Google Map Hack ?

[xxgg]

Hello.

 

I am just wondering...

 

Are there any type of hack or something which can download Google map tiles? to build your own map to be used with Garmin ?

 

That would just be so cool to utilize maps from Google.Map

[truello]

Hello.

 

I am just wondering...

 

Are there any type of hack or something which can download Google map tiles? to build your own map to be used with Garmin ?

 

That would just be so cool to utilize maps from Google.Map

 

Google Maps tiles are raster images, like a bitmap. GPS units need vectors to be able to calculate routes and "stick to road" etc. Vectors are like saying "this is a line from 32.12,-79.84 to 32.13,-79.87".

 

Unless your unit is able to overlay a graphic as the map, and use Garmin's base map for all routing purposes, it won't be possible. Even if it was, you would likely find yourself driving off-road by ~40-100 feet the whole time.

[+trainlove]

The yahoo users group for Magelan Meridian series has links to methods of making your own maps that will work in conjunction with MapSend or on their own.

There used to be a yahoo Garmin group but it disbanded and all that info is gone in to never never land. I don't know if any of the hackers there had ever come up with anything that would work with MapSource or on it's own.

 

One more reason I like being a member of the Magellan minority.

[truello]

There are many different ways to make maps for Garmin units. I've been doing it for a while.

 

http://home.cinci.rr.com/creek/garmin.htm

 

That is the tutorial I first followed and still refer to occasionally. If you are trying to save money though, I don't really feel it is worth it. The number of hours I spent learning + the 2 or 3 hours it takes per (pennsylvania) county + the number of times my girlfriend complained that I was paying more attention to the Earth's contours than hers etc.

[+julianh]

Have a look at GMapToGPX which you can download from: http://www.elsewhere.org/journal/gmaptogpx

 

This free "bookmarklet" application will convert a Google Maps route into a GPX file, which can be downloaded to your GPSr as a series of Waypoints, or as one or more Routes, or as a Track. This is not quite as cool as being able to upload the whole Google Map to your GPSr, but if you don't have auto-routing, it will effectively load a full turn-by-turn route into your GPSr. (Works very well with my eTrex Vista.)

 

(Probably not so useful if you have a mapping GPSr and street maps which can already do turn-by-turn navigation in the GPSr.)

[tlhutch]

Hello.

 

I am just wondering...

 

Are there any type of hack or something which can download Google map tiles? to build your own map to be used with Garmin ?

 

That would just be so cool to utilize maps from Google.Map

 

Where there is will, there is a way! As has been pointed out you can not use raster type maps with a Garmin Handheld, however you can use raster maps on a laptop computer and use your handheld as a GPSr connected to the computer. To use both Google Maps and/or Google Earth it would be best with a mobile Internet connection, but if you're not going far you can easily load what you need into cache. Auto routing will not be available, but you could manually follow the suggested routine or just use it to record your tracks.

 

I actually prefer USAPhotoMaps for this kind of use as it uses actual USGS Topographic maps and satellite photography similar to Google Earth which can be downloaded from the MS Terraserver (all free) to your hard drive. No need for a mobile 'net connection going that route.

 

I understand that sometime early next year the Magellan Triton will be able to use the National Geographic raster type maps, but that is just plans at this point. I know of no plans by Garmin to introduce this capability, but they will need to stay competitive. I suspect they use an underlying basemap for routing, but I don't know details.

[kb9nvh]

IS this true? "google maps uses raster images"

 

I've been trying out thier Maps page and using my integrated GPS in my phone and it download each section very quickly and the "data" for the download is quite small. I had coninced myself that google maps used some sort of vector data to display thier road maps (not satellite images).

 

It it for sure raster??????

 

Todd

 

Hello.

 

I am just wondering...

 

Are there any type of hack or something which can download Google map tiles? to build your own map to be used with Garmin ?

 

That would just be so cool to utilize maps from Google.Map

 

Google Maps tiles are raster images, like a bitmap. GPS units need vectors to be able to calculate routes and "stick to road" etc. Vectors are like saying "this is a line from 32.12,-79.84 to 32.13,-79.87".

 

Unless your unit is able to overlay a graphic as the map, and use Garmin's base map for all routing purposes, it won't be possible. Even if it was, you would likely find yourself driving off-road by ~40-100 feet the whole time.

[truello]

Each tile in Google Maps is a simple PNG. Because it has few colors and a simple structure the compression algorithm works well, which is why they load quickly. When you request a route, it displays the PNGs as a background image then draws a polyline, using their route vectors behind the scene, to display your route. The GMapToGPX bookmarklet mentioned above can read this polyline into a track.

 

However, I believe what the OP wants is all of the road data.

 

For a trip to Italy where I wanted maps on my PDA without an internet connection, I created a bookmarklet that downloaded all of the visible tiles on Google Maps. They are simply square image tiles in PNG format. It then just laid them side by side in rows in columns and saved it as an HTML file. This allowed me to view the map in a browser on my PDA but gave me no routing/searching capabilities. I would post the bookmarklet but it seems Google changed the way they serve the tiles and it no longer works correctly.

[truello]

Here you go:

 

http://mt3.google.com/mt?n=404&v=w2.63...3089&zoom=4

 

I guess they didn't change it that much. I may be able to fix the bookmarklet if there is interest.

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

There used to be a yahoo Garmin group but it disbanded and all that info is gone in to never never land. I don't know if any of the hackers there had ever come up with anything that would work with MapSource or on it's own.

 

The Yahoo Map Authors group primarily focuses on Garmin maps.

[RenHoek]

In a kinda-related topic, there's a free app out there called Google Earth Voyager (GEV) that you can use to automatically load up your PC's Google Earth cache (2GB max) with GE images taken at a specified altitude for a specified area.

 

I used it recently to be able to have access to GE while being off the grid while pheasant hunting in South Dakota - came in handy for scouting public hunting land remotely. I was surprised at how much area I could capture with a 2G cache - almost like being online.

 

Instructions and a link are here:

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/other-cool...th-voyager.html

 

-RenHoek

[+trainlove]

There used to be a yahoo Garmin group but it disbanded and all that info is gone in to never never land. I don't know if any of the hackers there had ever come up with anything that would work with MapSource or on it's own.

 

The Yahoo Map Authors group primarily focuses on Garmin maps.

 

And for us Magellan users, not exactly off topic, the yahoo users group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mapsend/ shows how to make basemaps and detailed maps for us.