Garmin Colorado - Custom maps

[+IndyJpr]

In my "First Impressions" post I mentioned there seemed to be cosmetic issues with custom maps on the Colorados - this is just a follow-up to summarize what I saw.

 

Below are shots of a custom map sets on both a Colorado (400t) and a GPSmap 76CSx. Both sets show the same location at the same zoom levels. OT - these screenshot REALLY exagerate the different resolutions of the two units.

 

Here is what I see:

 

Zoom Levels

On the Colorado you can see the intermediate and minor contour lines are already displayed in the first picture when they should not come on until a later zoom level (as seen on the 76 shots)

 

Line Attributes

The visual appearance of the major/intermediate/minor contour lines are nearly indistinguishable on the Colorado where on the 76 there are some subtle differences.

 

That being said I don't think the issue is entirely with custom maps. When comparing the various topos I noticed that the old Garmin Topo maps had similar issues as described above. My speculation is that the Colorados are "tuned" to optimally display the new DEM enabled topos with no concern to the older maps...

 

[rwsmith123]

Is there a map detail setting? When the map detail is set higher then the higher detail zoom levels show up sooner as you are zooming in. If the Colorado has such a setting you can set it to lower detail.

 

As for the appearance of the contour lines you can make a custom TYP file to change how they look. After generating the TYP file you can transfer the gmapprom.img file from the gps to the computer, make a copy as a backup, use gmaptool to append the TYP file to gmapprom.img and transfer back to the gps.

Edited January 20, 2008 by rwsmith123

[+navigator49]

I notice the Colorado screenshots are missing all the descriptive text like contour heights etc. Is this just a setting or are they missing completely?

[+IndyJpr]

Is there a map detail setting? When the map detail is set higher then the higher detail zoom levels show up sooner as you are zooming in. If the Colorado has such a setting you can set it to lower detail.

 

I notice the Colorado screenshots are missing all the descriptive text like contour heights etc. Is this just a setting or are they missing completely?

 

Well, the problem turned out to be I was viewing the maps by "viewing on map" the waypoint - it turns out this is a very limited detail view of the map. If you view the map "on the map" (which is tricky since I'm in MN and want to see CO maps) by panning over to it the problems go away the custom maps look much like they are supposed to.

 

Here is normal view of the custom map (with DEM - see below), looks better.

 

 

Also, yogazoo noticed that the DEM of the 400t shows though any other map you have loaded, very cool:

 

Edited January 21, 2008 by IndyJpr

[Baumer]

wow, what a difference

[f.miroslav]

Hello

 

Q. Does anybody have tips how to implement DEM data to Custom Maps to make 3D releif shade in MapSource and GPSr.

Manual link, Data source, Programs link...?

 

Thanks for any reply.

[+g-o-cashers]

Hello

 

Q. Does anybody have tips how to implement DEM data to Custom Maps to make 3D releif shade in MapSource and GPSr.

Manual link, Data source, Programs link...?

 

Thanks for any reply.

 

Do this help ?

[rwsmith123]

Hello

 

Q. Does anybody have tips how to implement DEM data to Custom Maps to make 3D releif shade in MapSource and GPSr.

Manual link, Data source, Programs link...?

 

Thanks for any reply.

 

Do this help ?

 

Nope. As far as I know no one has figured out the encoding for the DEM information in a map, so there are no tools to allow creating custom maps with DEM info.

[f.miroslav]

Thanks 4 reply and link

 

Can I say that Only tool is Garmin MPC reserved for Garmin and licenced partner

in smaller market which draw map but compiling and software instalation

is again reserved for Garmin.

 

I get imagination from IndyJpr post #4 that exist non Garmin tool to create

Custom Topo with DEM data.

 

Now from Yours reply I have another picture and question

 

Does in USA Topo 2008 with DEM exist posibility to off original elevation countour

and use Custom elevation countour over USA Topo 2008 DEM data?

[+Marky]

Does in USA Topo 2008 with DEM exist posibility to off original elevation countour

and use Custom elevation countour over USA Topo 2008 DEM data?

Yes, this works like a charm, although the shadows are based on the USE Topo 2008 data, so may not sync perfectly with the custom maps (that are higher resolution, so show detail where such detail doesn't show on USA Topo 2008). This isn't that big a deal, and it still looks pretty darn good.

 

--Marky

[yogazoo]

One thing I have noticed is that when you go into the TOPO2008 folder in C:/Garmin you will find the flat maps with topo just like the old version BUT you will also see a file called Topo100_MDR.img. This Topo100_MDR file contains the DEM data for the entire coverage of TOPO2008. The size of this file is 49,536kb. If we can figure out what format this file is actually in, we may be able to manipulate it or create our own using 1/3rd acrsecond data. I have tried renaming it .dem, .asc, .tif, .grid, and .e00. I have yet to open it in ArcGIS successfully. Anyone have any ideas?

 

The Topo100_MDR.img file is the high resolution dem data whereas the Topo100BM_v400.img file is the course dem data. . It is my belief that the .mdx file contains information that instructs mapsource to generate maps with this information underneath. Man it would be sweet to load up 1/3rd arc second info onto the new Colorado's, you'd no longer need topo lines!

[rwsmith123]

One thing I have noticed is that when you go into the TOPO2008 folder in C:/Garmin you will find the flat maps with topo just like the old version BUT you will also see a file called Topo100_MDR.img. This Topo100_MDR file contains the DEM data for the entire coverage of TOPO2008. The size of this file is 49,536kb. If we can figure out what format this file is actually in, we may be able to manipulate it or create our own using 1/3rd acrsecond data. I have tried renaming it .dem, .asc, .tif, .grid, and .e00. I have yet to open it in ArcGIS successfully. Anyone have any ideas?

 

The Topo100_MDR.img file is the high resolution dem data whereas the Topo100BM_v400.img file is the course dem data. . It is my belief that the .mdx file contains information that instructs mapsource to generate maps with this information underneath. Man it would be sweet to load up 1/3rd arc second info onto the new Colorado's, you'd no longer need topo lines!

 

No, the MDR.img file contains indexing used for searches, the DEM info is embedded into each individual .img file. All .img files contain 3 sections RGN, TRE, and LBL, if the map has routing it will also have NET and NOD sections, if the map has DEM it will also have a DEM section.

 

If you want to try and reverse engineer the DEM format Garmin uses you should pick a map tile that covers only water (there are several such tiles in the Great Lakes area) since all the points will be at the same altitude it will make decoding the structure easier.