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glawster Occasional Visitor
Joined: Nov 09, 2003 Posts: 10
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Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2003 11:05 am Post subject: Garmin and Mapsource |
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Hi all,
I have been a GPS12 user for many years. Now I want to purchase a mobile GPS and am undecided mainly because of the prices involved.
I will be in the USA in January and am very tempted to purchase there. I live in Northern Ireland and as map coverage is very weak here do not feel I will miss out too badly bu having to purchase the US maps with the unit. When I do travel to mainland UK and Europe (France mainly) then I will have to purchase the European maps at that point.
Am I being sensible?
I am mainly interested in the SP 2610 or SP III or GPS V (in order of preference :-) )
Will the 2610 provide routing if the map data comes from the metroguide series or does it have to be the City Navigator? Was that a stupid question ...
Thanks for you attention,
Andy |
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Dave Frequent Visitor
Joined: Sep 10, 2003 Posts: 6460 Location: UK
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Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2003 9:07 pm Post subject: |
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You will save a lot by purchasing it state side, but you may need to do your sums to see if it will save you enough to purchase the European maps. I believe the only real difference will be the basemap.
I'd have to pass on the MetroGuide vs City Navigator, as we haven't tested a 2610 yet. |
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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: Mon Nov 10, 2003 9:28 pm Post subject: |
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If you buy stateside, I dare say that you'll do better than the $1100 odd RRP for the 2610, but when you add the $600 odd for European maps, I'm not so sure. Go to Garmin's website to see the coverage for NI (it's pretty scant) but bear in mind that the Americas basemap will be absolutely useless in Europe. I know, I have an Americas GPS V. _________________ Tim |
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glawster Occasional Visitor
Joined: Nov 09, 2003 Posts: 10
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Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2003 4:30 pm Post subject: |
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SO, if I were to go for a UK version of the GPS V, what maps would I need to get around the USA.
Navigation might not be necessary just as long as I cen see where I am on a moving map would do...
How much of a pain is only having the 19Mb of memory on the GPS V? |
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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: Fri Nov 14, 2003 6:58 pm Post subject: |
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glawster wrote: | SO, if I were to go for a UK version of the GPS V, what maps would I need to get around the USA.
Navigation might not be necessary just as long as I cen see where I am on a moving map would do...
How much of a pain is only having the 19Mb of memory on the GPS V? |
You'd need the North American version of CitySelect. Just as an example, GPS Warehouse will sell you a GPS V with full European unlock for about £360, and for around £120 on top, you'd get one region of City Select North America as well. The other six regions will add something like £240 more!!!! Having 19Mb isn't too much of a problem. I take my laptop with me when I know I'm travelling to lots of different places, so that I can load maps as and when... _________________ Tim |
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glawster Occasional Visitor
Joined: Nov 09, 2003 Posts: 10
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Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2003 7:39 pm Post subject: |
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I guess I'd really be paying the same as buying two GPS V's one UK one US, it seems to be heavily weighted in Garmin's proprietry way.
Anyone want to buy a US GPS V in January 2003 (without CD) :-) |
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glawster Occasional Visitor
Joined: Nov 09, 2003 Posts: 10
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Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2003 7:40 pm Post subject: |
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oops... I mean 2004... |
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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: Fri Nov 14, 2003 10:49 pm Post subject: |
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Tim Buxton wrote: | glawster wrote: | How much of a pain is only having the 19Mb of memory on the GPS V? |
Having 19Mb isn't too much of a problem. I take my laptop with me when I know I'm travelling to lots of different places, so that I can load maps as and when... |
The GPS-V is a great unit and I love it but it is really showing it's age now. It needs a removable flash card so you can program it on your PC and have more than the 19 Meg of memory.
It takes about 45 minutes to upload the 19Meg of maps which is far too slow these days. And I don't own a laptop so if I drive more than about 60 miles my GPS runs out of maps.
The 19 Meg will cover an area the size of Greater London and the South East from Brighton to Dover but that's about it. All of the UK is about 128 Meg, France or BeNeLux are about the same size.
Watch out for the maps of Ireland. If you don't have the "Atlantic Basemap" in your Garmin unit then the are almost no roads shown outside of Dublin and Belfast. Go to Garmin's website and take a look at the map viewer. Don't be fooled by all the roads that appear, these are only on the basemap. Try zooming in on Cavan. Once you zoom in far enough it switches to the City Select or City Navigator maps which don't show anything. Coverage of Belfast and Dublin is good though and to be honest, this is probably where you need it the most.
glawster wrote: | Will the 2610 provide routing if the map data comes from the metroguide series or does it have to be the City Navigator? |
The only maps that are routable on the GPS are the "City Navigator" and "City Select". You can create routes in Metroguide on the PC and upload them to your GPS but you CANNOT do routing on the GPS with Metroguide. (There are a confusing array of Mapsource products, so it's not a silly question!)
If I were buying another GPS, I would get a Garmin iQue (about £550) or something like an iPAQ and Tom Tom which is probably not much more.
Garmin's 2610 (£1000) is way too expensive in my opinion and you are locked into using Garmin's outrageously priced maps and their brain dead "basemap" policy. At least on a Pocket PC you have your pick of mapping software, speed camera POI add ons etc. On a 2610 you are stuck with Garmin's operating system.
Good luck! |
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glawster Occasional Visitor
Joined: Nov 09, 2003 Posts: 10
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Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2004 12:40 pm Post subject: |
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I ended up getting the Streetpilot III for UK. £580 from Makro !!!
I am going to Chicago next week and want to use it there but will not pay for City Navigator (I'm skint now anyway)
If I get Metroguide USA, can I download maps to the SP. I understand there is no auto-routing or voice commands. I presume I will have a moving map though.
If there is no auto-routing will it still route?
If I create a rout on a laptop and download it will that be OK?
Anyone know of any good Garmin suppliers in Chicago area? |
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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 Jan 08, 2004 1:40 pm Post subject: |
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glawster wrote: | If I get Metroguide USA, can I download maps to the SP. I understand there is no auto-routing or voice commands. I presume I will have a moving map though. |
Yes, it will still give a moving map. You will not be able to route using the map though and in my opinion that makes the unit pretty useless.
Also, due to Garmin's brain damaged map policy, you cannot buy City Select North America or City Navigator North America for your SPIII in the USA!
You CAN create a route on a laptop and download it to the GPS though. I am not sure how well this works, I have never tried it. If you want to test this in the UK then delete your maps from your SPIII and upload them again but untick the checkbox which says "include route calculation data". Now create a route on your PC and try using it with your non routable UK maps to see how it works.
Good luck! |
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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: Thu Jan 08, 2004 6:03 pm Post subject: |
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Skippy,
>> You will not be able to route using the map though and in my opinion that makes the unit pretty useless. <<
I'm not sure that this is true. Although it is an arduous process, it is possible to use this method on a GPS V, so reckon it's probably posible on a StreetPilot, too.
>> You CAN create a route on a laptop and download it to the GPS though. I am not sure how well this works, I have never tried it. <<
This is my usual method on the GPS V. Choose waypoint names carefully is the advice I'd give. e.g. LNA12 stands for Left North on A12 in my routing via waypoint parlance. I generally don't add the route calculation data as it means I can get more actual maps into the unit, and I generally use the unit where I've pre-planned the routes. _________________ Tim |
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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 Jan 08, 2004 9:50 pm Post subject: |
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Tim Buxton wrote: | Skippy,
>> You will not be able to route using the map though and in my opinion that makes the unit pretty useless. <<
I'm not sure that this is true. Although it is an arduous process, it is possible to use this method on a GPS V, so reckon it's probably posible on a StreetPilot, too.
This is my usual method on the GPS V. |
Hmmm, yes maybe my "useless" comment was a bit harsh. I do much prefer to keep the routing information when I upload maps to my GPS-V though - autorouting on the GPS-V and SPIII is a fantastic feature.
Not to say that I don't create my own routes on the PC quite often, especially if I am going out for a blast on the motorbike or taking a fairly complex route where I want to avoid certain areas.
I can understand where you are coming from, the 19Meg of memory is a frustration though, especially when you can get 128Meg for 20 quid. The GPS-V is a beautifully engineered unit but it's just too bad they didn't have the foresight to include an SD or CF slot. I wish they would change the firmware to let us remove the parts of the basemap we don't need and use the full 32 Meg of memory in the unit.
Mind you, the SPIII isn't much better with it's outrageously expensive proprietary memory cards, is it. |
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glawster Occasional Visitor
Joined: Nov 09, 2003 Posts: 10
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2004 10:52 am Post subject: |
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I tested as suggested (loaded card with maps but without the route calculation data, I then created a route on the PC and downloaded it to the unit)
I was able to simulate driving the route but without the turn prompts it seems. I was also able to create a new route from current position to a POI.
It looks like all I'm going to miss is the automatic route re-calculation if you go off route and the voice. I can live with that for a week or two :-) |
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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: Fri Jan 09, 2004 12:57 pm Post subject: |
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Check that you got City Navigator Europe version 6 with your GPS. If you got an earlier one you may be entitled to a free upgrade.
Version 6 includes much better coverage of Ireland including major roads which were previously only routable using the poor quality basemap.
See: http://shop.garmin.com/cartography/mapsource/faq.asp
Enjoy! |
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