Garmin Map Update

Have seen a number of sites where you can download "unlocked" Garmin map
updates (free). 2012 North American, for example, is available on many of
these sites. Has anyone got any experience using any of these locations and
updating from any of them?
MLD

 

MLD wrote:
:: Have seen a number of sites where you can download "unlocked" Garmin
:: map updates (free). 2012 North American, for example, is available
:: on many of these sites. Has anyone got any experience using any of
:: these locations and updating from any of them?
:: MLD

I hope I am not reading your post wrong.

I just recently bought a new Lifetime map unit from Garmin to avoid paying
fees for their maps.

If you can afford the unit, pay Garmin the money for the maps and stop
stealing. It's situations like this that make manufacturers put in onerous
locking mechanisms that affect the vast majority of us that pay for fair
intellectual property.

 

Other ways to avoidi paying fees for their maps:

* don't worry about having new maps; they're plenty good for years,
practically speaking

* buy a new unit every few years and voila! new map, PLUS new
battery/screen/feature set, PLUS new warranty--all at the cost of the
map update itself

Is anyone really so anal as to think he needs updated maps three or four
times a year? Did anyone rush out and buy new paper maps every few
months, simply because a few months had gone by?

 

In a way here a some paradoxes.

Not always a new device = better device. yes, usually they have faster CPU,
flashier UI. We don't use things just because of a nice interface. If you
look closer at functions, they are evaporating from generation to generation
of units. It is easier to make more complicated and faster functioning
electronics, but they do less and gain some not so necessary functions
making them slower. In a way the same things happen with photo or video
cameras and many other things. As long as I can I would like to keep my old
navigation units.

About map updating. Yes, we probably buy paper maps once in 10 years, but
electronic maps are somthing different. Simply not all possible data has
been incorporated in them, so you hope it would be in the next version. You
are aware of these cases in your own area, but you know nothing outside it.
Besides, the routing maps allow searching by address. My own house has been
located on the navigation maps perhaps 4 or 5 years after it has been built.
It's not in the middle of nowhere, but in the middle of a not so small city.

Map (and in general software) protection usually makes life more difficult,
but only for paying users. If someone knows how to circumvnet protection,
everything is vere easy.
In Garmin case the the newer 2xxx and especially 3xxx nuvis tend to download
wrong files, not the ones needed for device to function. If you put unlocked
map files, all the problems are avoided.

Besides, one more way not to pay for maps is to use OpenStreet maps. They
are open source, legal and free.

 

Andrew
I'm only the messenger--haven't stolen anything! Garmin, however,
encourages this type of activity because they are somewhat greedy in the way
they charge for their products. Case in point: My unit's battery went
South; would no longer hold a charge. Garmin wanted a flat fee of $79 to
service the unit knowing that it was only the battery that needed
replacement. I found a suitable replacement (BatteryShip.com) for $20 and
it also came with the tools/instructions to accomplish the changeover. Took
me about 15-20 minutes and the unit was like new again. Obviously, they
want you to throw out the unit and purchase another one.
What about the sites like POI Factory? You can get POI's for just about
anything there , all available to download to your unit. Should one pay for
new maps in order to get POI's? Do you consider this stealing from Garmin?
MLD

 

Agreed, which is why I am distressed that my Garmin GPS-II+ has a monochrome
LCD that is virtually illegible now due to missing pixel rows. My yellow
eTrex is going the same way...

Mike.

 

Agreed. Also map pricing is questionable. Garmin wants us to pay for the
same map every time we want to put it on another device. I will not use all
my navigators at once. If I need to find a certain address several miles
away, I take a small and simple unit. If I travel 2000 km across Europe, I
prefer the one where I can make and possibly later adjust my route.
Another issue is map priceing for separate countries. I it very pronounced
in the Eastern Europe. There are local maps a lot better than the City
Navigator. They are in a way better because the giant is not interested to
make its own maps leaving the niche for local firms. It's not bad per se.
The really bad is the pricing. They have to charge approx. 100-120 USD for
every map for a country or two. The average sallary is lower there, then in
the western countries, but Garmin requires the price despite of any
arguments. Really not many local people are going to pay that price.
Foreigner usaully don't know about such maps, so they don't buy them either.

 

Yes, though one needs to be aware of the limitations with the current US
data*. I have OSM on my old StreetPilot 2160, which can't even get Garmin
maps anymore, and it works just fine for me. I'm using it on my eTrex
Legend Cx as well, as I can route via bike paths with it (and that's why I
bought the eTrex in the first place).


* OSM was seeded from the Census Bureau's TIGER data, which was not of
the best quality; a lot of work has been done to clean it up, but it's not
done yet.

 

Seems like a fantastic way to pick up a virus to me.

 

My maps are at least four, maybe five year old. My street has not moved,
nor have many others here in New England. Perhaps if I was a salesman
selling a product to new home owners, it would be good to update often.
Most of us have no need.

My decision to make though, is what to buy for a trip coming up. Do I buy a
SD card with Europe, or do I buy a 1370T or 2370LT with added features and
up to date maps of both places? In any case, I'll be taking my paper map
that did me well on previous trips as it works with no batteries, no cords,
etc. . If I was not making this trip, I'd just continue to use my present
unit until it dies. I have a couple of months to decide.

I also noticed on Garmin's web site, they do not list the map of all Europe,
but have several regional maps. If you want the UK and Italy, you'd have to
buy two SD maps.

 

Most people run AV software, don't they? I wouldn't think it would be
a concern for most.

 

You don't mention any examples, so I'll make an assumption and say
that I'm aware of plenty of people who download unlocked Garmin maps
from non-Garmin-approved sites, or they download locked maps from such
sites along with a separate unlocker utility. I'm not aware of any
problems reported by such users. As others have pointed out in this
thread, it's not what Garmin would like you to do, but it reportedly
works very well.

Not promoting, just reporting.

 

Here is the page for the map of all of Europe

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=6299&pvID=7876

 

Do you understand that VIRUS is a very serious CRIME that most people
won't dare to get near to it. Why don't you try see if you can find a
virus, and if you are very lucky then try to spread the virus to internet
see if you won't be in jail within 24- 48 hours.

I guess you have heard the word VIRUS and scare of VIRUS, but I don't
think you really understand what you are scared of.

 

Thanks. I went to the "Buy Maps" page originally and it is not there. It
seems to NOT be compatible with the Nuvi350. It does not show that model on
the listings of the page. That makes the decision to buy a new unit easier.

 

The reason for the 'incompatibility' is that the internal memory of the
Nuvi 350 is insufficient for storing the entire mapset. Info directly
from the Garmin website:

------------------- < Start of Quoted Text > --------------------------

Starting with the 2011.30 version of City Navigator Europe NT, the map
file size for all of Europe is now larger than 2GB in size. The
following is a list of Garmin's older model unit's that support a SD
Card larger than 4GB but are not able to use a Map file that is larger
than 2GB.

* nuvi 300 Series
* nuvi 600 Series
* nuvi 5000
* StreetPilot c500 Series

These units will not be able to use the following products:

* Full Coverage City Navigator Europe pre-programmed card
* Full Coverage City Navigator Europe Download
* Full Coverage City Navigator Europe Map Update
* A map file larger than 2GB loaded from MapSource or MapInstall

The workaround is to install the Maps using a DVD or Map Update to the
computer. Then using either MapSource or MapInstall to select and load
maps to an SD Card that does not exceed a 2GB file size. Use the links
below for instructions on installing maps using MapSource and MapInstall
after installing the maps from a DVD. If you do not have a DVD or a Map
Update of the City Navigator Europe maps please contact Product Support
using the link at the bottom of the article.

MapSource:

https://buy.garmin.com/support/sear...caseId={6876ac90-a6cc-11dd-f60b-000000000000}

MapInstall:

https://buy.garmin.com/support/sear...caseId={5af8a260-fd05-11dc-ec92-000000000000}

If running the Map Update, please select a region other than the full
coverage area to load to the unit and then use MapSource or MapInstall
to load the remaining maps to a SD Card. For detailed instructions click
the article link below to view the article titled "How do I load the
remainder of the map update to my unit?".

https://buy.garmin.com/support/sear...caseId={e1dac890-ed07-11df-ea12-000000000000}

The following series were initially incompatible with the aforementioned
mapping products. However, a software update has corrected this issue in
these models alone. If you own one of these devices and would like to
use any of the aforementioned mapping products, ensure the software is
up-to-date before doing so.

* zumo 400 Series
* zumo 500 Series

For step-by-step instructions on how to update the operating software in
your device, please follow the steps outlined in the following article:

https://buy.garmin.com/support/sear...caseId={8576ba20-e948-11dc-d6fc-000000000000}

If you continue to experience this issue please contact Product Support
using the following link.

http://www.garmin.com/garmin/cms/site/us/support/supportcontact

-------------------- < End of Quoted Text > ---------------------------

As explained above, the Nuvi 350 is still usable and could accommodate
the entire CNEUNT mapset if needed--latest version 2012.10, about 2.2GB.
Which European countries will you be visiting and need maps for?
Custom map image files (each <2GB) can be easily created from
CNEUNT2012.10 for just the regions you need (e.g., with just UK and
Italy) and loaded onto a SD card for use in your Nuvi 350.

 

Makes sense.

Simple enough. Decisions, decisions. The new unit sounds good, but the
$150+ price difference would buy a lot of wine in Italy.

Ireland and Italy. Ireland will be a short visit and I can get away with no
maps even. Italy will be two weeks and 2000 miles, much into areas I've
never been to.

 

That much wine should keep you bomb-proof!

Mike.

 

Download the following image file, gmapsupp.img (240MB), with maps for
Ireland and Italy from:

http://www.multiupload.com/RRJRLAZLR4

Transfer the downloaded file onto a SD card in a folder named 'Garmin',
enable the maps via the 'Map Info' screen on your Nuvi 350 (pg 44 of
your Owners Manual), and you're all set for your vacation. You can view
and test the maps by placing the Nuvi 350 in the simulated-GPS
mode--flip down the antenna. Enjoy and have fun!

 

Too many sites to mention. Based on a number of comments at the various
sites, you're right, many more successes than problems.
Some places ask for a membership fee to have access to all of their many
downloads. If you want examples, just Google 'free unlocked gamin north
American maps 2012". That will get you started on what seems to be an never
ending trail of places to find anything you might be interested
in--including different years of Garmin maps.
As noted in a previous post--I replaced my battery, which included the
necessary tools (screwdriver and plastic piece for getting the case open)
for $20 (on-line price with no shipping charge). Garmin asked for $79. If
it took me 15 min to make the change over------why does Garmin have to be
so greedy and ultimately push people into looking for way less costly ways
to do the same thing, including getting updated maps?
As you noted--not promoting, just reporting
MLD