. How you follow it is then up to you. You can not use these units for Road navigation as the unit knows nothing about roads.

2. Hand helds with mapping. Covers everything the basic models can do, plus have the facility to load maps on to them. With maps loaded, true navigation becomes possible, but only as far as the maps go.

There are Topographical maps for those going off-road, City Navigator maps for turn by turn road navigation, and also BlueChart for sea maps.

The Vista unit accepts a 2gb card. On that I can load any number of maps from the 3 map types, staying within the 2gb limit. Loaded on mine is the whole of the UK City Navigator maps (19 map areas), with a little room to spare.

Without the City Navigator maps, you can not do turn by turn road navigation.
Without Topo maps, you can't do detailed off-road stuff.
Without the BlueChart maps, you can't do any sea navigation.

The units just provide the capability for these maps, but the maps are required for that capability to be realised.
 

Brock

Senior Member
Location
Kent
So a 2gig microSD card isn't anywhere near large enough to hold all of the map data on the City Navigator Europe NT DVD?
 
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redfox

redfox

New Member
Location
Bourne End, UK
Brock said:
As I understand it bonj, a 'route' created with mapping software on the PC and then uploaded to a 'non mapping' gps unit would consist of a set of co-ordinates that the device can display as a line with you on it. There's no map under the line, all the device knows about is it's position in relation to satellites, and the list of co-ordinates generated by the route planning software on the pc.

Is that right? :thumbsup:

Yes, a route or track is basically a collection of latitude/longitude coordinates that can be uploaded to your GPS.

Brock said:
Trip and waypoint manager presumably are the programs that create road routes between your chosen points on a map, and generate a route.

Is that right too? :ohmy:

Sort of.

'Trip and Waypoint Manager' (more commonly known as 'MapSource') is the name of a program provided by Garmin with most of its GPS units that, as supplied, is pretty much only of use for transferring data from PC to GPS and visa versa.

If you want to improve the quality of the maps on your GPS you can buy more Garmin software that will add more capabilities to MapSource such as uploading detailed map tiles.

Once you have detailed maps, designing tracks or routes in MapSource becomes much easier, but it isn't essential. You could, for instance, design your route or track on Bikely (or a similar site) and use MapSource to upload it to a GPS with only basemap data.

However, basemaps are pants and trying to follow a route or track on a basemap is usually worse than having no map information at all! I would say the detailed map tiles are pretty much an essential add-on.
 

Brock

Senior Member
Location
Kent
Given that I'm intending to make myself homeless and bum around europe with a bike and a tent for maybe a year or so, I quite like the idea of a gps unit containing the city navigator europe maps.

What do you think of this basket?


*

o Garmin eTrex Handlebar Mount Bracket
o 8.04


*

o Garmin eTrex Vista HCx
o 174.43

*

o Garmin City Navigator NT microSD/SD Card (Full Europe)
o 68.04

* Postage & Packing6.45
* VAT 17.5%44.97
* £301.93
 

davidwalton

New Member
Brock said:
So a 2gig microSD card isn't anywhere near large enough to hold all of the map data on the City Navigator Europe NT DVD?

No, you just upload those maps you need when needed. You can selectively upload maps for the areas where you are traveling. Unless you pl;an to travel absolutely everywhere, not all maps are needed at once.

The UK is split in to 19 maps, so you can be selective down to region you intend to travel in.
 

Brock

Senior Member
Location
Kent
I'm confused how the Garmin microSD/SD data card, City Navigator NT, Europe differs from the DVD?
 

bonj2

Guest
redfox said:
Yes, a route or track is basically a collection of latitude/longitude coordinates that can be uploaded to your GPS.



Sort of.

'Trip and Waypoint Manager' (more commonly known as 'MapSource') is the name of a program provided by Garmin with most of its GPS units that, as supplied, is pretty much only of use for transferring data from PC to GPS and visa versa.

If you want to improve the quality of the maps on your GPS you can buy more Garmin software that will add more capabilities to MapSource such as uploading detailed map tiles.

Once you have detailed maps, designing tracks or routes in MapSource becomes much easier, but it isn't essential. You could, for instance, design your route or track on Bikely (or a similar site) and use MapSource to upload it to a GPS with only basemap data.

However, basemaps are pants and trying to follow a route or track on a basemap is usually worse than having no map information at all! I would say the detailed map tiles are pretty much an essential add-on.

ah right, ok - so the 'basemaps' that you get on the unit don't include the City Navigator maps then?
So presumably if I just got a map-capable garmin with the City Navigator add-on map then would I be able to:

* navigate to any address in the uk by road with satnav like a car's satnav can
* go on an off-road route, not by being navigated, but upload the details of where i've been to some good software on my home pc later on?

that's basically what i want to be able to do. And what program could i upload details of an off-road route i've done to - could i upload it to google earth/google maps? 'bikely' (whatever that is)? or just garmin's own software? if only the latter is it any good? or some other that's better than all those?
 

Bigtallfatbloke

New Member
What do you think of this basket?


*

o Garmin eTrex Handlebar Mount Bracket
o 8.04


*

o Garmin eTrex Vista HCx
o 174.43

*

o Garmin City Navigator NT microSD/SD Card (Full Europe)
o 68.04

* Postage & Packing6.45
* VAT 17.5%44.97
* £301.93
__________________

Looks good to me on paper...but...You know I may just sit here & wait for you to buy this and post up your thoughts on how it all works in europe ...before I go and copy exactly what you bought:biggrin::biggrin:
 
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OP
redfox

redfox

New Member
Location
Bourne End, UK
bonj said:
ah right, ok - so the 'basemaps' that you get on the unit don't include the City Navigator maps then?
So presumably if I just got a map-capable garmin with the City Navigator add-on map then would I be able to:

* navigate to any address in the uk by road with satnav like a car's satnav can

With the Garmin units discussed on this thread (60CSx and Vista HCx) yes.

bonj said:
* go on an off-road route, not by being navigated, but upload the details of where i've been to some good software on my home pc later on?

that's basically what i want to be able to do. And what program could i upload details of an off-road route i've done to - could i upload it to google earth/google maps? 'bikely' (whatever that is)? or just garmin's own software? if only the latter is it any good? or some other that's better than all those?

You don't need any additional software to do the uploading, the vanilla MapSource will import the activity log from your GPS.

The activity log wont look great in MapSource without additional maps, but you can save the data as a GPX file and view it in many other applications (such as Google Earth, Bikely and Tracklogs).

Bikely used to be the on-line route planner of choice (IMO), but it seems to have suffered from a lamentable lack of development since being aquired by Future to become the mapping part of BikeRadar. GPSies.com is fast becoming my on-line tool of choice.
 

davidwalton

New Member
Brock said:

Sorry, I should of checked first. I assumed the whole of Europe NT maps wouldn't fit on one card:blush:


You can load all 200 plus map areas of Europe on to a 2GB card. Just did it, although it took a while on my 1.1 USB port.

Therefore, the difference between whether you buy a DVD version or Card version seems to be that with the DVD version you can also run the maps on your PC.
 

Brock

Senior Member
Location
Kent
Found this info on the GPSPassion boards

SD Card
+ Can be moved from one GPS to anotherGPS
+ When you replace GPS, you do not to buy new maps
- Do only work with one GPS at the time
- If you delete or breake the SD Card, all is gone (you must buy a new card)
- No planing on PC
- Not possible to upgrade (you must buy a new card)

DVD
+ Can be installed to as many PC you like
+ Older version did come with two license (not v2008)
+ Easy to plan trips on PC
+ You can get DVD free from Garmin if you break it.
+ Can be upgraded for $75
+ Can be installed to an SD Card or internal memmory on GPS
+ You can install some part or all maps. (more fleksible)
- Is licensed to only one (or two wirh older maps) GPS. Can not be moved.


Thanks redfox and david, good advice from both and I've ordered the items I posted above. Certainly will let you know how I get on BTFB!
 
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