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the_chefer Occasional Visitor
Joined: Dec 08, 2005 Posts: 9
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Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2005 2:41 pm Post subject: New User! VistaC mapping queries |
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Hi :D
I'm a complete novice at GPS (at the moment!) I bought a Vista C basically to see what all the fuss was about. I bought it from an American Website so I assume I have an American Basemap (On the startup screen it mentions an American Basemap) Although I can see major routes in the UK??!!) I would like to use the Vista C whilst on my bike and in my car so ideally need a detailed road map (Street level detail I think is the terminolgy). I've looked on the Garmin website - and maps aren't cheap so I thought id ask so Im confident in what Im getting. A couple of questions are:
1. Is it the European City Select I require enable me to see local streets whilst in the car or on my bike?
2. I presume becasue of the memory in a Vista C (24mb I think) I couldn't have the whole of the UK on the Vista at one time - just regions. Is this correct? It is fine as I can just upload the regions im going to be in, in advance.
3. Do I have to use Garmin maps on the device or are there any cheaper alternatives I can use?
I suppose the main question is No. 1 as I dont really want to spend nearly 200 pounds on something I dont want!
Thanks very much for your help and sorry for the basic question |
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Skippy Pocket GPS Verifier
Joined: 24/06/2003 00:22:12 Posts: 2946 Location: Escaped to the Antipodies! 36.83°S 174.75°E
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Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2005 4:24 pm Post subject: Re: New User! VistaC mapping queries |
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Answers:
1. Yes, this gives detailed street level maps and Sat Nav style turn by turn directions for most of most of Western Europe. Most countries are 100% covered, including the UK where I presume you are! Some countries don't have 100% street level coverage (ie Ireland), check Garmin's website for details if this is vital to you.
2. Exactly right. You can get pretty much all of London within the M25 into 16 Meg. If you tell us where you are then I can give you an idea of how big the maps are. The maps don't have to be joined up, you can load Manchester and Munich if you want. How much of a problem you see this as depends on how many miles you are covering.
3. Yes, you pretty much have to use Garmin maps.
The maps ARE expensive. There are a couple of other fairly radical options you could consider:
Flog your VistaC on eBay and buy:
A StreetPilot i3 for about £180 (UK maps only, Voice prompts when routing, Speed Camera Alerts, not waterproof for outdoors use and lacks many functions of the VistaC)
A Quest for about £300 (Full EU maps, waterproof, full outdoors functionality, 18 hour battery life, 243 Meg memory, Voice prompts - no speed camera alerts)
Neither of these have a barometric altimeter and electronic compass like the VistaC though.
If you don't mind having two GPS units then you can buy a Quest which comes with City Select and get the maps unlocked for use on the VistaC too.
Hope that helps! _________________ Gone fishing! |
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the_chefer Occasional Visitor
Joined: Dec 08, 2005 Posts: 9
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Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2005 11:20 am Post subject: |
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Great, thanks for your reply! Thats cleared alot up. I did have a look at the Quest but I decided the Vista C was a more 'all-round' unit. I guess I'll have to buy the City Select of Garmin. This is turning into an expensive toy!
Thanks again |
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missing_user
Joined: Aug 30, 2008 Posts: -7
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Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2005 12:49 pm Post subject: |
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the_chefer wrote: | Great, thanks for your reply! Thats cleared alot up. I did have a look at the Quest but I decided the Vista C was a more 'all-round' unit. I guess I'll have to buy the City Select of Garmin. This is turning into an expensive toy!
Thanks again |
CitySelect Europe and CityNavigator Europe are about [next month] to be replaced by one unified CityNavigator Europe v8.
It would be a waste of money buying the 'old' versions!
It is not easy to buy these versions in Europe!
Garmin assumes that you buy them with your unit.
Do not confuse the readily available free 'update' CDs for Garmin Mapping!
You must have 'full' versions before you can 'update'.
The threads re Nuvi indicate that a few units are already available with the v8.
It may be just as finanially viable to buy a new 'European' unit with the supplied v8 CDs than purchase a complete CitySelect/Navigator.
With the supplied two unlock codes you could activate the software on the vista C.
I use my old Garmin eMap for walking/cycling and with my laptop but use the Garmin iQue 3600 for serious motoring navigation with the UK speed cameras.
Consider when buying a new unit:-
the ease of carrying the unit after arriving[you don't leave it in a car]
the number of waypoints that can be added[7000 speed cameras]
the ease of 'backup'
the method of fixing in a car
the availability of third party software that can treble the orinal basic uses!
the position within a car[windscreen mounts can be difficult to see in sunshine] |
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missing_user
Joined: Aug 30, 2008 Posts: -7
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Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2005 6:58 pm Post subject: |
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strumble wrote: |
the availability of third party software that can treble the orinal basic uses!
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'orinal' was meant to be original!
In case you thought I mis-spelt something found in the 'men's room'!
:D |
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BernieK Occasional Visitor
Joined: May 16, 2005 Posts: 47 Location: Norfolk, England
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Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2005 8:59 pm Post subject: |
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the_chefer wrote: | I did have a look at the Quest but I decided the Vista C was a more 'all-round' unit. I guess I'll have to buy the City Select of Garmin. This is turning into an expensive toy!
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You bought a great unit! ...but you've just found out about Garmin's bizzare software policies the hard way.
The Vista C will provide you with full auto-routing with sound prompts - but only if you feed it with data from Garmin's City Select or City Navigator software, both impossible to buy as standalone products in Europe... and they're hellish expensive to boot.
As some-one has alluded to, if you already have the software (because you own a Garmin unit that came with it) you're laughing, you use the second unlock with the Vista and away you go!
Since you've already bought the Vista C, you are between a rock and a hard place! You can settle for using plain map data from the cheaper Garmin Mapsource programme or fork out for a more expensive unit to get your hands on the software. With Mapsource, you get the same level of detail in the maps and on the Vista but no autorouting. You have to plan your routes in the software and download them to the Vista. You can do it on the Vista - if you're a masochist!
You could always flog off the new unit with the original software and keep a copy of the discs and registration keys providing you make it clear to the new owner that you have used the spare (second) unlock facility.
I have done this myself with Garmin's blessing. I sold off my old StreetPilot 3 with CN6 Europe which I which I still use a Vista C that I own. Garmin know that since the software unlocks are irrevocably keyed to the serial numbers of the two specific GPS units, it cannot be used anywhere else.
...bet you wish you'd come to the forums first! |
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the_chefer Occasional Visitor
Joined: Dec 08, 2005 Posts: 9
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Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2005 4:08 pm Post subject: |
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I'm back...
Bought myself a Garmin Quest (Its christmas isn't it??! :D ). I still much prefer the Etrex - its much more rugged so it'll do for the all round unit I want to use it for! I've now got City Select (which ive been playing with a bit on the PC before attempting to copy maps to the Etrex). I only really want to use local maps (mainly on my bike but occasionaly in the car) so the limted memory is fine. I'm manageing to bundle my way through so far but im sure i'll be back once i've got maps on the device!!...
Thanks for your help! |
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the_chefer Occasional Visitor
Joined: Dec 08, 2005 Posts: 9
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Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2005 6:07 pm Post subject: |
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Oh deah what have I done. I've finished playing with CIty Select and thought id have a go with some data on my Etrex. I created 3 waypoints one route (between 2 of the waypoints) and selected one mapping section (1.54Mb) I sent all this to the Etrex and I now get a message saying "Can't unlock Maps"?? Any idea what could cause this? My maps are unlocked on the PC at least? |
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Tim Buxton Pocket GPS Moderator
Joined: 14/09/2002 20:56:18 Posts: 5231 Location: Surrey, United Kingdom
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Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2005 6:14 pm Post subject: |
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You will need to go online to get your second unlock code from Garmin. Have a look here. _________________ Tim |
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the_chefer Occasional Visitor
Joined: Dec 08, 2005 Posts: 9
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Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2005 6:20 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the quick reply - I dont have a customer number for my Etrex since I bought it from America on Ebay?? |
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Tim Buxton Pocket GPS Moderator
Joined: 14/09/2002 20:56:18 Posts: 5231 Location: Surrey, United Kingdom
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Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2005 6:22 pm Post subject: |
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Did you get one with the Quest? I think that's the one you need. _________________ Tim |
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the_chefer Occasional Visitor
Joined: Dec 08, 2005 Posts: 9
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Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2005 6:26 pm Post subject: |
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Not that I can see - just the 25 digit code - Im re-checking all the documentation now |
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Tim Buxton Pocket GPS Moderator
Joined: 14/09/2002 20:56:18 Posts: 5231 Location: Surrey, United Kingdom
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Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2005 6:36 pm Post subject: |
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According to the site it's on the same piece of yellow paper which holds the 25 digit unlock code for the Quest. _________________ Tim |
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the_chefer Occasional Visitor
Joined: Dec 08, 2005 Posts: 9
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Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2005 6:50 pm Post subject: |
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My Code is on a sticker on the back of the owners manual ( i bought this off ebay too!). I really dont understand how this licensing works!! I need an Unlocking code for not only the PC but for the device too?? Or is my PC just not unlocked correctly?? |
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Tim Buxton Pocket GPS Moderator
Joined: 14/09/2002 20:56:18 Posts: 5231 Location: Surrey, United Kingdom
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Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2005 7:12 pm Post subject: |
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Can you transfer maps to the Quest? Any old valid unlock code will allow you to view the extra map detail on a PC; only the correct unlock code will allow you to transfer maps to a valid device. _________________ Tim |
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