Vista cx and gps 18

[jschuchert]

I am still waiting for my vista cx ordered the other day but after reading many posts on this forum I have a few questions.

 

1. If I also get a gps 18, will I be able to use the City Navigator map included with that unit on the vista cx?

2. I will have access to an earlier version of Metro guide so will that be adequate for the vista for auto-routing?

3. Does auto-routing mean entering 2 locations and the GPSr figures and displays the route?

4. What exactly does nRoute do and how would I use it? Is it only for a laptop?

5. Can 'gpsgate', which I read about on the forum, be used in conjunction with ms s&t to install on the vista? What exactly does it do?

 

As you can tell, I am an absolute newbie not even with a device to use yet. I am a retired land surveyor in whose time GPS was not used as it is now. I will use the vista mainly for car navigation although I would also like to get started with geocaching. I could even find lost survey corners. I have also developed a coordinate geometry tsoftware program for surveyors and engineers which I market on the internet. It even contains a routine to convert local coordinates into lat and long so that a user with a handheld unit could roughly layout or find property corners.

 

This is a great forum and I anticipate using it often. Thanks to any who will take the time to enlighten me on the above questions.

 

Jim

[+El Diablo]

I'll answer #3 for you about auto routing. You enter the waypoint that you wish to go to and it wil give you a choice of faster or shorter distance and then it will give you turn by turn instructions on how to get there. It doesn't need the start location since it already knows where it is.

 

As to #4. nroute works with your laptop.

 

El Diablo

[jschuchert]

I'll answer #3 for you about auto routing. You enter the waypoint that you wish to go to and it wil give you a choice of faster or shorter distance and then it will give you turn by turn instructions on how to get there. It doesn't need the start location since it already knows where it is.

 

As to #4. nroute works with your laptop.

 

El Diablo

 

Thank you El Diablo. It is my understanding that the newer version of MG will not auto route. In that case what happens, or what does the screen display when you say 'go to'? Is there a work-around?

[+Goodguys]

We use a GPS 18 with our laptop and Streets & Trips using GPSGate. It works well. And we bought the GPS 18 as a kit with City Select 6, which gave us a spare unlock code which we used on our 60Cx.

 

Garmin does have a free program, Spanner, which I understand will allow your USB GPS to work with Streets & Trips, which is what GPSGate does.

[jschuchert]

We use a GPS 18 with our laptop and Streets & Trips using GPSGate. It works well. And we bought the GPS 18 as a kit with City Select 6, which gave us a spare unlock code which we used on our 60Cx.

 

Garmin does have a free program, Spanner, which I understand will allow your USB GPS to work with Streets & Trips, which is what GPSGate does.

 

Thank you goodguys. That is excellent information. So if I purchase the gps 18, which includes city navigator, I would get 1 unlock code which can be used either on the laptop or vista cx? Then using either Spanner or gpsgate, the laptop could access Streets and Trips which I understand is better software for the laptop. In essence, then, I am saving the cost of CN for the vista cx by using ST for the laptop, saving approximately $65. If you don't mind what was your cost for the kit?

 

Jim

[peter]

That is excellent information. So if I purchase the gps 18, which includes city navigator, I would get 1 unlock code which can be used either on the laptop or vista cx? Then using either Spanner or gpsgate, the laptop could access Streets and Trips which I understand is better software for the laptop. In essence, then, I am saving the cost of CN for the vista cx by using ST for the laptop, saving approximately $65.

If you get the GPS18/CityNavigator/nRoute kit, it'll come with a code for unlocking the GPS18 so you can use it with a laptop. You'll also be eligible for a free second unlock code that will let you load the maps to your VistaCx either from the laptop or an other PC. You can get the second unlock code from the Garmin website directly or use the unlock wizard included with the MapSource/CityNavigator software. Whether you also want to get S&T for the laptop is up to you. I generally prefer nRoute but don't have the latest version of S&T.

[jschuchert]

That is excellent information. So if I purchase the gps 18, which includes city navigator, I would get 1 unlock code which can be used either on the laptop or vista cx? Then using either Spanner or gpsgate, the laptop could access Streets and Trips which I understand is better software for the laptop. In essence, then, I am saving the cost of CN for the vista cx by using ST for the laptop, saving approximately $65.

If you get the GPS18/CityNavigator/nRoute kit, it'll come with a code for unlocking the GPS18 so you can use it with a laptop. You'll also be eligible for a free second unlock code that will let you load the maps to your VistaCx either from the laptop or an other PC. You can get the second unlock code from the Garmin website directly or use the unlock wizard included with the MapSource/CityNavigator software. Whether you also want to get S&T for the laptop is up to you. I generally prefer nRoute but don't have the latest version of S&T.

 

Peter, that sounds like even a better deal since the CN alone would cost about the same as gps 18 but without the laptop access. I could always get ST after giving nRoute a chance. Thank you very much.

[+Goodguys]

I can't recall what we paid, but we did purchase online at GPSCentral.ca in Canada. I just checked their website, and the GPS 18 alone is $100. or with GPS 18 deluxe kit with City Navigator 8, $145, or you can but City Navigator 8 alone for $150. It makes the kit a pretty compelling deal. And we are hooked on Streets & Trips for trip planning and in-car PC navigation. Its not perfect, but very easy to use and allows us to schedule stops, which we think gives it an edge over N-Route.

[jschuchert]

I can't recall what we paid, but we did purchase online at GPSCentral.ca in Canada. I just checked their website, and the GPS 18 alone is $100. or with GPS 18 deluxe kit with City Navigator 8, $145, or you can but City Navigator 8 alone for $150. It makes the kit a pretty compelling deal. And we are hooked on Streets & Trips for trip planning and in-car PC navigation. Its not perfect, but very easy to use and allows us to schedule stops, which we think gives it an edge over N-Route.

 

I do have an older version of MetroGuide (given to me) that has auto routing, at least on the PC. I think I will try that when I get my unit in a couple of days. It may be adequate for now. I, too, am leaning toward the MS S&T from the reviews I have seen. My friend has also ordered a vista cx so maybe we could share the 2 unlocks you get with CN and split the cost if that is possible. Thank you for your reply. P.S. I saw gps 18 with the CN and nRoute at Amazon for $98+.

 

Jim