Garmin Vs Magellan Sd Cards

[geoky]

Okay - still studying here on which unit to get. For our son we are going with a color screen and we want expandable memory so we are looking at these models: Magellan 500, and Garmins eTrex CX, GPSMAP 60 CSX, or GPSMAP 76 CSX units.

 

My questions are:

 

For the Mag 500 - you can take a blank SD card and download a map onto the SD card and then insert the card into the GPS and use as needed? Correct? Also, where do you get the maps to download onto the card and do they cost extra?

 

For the Garmin GPS units that I have listed - you can only buy a Pre-Loaded SD card to insert into the units?

 

This has turned into quite a chore for me.

 

Thnx!!

[kb9nvh]

OK, just do what 75% of us did and get the 60csx (then wait for garmin to

fix the few bugs that still exsist like altimeter screwing up).

Get the 60CSX and then add mapsource city select (or is it navigator) and

order a 1 gig transflash card (or live with the 60meg oem until the 2 gigs

come out).

 

Also, get a ram mount for your car

 

60csx $400

mapsource $110

transflash 1g $40

Ram mount $60.

 

dadgum, do I have that much into my GPS???

 

:-)

 

 

Okay - still studying here on which unit to get. For our son we are going with a color screen and we want expandable memory so we are looking at these models: Magellan 500, and Garmins eTrex CX, GPSMAP 60 CSX, or GPSMAP 76 CSX units.

 

My questions are:

 

For the Mag 500 - you can take a blank SD card and download a map onto the SD card and then insert the card into the GPS and use as needed? Correct? Also, where do you get the maps to download onto the card and do they cost extra?

 

For the Garmin GPS units that I have listed - you can only buy a Pre-Loaded SD card to insert into the units?

 

This has turned into quite a chore for me.

 

Thnx!!

[dchengmd]

For the Garmin GPS units that I have listed - you can only buy a Pre-Loaded SD card to insert into the units?

No, you can use a blank SD/microSD card and load your own map segments from Garmin's MapSource CDs.

 

Pre-loaded SD cards are available, but not required.

[geoky]

Ha! Stuff sure does add up, doesn't it??

 

Another question - If I purchase the Mag 210 Bundle Pac for myself, which comes with MapSend Topo 3D USA software, and I purchase the Mag 500 for my son, can he use the Topo software that came with mine for his?

Edited April 30, 2006 by geoky

[peter]

For the Mag 500 - you can take a blank SD card and download a map onto the SD card and then insert the card into the GPS and use as needed? Correct? Also, where do you get the maps to download onto the card and do they cost extra?

 

For the Garmin GPS units that I have listed - you can only buy a Pre-Loaded SD card to insert into the units?

In both cases you can buy (i.e. extra $$) the map software on CDs or DVDs (MapSend DirectRoute or 3DTopo for Magellan, MapSource CitySelect or USTopo for Garmin) and either download the desired maps directly to the card inside the GPS or put the card in a separate card reader/writer to do the download. Magellan uses SD cards, Garmin uses microSD cards (these come with an adapter so you can also use them in SD-sized devices).

 

Garmin also provides the option of buying preloaded microSD cards, but for most people I'd recommend the PC-based software instead.

Edited April 30, 2006 by peter

[Stumbling.Sober]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the pre-loaded maps that Garmin provides CANNOT be uploaded to a PC, they will stay forever on that little card. It is, in my view, better to get the PC software than to get the pre-loaded SD card.

 

While it would be 'nice' to have entire mapsets available on your GPSr, I've never had the need. I keep topo and city maps of my metro area and favorite lakes. When I go out to a new area that's not previously mapped (other than basemap), I simply plug in my GPSr, load up MapSource, select my mapsets and click the grids I need. Not a hassle at all--you'll be on MapScource anyway, plotting caches.

 

In debating which is better, Magellan/Garmin, I was a Magellan user converted from Pocket PC, converting to Garmin...and NOT LOOKING BACK!

[dchengmd]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the pre-loaded maps that Garmin provides CANNOT be uploaded to a PC, they will stay forever on that little card. It is, in my view, better to get the PC software than to get the pre-loaded SD card.

That's correct. The only situations that I can think of where a preloaded SD card would be preferable is if you don't want to deal with the hassle of loading maps, or if you don't have a computer handy.

[Mimo1]

Deleted

Edited April 30, 2006 by Mimo1

[Mimo1]

Okay - still studying here on which unit to get. For our son we are going with a color screen and we want expandable memory so we are looking at these models: Magellan 500, and Garmins eTrex CX, GPSMAP 60 CSX, or GPSMAP 76 CSX units.

 

My questions are:

 

For the Mag 500 - you can take a blank SD card and download a map onto the SD card and then insert the card into the GPS and use as needed? Correct? Also, where do you get the maps to download onto the card and do they cost extra?

 

For the Garmin GPS units that I have listed - you can only buy a Pre-Loaded SD card to insert into the units?

 

This has turned into quite a chore for me.

 

Thnx!!

 

I have a Garmin GPSMAP60CSX and I changed the 64meg microSD card that it came with the unit by a 512meg not preloaded with anything that you can buy on eBay. Using MapSource and Metroguide Canada V4 I downloaded almost all provinces in it. I also downloaded a lots of Topo too.

 

Regards

[+EScout]

For the Exporist 500, you put the SD card into the unit and turn it on, and it makes the appropriate folders, including the relevant one for this discussion, "Detail Maps". With the unit attached to USB, you can move map files in both directions, computer to eXplorist. Or you can copy them to the SD card out of the unit, using a card reader. With your map program, you can create as many map files as you want, covering various locations, and store these on hard drive, CD, DVD, and copy them to your eXplorist using any computer.

 

I just saw the 500 for $290, not counting the $50 rebate good through July 7.

 

Regarding the question on using the same map program for two of your explorists, my understanding is that you need to reinstall the program to create maps for another unit.

[+embra]

For the newest release of Mapsend DirectRoute, the licensing agreement--and copy protection scheme--requires one program *and* one computer for each GPS. I presume this is true of the v1.5 release of Topo3D, too, although I don't think I've seen that confirmed.

 

Garmin's licensing agreement allows for two GPS units to use the same program, and you can purchase additional licenses for additional GPS units.

 

From what I've read, Magellan's use of the expandable memory card is still a bit better (e.g., storing multiple POI files on the card, hierarchal organization of folders), but Garmin seems to be closing the gap quickly.