Magellan maps

[funyfarm]

I bought A magellan Explorist. 500 MY Only Beef is MAPS. it appears that i have to spend the same amount for the maps inside as i had to pay for the entire unit ( yes i got it on sale) the basemap has some good things , but if i want parks or topo I have to cough up 150.00 bucks , for a product that i can not even get a look at to see if it is any better!!

 

anyone else had this experience???

 

or does anyone have an explorist with these slightly overpriced maps ,, that can tell me if i am getting my moneys worth?

 

FUNYFARM 2.0 comming soon A new way to cache!

 

30

[+EScout]

Try Ebay. I see Mapsend Topo 3d for less than $50 delivered. It has topo and all the streets.

[+FamilyDNA]

If you want the unit to autoroute, look for mapsend Directroute maps.

[+storm180]

Well I can tell you there is a difference between the basemap and topo and it is quite helpful. If you want streets and topo then you have to spend the money and probably your best bet is ebay. If you want them magellan is the only compatible source of software for your unit.

 

Storm180

[+Woodstramp]

I bought A magellan Explorist. 500 MY Only Beef is MAPS. it appears that i have to spend the same amount for the maps inside as i had to pay for the entire unit ( yes i got it on sale) the basemap has some good things , but if i want parks or topo I have to cough up 150.00 bucks , for a product that i can not even get a look at to see if it is any better!!

 

anyone else had this experience???

 

or does anyone have an explorist with these slightly overpriced maps ,, that can tell me if i am getting my moneys worth?

 

FUNYFARM 2.0 comming soon A new way to cache!

 

30

 

I bought Mapsend Topo 3D (new/unopened) for $40 delivered. At that price it is well worth the money and mucho better than the basemap. It is not real up-to-date. If you're looking for a street in a subdivision that was built a few years ago you won't find it, but those that are listed are usually dead on. From just driving around with my Explorist on I'd say it's 98% accurate. My basemap showed my father-in-law's house in the lake he lives next to. The detail Mapsend maps has got his place dead on. I particularly love the topos and detail POIs that come with the detail maps.

 

You'll have a time learning the "convert from Mapsend to Hardrive to Explorist" but once mastered it works rather nicely. The detail maps slow things down a tad but that's no biggie.

[+Ezeechair]

This is my opinion on the whole matter and is focused on the Handheld units.

 

At one time these units cost big bucks. IMO handhelds were originally designhed for the slow pace of hiking, biking, boating, hunting of some sort. They were not designed for highspeed navigation on the highways. City and Street maps for these units were the vendor's idea of trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. Yes it can be rammed it with enough force. These types of maps are ok to use as a reference but unless you have someone to assist you in reading the unit while driving you are taking a risk.

 

Yes unfortunately Maps are something that you cannot try out. Initially they cost quite abit to create and the vendor tries to recoop his costs. If you think Topo is expensive try pricing a BlueNav Chart. Anyways the Topo map CD's that are currently being offered via Ebay etc are all at the end of life - which is good for you. Why - because Magellan is starting to outsource I believe - at least for the USA.

 

They also started offering the same maps in smaller parcels via regional downloads to SD card which also gives them more control over the product. What happens if your SD Map card goes bad - will they replace it at no charge?

 

Just take a look at the website and you will see what I mean.

 

Instead of getting all of Canada or the USA you pick a region. Hopefully you live dead center in the region because if you live along a regional border I can see you needing two maps. The price starts at $50 US a pop.

 

Why did they move away from the CD versions. Well the big factor is $$$$. With the CD version you can make a map of anywhere in the Country it is designed for. If you move no big deal. If you lose the SD card - no big deal, If you damage your SD card - you guessed it - no big deal. You buy a second GPS or a family member or friend has one too - no big deal.

 

The Topo maps offer all what you would expect. Rivers, streams, brooks, ponds, lakes, reservoirs, coastal mapping, ferry lanes, parks, water hazards, wetlands, hotsprings, land contours, rail lines, hydro lines, most major highways, most cities with local roads, some offroad trails or old logging/mining roads etc. These maps were derived from government maps in most cases.

 

You will not find bike trails, hiking trails, offraod trails etc. These are specialty paths that you will either have to add to a map via "Track Logs or Routes" sharing which I believe you can find in the various speciallty forums or websites or rent a GPS at the facility where the paths are offered which could be on private property.

 

The weak part with these are the local city roads especially in developing areas - but don't forget this is a topo map first so any roads is a bonus. If you want the latest road maps buy a specialized Vehical Navigator you'll be happier or you can buy a Crossover and have both worlds. Back to the maps.

 

The only maps IMO that need updating are the maps intended for Vehicle Navigation. You know my opinion on that. Unless California drops off into the Ocean or we get a few more volcano's changing the course of the land - the topo maps should last you a life time.

 

Get the CD version if it works for your unit - you will get more for your buck and they are even discouted now. Ok you may have to keep that old XP system but then what were you going to do with it anyway.

 

Just because the packaging states not compatible with or doesn't even mention your device in it's list of devices doesn't mean it won't work. The GPSr may have come out after the maps.

 

Correct me if I am wrong:

 

I have observed that the s/n when provided to the mapping software when about to gen the region may determine what king of map will be gen'ed. eg .imi or .img.

 

Meridians use .img map images

 

Explorist use .imi

Crossover uses .imi

Triton uses .imi + ?

 

Topo 3D USA ver 1.00 creates .imi and .img

Topo Canada Ver 1.00 creates .imi

DirectRoute Europe V2.00 creates .imi

DirectRoute North America creates .imi

 

As per Magellan none of the above maps are compatible with my Crossover - but they forgot to tell that to the unit. Even on discussion with their Call Center last Sept (2007) when I was trying to get maps for my Canadian Upgraded 2200T-NA to Crossover they stated it would not work and then they sent me a complimentary copy of Mapsend Topo Canada CD - for my troubles and patience. I reminded them that they claimed it would not work but I never turn down free software offers.

 

It took them two tries to send me the CD as the first map to arrive was Topo 3D USA. Go figure!

 

I loaded them on my XP PC and tried them out and - y-up! they can't talk to my unit via usb but they can still create the maps and I can still put them on the SD card and have them read by my unit. So I guess they were right after all! Total waste of my money - NOT!

 

Topo USA 4.20D creates .img

 

World Base Map create ? I don't know as I haven't had a use for it yet

[Jay1974]

You will not find bike trails, hiking trails, offraod trails etc. These are specialty paths that you will either have to add to a map via "Track Logs or Routes" sharing which I believe you can find in the various speciallty forums or websites or rent a GPS at the facility where the paths are offered which could be on private property.

 

I have an Explorist 500 with a MapSend 3D map and use it primarily for hiking. I've always wondered about the absence of trails on the otherwise satifactory maps but you apparently answered my question, Ezeechair. Do you or anyone else know of any GPS unit/map product that includes trails or will I need to continue using topographical maps that I have relied on for so many years? Thanks.

[+embra]

They are all incomplete; some are better than others. I *think* (no personal experience) that the Garmin Nat'l Park series are pretty good for trails, but--of course--only for the area they cover. For national US coverage, Delorme seems to have the best available.

 

There are some online sites that have tracks or other usable trail data. There was a nice summary posted here last year.

[+Ezeechair]

Thanks Embra that's exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for the find. Now to see if any cover my area.

 

These sites are to hiking or offroad biking what "Geocache.com" is to geocaching. Central foucus points where poeple share their discoveries and experiences.

 

Now it doesn't matter that your map doesn't have the trail built in. You control what it displays.

 

John

Edited August 12, 2008 by Ezeechair

[+trainlove]

If you are lucky, you can get the old Mapsend Topo for $20 at Circuit City, Best Buy or Comp USA. Well I was lucky 3 years ago when they were putting out the new Topo for about $100. Also managed to get a cable from a Salvation Army for a dollar once.

You could make your own maps using things mentioned in some Yahoo groups that I list on a web page of mine. There are also possibly some free pre-made maps for regions that you are located in, but I think those are mostly free Garmin maps.

HTTP://ray.jerome.jobs.googlepages.com/majormagellanproblem