National Geographic / Mapsource diffrences

[+The Wit]

Whta the diffrence? I have a 60Csx. Can I load the National Geo on it as well?

[CenTexDodger]

Whta the diffrence? I have a 60Csx. Can I load the National Geo on it as well?

 

I don't know what the differences are, but the only maps you can load onto your 60CSx are MapSource maps.

[+BigLarry]

National Geographic (NG) TOPO! is not a street map, and therefore compares with Garmin Mapsource Topo.

 

I use both and there's many differences.

 

General Differences:

Only the Garmin Mapsource maps can be downloaded to the GPSr mapping units. Memory for topo is much smaller (~3X?) than streets for the same area.

NG uses scanned USGS maps as images - Mapsource uses vector files for contours.

NG has only 5 different map scales, which are actually completely different scanned maps that you flip between. Each of the 5 scales can be magnified or compressed a little (~2X).

MapSource can zoom in and out with much greater resolution and much faster.

The NG generally is prettier for presentation, especially in 3D, and has a little more detail with higher resolution contours

The Mapsource is less cluttered and easlier to read on the computer and GPSr.

NG has a 3D and streets option for only $25 that's fabulous. Great 3D images and dynamic "fly-over" capability. It also can overlay streets on the topo map.

On Garmin, you can flip the whole screen back and forth between topo and street maps, and see where your waypoints sit on either map.

 

Working Differences:

NG can only calculate a ride profile and climb data from digitized altitude data under a track. It cannot use GPS altitude data for profiles. NG is good for estimating a ride profile and climb before a trek.

Mapsource can plot profiles from a GPS altitude data. It cannot calculate altitude from a track, and probably not as good as resolution as the NG anyway. Mapsource also cannot calculate net climb data.

For good profiles and climb and other data with Garmin, you may want to use Motion Based web service.

NG imports tracks and calls them "Routes". This makes it incompatable with GPX files that have tracks. I can only transfer tracks from Mapsource to NG by going through a GPSr unit first.

 

Summary

Compared to MapSource, National Geographic Topo makes very pretty maps, plots nice ride/hike altitude profiles, is good for preplanning of long hikes/rides, and has great 3D views. But it may soon be obsoleted by excellent web based services such as Motion Based, that allow you to change your background to things like streets and satellite views, and do all the other data calculations like total climb now done by NG.

[bgarland]

I have both types of Topo map software and I have the 76CSx. I wish the NG Topo maps could be loaded into the GPSr because they are much more detailed. The NG Topos are based on 1:24K scale topos which have closer elevation contour lines and much more detail than the Garmin Topo maps whick I believe are 1:100K topo maps.

 

I use NG topo for either trip planning and then downloading the waypoints to my GPSr or uploading tracks after a trip to see how they map out on the more detailed topos. I use the Garmin topos in the GPSr because they are better than nothing and I don't have much choice unless I want to custom build detailed topo maps for the GPSr. I haven't found the time to attack that elephant yet.