[nuvi 500 compass screen]

We have been happily using the 500 for geocaching, until recently we deleted the GPX files to free up some memory. Then we reloaded new geocaches. Now when we go to walking mode to find a cach the compass option does not show up, and we can only use the map screen.

Please help.

. I would recommend running the WebUpdater program at least once every month to ensure that your device is up to date with the system software. If the WebUpdater program has not been installed on the computer please use the following link to start the download process for the program: http://www8.garmin.com/products/webupdater/howtoinstall.jsp

[Nuvi 500 Street Names]

Garmin states that this also speaks street names. I cannot get it to do so. I just uploaded the newest updates from there site. Any help?

Thanks

Ok go back to WebUpdater. Proceed to check for addtional updates such as voice updates. NEXT> Put a check mark next to Voice, American English-Jack (TTS)(v) and Voice, American English-Samantha (TTS)(v) NEXT> Finish

Go to tools, settings, language and then voice. Make sure the voice language is set to one using (TTS)

[NUVI 500]

Download the Text to Speech from the garmin site

[NUVI 500]

I am looking to get my first GPS and came across this one. It has all the maps in it already (street and topo). Does anybody else use a nuvi??? how versitile are these??

 

thanks

If you've been looking for a single GPS solution for the car, hiking, bicycle, and possibly boat, the nüvi 500 is the best option to date. The paperless geocaching is a nice feature. You can use other nuvis for geocaching, but this one makes it easy to view caches. Using garmin's communicator, you can d/l caches to your unit. You then can view the cache info, such as difficulty, terrain, hints and such. The geocaches show up on your map while driving, so you can observe caches nearby.

I love my new Garmin. It is the first GPS I have ever purchased. I bought it mainly to geocache and it has been pretty good to me. It's great because it is quick to transition from either driving to hiking mode. Love the touch screen.

[Garmin nüvi 550 Geocaching mode]

I discovered that the shut down experienced by the OP is due to the geocache name/description having too many characters. In GSAK I changed the Export GPX setting to read: %smart=20 in both the Waypoint Name and Cache Description boxes. Since then I've had no issues with the shut-down. I have a Nuvi 500 with current firmware.

Changes made from version 3.30 to 3.40:

download the Text to Speech from the garmin site . After updating your nuvi 5xx, you must return to WebUpdater to install voices to enable Text to Speech.

Improved G2 map compatibility by adding topmark display and the option to switch between IALA and NOAA icons, if supported by map.

Improved highway avoidance behavior.

Corrected issue when saving coordinates as a Favorite.

Corrected issue where Optimally Reorder Points could cause final destination to be lost in some custom routes.

Fixed some issues with handling certain Geocache files.

Allow handling of maps larger than 2 gigabytes.

[Nuvi 500 Crashes with some geocaches]

I noticed earlier today that my Nuvi 500 would crash on apparently random caches.

I would select a cache, the Nuvi would then crash after a few seconds after displaying the initial cache listing.

After some experimenting, appears that the unit will crash when the cache name and/or description exceeds a certain character length.

 

Has anyone else seen this and what settings have you applied that appear to work?

Thx in advance.

Changes made from version 3.30 to 3.40:

download the Text to Speech from the garmin site . After updating your nuvi 5xx, you must return to WebUpdater to install voices to enable Text to Speech.

Improved G2 map compatibility by adding topmark display and the option to switch between IALA and NOAA icons, if supported by map.

Improved highway avoidance behavior.

Corrected issue when saving coordinates as a Favorite.

Corrected issue where Optimally Reorder Points could cause final destination to be lost in some custom routes.

Fixed some issues with handling certain Geocache files.

Allow handling of maps larger than 2 gigabytes.

[Garmin 500 nuvi : Turns off on some caches?]

Changes made from version 3.30 to 3.40:

download the Text to Speech from the garmin site . After updating your nuvi 5xx, you must return to WebUpdater to install voices to enable Text to Speech.

Improved G2 map compatibility by adding topmark display and the option to switch between IALA and NOAA icons, if supported by map.

Improved highway avoidance behavior.

Corrected issue when saving coordinates as a Favorite.

Corrected issue where Optimally Reorder Points could cause final destination to be lost in some custom routes.

Fixed some issues with handling certain Geocache files.

Allow handling of maps larger than 2 gigabytes.

[nuvi 500/550 is fixed go to garmin and Update your unit software today]

Changes made from version 3.30 to 3.40:

download the Text to Speech from the garmin site . After updating your nuvi 5xx, you must return to WebUpdater to install voices to enable Text to Speech.

Improved G2 map compatibility by adding topmark display and the option to switch between IALA and NOAA icons, if supported by map.

Improved highway avoidance behavior.

Corrected issue when saving coordinates as a Favorite.

Corrected issue where Optimally Reorder Points could cause final destination to be lost in some custom routes.

Fixed some issues with handling certain Geocache files.

Allow handling of maps larger than 2 gigabytes.

[Newb: A gps that does both?]

I just took the kids and my wife geocaching for the first time on Saturday and we all had a ball. We borrowed my dad's gps but now everyone wants to go again this week and maybe this weekend, so it looks like we may have a new family hobby. Now I'm gps shopping, reading teh forums, checking reviews, etc..

 

However, I have an older Tom Tom that I've used for years but it's starting to go. Battery is going, screen is all messed up, etc..

 

Is there a unit that does both really well? Where i can load topo maps, gps locations, but then also get great turn by turn directions and routing in my car on a big enough screen for driving and mounting on the windshield? But also durable enough to handle caching and the hiking we do in the summers?

I've found the Nuvi 500 to be a very good compromise between a driving and a hiking / geocaching GPS. Pros, - The amount of information that can be down loaded for geocaching, - Waterproof, - Size of the screen, - Ease of switching between walking and driving modes.

[Nuvi 550 firmware Upgrades]

Changes made from version 3.30 to 3.40:

download the Text to Speech from the garmin site . After updating your nuvi 5xx, you must return to WebUpdater to install voices to enable Text to Speech.

Improved G2 map compatibility by adding topmark display and the option to switch between IALA and NOAA icons, if supported by map.

Improved highway avoidance behavior.

Corrected issue when saving coordinates as a Favorite.

Corrected issue where Optimally Reorder Points could cause final destination to be lost in some custom routes.

Fixed some issues with handling certain Geocache files.

Allow handling of maps larger than 2 gigabytes.

[nuvi 500 software version 3.40]

Changes made from version 3.30 to 3.40:

Added Text To Speech support. After updating your nuvi 5xx, you must return to WebUpdater to install voices to enable Text to Speech.

Improved G2 map compatibility by adding topmark display and the option to switch between IALA and NOAA icons, if supported by map.

Improved highway avoidance behavior.

Corrected issue when saving coordinates as a Favorite.

Corrected issue where Optimally Reorder Points could cause final destination to be lost in some custom routes.

Fixed some issues with handling certain Geocache files.

Allow handling of maps larger than 2 gigabytes.

[on road or off road]

One thing not discussed above is the paperless aspect of geocaching to which most are preferring nowadays. The DeLorme PN-20 and -40 are the only handheld GPSrs that provide a paperless caching experience right out of the box. As such, there is neither more hardware, such as a PDA, nor additonal software, such as Cachemate or GSAK to buy.

 

 

Like the Garmin Colorado, the nuvi 500 series takes the popular sport of geocaching seriously with many integrated geocaching features, including "paperless" geocaching. No need to scribble latitude/longitude coordinates of caches on scraps of paper. With the 500 series, you can simply download them from geocaching.com or any other source using the GPX standard. The nuvi 500 series is also equipped with features for playing the new Wherigo location based-adventures and games.