GeoidPS

Garmin continues to sell whatever it puts out and will continually come out with updates and will continue to sell whatever updates come out. May be if people hold Garmin's feet to the fire they may come out with better quality.

It may be you have not loaded the bitmap icons?

If you have the original disks, then your registry should already have keys created for products 6,7,8,9 (east, west, Hawaii, Alaska) (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, SOFTWARE, Garmin, Mapsource, Products, 6,7,8,9) If not, you can create those keys. When you create the products folder a default key is created with the value (TYPE) REG_SZ (data field is blank) add keys Folder, InstalDir, Language, SourceDir, all with values (TYPE) REG_SZ (data fields Mapsource, C:Garmin\ (or where mapsource is located),ENGLISH, D: (or the DVD drive for your computer from which the topo originated ) in the Products Folder with the entries you just created, add a new subfolder 6. A default key is created (leave that alone). To that folder add subkeys Bmap, (location of your East img files\ Topo100USE.img)Loc (location of your img files, Tdb (location of your East img file\ Topo100USE.tdb), repeat the process for keys subfolders 7,8,9, substituting Topo100USW, Topo100Hawaii, Topo100Alaska. If you don't do this correctly, you may destroy your Mapsource, or worse, your computer.

So big deal, they took data from USGS Seamless Distribution and improved the contours. I could do that in my sleep. They did add shaded background not supported by GPSmapedit, I'll give them that. But what about roads and POIs? Show me the roads, and other features! Don't blow smoke in my face and say its a fog coming in!

Maps are generally loaded directly to the gpsr. The preloaded SD cards may have a trigger which allows the SD to be used for maps in place of the hard (flash) drive. I would be carefull in trying to do anything with a preloaded SD card. I would not mess around with the preloaded SD card unless I used an image backup program like Norton Ghost. My sense is that Garmin does not like the use of Mapsource in transferring maps, and they are probably happy if all that is replaced by preloaded SD cards. My feel that the main reason that Garmin is doing this is because many people are making their own maps, and with GPSmapper, and MapSetToolkit, it is now very easy to do so (assuming one has the time to make the maps). The c320 has been discontinued, and that is the only streetpilot that requires mapsource (or mapinstall) and custom maps are just as easily loaded to the gpsr as are the Garmin maps.

I glued a compas about the size of a nickle on the back of my 60cs I bought at the toy store. Works much better.

A good tool to use is CCleaner @ http://www.ccleaner.com. It used to be a hassle free download, but now you need to enter name/e-mail. This will uninstall your program, clean the registry, clean the cache, tracking cookies, etc.

I like that. You give your hard earned tracks to Backpacker.com and they get to sell it back to you (via paid subscription). Now that's a deal! Next thing you know, you'll have a law suit slapped against you if you try to give it away or sell it.

I don't know anything about TOPO 2008. I would asume that all streets on City Navigator will be shown on TOPO 2008. I will ask this: Is TOPO 2008 routable? If not, I know the answer, NO. Liable to end up off a cliff or something otherwise. I will continue to make my custom maps will much greater topo detail and incorporate all the streets from City Navigator in the sections I'm interested in. Otherwise, no thanks to TOPO 2008.

Thanks Cypherman, The file named V1.20 is acually named V.18 in the download, and is titled V.18 in the executable. Could you please clarify?

How do you know? I cannot find a viewer for the new version. The viewer still has version 8 In that case, I may stand corrected. I was looking at the existing version not realizing it was V8.

I am totally not impressed. It doesn't have the new sections of I-95 Wilson Bridge/Franconia Interchange, doesn't have the new I-395/I-495/I-95 configurations, and doesn't have a clue on the Corridor H project. I give this a beanie blooper for the bingy jumpies.

My latest attempts with MapSetToolKit resulted in a termination error. I had to make my mapset directly with GPSmapper. Is anyone experiencing this? Also, I would like to convert DLG files to mp format, but don't want to purchase Global Mapper. Is there a freeware program that will do this?

Commercial quality maps can be made for Garmin units. Here are the problems: 1) To collect data for an area the size of a 1:24k USGS map, it will take about 200-300 manhours. 2) To make topo maps will require DEMtoTopo and IDL machine to produce the contours once the GEOtif file is downloaded from the USGS website. 3) GPSmapedit is used to add the data collected. 4) GPSmapper is used to make the finished map. GPSmapper routable version is very expensive. Even if purchased, it is necessary to maticulously make routable nodes in GPSmapedit, very time consuming. 5) To get the map to this stage will require possibly 500 manhours between data collection and making the final product. 6) This is one map, there are possibly 2000 1:24K maps for the entire USA. That's about 1 million manhours to make all the maps in the USA. That would take 1 person about 55 years to make all the maps working 8 hour days with no vacation. 7) Few people have the capability to make maps of this level quality. 8) Those people who have the capability do not have the time to collect the data for more than a few maps the area of 1:24K USGS topo maps. 9) Individual map makers do not have the collective strength to make a large quantity of commercial quality type maps. 10) Commercial map makers greatest obstical is data collection, keeping maps up to date, very resource intensive and expensive. 11) Don't look for Garmin Topo 2008 to be any more than more of the same.

TOPO 2008 won't be much better than the current maps.

TomTom Map Share™ is offered for free with both the TomTom GO 520 and TomTom GO 720. “TomTom Map Share™ is an important component of a new era in navigation. By enabling millions of TomTom users around the world to automatically share and mutually benefit from each other's local road knowledge every day for free, TomTom ensures that drivers have the most accurate and up to date maps available in the industry”, said Harold Goddijn, chief executive officer at TomTom. Is this article inaccurate, or am I missing something?

It's just a big farce. These companies are just doing some bandaid improvements at best and they will sell wether they are comprehensively complete or just rolled out for market. As a National Map Corp volunteer, I offered my completed and comprehensive survey of my map assignment to Garmin, Delorne, National Geographic, and I had no takers. The bottom line is the CEO's are stuffing their pockets with your money, and they will continue to milk you.

Im always suspect when some tadpole joins a few weeks ago, posts pictures of a product not yet or barely released. Obviously a Garmin advertising agent.

Probably best to find a dealer from the Garmin site and contact the dealer(s) directly. I remember some dealers advertising the x series before any news came out on the Garmin site.

How do you find the verion in the unit? 3 simple ways firstly connect to Mapsource to download or upload, and Mapsource will tell you the software version on the upload/download box e.g. Downloading to GPSmap 60CS software version 4.10 No such thing. Can you explain? secondly attach to PC and run the Garmin web updater, this will confirm the current level and offer you the chance to upgrade to the latest if you wish. This does not confirm the current version if unit has the latest version. Third way on the unit, go to the setup page, pick system which should give you the normal system setup screen, now press menu and you should be offered a choice of Restore Defaults or Software version. Select Software version and a little box should open telling you the software version and Unit ID. This one actually answers the question, and the only one of the 3 explanations that work. I don't know how I missed it in the system page. Hope all that helps Mark Thanks

This question was asked several times in this thread. My question is how do you find the verion in the unit? Isn't there a way to get to the diagnostic page? 3 simple ways firstly connect to Mapsource to download or upload, and Mapsource will tell you the software version on the upload/download box e.g. Downloading to GPSmap 60CS software version 4.10 secondly attach to PC and run the Garmin web updater, this will confirm the current level and offer you the chance to upgrade to the latest if you wish. Third way on the unit, go to the setup page, pick system which should give you the normal system setup screen, now press menu and you should be offered a choice of Restore Defaults or Software version. Select Software version and a little box should open telling you the software version and Unit ID. Hope all that helps Mark

This question was asked several times in this thread. My question is how do you find the verion in the unit? Isn't there a way to get to the diagnostic page?

Well, you probably lost your ability to route. If not, I am impressed with Mapdekode. Let us know.

Well, you probably lost your ability to route. If not, I am impressed with Mapdekode. Let us know.

Im taking a wait and see attitude. I think you guys are eager beavers and will soon be dissapointed with TOPO 2008. You won't get the 24K accuracy, but I imagine roads will be much improved more so than the current USGS 100K maps. I guess it doesn't matter for the couch potatoes who aren't much active in the great outdoors. Please no flames!