GARMIN & Mapsource

Submitted: Tuesday, Oct 29, 2002 at 01:00
ThreadID: 2242 Views:3788 Replies:5 FollowUps:4
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Hi all,

Well it has been busy in the forum today. Anyway I have a special note from personal experience related to all Garmin mapping GPS units. If you have an Australian Garmin GPS then you will find that the unit is loaded with what appears to be Mapsource World maps specific to the Australian region. This is not the case! All Australian purchased GARMIN mapping GPS units have a specific Australian Map Data file loaded. If you like me try to test some other maps in your Garmin unit and blow away the Specific Australian Maps then the memory card of GPS unit will need to be shipped back the GME in North Ryde. Even if you have a copy of the WorldMap Mapsource CD with the mapping transfer software there is NO WAY to get the unit back into the factory supplied condition without sending it away.

Having spoken to GME and GARMIN I was a little upset by this however the only answer seems to be to purchase an additional memory card to be used for other maps or testing that you may wish to do. As there is no consumer way to download or upload the standard base maps into the units.

If I find out any more on this I will let you know but be very careful if you intend to purchase some Internet available GARMIN compatible maps and try to load them into your unit.

David

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Reply By: ExplorOz Team - David - Tuesday, Oct 29, 2002 at 01:00

Tuesday, Oct 29, 2002 at 01:00
Doh,

Where is that spelling checker and grammer checker when you need it, or that way to re-edit your posts. I will think about it guys and girls.

David
AnswerID: 7975

Reply By: PETER - Tuesday, Oct 29, 2002 at 01:00

Tuesday, Oct 29, 2002 at 01:00
have a garmin gps 11 + and cannot up load or down load waypoints to oz programm . if you can tell me simply i would be obliged regards peter
AnswerID: 7978

Reply By: truckster - Tuesday, Oct 29, 2002 at 01:00

Tuesday, Oct 29, 2002 at 01:00
Are you refering to the Base maps?

Magellans you can change the base maps at home with the PC cable and the base map you want from the magellan yahoogroup.
Thats why you buy it overseas and then change the maps to Aussie.
AnswerID: 7980

Follow Up By: Exploroz Team - David - Tuesday, Oct 29, 2002 at 01:00

Tuesday, Oct 29, 2002 at 01:00
Truckster,

Yes it is the base map that is loaded onto the GPS unit. You can upload and download maps into the units but you cannot restore the original Aust Base Map without shipping the unit back. This appears to be a bit of a flaw in the GARMIN units so my email was to alert those who use the affected units - being all GARMIN mapping GPS systems.

It would be nice to be able to download maps for the units alas Garmin do not allow you to do this and the mapping file format is not available for others to use. As stated earlier I think is poor and will limit the potential for the Garmin maps. This also means that the new Australian City Road MapSource system release from Garmin (in conjunction with WhereIs, UDB and Garmin) will cost many hundreds of dollars and does not cover the outback areas. When I asked the question of Garmin about the production of outback maps I was told that it was not on the production schedule as they have been working strongly on city maps (Great for the user of this site). I then asked if we could work out a relationship between outback mapping companies and ourselves to produce a series of maps and was basically told that Garmin would not be releasing the software or file formats to any other group in Australia. Maybe the Magellan units are worth a look at. I actually really love my Garmin but this limitation seems silly and non productive for the outback travellers.

David
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FollowupID: 3735

Reply By: Burnie M - Wednesday, Nov 13, 2002 at 01:00

Wednesday, Nov 13, 2002 at 01:00
This is NOT true - Garmin basemaps cannot be overwritten (except by Garmin)

If you have a Garmin GPSR with memory then you can load maps to memory (ie Mapsource WorldMap or City Navigator Australia or Metroguide Australia) and each time you download maps it will delete the previous user memory maps but not the basemap.

With early Emaps GME put additional Australian City information on the memory card and this could be overwritten but it has never been possible for a user to delete the basemap.

Burnie M
Garmin GPS V with Mapsource Metroguide Australia
AnswerID: 8479

Follow Up By: Exploroz Team - David - Thursday, Nov 14, 2002 at 01:00

Thursday, Nov 14, 2002 at 01:00
Burnie,Please confer with Ian Lyndquest from GME GARMIN Support, as I had to send back my equipment to him for reprogramming. This is the basis of my post it actually overwrite the basemap. Upon booting the unit after this overwrite all Aust data information was gone and there was no way I could put it back without shipping to GME. David
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FollowupID: 4129

Follow Up By: Burnie M - Thursday, Nov 14, 2002 at 01:00

Thursday, Nov 14, 2002 at 01:00
Which unit do you have and how old is it ?

Again, the Garmin basemap is not user overwriteable (source GME and Garmin).

Perhaps you had some GME written data in the user memory.
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FollowupID: 4130

Reply By: Member - Rod - Monday, Dec 02, 2002 at 01:00

Monday, Dec 02, 2002 at 01:00
I understand Garmin have recently released the Australian MetroGuide for a RRP of $299.

Has anyone used it? Is it up-to-date and accurate? How good is it outside the city (especially with outback roads or national park roads)?

I have a Garmin eMap and use it with OziExplorer on a Laptop. What size data card would be recommended for an eMap so that you can load a useful amount of data?

Thanks!
AnswerID: 9220

Follow Up By: Exploroz Team - David - Monday, Dec 02, 2002 at 01:00

Monday, Dec 02, 2002 at 01:00
Rod,

I have also got your question sent to me however I have been so snowed under, coupled with interstate trips. I have not yet had a good look at the new MetroGuide however I am aware that it is built on the same database as the whereis information (www.whereis.com.au). I will be checking it out soon but as to when I am unsure. It appears to be very very lacking in the outback areas and I am not so sure as to how good the maps will be outside of the cities. For in the city use I think it appears to be excellent.

In terms of memory cards I always work on the principle of more is better in terms of memory. I think it comes down to the cost. I have a 16MB card in my system at the moment however I would like to have a 64MB card.

Will provide more details when I have them to hand.

Regards
David ;-)
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FollowupID: 4628

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