SergZak

And if you're looking for the memory indicator which shows how much memory is used for waypoints/tracks, this is not to be found on the new Garmin color units.

Both the color and non-color Garmin units hold the exact same amount of the same map data. AFAIK, color information is embedded in the maps and is not stripped when sent to non-color units.

If you have a Garmin GPS and a laptop, you can download nRoute for the GPS 18 here. You do not need a GPS 18 to use it...just a Garmin GPS. Garmin made this software available for all Garmin users, not just for GPS 18 users. You will also need some form of map data like City Select to use with nRoute. The upside of laptop/GPS use is that you carry all map data with you on the laptop and have a huge screen. The downside is that it's cumbersome and it may even be illegal to have an operating computer within reach/view in your vehicle while you're driving. You'll have to decide for yourself if it's "better". Today's units (Garmin StreetPilot series, Garmin Quest, Garmin GPSMAP 60C(S) (to only name a few)) have ample map memory and can autoroute just about as fast as a PC can. They are also much more portable and take up much less space in the car. Read up on the Garmin Quest. This will be my next unit as soon as retailers get some stock back in.

The only maps that you can upload to your 60CS are those from Garmin like MapSource MetroGuide, City Select, US Topo, etc. Maps from sources other than Garmin are impossible to upload to your GPS. This is the same for any other brand of GPS on the market...Magellan GPSs use only Magellan maps, Lowrance GPSs use only Lowrance maps, etc, etc.

Hmmmm...that throws a wrench into my spinning gears. It would also make for a very expensive replacement since the bracket, wiring, and speaker/cig power connector are all one unit...ugh To avoid cutting the stock power cable for a direct wire install, Radio Shack sells a cig socket with bare wires on one end. I'll just wire that into the 12v fuse panel and plug the Garmin power cord right into the cig socket. That way I can route the cable under the dash and mount the speaker assembly (under the dash also) where it can still be heard...as long as that wiring is concealed. Clean and invisible installs are what I like. The GPS V was a bear to get out of it's mounting bracket but it was fairly easy to put in. After a while, I got used to it and it was pretty much not a problem....hopefully the Quest will be similar. Thanks again, SZ

Thanks for the great info OfficeMaven. Looks like I'll be getting a Quest when Darrel at TVNAV gets some more in (I take it you got yours from him since you're an early bird with the worm). A couple of questions for you... Is it possible to mount the Quest in it's bracket without having the power cord connected to the bracket and just run off of the internal battery? What I'd like to do (after I experiment with the power cord plugged into the lighter socket) is to simply charge the unit at home before trips (I don't take many long trips) and have it ready to simply pop into the bracket and go. What I don't like is having anything plugged into the cigarette lighter with cords dangling around. What I'll eventually end up doing is a direct wire job to the fuse box, bypassing the cig plug and running the wiring up under the dash to the unit. How easy is it to simply "pop" the unit into the bracket? Sounds like its a bit of a chore from what I've read in your review. Has it gotten any easier or have you found any shortcut since your review? Thanks, SZ

Thanks...I had an early version of the POI database for the 60C(S) when the unit was first released & that version did not support USB devices. I re-downloaded the file and it works as advertised.

Pretty much none, provided you are comparing the same (or at least near) versions. Yes it is. I think Garmin inadvertently failed to include it on the compatibility list. MetroGuide is compatible with any Garmin unit that accepts map data, as long as there's enough physical RAM in the unit to hold what you're trying to upload.

Does anyone recall what database comes pre-loaded on the Vista C/Legend C? It's not mentioned in the product specs and is not available as a downloadable "restore" file from Garmin as far as I can see. I do remember maybe seeing tide stations before I over-wrote this database with something different. I'm wondering if it's the same Marine POI database as on the standard Vista and if it is, if it's somehow transferrable via USB back to the Vista C since there's no serial I/O on the unit.

Before uploading a mapset to the GPS, be sure and checkmark the "Include route calculation data" option box at the bottom of the "Maps" tab. If you don't send the route calc data with the mapset, the GPS will still autoroute but it will be doing so using the unit's built-in basemap...which is nowhere near as detailed and accurate as City Select.

I doubt that you'll see very much (if any) difference between the two, assuming you are comparing the same (or close) version #'s. The main difference is that City Select maps contain autorouting information within the maps. Some of this information is the speed limit of roads, if they are one-way only, and the type of road (off-road, residential, freeway etc.). You don't actually see this detail but it's there if you want to included it in the mapset upload to the GPS. I don't think you'd see any visual difference between MetroGuide USA v6 and City Select v6. If you want to use autorouting on your 60CS, you will want City Select or an older version of MetroGuide which includes autorouting detail (v4 is one version but has been discontinued, though you can probably find it on eBay).

Note that if you want to upload any type of map data to your Legend, your only choice will be Garmin maps. This is the same for Magellan and just about any other GPS brand available. The other mapping products mentioned in this thread will allow you to view maps on your PC but not on your GPS. You may want to check out MapSource US Roads & Recreation or MapSource US Topo...both have roads and landmarks with R & R having street name detail and Topo having Topo lines but with limited street name detail (main streets are named but smaller streets are not). Both are outdated as far as streets go but they are still very useful for caching. Because of their small map segment sizes, they will work well with your Legend's 8MB.

For those interested in the new Garmin Quest, the manual in Adobe Acrobat format is now available for download here.

You may be able to find Adobe Acrobat reader on those free CD's that AOL/Earthlink/other ISP's send out.

crash331, Looking at your profile I see you are in Geogia. REI has 3 locations there: Atlanta 1800 Northeast Expy NE (404) 633-6508 Perimeter/Dunwoody 1165 Perimeter Ctr W Ste 200 (770) 901-9200 Buford 1600 Mall of Georgia Blvd Ste 800 (770) 831-0676 I was at two REIs this past weekend (in the So Cal area) and both had City Select v6 there in stock. You may want to check out that option if any of the REIs are within reasonable driving distance from you.

Another way to retrieve your "lost" unlock codes is to go HERE , enter your coupon code in the "returning customer" area and click on the button. All unlock codes and maps/regions for all GPS units unlocked using that particular coupon code will be displayed.

A couple of older versions of MetroGuide provided autorouting data but the most recent v5 and v6 do not. v4 which does provide autorouting data can be found on eBay. What region & map data you can unlock depends on the software title. City Select gives you the whole US while BlueChart is divided into regions. The unlocked maps can only be used on the GPS unit that the maps are unlocked for. With locked Garmin maps, you get a 7 or 8 digit (depending on the product) coupon code. You then enter this coupon code at the unlock website, enter the GPS unit's serial number and then recieve an unlock code. You then enter this unlock code in the unlock wizard from within MapSource and the maps are unlocked. With City Select, you get two unlock codes in case you want to unlock maps for a second unit that you own. Read up on Garmin's Unlock FAQ HERE

All Garmin MapSource products will work with the 60C/60CS. The only hitch is that City Select, City Navigator and Blue Charts require the map data to be unlocked to use with your particular GPS unit.

I spent a bit of time today with a couple of the new offerings from Garmin and thought I'd share a few thoughts. Note that these are only my observations for my particular use. I'm not dogging these units by any means as they are both fantastic in their own ways. First off, my current GPS is the 60C series (I have both the 60C and 60CS) and use the units mainly for driving/autorouting. GPSMAP 76C Initially, I thought I was going to love this unit. The memory increase over the 60C compelled me to purchase one for a test drive. Having owned a GPSMAP 76S, I was familliar with the form factor and already had an automotive bracket from my old 76S. I simply could not get this unit in a comfortable position, both for viewing and for operating without heavily modifying the bracket in some way. I needed the mount to pivot at the GPS-to-bracket point (to rotate the unit radially) like the eTrex series mount does (you eTrex owners with the auto mount know what I mean). I know that the screen is the exact same screen used in the 60 series but putting that same screen into the quite large 76 form factor case gives the impression that the screen is actually smaller than the 60C's. This did not go over well with me, even though I knew that the screen was exactly the same...it just looked so small in that big case. Buttons on top were also a minus and I could not get a comfortable position when it came to button input. This was partly due to the positioning of the unit in my car...half of the buttons were obscured by my steering wheel. If the GPS bracket pivoted radially (like I mentioned before), I could have positioned the unit much better and had an easier time with button input. I love the 115MB of memory but could simply not get comfortable using the unit in my car. Vista C I did not purchase this unit for car use in particular... Auto mounting was fine and could see the unit well...as eTrex users know, the unit's side mounted buttons makes this unit a chore to use while driving... The unit seems to be very well made, even better than the standard Vista and putting a slightly smaller 60C screen on it gave the opposite impression of the 76C...the screen looked gigantic in relation to the unit size. This was a good thing. I directly compared the screen size dimensions between the Vista C and the 60C and thought that it was very slightly smaller than the 60 series (I'm not talking about the deleted status bar). The same display settings/color schemes looked very different than the 60 series, even when set to the exact same settings. For instance, the ground color on the 60C is a brownish sand color while the Vista C displayed a bright yellow. When taking screen shots using G7toWin or Garmin's xImage, the colors in the Vista C's screen shots looked eactly the same as the displayed screen. Screen shots of the 60C looked exactly like the Vista C's in color rendition but the actual displayed screen colors on the 60C were very different. ~$400 for a 24MB unit is in my opinion not very cost effective. You can get a 76C with 115MB for $100 more and a 60C with 56MB for about the same price (I know that this does not include the compass & barometer). I feel 24MB is too little compared to what other units are offering. True, this unit is geared towards hiking/geocaching and you could get quite a large amount of Topo maps in 24MB but putting City Select v6 maps with autorouting data into the unit (especially in the Los Angeles are) does not get you very much map data at all. I did however like this unit very much though for it's feel and beautiful screen. I really thought the 76C would be replacing my 60C(S) but it just didn't work out like I thought...maybe the Quest will be the one (lithium battery= )

Just in case you are looking for what has NOT been posted here... Legend C Vista C

Cons for the Quest: 1. Internal, non-user replaceable(AFAIK) Li-ion battery. It won't take AA's so take that into consideration. Battery life is rated 20 hours, after which you'll need to recharge in your vehicle. 2. Unknown (but likely not considering it's intended use of vehicle navigation) if the display is rotatable 90 degrees for a vertical screen orientation like the GPS V is. I'd think it would be kind of awkward (but not impossible) to geocache with this unit while holding it horizontally. 3. Likely has no dedicated geocaching mode (again, because of it's intended use). I'm looking forward to purchasing the Quest, but only because geocaching is not high on my priority list Have you looked at the new GPSMAP 76C(CS) units? These have all the features of the 60C(CS) along with the memory size of the Quest. As with the 60C(CS), maps will have to be puchased also.

Different battery brands have slightly different sizes, both in length and diameter (especially rechargables). This has alot to do with whether or not your unit will shut down or not

Try to drop it from 1 foot height on the carpet floor. The method I used is to simply hold the GPS normally, hold out your other hand and strike the bottom end of the unit onto the palm of the empty hand (you have to do this quite hard in some cases so hold the GPS very firmly and don't hurt the palm of your hand). If your unit has the problem, this should trigger it. I found that if the sound that the unit makes is a solid sounding thud, then the unit will likely NOT stut down. If the unit sounds "spingy" (for lack of a better description), the unit may indeed shut down.

For those interested in more info/pictures on the Quest, Garmin has put up a product showcase here

Please note that all the GPS units listed here have been sold Thanks for all the interest! Now closing this topic...