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Garmin 60csx


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My wife bought me a 60csx for my birthday back in June. I also bought a 1 gig mem Sand disc for it. What maps can i add in the unit so i cal trail ride our horses and also mayb use it to find streets and addresses ? or am i asking to much ?

 

thanks in advance. I am near Canton Ohio and could sure use some help

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I have a 60Cx (and a 60C) and I have Garmin's US Topo for hiking that covers the entire U.S. , and City Select v.7 for detailed street mapping for autorouting and points of interest. I load both map sets together and have everything I need. Garmin offers City Navigator as well for street mapping but I can't comment on this set. For under $200 you can have both and be all set.

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AFAIK, City Select has been discontinued by Garmin. City Navigator V8 is what you want for street mapping.

 

Some users on here are saying that for the X units, you should get City Nav V8 NT. City Select, City Nav and City Nav NT have the same map data. City Select had smaller map segments, than City Nav. City Nav NT has a different compression technique, that allows the map data to fit into a smaller storage device.

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...City Navigator V8 is what you want for street mapping.

 

-- Separate software must also then be purchased for topo data?

 

-- When loading the maps are these saved to one's GPS unit?

 

-- What could one expect to see on the screen of one's GPS? That is, does a small segment of the map data appear in the display?

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My wife bought me a 60csx for my birthday back in June. I also bought a 1 gig mem Sand disc for it. What maps can i add in the unit so i cal trail ride our horses and also mayb use it to find streets and addresses ? or am i asking to much ?

 

thanks in advance. I am near Canton Ohio and could sure use some help

 

Building on what CenTexDodger mentions, you should look for the Garmin products with the largest "tiles" or "chunks" possible.

 

The issue: with a 1GB card (I have one too) is that you CAN run into a "number of maps" limit before an available memory limit. Usually only a factor if you start putting Topo maps on because they're divided into VERY small geographical regions but you may as well stack the deck in your favor.

 

I don't know which of Garmin's street mapping products has the largest "chunks" but I gather City Navigator v8 NT may be the one. (the version that ships with the Street Pilot i3 indeed has HUGE chunks)

 

As Timpat said, the Garmin Topo maps (24k or country specific) are the ones you'd want for rural hiking or riding.

 

BTW: the reason I think this "chunk" problem exists is because memory has been expanding in GPS units and now with the "x" series we have virtually unlimited memory with microSD cards. I know Topo Canada takes about 3GB but I can't get NEAR that because selecting even a fraction of them will get me to the map number limit.

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...City Navigator V8 is what you want for street mapping.

 

-- Separate software must also then be purchased for topo data?

 

-- When loading the maps are these saved to one's GPS unit?

 

-- What could one expect to see on the screen of one's GPS? That is, does a small segment of the map data appear in the display?

 

Basically yes, you buy different products for street mapping or topographical. Start with the street mapping software - a lot of people who think they need topo are fine with just the street mapping stuff.

 

The topo maps are extremely detailed. They make sense for serious hiking in the Adirondaks or Rockies but for sub/urban use it's of dubious value. Conversely, the street-navigating maps have little to no topo data but include detailed autorouting information (turn left, turn right...arriving at destination) the topos don't include.

 

Install the full map data to your computer. There's an included application - "Mapsource" - that downloads whatever sections you select to your GPS. It will display the total memory usage of whatever you select so you can adjust to fit your GPSr's memory.

 

You should take a look at Garmin's website. They have sample screen shots of all of their map products. You see whatever area you're zoomed in to - zoom out, see more but with less detail. Zoom in, more detail, less area. http://www.garmin.com/cartography/mapSourc...nav.jsp#screens

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Thanks all for the information. Being new to this CSX we do a lot of horse back riding all over the Ohio, Pa, NY and WV states. We go to a lot of places that do not have very well marked trails. So we like to be able to get back to our camp site:). From what most have said it seems i should just buy the street maps and not the topo map program?

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The topo maps are extremely detailed. They make sense for serious hiking in the Adirondaks or Rockies but for sub/urban use it's of dubious value. Conversely, the street-navigating maps have little to no topo data but include detailed autorouting information (turn left, turn right...arriving at destination) the topos don't include.

 

Interesting. I didn't realize that-- but perhaps it explains why when I'm in Topo mode hiking then get back to the car and try to set a route with Topo still active, the resulting route is apt to be a mess?

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The topo maps are extremely detailed. They make sense for serious hiking in the Adirondaks or Rockies but for sub/urban use it's of dubious value. Conversely, the street-navigating maps have little to no topo data but include detailed autorouting information (turn left, turn right...arriving at destination) the topos don't include.

 

Interesting. I didn't realize that-- but perhaps it explains why when I'm in Topo mode hiking then get back to the car and try to set a route with Topo still active, the resulting route is apt to be a mess?

 

Pretty much. One interesting thing you can do is this: make your street map active, make the unit route and then hide the street map. The correct route will still show through the topo.

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Interesting. I didn't realize that-- but perhaps it explains why when I'm in Topo mode hiking then get back to the car and try to set a route with Topo still active, the resulting route is apt to be a mess?

Yep - if you've hidden the City Select/Nav maps to use the topo maps and then try to plan a route, the GPSr will fall through to the next-best unhidden map containing routing information - and that'll end up being the poor little basemap built into the unit. And yeah, those basemap routes can be pretty ...ummm... "entertaining". ;)

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Yep - if you've hidden the City Select/Nav maps to use the topo maps and then try to plan a route, the GPSr will fall through to the next-best unhidden map containing routing information - and that'll end up being the poor little basemap built into the unit. And yeah, those basemap routes can be pretty ...ummm... "entertaining". :blink:

 

Highly entertaining-- unless of course you're one that just blindly follow directions (hardly my MO)! <_<

 

Good to know these things as my first reaction was to suspect there might be something wrong with the 60 itself.

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...The topo maps are extremely detailed. They make sense for serious hiking in the Adirondaks or Rockies but for sub/urban use it's of dubious value. Conversely, the street-navigating maps have little to no topo data but include detailed autorouting information (turn left, turn right...arriving at destination) the topos don't include.

 

Thanks for the reply!

 

A question I have about the street map software is how far to the "sub" or "ex" of an urban area these extend? The software that is on our 60CSx is really only of limited use quite near urbanized areas; 30 miles or so away, where our family resides, there are few if any roads included, and some -- including an Interstate Highway -- are inaccurately mapped. Is the data that much more comprehensive and accurate with the commercial software add-on?

 

You should take a look at Garmin's website. They have sample screen shots of all of their map products. You see whatever area you're zoomed in to - zoom out, see more but with less detail. Zoom in, more detail, less area. http://www.garmin.com/cartography/mapSourc...nav.jsp#screens

 

This is a good tip, and thank you, too. I've checked Garmin's site previously but did not find the screenshot feature. I'll try again.

 

Revisiting the site, that IS the info I saw previously. But these are not of a screen of a 60 CSx. What does that display look like?

Edited by Chummy
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For hiking in areas without roads or fire roads, the Topo maps are better and a little cheaper ($80 versus $140 for the whole US). The topo maps show mountians, lakes, streams, and about 1/3 to 1/2 of the trails/roads in big parks. The color screen and topo features are very useful for finding your way in new territory.

 

The downloaded topo maps segments are all shown continous. If you go into an area without a map downloaded to your GPS, you see a cross hatched pattern and only the very crude base map.

 

I download both Topo and the City street maps to my eTrex Vista and 60CSx. I swap the entire set out (via the Hide feature in the map setup menu) as I go from road to trail head and back. The GPS is good to find the trail head, as well as useful on the trail. And the Points of Interest included with the city street maps are great for finding ATMs, food, stores,....

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Thanks all for the information. Being new to this CSX we do a lot of horse back riding all over the Ohio, Pa, NY and WV states. We go to a lot of places that do not have very well marked trails. So we like to be able to get back to our camp site:). From what most have said it seems i should just buy the street maps and not the topo map program?

 

You do not need maps at all to find yourself back home, just follow the trail the GPS are creating on the screen.

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My question is what is the difference between City Nav 8 and the NT version? I've read that they use a different compression scheme, but does that make it smaller or just different. Does anyone have any stats on how much each one will take. I've got a new 60csx and am planning to buy one of the new 2gb microSD cards. I've had trouble locating the software from anyone except Garmin (at full price mind you). If the file size on the NT version is small enough, then it certainly will be worth buy otherwise I think I'll pick up the non-NT version.

Any thoughts?

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My question is what is the difference between City Nav 8 and the NT version? I've read that they use a different compression scheme, but does that make it smaller or just different. Does anyone have any stats on how much each one will take. I've got a new 60csx and am planning to buy one of the new 2gb microSD cards. I've had trouble locating the software from anyone except Garmin (at full price mind you). If the file size on the NT version is small enough, then it certainly will be worth buy otherwise I think I'll pick up the non-NT version.

Any thoughts?

 

Do a search here on the forum.

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=139437

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Thanks all for the information. Being new to this CSX we do a lot of horse back riding all over the Ohio, Pa, NY and WV states. We go to a lot of places that do not have very well marked trails. So we like to be able to get back to our camp site:). From what most have said it seems i should just buy the street maps and not the topo map program?

 

I think Topo would be perfect for riding. With street maps all you are going to see is one big blank screen where there are no roads. Topo will show you terrain features, streams, ponds, swamps, cliffs, hills, etc...

 

Best case is to have both Topo and Navigator on your unit and switch between both as needed.

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Thanks,

 

Approx 1.5 vs 1.2 gb. That leaves plenty of space on the 2gb card.

 

Thats the size of the DVD

 

Here is the number for the maps, going to the GPS

City Navigator Europe v8

216 Maps

1809.5 MB

 

City Navigator Europe v8 NT

197 Maps

1098,4 MB

 

I do not know the numbers for North America version

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Thanks all for the information. Being new to this CSX we do a lot of horse back riding all over the Ohio, Pa, NY and WV states. We go to a lot of places that do not have very well marked trails. So we like to be able to get back to our camp site:). From what most have said it seems i should just buy the street maps and not the topo map program?

 

I think Topo would be perfect for riding. With street maps all you are going to see is one big blank screen where there are no roads. Topo will show you terrain features, streams, ponds, swamps, cliffs, hills, etc...

 

Best case is to have both Topo and Navigator on your unit and switch between both as needed.

 

I agree. I do a lot of off road hiking and four wheeling. When your in the back country the Topo maps are a real benefit. It's easy to switch between the Topo and street maps when your needs change. I highly recommend having both map types loaded. Try it out and you'll never go back. :)

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