Uk Mapping For Garmin Vista C

[+Captain Gore-tex]

I note on the garmin www that there is someting called TOPO Great Britain available to update the vista c, problem is I can't seem to find a supplier. has anyone else used this or know where it is available from?

 

Finally any other hints on UK software for this model would be greatfully received from someone new to the game.

 

Thanks B.

[+Sue and Bernie]

You're going to like this - not a lot!

 

We own a Vista C. Firstly, you can only use Garmin software to install map data into your unit. It's a cracking unit, fast, batteries last ages, small and effective. However, read on...

 

It will load hi-res map data from all the Garmin Metroguide (MG), City Select (CS) and City Navigator (CN) series of software. All the programmes display similar street-level detail of the areas purchased.

 

MG is the cheapest, it is unlocked and will not provide auto-routing.

 

CS and CN are extremely expensive, each programme can only be unlocked to 2 Garmin units via their internal electronic serial number. These programmes are normally included in the purchase of associate Garmin hardware. You cannot purchase the European versions of CS or CN as standalone programmes - similarly, US citizens cannot purchase USA software alone. Don't ask me why - ask Garmin!

 

From the above, you will soon work out that if you already have CS or CN (in our case by owning a Streetpilot) - the Vista C is great! We have full auto-routing on the handlebars of my bike courtesy of CN.

 

If you don't have the software available like we do, you will now start to fume at not be able to access the proclaimed auto-routing features of the Legend C and Vista C.

 

Pass on the topo mapping, I have seen the US version and was not too impressed, it was fairly clunky.

 

Bet you wished you'd asked first!!!

Edited November 26, 2005 by Sue and Bernie

[oddsock]

I note on the garmin www that there is someting called TOPO Great Britain available to update the vista c, problem is I can't seem to find a supplier. has anyone else used this or know where it is available from?

 

Finally any other hints on UK software for this model would be greatfully received from someone new to the game.

 

Thanks B.

See post "Garmin topo maps"

Dave

[+Captain Gore-tex]

Thanks for the help, just found out that TOPO maps will be available in Jan 2006, so waiting till then.

Regards

[+The Faraway Folk]

Thanks for the help, just found out that TOPO maps will be available in Jan 2006, so waiting till then.

Regards

 

TOPO Great Britain V2 is rather good esp. on my Vista Cx (1GB)!

[+Alibags]

TOPO Great Britain V2 is rather good esp. on my Vista Cx (1GB)!

 

Does TOPO give autorouting? I may consider purchasing it if it does.

[+The Faraway Folk]

TOPO Great Britain V2 is rather good esp. on my Vista Cx (1GB)!

 

Does TOPO give autorouting? I may consider purchasing it if it does.

 

Yes it does!

[+Alibags]

Oooooh!

 

And not just letting you create a route on the PC and transferring it, but proper autorouting? I am so excited... where can I buy it cheap, I wonder....

Edited October 10, 2006 by Alibags

[+Pharisee]

Oooooh!

 

And not just letting you create a route on the PC and transferring it, but proper autorouting? I am so excited... where can I buy it cheap, I wonder....

 

The Garmin auto-routing is good, Ali but it does have it's limitations. If you don't like the route it's chosen, it's not all that easy or convenient to modify it and add in 'vias' whilst on the move. You can do it, it's just not that simple.

 

If you're on the M3, say, heading towards London on a Sunday afternoon and the traffic grinds to a halt approaching the M25. It's not that easy to turn off the motorway and have the software re-route you along an alternative route using minor roads. It will do it's damnedest(?) to get you back on the motorway again, sometimes taking you miles out of your way to do it, too. I've found the best way is to turn the navigation off and just use the rolling map until you're well clear on the motorway and then plug in your destination again.

[+Alibags]

Useful info. I have played with a Garmin I3 a bit and that's full of amusing little games too, such as once it took me 3 miles up a road, told me to do a u turn and then took me back again!! Hmmm. TBH I think that satnav technology is still not quite there, but within a few years will be much improved. It may be worth it if I can find TOPO for a reasonable price. Do you get the entire UK on the micro card thingy, or do you have to buy it region by region.

[+Pharisee]

If you're just after auto-routing, TOPO is probably not the best software to go for. I don't know how much memory you have but the TOPO takes about 1.5 Gb for the whole of the UK. You can get the same auto-routing function with City Select (discontinued) or City Navigator and load the whole of the UK into 256Mb with space to spare.

[barryhunter]

If you're on the M3, say, heading towards London on a Sunday afternoon and the traffic grinds to a halt approaching the M25. It's not that easy to turn off the motorway and have the software re-route you along an alternative route using minor roads. It will do it's damnedest(?) to get you back on the motorway again, sometimes taking you miles out of your way to do it, too. I've found the best way is to turn the navigation off and just use the rolling map until you're well clear on the motorway and then plug in your destination again.

 

My favorite trick when this happens is to turn on the option to avoid 'highways', which then magically starts autorouting without any motorways, then when spot getting near a motorway again just turn this off again and recalculate. Seems to work quite well. (by the way I also leave the avoid U-turns on too, by the time you have got to the turn to start 'turning round' it has often found* a more direct route without double backing... ) (using a GPSMAP76C)

 

* however sometimes needs a 'recalculate' to do this, otherwise just drive off the route and it will recalculate automatically.

[+Alibags]

If you're just after auto-routing, TOPO is probably not the best software to go for. I don't know how much memory you have but the TOPO takes about 1.5 Gb for the whole of the UK. You can get the same auto-routing function with City Select (discontinued) or City Navigator and load the whole of the UK into 256Mb with space to spare.

 

Um... doesn't TOPO come pre-loaded on little cards then? I just have the default 64MB card I got with the thing, but I got a 1GB card on Ebuyer for my Phone for £14, so I dare say 2GB would not cost me too much... however, City select or city navigator may be nice too....

 

BUT, what are the contours etc like on TOPO? any good?

[+KlustaDuk]

I've got the whole of topo v2 on my MAP60CSx. With a few rough world maps as well its 1.7GB Installed in on a 2GB microSD card without any problems. Once the map has initialised for the first time it doesn't appear to slow down the performance of the GPSr either.

 

Autorouting works well most of the time. The contours and other features are pretty much spot on but the small paths can be a bit hit and miss as they sometimes randomly disappear. Contours can clutter up the screen a lot if you zoom out on the map. You have to get used to zooming and simultaneously changing the map detail level up and down if you use the GPS map rather than a hard copy.

 

It is a bit expensive but I've found it pretty good as far as level of detail and accuracy is concerned. It gets the thumbs up from me. If you travel around a lot having the whole of the UK to contour and path level detail on one micro card is pretty handy. The card was around £50