MetroGuide compatibility

[jb_from_texas]

i have a 60cs. i would like to purchase CN8 but the map segs are too large. I see the MetroGuide8 has smaller map seg's.

 

I know MG8 is designed for units that dont have auto routing but does it work with auto routing devices? can you load maps to unit and then use that data to auto route on the unit?

[+media601]

i have a 60cs. i would like to purchase CN8 but the map segs are too large. I see the MetroGuide8 has smaller map seg's.

 

I know MG8 is designed for units that dont have auto routing but does it work with auto routing devices? can you load maps to unit and then use that data to auto route on the unit?

 

No. To use auto routing you need an auto routing GPSr and auto routing data sent from the mapping application. Metro guide does not send auto routing data to the GPSr so you are left with the sound of one hand clapping.

Edited December 14, 2006 by media601

[jb_from_texas]

i have a 60cs. i would like to purchase CN8 but the map segs are too large. I see the MetroGuide8 has smaller map seg's.

 

I know MG8 is designed for units that dont have auto routing but does it work with auto routing devices? can you load maps to unit and then use that data to auto route on the unit?

 

No. To use auto routing you need an auto routing GPSr and auto routing data sent from the mapping application. Metro guide does not send auto routing data to the GPSr so you are left with the sound of one hand clapping.

 

just so i understand...if i upload MG data (map data, not a route generated on PC) can i not use the map data (not routing data) and do a "go to" on the 60cs unit? sorry for the ignorance, just want to make sure i get what i need/want short of buying a new unit.

thx

[+media601]

You cannot do auto routing with MetroGuide no matter which GPSr you are using with it.

 

Edited to note that this is apparently not true if third party software is used. See following posts.

Edited December 15, 2006 by media601

[+Hi-Ho Silver]

Actually, I have read that there is a way you can use Mapsource maps to autoroute in any Garmin GPS that does autorouting. Do a search for a program called Metrowizzz. I haven't tried this program yet, but I just ordered a Venture CX in the hope that the program will allow the new GPS to use my MetroGuide maps for autorouting.

[+Renegade Knight]

Actually, I have read that there is a way you can use Mapsource maps to autoroute in any Garmin GPS that does autorouting. Do a search for a program called Metrowizzz. I haven't tried this program yet, but I just ordered a Venture CX in the hope that the program will allow the new GPS to use my MetroGuide maps for autorouting.

 

What I've heard is that Metroguide 4 will route and newer versions won't. Don't know about the software fix though.

[jschuchert]

Actually, I have read that there is a way you can use Mapsource maps to autoroute in any Garmin GPS that does autorouting. Do a search for a program called Metrowizzz. I haven't tried this program yet, but I just ordered a Venture CX in the hope that the program will allow the new GPS to use my MetroGuide maps for autorouting.

 

What I've heard is that Metroguide 4 will route and newer versions won't. Don't know about the software fix though.

 

I have MG 3 and it routes fine. Problem is that I believe it contains 2001 maps so it is not up to date. I also have v 7 but it will not autoroute. Think I will look at metrowizz as described.

[Neo_Geo]

MetroGuide maps WILL autoroute on autorouting GPSrs IF they are loaded using a third-party interface. MapSource strips the routing data when sending the map data to the GPSrs. If you use this method, you're GPSr will lose the ability to search for addresses.

 

CLICK HERE for more info...

Edited December 14, 2006 by Neo_Geo

[+Colin and Nelson]

Just an update on METROWIZZZ

works great with legend cx. Now supports 1Gb microsd cards

used with Metroguide NorthAmerica v7 and Metroguide Europe v8

easy to use and routing, and address lookup all works great.

[+jotne]

I would guess that Garmin do stops making MetroGuide due to MetroWizzz

 

Why order CityNavigator when MetroGuide do the same?

 

http://www.geodude.nl/gps/modules/smartsec...em.php?itemid=2

[+ricstone]

Actually, I have read that there is a way you can use Mapsource maps to autoroute in any Garmin GPS that does autorouting. Do a search for a program called Metrowizzz. I haven't tried this program yet, but I just ordered a Venture CX in the hope that the program will allow the new GPS to use my MetroGuide maps for autorouting.

 

What I've heard is that Metroguide 4 will route and newer versions won't. Don't know about the software fix though.

metro guideV4 will auto route on a auto routing garmin. i have V4 an it routed on my 60c an also on my garminV. if any one is interested it is for sale. want 50bucks pay pal.

ric

[+Dryphter]

I would guess that Garmin do stops making MetroGuide due to MetroWizzz

 

Why order CityNavigator when MetroGuide do the same?

 

http://www.geodude.nl/gps/modules/smartsec...em.php?itemid=2

 

Well considering there is only a small price difference between the two:

$117 for MG and $140 for CN if you buy from Garmin's website.

 

Hard to say if Garmin will discontinue it or not. My guess would be they will keep it around to have compatibility with units that don't autoroute. I'm not sure what will happen if you load CN on a non-routing unit. I am guessing the maps work, but obviously don't route and take up more space than an equivalent MG map.

 

I use MG7 and Metrowizzz to get autorouting on my 60cx. Works great. Also, I haven't had any problems with it not finding/searching addresses either.

Edited April 22, 2007 by MorganCoke

[+5Savages]

Just an update on METROWIZZZ

works great with legend cx. Now supports 1Gb microsd cards

used with Metroguide NorthAmerica v7 and Metroguide Europe v8

easy to use and routing, and address lookup all works great.

 

I love the fact that when I got my Legend Cx I did not have to buy new maps to autoroute, thanks to metrowizz.

 

Unfortunately, I cannot get autorouting to work when I have uploaded both Metroguide NA and Topo maps. What I ended up doing was using a nearly free 512MB microSD card for topo then I can swap it out when I want topo maps.

[CenTexDodger]

I would guess that Garmin do stops making MetroGuide due to MetroWizzz

 

Why order CityNavigator when MetroGuide do the same?

 

http://www.geodude.nl/gps/modules/smartsec...em.php?itemid=2

 

Well considering there is only a small price difference between the two:

$117 for MG and $140 for CN if you buy from Garmin's website.

 

Hard to say if Garmin will discontinue it or not. My guess would be they will keep it around to have compatibility with units that don't autoroute. I'm not sure what will happen if you load CN on a non-routing unit. I am guessing the maps work, but obviously don't route and take up more space than an equivalent MG map.

 

I use MG7 and Metrowizzz to get autorouting on my 60cx. Works great. Also, I haven't had any problems with it not finding/searching addresses either.

 

You can use a routable map in a non routing unit. There is a check box that allows you to strip out the routing data. This makes the segments smaller (less mb, not smaller in area).

 

I agree with Jotne, Garmin will either discontinue it or change it to be less hackable. IIRC we had a post on here from a Garmin rep (on an unrelated subject), and I believe that they lurk here regularly. While this may or may not be software piracy, it does circumvent Garmin's intent. According to Garmin, if you want routing, then you should buy the product that comes with routing. don't get me wrong, I am not passing judgement, just stating what I think may happen with the proliferation of Metrowizz.

[sunyjim]

Thanks to the new metrogold from geodude.nl this had been fixed.

He charges $6 for the program and it mods metroguide to add the routing automatically.

I currently have a 2gb card with us topo, canadian topo, and metroguide north america v7 on it.

I have tested with Euro V8 metroguide which worked as well as some homemade maps I found on the internet - an amazingly detailed carribean, and bermuda, and greece and Japan.

Only the metroguide NA and Europe are routeable the others don't have that kind of data, but they all play nicely together. and thanks to metrogold, there is no 512mb or 1gb memory limit of sendmap. So it will support up to 4gb cards if those ever come out.

 

Just an update on METROWIZZZ

works great with legend cx. Now supports 1Gb microsd cards

used with Metroguide NorthAmerica v7 and Metroguide Europe v8

easy to use and routing, and address lookup all works great.

 

I love the fact that when I got my Legend Cx I did not have to buy new maps to autoroute, thanks to metrowizz.

 

Unfortunately, I cannot get autorouting to work when I have uploaded both Metroguide NA and Topo maps. What I ended up doing was using a nearly free 512MB microSD card for topo then I can swap it out when I want topo maps.

[+allent17]

I have tried Metrowizz on my Venture CX and cannot recommend it. It did some really weird things. First and foremost, it doesn't work with US topo. Second, it started working wonderful for a while and then I realized for some reason, after I set a route and did auto-routing, it would delete all my waypoints. This happened twice and was surprised to find that the waypoint I was trying to get to disappeared while geocaching. Now this could be a weird case but I now use just the regular metroguide without the hack and I also can put topo maps on it and my waypoints aren't being deleted. I quickly found that the negatives were too much and can live without auto-routing for now!

[+california-jones]

This is discussed in great detail and interest on the brighthand forum for Garmin and a very resourceful gentleman wrote and published patches for the MG maps after which you will see the routing option gets enabled on MG. I have been able to patch my MG Europe v7 that way last year and have used it in two trips to UK and Germany. And that has worked perfectly (both auto-routing and geocaching). Search for Metroguide on brighthand forum. I paid just 30 UKP for the MG7 and that was much cheaper than buying the CN/CS Europe.

[+mblitch]

MetroGold (and previously MetroWizz) has worked great for me. I haven't noticed any problems in my Garmin GPSmap 76Cx using Metroguide North America v7. Since the memory cards are swappable, I've put my Topo and National Parks maps on a different card. When in areas where I need the info, I just switch out the cards. I don't know if Garmin would kill off an entire product line just because of a (currently) little known hack when they already earn a lot from it. If they do so they would really limit their market since older units annot handle the large map sizes currently in the higher end product.

 

While I did have a problem finding a particular address once on a trip, all the other features worked perfectly. When I blew out a tire on the interstate, I had the GPS search for local auto service companies and it auto-routed me to the nearest tire facility. When a couple of hundred miles from how, that was worth the money right there. without auto-routing the unit would have found the tire station, but I would have had to spend 5-10 minutes figuring out how to get there among all the back roads and interstate exits.

 

This certainly isn't piracy in itself since the program doesn't steal maps from any particular location. and unless the maps or other data is intentionally encrypted, then even the DMCA [the bastard of a law that it is] doesn't come into play. How you got the mapping software itself (e.g. store bought, 5 finger store discount, or downloading it as a torrent from thepiratebay.org for free), would determine the level of piracy. Now if there was a program that generated unlock codes for GPS units (such as for Bluecharts) then there might be such a claim, however this program does not do that. There have been claims that a russian programmer long ago cracked the unlock codes and would sell his own, but I hadn't heard anything of it in quite a while. The program certainly wasn't ever released into the wild, but I have little doubt a few hackers couldn't figure something out in short order if there was a demand. Look at how quickly the DVD encryptions were broken, the most recent key having been broken just as it was going into production. You cannot stop the signal. [old Firefly reference unrelated to the GC icon]

 

The free MetroWizz can be found at the main website, but go ahead and toss over a couple of dollars in donation for the MetroGold; it is worth the savings in hassle and time. I had already sent the guy $10 several months ago before MetroGold was even announced as a 'thank you' donation so he sent me a copy of MetroGold free.

 

http://www.geodude.nl/gps/index.php