Comparison of mapping programs

[GreyGoose]

I thought i better update this thread with something i just heard from garmin (after a nice long 60 minute holding period) and got the following information (note: note sure if its valid or not):

Through many of our discussions, we realized that routes can get altered during the transfer from mapsource to your garmin. Some devices seem to be more prone to this than others. I started doing a deep dive into this when i got my zumo 660 and saw that one of the firmware upgrades included the following text:

"Corrected to allowed routes to be imported from matching maps on MapSource without recalculation"

I was considering upgrading the firmware until i heard of an issue that causes the device to shutdown. So i wanted one of the updates, but didnt want the bug to come with it. so i kept wondering what prompted this bug fix. Here is what i found out:

When transferring custom routes into your zumo (or other device) with firmware 3.50, if you have any preferences enabled (i.e. avoid highways, u turns, etc), the device will recalculate your route during the transfer. if you were to then disable those preferences before using the route, you will probably end out with something very different than what you intended. Thats the bug that was fixed in 3.80. The 3.80 firmware will now take your route as its shown in mapsource and download it into the device "as is" no matter what preferences you have set. The preferences can then be put into action when the route is loaded. So those of us that want to wait on upgrading our firmware from 3.50 to 3.80 because of the shutdown issue but were concerned about the import issue, should turn off all preferences before transfering the custom route from mapsource into the device. The preferences can still be applied to the route after their enabled, but the route will come into the device without change. I would use this procedure for all garmin products before transferring to the device.

Thats the story i'm getting from garmin and i'm told to take what there support says with a boulder of salt. IF anyone see's anything different, let us know. I aint upgrading untill that shutdown issue is resolved.

GreyGoose

 

[wfooshee]

An update, since I've not done anything new for quite a while:

I see a lot of people asking about getting Google Maps, Bing Maps, or Mapquest routes into their GPS, not just on this forum, but all over, and even in real-life face-to-face conversations. (Yes, I have those, too. Really.)

Looking into it, Google Maps has not improved since they added the ability to place your destination as a waypoint on the GPS. Only the destination point is available to send to a GPS, although they have numerous brands in their list now, not just Garmin. So using Google Maps, your best path is still TYRE, as described in the beginning of the thread.

Bing has no export functionality except to email a link, and the link doesn't work in TYRE, which is built specifically for Google Maps.

Mapquest, however, has the ability to load a .gpx file into your GPS which contains the entire route or the waypoints only. The route must be recalculated in the GPS receiver, so as stated several times through the thread, select waypoints thoroughly and carefully. A serious mismatch in map data, such as an intersection or road on Mapquest that is not present in your Garmin device, will break the route and it will do its best to go ahead and calc, but that waypoint will probably be bypassed.

Mapquest, like Google Maps, lets you drag the route around to add waypoints and set the route to your preferences, but to get those points into your GPS, you must right-click on them (red dot) and select "Make it a route stop." If you leave that step out, you can spend hours refining a route and end up with only the start and end in your GPS. Don't ask me how I know. (OK, it was minutes, not hours, but you get the idea.)

Once you have the route on Mapquest as you like it, make sure your GPS is connected to the PC and pick the Send pull-down on Mapquest, and pick Garmin GPS. You get the choice of route or waypoints. If you want both, you need to do two sends. If you send just the route, the waypoints go in as route points, not selectable waypoints.

So with Mapquest you have a direct method (although recalc is still required) of going from the web site to the GPS, no intermediate steps or utilities.

 

[RossKean]

Has anyone had a good look at the Garmin BaseCamp program and compared it to MapSource for utility and ease-of-use? From what little I read, it is going to become Garmin's replacement for MapSource. Apparently it can be used on both PC and Mac and includes Topo functions etc for those using GPS for purposes other than travel on roads. I don't think Garmin is continuing to update MapSource anymore in favor of the more universal platform of BaseCamp.

Perhaps a new thread on BaseCamp might be in order?

Ross

 

[LAF]

Has anyone had a good look at the Garmin BaseCamp program and compared it to MapSource for utility and ease-of-use? From what little I read, it is going to become Garmin's replacement for MapSource. Apparently it can be used on both PC and Mac and includes Topo functions etc for those using GPS for purposes other than travel on roads. I don't think Garmin is continuing to update MapSource anymore in favor of the more universal platform of BaseCamp.

Perhaps a new thread on BaseCamp might be in order?

Ross

When I did the Lifetime upgrade a month ago on my Zumo 660 Base Camp came along with it. While I have not played a lot with it it does seem to be a step up from MapSource. I would love to hear hardcore users thoughts on BaseCamp though.

 

[RossKean]

Has anyone had a good look at the Garmin BaseCamp program and compared it to MapSource for utility and ease-of-use? From what little I read, it is going to become Garmin's replacement for MapSource. Apparently it can be used on both PC and Mac and includes Topo functions etc for those using GPS for purposes other than travel on roads. I don't think Garmin is continuing to update MapSource anymore in favor of the more universal platform of BaseCamp.

Perhaps a new thread on BaseCamp might be in order?

Ross

When I did the Lifetime upgrade a month ago on my Zumo 660 Base Camp came along with it. While I have not played a lot with it it does seem to be a step up from MapSource. I would love to hear hardcore users thoughts on BaseCamp though.

Started a separate thread for BaseCamp

Here

Ross