Discovery replied:

Chris

I have Magellan Meridian Platinum running a 256mb SD card, DiscoverAus and Great Desert Tracks software. I purchased from the US direct (saving many $, even after customs duty) and have updated to the latest operating firmware (V.512) available from the web. I find the Magellan excellent, and once you know a few tips re drawing map regions within certain size dimensions, you should have few problems.

The Yahoo Magellan user's site is outstanding for information and tips as to how to get the best from the Meridians.

I have used it in different parts of Australia, including night navigation whilst visiting metropolitan Brisbane to find unknown street addresses (I don't live in QLD) and it performed great. In fact my 13 year old daughter was using the GPS and just giving me directions from the back seat. It's not a cheap unit to set up in terms of mapping software and should of course always be used in conjunction with a hard copy map.

My reason for going with the Meridian was specifically for 4WD use: I wanted a handheld GPS (have previously owned a Garmin 38 and 12), I wanted moving map capability,the SD card memory expansion is great, and I didn't want to have to muck around with a laptop/cables/angry wife etc in front of my 4WD.

Re map accuracy, the original basemap for Australia, and its subsequent update do contain some errors (reasons unknown), but nothing that you can't live with. I have also heard that the lower level, detailed map info of the DiscoverAus software also has a few innacuracies, however, I have not encountered this (obviously I haven't been in the area with the errors!). In the vast majority of instances (95%+), I have been amazed at the overall accuracy of DiscoverAus, including its off road detail. I also understand that the source info for DiscoverAus comes from Government, as would I suspect that for Garmin, so any accuracy problems with base data are probably common to both.

I'd also be interested to hear comments from anyone else on this issue. I hope this helps.

Steve

Discovery replied:

Bob

Mine naturally came with a US basemap, being a US purchase. As I undestand it, there is an Australian Land basemap Version 1.01 and Version 1.02. The second version corrects a few major errors in the first version like having Adelaide around 40km out, and Cairns somewhere inland in QLD. However, the basemap is really only a 'big hands/big picture' map (although saying that, it in itself drills down to some minor road level details and you could certainly navigate by it). Magellan Australia can provide a swap over of basemaps for around $299 as the Meridian basemaps and detailed (SD card loaded) maps are changeable. Alternaively, I believe you can still use DiscoverAus with a US basemap, but you have no Australian basemap data at the coarse scale. I think you have to drill down to around the 700m mark (which would still have the screen showing approximately 3-4 km worth of info at that scale) before the DiscoverAus details kick in. They may kick in at around a 1km scale (therefore around 5-6km of viewable map detail on the screen), but whatever the case, I'm sure you will get the general idea.

Cheers

Steve

Truckster (Vic) replied:

Benefon ESC is better than either! :-)~~

BurnieM replied:

It depends how you plan to use it and what your budget is.

The Magellan is more water resistant and robust.
Both have removeable data cards but the Garmin cards are more expensive.

Both Magellans DiscoverAus and Garmins Metroguide are excellent mapping products.
DiscoverAus requires a 256MB data card and Metroguide a 64MB data card for all of Australia, detail is similar.

awill4x4 replied:

I'm also using a Magellan Meridian Platinum bought in the USA. I have changed the basemap to the Australian version 1.01 and I am still using Mapsend until I eventually change over to DiscoverAus.
Map detail is excellent and covers most 4x4 tracks in my area, in fact it even shows some of the farm driveways as I drive past them on my way to work.
I am also using the new firmware update 5.12 and seeing as "autorouting" has just been released in the USA it is only a matter of time till we get it here in Aus.
Effectively, it is the only handheld with autorouting facilities priced so the average person can purchase it.
The constant downloads available from Magellan/Thales and the technical info available from the Yahoo Magellan site makes it number 1 in my book.
Regards Andrew.
ps: If I was going to buy another GPS tomorrow, I'd buy the colour version.