yogazoo Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 (edited) While playing with the gmapbmap.img on my Colorado 300 I made an accidental discovery. If you have TOPO2008 DVD installed on your computer go to C:\Garmin\TOPOUS2008 and find the file - Topo100BM_v400.img. Now copy and paste a copy to your desktop. Rename it gmapbmap.img. Now, plug in your Colorado (mine is a 300) and save a copy of the gmapbmap.img on the garmin drive to backup the original basemap (always good to save the original DEM basemap). Load the old Topo100BM that has been renamed gmapbmap.img to the GPS drive and reboot. The new basemap only covers North America but it does have visible DEM information. For those trying to squeez more storage space out of your 300 this may be a solution (effectively freeing up 70MB from the original basemap which is 90MB) as the renamed topo100bm is only 20MB. Anyway, the benefits may be limited but its fun to try. If anyone can think of more benefits to something like this please let us know. It seems like you could add any .img file and rename it gmapbmap.img and have it act as a basemap. The cool thing about the hidden basemap in TOPO2008 is that it still has DEM information. Oh yeah, it isnt routable but if you have routing street software that doesn't matter. Edited January 31, 2008 by yogazoo Quote Link to comment
Night Parrot Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 While playing with the gmapbmap.img on my Colorado 300 I made an accidental discovery. If you have TOPO2008 DVD installed on your computer go to C:\Garmin\TOPOUS2008 and find the file - Topo100BM_v400.img. Now copy and paste a copy to your desktop. Rename it gmapbmap.img. Now, plug in your Colorado (mine is a 300) and save a copy of the gmapbmap.img on the garmin drive to backup the original basemap (always good to save the original DEM basemap). Load the old Topo100BM that has been renamed gmapbmap.img to the GPS drive and reboot. The new basemap only covers North America but it does have visible DEM information. For those trying to squeez more storage space out of your 300 this may be a solution (effectively freeing up 70MB from the original basemap which is 90MB) as the renamed topo100bm is only 20MB. Anyway, the benefits may be limited but its fun to try. If anyone can think of more benefits to something like this please let us know. It seems like you could add any .img file and rename it gmapbmap.img and have it act as a basemap. The cool thing about the hidden basemap in TOPO2008 is that it still has DEM information. Oh yeah, it isnt routable but if you have routing street software that doesn't matter. Just wondering if this "trick" would also work with the set up on the GPSMAP 60CSX ? Being in Australia, if you buy a unit direct from one of the USA suppliers you are stuck with the USA basemap (not that the base map on the 60CSX is of much use anyway). Would be interested to know your opinion on this yogazoo. Thanks. Quote Link to comment
+Timpat Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Yogazoo, I have the 300 as well and I wonder if this alternate basemap you discovered has equal resolution to our loaded one. In other words will be gain or lose any resolution? Or, do you feel any benefit may be from a smaller file size and consequently speed up boot time? I have the DVD and have loaded all my mapping on a 2gb SD card. Thanks for sharing this insight. Quote Link to comment
+Timpat Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 (edited) {edit. Why does the forum do this unintentional double posting!?] Edited January 31, 2008 by Timpat Quote Link to comment
Night Parrot Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 While playing with the gmapbmap.img on my Colorado 300 I made an accidental discovery. If you have TOPO2008 DVD installed on your computer go to C:\Garmin\TOPOUS2008 and find the file - Topo100BM_v400.img. Now copy and paste a copy to your desktop. Rename it gmapbmap.img. Load the old Topo100BM that has been renamed gmapbmap.img to the GPS drive and reboot. It seems like you could add any .img file and rename it gmapbmap.img and have it act as a basemap. Just wondering if this "trick" would also work with the set up on the GPSMAP 60CSX ? Being in Australia, if you buy a unit direct from one of the USA suppliers you are stuck with the USA basemap (not that the base map on the 60CSX is of much use anyway). Would be interested to know your opinion on this yogazoo. Thanks. Actually, I think I have answered my own question. The GPSMAP 60CSX has no internal memory (the GPSMAP 60 includes 24 mb of internal memory though) - so looks like what you can do with the Colorado basemap won't apply to the 60CSX. Quote Link to comment
+gpsblake Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 I know on Mapsource MetroGuide version 8, there is a img file called mgna8.img that will make the basemap improve over the basemap of the Garmin Legend Cx It will take up 9mb. It should work for any Garmin color unit. Quote Link to comment
+Red90 Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Yes.... Any Garmin where the basemap is accessible, you can do this. You can actually have 4 different map files by using the appropriate names....... The Nuvi crowd figured this out long ago. Quote Link to comment
+g-o-cashers Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 From earlier posts the default 300 basemap has a World basemap with a very course DEM and an Americas (North and South) basemap with a "medium" course DEM and some roads, most interstates. Sounds like the Topo 2008 basemap probably is similar to the US portion of the Americas basemap. This might also be a good basemap on the 400t if you planning to load other maps and don't want all of the topos loaded on. Again, I can't stress enough, if you start playing with your maps, back them up on your PC first! GO$Rs Quote Link to comment
+macnetz Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 The Nuvi crowd figured this out long ago. and the admirers of Betty (AKA iQue3600) do this for years . . . Regards - Anton Quote Link to comment
Didjerrydo Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 While playing with the gmapbmap.img on my Colorado 300 I made an accidental discovery. If you have TOPO2008 DVD installed on your computer go to C:\Garmin\TOPOUS2008 and find the file - Topo100BM_v400.img. Now copy and paste a copy to your desktop. Rename it gmapbmap.img. Now, plug in your Colorado (mine is a 300) and save a copy of the gmapbmap.img on the garmin drive to backup the original basemap (always good to save the original DEM basemap). Load the old Topo100BM that has been renamed gmapbmap.img to the GPS drive and reboot. The new basemap only covers North America but it does have visible DEM information. For those trying to squeez more storage space out of your 300 this may be a solution (effectively freeing up 70MB from the original basemap which is 90MB) as the renamed topo100bm is only 20MB. Anyway, the benefits may be limited but its fun to try. If anyone can think of more benefits to something like this please let us know. It seems like you could add any .img file and rename it gmapbmap.img and have it act as a basemap. The cool thing about the hidden basemap in TOPO2008 is that it still has DEM information. Oh yeah, it isnt routable but if you have routing street software that doesn't matter. Do you have any screen shots of what this looks like? Quote Link to comment
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