OH NO not GPS again: Garmin Nuvi 760 GPS
Submitted: Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 20:16
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Motherhen
I've read all the GPS threads, and overall this seems to get the 'votes'. Available from DSE $388. It seems to do what we need. It also does things we don't need, like:
Integrated FM wireless transmitter sends audio through your vehicle stereo
Bluetooth wireless technology: enabling hands-free connectivity to more than 400 mobile phones
Includes travel features like Language Guide, MP3 player with playlist support, audio book player, picture viewer, currency and unit converters, world clock and calculator
What is the best mapping software to use to include all the outback tracks?
Would a lesser Garmin eg S45 do all i want? We want an easy to use and see roads and tracks mapping and breadcrumb trail. We don't want a city navigiator nor a unit that 'tells us where to go'.
Do these Garmins run and re-charge from cig lighter when used in car?
Motherhen
Trying to get out into
the desert
Reply By: Gone Bush (WA) - Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 21:02
Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 21:02
MH,
the Garmin will only "tell you where to go" if you program it to take you to a particular location. Otherwise she zips her lip (what a desirable attribute !!).
You can turn the FM transmitter on or off. It's only there if you want to use it.
At the moment, the only other viable maps for that unit are Shonky Maps. The name sounds like they should be fairly mediocre, but that's not the case. They are pretty good but not anything like Oziexplorer, but, at this stage, Oziexplorer cannot go on the Garmin.
For what it's worth, I used to use Oziexplorer in a laptop in my Cruiser. I've gone back to paper maps and use my Garmin when we are going through unfamiliar cities, that's when it really shines. Also, you'll be surprised as to how much outback detail is on it, still not as comprehensive as Oziexplorer but not too bad.
You certainly will not be unhappy with the Garmin, but it's not the full package as far as outback travle is concerned.
And, yes, they run from the cig lighter socket.
If outback travel is the over-ruling factor then consider spending a few more dollars and
check out the Hema Navigator and the VMS Portable units as seen in EO advertisers website VMS.
Check here; GPS.
cheers
AnswerID:
369580
Follow Up By: S&N - Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 22:05
Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 22:05
"At the moment, the only other viable maps for that unit are Shonky Maps" not quite, try this;
http://www.gpsoz.com.au/oztopo/
We have the shonky maps, they are ok, would like to see the oztoppo maps. if i have installed them correctly the shonky just look like the standard garmin maps with gradient lines and more tracks. I much prefer the oziexplorer stuff.
FollowupID:
636986
Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 08:46
Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 08:46
Ho Gone Bush,
I have downloaded Shonky for free from the internet and I thought it was great. It had a lot more detail than the standard mapping on the Garmin Units. I recently purchased the Garmin Topo Australia and is very different and far superior to Shonky. Fair enough there is a price to pay, but detail make up for that. From memory, the shonky data is about 200kb in size, where as the Topo Australia is 1.9gb in size, say no more. It was great up on
Lindsay Island, had tracks marked and named that we were travelling on, while OziExplorer with Natmap 2008 said we were travelling in no man's land, with no marked tracks at all.
Our rear
test for it will be very shortly, when we head for some very remote locations in the
Great Victoria Desert in WA. It will be very interesting to see how it goes then, which will be used in my new Nuvi 5000 alongside OziExplorer which we never leave
home without.
Cheers
Stephen
FollowupID:
637022
Follow Up By: Gone Bush (WA) - Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 10:36
Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 10:36
Thanks for that info Stephen. I'm learning all the time.
I just installed a Kenwood 7" screen unit in my Cruiser.
DNX7034BTNAV
It's great because it uses the Garmin navigation system. One drawback is that, unlike the original Garmins, if I want to have an alternative map, like Shonky or OzTopo, I have to put it on a separate SD card and swap cards over.
Maybe the Nuvi 500 would have been a better choice.
cheers
FollowupID:
637042
Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 13:27
Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 13:27
Hi Gone Bush,
The only reason I went for the Nuvi 5000, was the large 5.2" screen. The Topo Australia come on a micro SD with card adaptor or DVD. With the DVD, you are able to load it to your usual desktop/laptop computer and are able to make 1 copy to add to you Garmin GPS system. I was told the only problem in this way, is that when you make the extra copy, it is only registered to the first unit that it goes in and if you have other Garmin units that the card will work in, you are out of luck as it was not the first unit that it was installed. As I have 2 other hand help GPS Garmin units that will take the card, I went down the Micro SD so I can swap between other units.
The real
test will be very soon and it is going to be very interesting to compare it along side Ozi.
Cheers
Stephen
FollowupID:
637066
Reply By: Member - Sigmund (VIC) - Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 21:57
Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 21:57
Dunno if you have a JB Hi FI where you live but it appears that they have limited stock at $288 -
check cos the model no wasn't quoted in the flyer.
They come with CN installed btw and in the country for made roads it's not bad at all.
You can also get TracksforAustralia free for it, or T4A Pro for $40, or Garmin Topo Aus for c. $200. Search for other posts on the merits of these.
You need to be doing route planning mostly on a 'puter and can download Mapsource free from the Garmin website for this.
They have a battery which in my case is only good for 2-3 hours so it's basically a car unit running off the cig lighter socket.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 22:22
Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 22:22
Hi Sigmund
JB have a range from the Nuvi 260 3.5" for $222 to the 760 at $444 - on line plus freight.
We have no electronics shops where we live - so i am relying on purchasing on line, hence need to know exactly what they are like before i order. It is hard to compare the benefits of the dearer models and the drawbacks of the cheaper models from short descriptions on line.
Mh
FollowupID:
636990
Follow Up By: Gone Bush (WA) - Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 22:32
Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 22:32
MH,
while I'm a big fan of the Garmin, I feel that YOUR primary requirement is off road mapping like Hema maps provide. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
To make the Garmin remotely like any of the others mentioned in this thread requires a reasonable level of PC skills to load alternative maps onto it. And none of these is as good as Oziexplorer.
Another alternative, but again a few more dollars, is this one:
http://mapshop.net.au/msnindex.html
It has a bigger screen and has Oziexplorer.
I feel that your requirements in your original post will not be met by the Garmin.
If you're over my way before you leave on your trip you're welcome to have a play with my Garmin. It's the Nuvi 660 (the 760's predecessor) so you can see what it can and cannot do.
Hope this helps.
FollowupID:
636991
Follow Up By: Gone Bush (WA) - Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 22:34
Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 22:34
On that website, select the link to the SEEKA Navigator.
FollowupID:
636992
Follow Up By: Motherhen - Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 22:58
Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 22:58
Thanks Stephen - I'm looking at the Seeka on the link, although to outlay that much money, i would really like to see it at work first. Movies and music are overkill for a GPS.
We won't be doing a true off-road stuff, as we prefer the comforts of the caravan, but do want something that has the inland roads and tracks. My 2003 Streets and Tracks for the Magellan has the amount of tracks we want (although out of date); it even has our internal
farm track.
Cheaper alternatives to the Hema from Hong Kong have been discussed on previous threads, so these have also been considered.
Mh
FollowupID:
636994
Reply By: Member - Doug T (NT) - Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 02:16
Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 02:16
Motherhen
Here I AM....
Nuvi 760 is now discontinued , although some stores will still have some to off-load, the new kid on
the block is the Garmin Nuvi 765, My suggestion is stay clear of shops like DSE, Harvy/N , etc, deal with reputable GPS stores such as Johnny Appleseed or GPS-Oz for aftersales service and the unit will be pre installed with all the latest safety POI's,
Stick with Garmin and your dollars will be
well spent , for extra mapping software i would recomend the new Garmin Topo map , CD because it can then be installed to your laptop as
well, Garmin Topo in my opinion is better than City Navigator 2009 thus showing more streets in smaller towns ,
Find more details
HERE
Image Could Not Be Found
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AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 11:44
Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 11:44
Thanks Doug
I had noticed that the 760 has been discontinued. It appears DSE have plenty of stock to quit. I would hope after sales service would not be needed.
I considered anything would be more up to date than my old Magellan with 2003 mapping. The biggest drawback with my Magellan is that it only takes a tiny memory card, so i can only load a small section of Australia at a time. It does have the 'highways' on it all the time.
The sample Docker River map on your website looks good and the type of mapping which would be useful (tracks and topography). I had checked your site again last night.
With all the different models, i have been unable to ascertain if any of them would do what i want; that is - run suitable maps, tell me where i am, direction of travel and have the breadcrumb trail to get back if lost. We are not interested in streets in cities and towns (there are usually street signs). I want something simple to use for my non-tech brain, so i can spend my time watching the scenery not the screen. Would any of the 'lesser' models have this capacity?
Motherhen
FollowupID:
637056
Follow Up By: Michael ( Moss Vale NSW) - Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 15:02
Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 15:02
Gday Doug!!
MY 760 locks up when on Bluetooth but only when someone send me an SMS, Have you heard of this happening!! It opens a window saying text message and gives the options to hear, look or ignore the message.. If you touch any of the prompt buttons the hourglass just revolves forever!!!
regards Michael
| Patrol 4.2TDi 2003
Retired 2016 and now Out and About!
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Follow Up By: Member - Doug T (NT) - Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 17:13
Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 17:13
Motherhen
With the Nuvi 760 you will be able to upload the whole of Australia Garmin Topo , you will need a 4gb SD Card because it ruses up 1833.8 MB , I say 4GB because as sure as eggs you'll want to add some favorite MP3s, while City Navigator and Topo do City street navigation you don't have to use it but it's there if you need it along with millions of POI's Australia wide, you also have hands free bluetooth for the phone, and many other features , all very handy,
Some of the cheaper priced Nuvi's will suit your needs but it must have an SD slot, with the 760 you will have the track record , those can be saved to the pc , I can tell you the date,time speed , etc for a
bridge I crossed or and
intersection in WA 3 years ago .
For the safety POI's you can get them from my webpage , download the POI uploaded , and anytime you need help email me direct.
Below is the section of track saved showing detail at the left turn at the shell in
Carnarvon 28th July 2006.
Image Could Not Be Found
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Follow Up By: Member - Doug T (NT) - Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 17:18
Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 17:18
Michael
Well it is an hour glass.............did you wait an hour...lol
Mate thats a new one on me, I don't get messages on my phone , had that feature closed, but was wondering if it's a setting in your phone to send messages ,
.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 19:36
Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 19:36
Hi Doug
I have made enquiries direct with Garmin in
Sydney, then put through to their technicians. I wanted to get Topo Australia on a 4gb card, and was told that it has been tried by Garmin, but will not work in their GPS units. Like you know, it takes up nearly 2gb of data size and I also like to logs track data from my hand held Garmin units to the Micro Card. Have you tried it on the Nuvi units, or does it seem to be an issue with only hand held units.
Cheers
Stephen
FollowupID:
637123
Follow Up By: Member - Doug T (NT) - Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 20:57
Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 20:57
Stephen
No I have not tried it in my Nuvi yet but intend to, the way is get the CD , install it to the PC then upload it to the SD Card .
This software may be unlocked to ONE GPS only. You will also need a blank memory micro-SD or SD card depending on the model (suggest 2GB).
Compatible with: Garmin Colorado or Oregon series navigators to unleash the full feature set of TOPO Australia, including full 3-D view and terrain shading. Also compatible with : Edge 705, eTrex Legend Cx and HCx series, eTrex Vista Cx and HCx series, GPSMAP 60CX and CSX, GPSMAP 76CX and CSX, Zumo and all nuvi PND products (including nüvi 500 series, nuvi 5000, nuvi 265 series, nuvi 255 series, and nuvi 760 or 765). The DVD also suits any superceded Nuvi product.
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