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Garmin Topo U.S. 24K-Micro SD/SD


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Nope. SD cards will not load onto mapsource. I hope they come out with a DVD version of 24K that can be used with mapsource.

Bummer.

 

I must be missing something. Why doesn't Garmin release the 24K Topo's on a DVD, so the user can access the maps on his/her computer, in addition to the Garmin GPS?

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Why doesn't Garmin release the 24K Topo's on a DVD, so the user can access the maps on his/her computer, in addition to the Garmin GPS?
I got thinking about that in the shower last night, think I know why.

 

I believe that the routable road layer of the maps is from Navteq. If so, some sort of map locking is required by license. SD cards by their very nature are easy to lock and painless (hassle free) for the consumer, unlike the log in and unlock procedure.

 

With a SD, you can use the maps on as many GPS units as you like, only one at a time. 24K Topos would have a much longer life than road maps and annual upgrades are very unlikely, again a reason for SD since you can't easily upgrade an SD.

 

It would seem technically feasible to plug the SD into you PC and have a special version of Mapsource read and display the maps . . . perhaps someday.

 

My $0.02.

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Why doesn't Garmin release the 24K Topo's on a DVD, so the user can access the maps on his/her computer, in addition to the Garmin GPS?

 

Because the DVD versions are really easy to pirate..............

 

Yeh but so are the SD cards. I have seen alot of working images of SD source image for the garmin where you just need to copy the image to your own SD card and stick them in your gpsr and your all set.

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Yeh but so are the SD cards. I have seen alot of working images of SD source image for the garmin where you just need to copy the image to your own SD card and stick them in your gpsr and your all set.

 

Try to do that and when you put the SD card in YOUR GPS you will get something like "Map Security Error". The file is linked to either your GPS's serial number or a mysterious SD card serial number.

 

The file will not actually load and you will have to remove the card to get your own detail maps to work again.

Edited by trainlove
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I don't think ease of pirating enters the equation very prominently on Garmin's end. Pretty sure the above poster who cited licensing agreements with Navteq is on the money.

 

Maybe it's a simple managerial misfire -- maybe Garmin actually did market research that indicated that sd-only versions are what the typical consumer wants...

 

No matter what the decision was, I find the idea of juggling multiple tiny microSD cards to be really unattractive. "oh wait, which one of these has my POI's loaded on it? the one with City Nav or the 24k topo?" ugh.

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I don't think ease of pirating enters the equation very prominently on Garmin's end. Pretty sure the above poster who cited licensing agreements with Navteq is on the money.

 

Maybe it's a simple managerial misfire -- maybe Garmin actually did market research that indicated that sd-only versions are what the typical consumer wants...

 

No matter what the decision was, I find the idea of juggling multiple tiny microSD cards to be really unattractive. "oh wait, which one of these has my POI's loaded on it? the one with City Nav or the 24k topo?" ugh.

 

Also, consider that Garmin is moving away from single source storage. The Colorado 400t has 3 storage areas--internal, card and the internal maps. You could have the US Topo maps that come on the unit, City Nav in the internal storage, and the Topo 24 K on the card.

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Yeh but so are the SD cards. I have seen alot of working images of SD source image for the garmin where you just need to copy the image to your own SD card and stick them in your gpsr and your all set.

 

Try to do that and when you put the SD card in YOUR GPS you will get something like "Map Security Error". The file is linked to either your GPS's serial number or a mysterious SD card serial number.

 

The file will not actually load and you will have to remove the card to get your own detail maps to work again.

 

I said in my post "working image" , not some person who just copies their SD card to another. There are image file for the sd cards for 400t, 400i, 400c. The protection has been removed and they do work on any garmin gps. Also the SD security doesn't link to a serial number of the gps. You can put any garmin SD in any garmin gps and it will work fine.

Edited by storm180
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Nope. SD cards will not load onto mapsource. I hope they come out with a DVD version of 24K that can be used with mapsource.

Bummer.

 

I must be missing something. Why doesn't Garmin release the 24K Topo's on a DVD, so the user can access the maps on his/her computer, in addition to the Garmin GPS?

Better yet... Why doesn't Garmin allow preloaded SD cards to load into MapSource? It is all a piracy issue.

Edited by Ratsneve
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Yeh but so are the SD cards. I have seen alot of working images of SD source image for the garmin where you just need to copy the image to your own SD card and stick them in your gpsr and your all set.

 

Yes, but it is a lot harder to pirate the SD cards and they at least have some built in security. In addition, Garmin have been changing the way units and maps are locked to make pirating new products a lot more work for the bad people. The DVD maps that have no unlocking have zero security and can be (and are) pirated by anyone.

 

The second big point is that the average Joe on the street PREFERS the SD cards because it is simple..... I was at a GPS store the other day and while waiting listening to them take orders and one order, the salesman explained that the maps come in the two formats and what that means. The customer did not hesitate to go the SD card route. IMO, it is stupid, but that is the general public for you.....

Edited by Red90
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Because the DVD versions are really easy to pirate..............

 

Yeh but so are the SD cards. I have seen alot of working images of SD source image for the garmin where you just need to copy the image to your own SD card and stick them in your gpsr and your all set.

Yeah but the .img file you are seeing was most likely not produced by copying the SD card but by a DVD install that has had the locking removed then an .img file created by mapsource to be copied to your sd card

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Because the DVD versions are really easy to pirate..............

 

Yeh but so are the SD cards. I have seen alot of working images of SD source image for the garmin where you just need to copy the image to your own SD card and stick them in your gpsr and your all set.

Yeah but the .img file you are seeing was most likely not produced by copying the SD card but by a DVD install that has had the locking removed then an .img file created by mapsource to be copied to your sd card

 

No they are not from the DVD, I know that for a fact. The image files of the sd cards are out there and they do work if you copy them onto you own SD card becuase they are stripped of the protection. I have seen it work on a colorado 300 with a 400i imaged SD card and a 400t imaged SD card.

Edited by storm180
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