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Hmmmm, some people say it works and some say it doesn't. There must be a way to exactly duplicate a memory card in the same way clonecd exactly duplicates a cd.
What are Garmin trying to do anyway? You can't pirate a memory card, you need to have bought the i3 unit to use it!
But you could certainly pirate maps of other regions.
Don't you just love the way antipiracy tactics hurt only the legitimate users? Pirates will always find a way round things - in fact it's probably a challenge. If I'd have known Garmin were going to mess me around like this, I would have chosen another make. I have a good mind to sell the bloody thing and get something else.
Joined: Oct 07, 2004 Posts: 175 Location: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2005 10:25 pm Post subject:
I think you're probably being a bit hard on Garmin. As far as I'm aware other Sat Nav manufacturers charge for different regions as well.
I imagine that it is a fairly costly exercise to get the map detail in the first place and then keep it up to date and I don't see anything wrong in charging for it, after all, if the price is too high you could always buy a map
Sadly, there will always be people who try take or sell (aka the PGPSW database being sold on ebay) something that is not theirs and it does make life more difficult for us honest folk.
With regard to what would happen if a fault developed in the transflash card, I assume that if it is within the warrenty period Garmin would replace it.
I think you're probably being a bit hard on Garmin. As far as I'm aware other Sat Nav manufacturers charge for different regions as well.
I imagine that it is a fairly costly exercise to get the map detail in the first place and then keep it up to date and I don't see anything wrong in charging for it, after all, if the price is too high you could always buy a map
You haven't seen me trying to read a map.
And up to date??? This thing is terribly out of date. I've found about 6 roads which are completely wrong, and that's only in a 30 mile radius of here.
dougconran wrote:
Sadly, there will always be people who try take or sell (aka the PGPSW database being sold on ebay) something that is not theirs and it does make life more difficult for us honest folk.
I paid £190 for this i3. I have been told the parts cost Garmin £30. That's plenty enough money from my wallet thankyou very much.
dougconran wrote:
With regard to what would happen if a fault developed in the transflash card, I assume that if it is within the warrenty period Garmin would replace it.
The average lifespan of electronic devices is between zero and infinity, or 2 days after the warranty runs out, whichever comes first.
But you could certainly pirate maps of other regions
I would be very surprised if you could.
There should be a key on the sd card which identifies the software as liscensed for only one particular I3. I havent checked but I would believe this to be the case.
If you have a friend with an I3 you could try using thier SDCard, Pretty sure it will not work.
No-one is talking about doing anything illegal here. THey just want to back up thier data.
I just tried this again, You need to press and hold the back button for I3 to work with a coppied card.
After the copy there is some loss of detail as described.
This time I was careful to preserve the dates and pick up the hiden files
Dont know.
I noticed that the shipped card is not infact 256Mb.
It is only 252 Mb, 965 sectors not 976 so is diferent from my blank SDcard/Transflash.
Suggest if you want to try this make sure you buy a genuine SanDisk TransFlash. Mine says KingMax.[/b]
There should be a key on the sd card which identifies the software as liscensed for only one particular I3. I havent checked but I would believe this to be the case.
I just tried this again, You need to press and hold the back button for I3 to work with a coppied card.
After the copy there is some loss of detail as described.
I noticed that the shipped card is not infact 256Mb.
It is only 252 Mb, 965 sectors not 976 so is diferent from my blank SDcard/Transflash.
Suggest if you want to try this make sure you buy a genuine SanDisk TransFlash. Mine says KingMax.[/b]
I presume the "key" is either the file with no date or the peculiar formatting. I don't think the card itself is physically unusual, they've probably used a standard transflash card but formatted it oddly. Hidden partition with an identification linking it to one i3 only?
I'm considering using something like Norton Ghost to copy it identically - it might just work. I'm not sure if Ghost will handle flash cards, but it will certainly duplicate any hard disk with anything on it - mac/linux/windows/partitions etc. It's £20 odd quid wasted if it doesn't work, but £200 saved if it does and it corrupts later on. I suppose the card and adapter will come in useful for something else if it fails, or I could sell them. Or send them back to Dabs as unwanted within 7 days!
Anyway I'm curious if it'll work, so I'll give it a go!
i took my first i3 back had some problems and when i got my new one i found that i had forgot to but the old transflash card back in to the i3 b4 i took it back
so i have 2 v7 maps they both work in the one i3 so the locked to 1 i3 is out the window :D 8O
I see. That explains Garmin's response. I just emailed them back saying it was ludicrous and asking what would they charge if I ever corrupted my card.
Joined: Oct 07, 2004 Posts: 175 Location: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 9:29 pm Post subject:
Aren't we getting a bit off topic here. This thread was started originally because Hucker wanted to back up his transflash so that if it went belly up on him he had a backup.
Garmin's answer to his query was ' we've blocked that option, sonny, to stop would-be pirates'
Given the world as it is today that does not seem unreasonable to me provided Garmin provide replacement maps if the transflash does fail.
Looking at Garmin's website it seems to me that they will always provide the same version of Mapsource (ok, not the same as the maps, I accept) as you had an original unlock code for.
So, the question is, given that we don't have unlock codes because the maps are already installed on the Transflash, will Garmin provide replacement maps (I guess you'd have to purchase a new transflash card if it was out of warrenty)
Well I've sent off for a transflash card (Sandisk one) and SD adapter, and will try duplicating it with Norton Ghost or otherwise, and let you know in here.
I've also asked Garmin what they will charge should I need it "uncorrupted" or replaced.
The reason I'm concerned is my Magellan Map330 lost the basemap in it's internal memory, and they wanted a large fee to "repair" it. Looking on the internet, I find people with a variety of Magellans which do the same thing. The cause of mine I beleive was a power surge - the battery terminals came loose on my car while it was powered up through the cigarette lighter, and presumably it got unsmoothed power from the alternator. But others have had the same thing if they knock or drop it and the AA cells come loose.
Joined: Oct 07, 2004 Posts: 175 Location: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 10:02 pm Post subject:
I don't think they should charge anything if it is still within warrenty. If it is outside warrenty they should charge no more than the cost of a new transflash
It's still a pain though, if the card gets corrupted on my i3 i have got to wait for whatever solution Garmin might provide for me to get it back up and running again, which if it's sending me a new transflash card could take days (possibly weeks with the post in this country), or even worse i have got to send my transflash card for them to sort out, how long will that take to get to them and get it sent back again?, not much use if you need to use and rely the i3 every day is it?
I really do want to sell my PDA and just use my Garmin, but to be honest with this not able to back things up problem and the confusion regarding anyone who brought the unit with version 7 maps on getting a free upgrade to version 8 maps, i am having serious doubts about selling the PDA, at least if that plays up or the map data e.c.t gets corrupted i can get it back up and running the same day!! _________________ Garmin Streetpilot i3,
Tomtom One
_________________
Paul
Joined: Oct 07, 2004 Posts: 175 Location: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2005 12:27 am Post subject:
I seem to remember reading in one of these threads that if you get either mapsource or City Select Europe (can't remember which) Garmin will give you an unlock code that will work for 2 devices.
For the i3 all they have done is to pre-install the firmware and maps so I would have thought that you would be entitled to the unlock code (plus mapsource/City Select) for that, which should then mean that you could install it onto a second device.
I don't mind waiting a week for a warranty "repair" - this would happen with any consumer item. But chances are it breaks after the warranty. Magellan charge 100 quid, if Garmin do the same it's a ripoff (seen as a card is worth £20, and it's Garmin that caused the problem by stopping me backing it up).
Piracy prevention only annoys legitimate users. Pirates will get round protection. Same thing happens with those stupid flimsy USB dongles on Cubase (a music program).
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