using sd card on a garmin vista hcx

[+ras_oscar]

I am fixin to buy a Garmin etrex vista HCX and want to be sure I understand the limitations and abilities of the expansion card.

 

Based on searches of this forum I understand that there is a limitation on how much map info the card can address: approx half the country based on the Garmin street map set

 

Based on searches on this forum I understand that the POIs (Geocaches) are stored in the unit and the limitation is 1000 POIs.

 

Based on searches on this forum I understand that if I buy the garmin street maps on DVD they are locked to my device and are not usable on any other GPS

 

BOSOTF I understand that if i buy garmin street maps on Dvd I can selectively copy as many map tiles as I wish to the SD card subject to the limitation above.

 

BOSOTF I understand that maps are stored on and run from the SD card.

 

Questions:

 

I cache in 4 states. I would like to load up maps and caches onto an SD card, one for each state. The question is: can I load 1000 POIs to the unit in the field from the SD card or do I need to connect the unit to a PC?

 

If I obtain high res topo from GPSfile depot, will I have enough space on a 2 GB SD card to also fit a single state, and will I be able to load and overlay both on the Garmin screen?

 

If I purchase the Garmin mapset on DVD is there a discount presently offered if I choose to upgrade to newer street maps in the future?

[+coggins]

Based on searches on this forum I understand that the POIs (Geocaches) are stored in the unit and the limitation is 1000 POIs.

Geocaches are stored in the unit in the waypoint memory space, there is a 1000 waypoint limit. POI's are stored to the datacard, and the limit is based on the freespace on the card. You should be able to store 10's of thousands of POI's on a card.

If I obtain high res topo from GPSfile depot, will I have enough space on a 2 GB SD card to also fit a single state, and will I be able to load and overlay both on the Garmin screen?

Would help to know the state(s) and GPSFileDepot maps you are interested in to answer this... Some of their maps will overlay, others won't...

[Orion84]

Didn't firmware version 3.0 remove limits on microSD cardsize and segmentcount?

 

http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=3709

(Changelog is not very clear about this, but I believe I read something like that on the forums.)

[+ras_oscar]

Maryland

pennsylvania

texas

utah

[+mr.mudd]

If I obtain high res topo from GPSfile depot, will I have enough space on a 2 GB SD card to also fit a single state, and will I be able to load and overlay both on the Garmin screen?

 

Sorry I'm not answering your question, but I have the same GPS unit and I live in Texas and am also curious to know if a topo of the entire state will fit on a 2 GB MicroSD card.

 

Bump.

[+coggins]

If I obtain high res topo from GPSfile depot, will I have enough space on a 2 GB SD card to also fit a single state, and will I be able to load and overlay both on the Garmin screen?

 

Sorry I'm not answering your question, but I have the same GPS unit and I live in Texas and am also curious to know if a topo of the entire state will fit on a 2 GB MicroSD card.

 

Bump.

This one looks like it might even fit on 512MB card: GPSFileDepot Texas TOPO

 

As far as a 2GB card I think you are going to be all right.

Edited August 2, 2009 by coggins

[+coggins]

Based on searches on this forum I understand that the POIs (Geocaches) are stored in the unit and the limitation is 1000 POIs.

Geocaches are stored in the unit in the waypoint memory space, there is a 1000 waypoint limit. POI's are stored to the datacard, and the limit is based on the freespace on the card. You should be able to store 10's of thousands of POI's on a card.

If I obtain high res topo from GPSfile depot, will I have enough space on a 2 GB SD card to also fit a single state, and will I be able to load and overlay both on the Garmin screen?

Would help to know the state(s) and GPSFileDepot maps you are interested in to answer this... Some of their maps will overlay, others won't...

Maryland

pennsylvania

texas

utah

You can fit each map on a separate card if you like and then use GSAK with the geocaching macro and POI loader to load thousands of caches as POI's to the card. There's a GSAK macro that will stack pages that will give you hints, logs, cache description... I don't use it so someone else will have to give you the 411, but it will give basic paperless capabilities without a PDA.

Me, I'd just load all 4 states up on a 4GB micro and look into GSAK and chase down the macro.

Didn't firmware version 3.0 remove limits on microSD cardsize and segmentcount?

 

http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=3709

(Changelog is not very clear about this, but I believe I read something like that on the forums.)

I think "didn't" would be the correct answer. They went from FAT 16 to FAT32, and now the unit will read a gmapsupp.img up to 4GB (minus 1 bit). There wasn't any problem using a larger card before, and the map segment count hasn't changed. Edited August 2, 2009 by coggins

[+mr.mudd]

If I purchase the Garmin mapset on DVD is there a discount presently offered if I choose to upgrade to newer street maps in the future?

 

Ahh, I think I can answer that one. I was looking at maps on the Garmin website this morning and somewhere it stated that you can not upgrade maps, that when a new version comes out you have to buy an entire new one. HTH.

[+mr.mudd]

If I obtain high res topo from GPSfile depot, will I have enough space on a 2 GB SD card to also fit a single state, and will I be able to load and overlay both on the Garmin screen?

 

Sorry I'm not answering your question, but I have the same GPS unit and I live in Texas and am also curious to know if a topo of the entire state will fit on a 2 GB MicroSD card.

 

Bump.

This one looks like it might even fit on 512MB card: GPSFileDepot Texas TOPO

 

As far as a 2GB card I think you are going to be all right.

 

Thanks.

[+coggins]

If I purchase the Garmin mapset on DVD is there a discount presently offered if I choose to upgrade to newer street maps in the future?

 

Ahh, I think I can answer that one. I was looking at maps on the Garmin website this morning and somewhere it stated that you can not upgrade maps, that when a new version comes out you have to buy an entire new one. HTH.

Check their webpage under Vista HCx->Maps Tab->View map updates for this product->

 

for onetime/lifetime street map updates...

[+ollynholly]

I just received my Vista HCx through Amazon. Let me try to help a little. I have the entire North East topo, and half of the country Icybus map on a 2G micro card with a little room to spare (I think I am around 1.7 with about 1700 map tiles) so I don't think you will have a problem.

[+mr.mudd]

If I purchase the Garmin mapset on DVD is there a discount presently offered if I choose to upgrade to newer street maps in the future?

 

Ahh, I think I can answer that one. I was looking at maps on the Garmin website this morning and somewhere it stated that you can not upgrade maps, that when a new version comes out you have to buy an entire new one. HTH.

Check their webpage under Vista HCx->Maps Tab->View map updates for this product->

 

for onetime/lifetime street map updates...

 

Yeh, I think we're talking about different maps here. I was looking at the $99 City Navigator North America. On that particular map it says, "Reduced price map updates are not available for these cards. If you want to update the maps, you must purchase a new card that includes the latest map data."

 

Here's the link: https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=145...requirementsTab

 

Technically we're both right

Edited August 4, 2009 by mr.mudd

[+mr.mudd]

I just received my Vista HCx through Amazon. Let me try to help a little. I have the entire North East topo, and half of the country Icybus map on a 2G micro card with a little room to spare (I think I am around 1.7 with about 1700 map tiles) so I don't think you will have a problem.

 

Did you get those maps from GPSFileDepot?

 

The only reason I ask is that on another caching forum someone told me that the topo maps from GPSFileDepot may only go on the Garmin Colorado and Oregon models. They weren't sure, though.

[+JBnW]

The only reason I ask is that on another caching forum someone told me that the topo maps from GPSFileDepot may only go on the Garmin Colorado and Oregon models. They weren't sure, though.

 

Nope, they are Garmin compatible, and would go to any Garmin model that will accept maps.

[+ollynholly]

JBnW is correct. All maps were loaded from GPSFiledepot with no problems at all. Very detailed topos with a lot of POI's built in already.

[+mr.mudd]

The only reason I ask is that on another caching forum someone told me that the topo maps from GPSFileDepot may only go on the Garmin Colorado and Oregon models. They weren't sure, though.

 

Nope, they are Garmin compatible, and would go to any Garmin model that will accept maps.

 

JBnW is correct. All maps were loaded from GPSFiledepot with no problems at all. Very detailed topos with a lot of POI's built in already.

 

Cool, thanks

[+ras_oscar]

clarification:

If I load "tens of thousands" of POIs on the SD card, am I getting only the cache page or are they plotted as locations in the map view as well?

[+coggins]

clarification:

If I load "tens of thousands" of POIs on the SD card, am I getting only the cache page or are they plotted as locations in the map view as well?

Both I believe: http://gsak.net/board/index.php?showtopic=...amp;#entry81818