Loading maps on oregon 450 questions

[+Daghda]

Is this possible?

If I buy the 450 and put in an 8 gb sd card can I store two different maps on it that have different names and load them as I need them without changing the map img file name?

I know the old garmin units needed a single file name in a garmin directory on the sd card in order to work. But if I plan on traveling and I don't have a laptop with me, I will not be able to change a file name on the oregon.

[+burtsbodgers]

Hi you can have multiple maps on the oregon, if you have a "T" model coming it will have the garmin topo maps pre-installed which are quite good.

However you can add others and switch between them through " map" section in the settings, you just enable or disable them.

But i am not sure whether you can have multiple maps on the same card, I had Garmin topo on sd carde and openstreet maps loaded in the units memory and both worked.

[Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hide]

Is this possible?

If I buy the 450 and put in an 8 gb sd card can I store two different maps on it that have different names and load them as I need them without changing the map img file name?

I know the old garmin units needed a single file name in a garmin directory on the sd card in order to work. But if I plan on traveling and I don't have a laptop with me, I will not be able to change a file name on the oregon.

 

You can have many differently named mapsets on the Oregon, Dakota and Colorado series, and enable and disable their view in the Map Setup options, but once they are on the gps they get loaded.

 

You can't "not" load the file if it has the extension .img.

 

But this is not really a problem - it's an advantage. That way it's only the first time you start the gps after loading all your maps that the startup will be slow. Once the gps has seen all the maps once, they won't impede the boot procedure.

[+northernpenguin]

Is this possible?

If I buy the 450 and put in an 8 gb sd card can I store two different maps on it that have different names and load them as I need them without changing the map img file name?

I know the old garmin units needed a single file name in a garmin directory on the sd card in order to work. But if I plan on traveling and I don't have a laptop with me, I will not be able to change a file name on the oregon.

 

You can have many differently named mapsets on the Oregon, Dakota and Colorado series, and enable and disable their view in the Map Setup options, but once they are on the gps they get loaded.

 

You can't "not" load the file if it has the extension .img.

 

But this is not really a problem - it's an advantage. That way it's only the first time you start the gps after loading all your maps that the startup will be slow. Once the gps has seen all the maps once, they won't impede the boot procedure.

 

This is true - but you need to be running the newer firmware on the Oregon 2/3/400 series and the Colorado series - the original Oregon 2/3/400 and Colorado firmware didn't support multiple map IMG files. I believe the Oregon 450/550 shipped with firmware that could do this.

[+Daghda]

So I can say load city navigator as a file named citynav and a national park topo as natparkeast and another named natparkwest all on the same sd card and then choose which ones to show by going to the settings > map section of the oregon?

 

Just want to make sure I can do that before I buy. I was looking at the 450 vs the 450t and if I can use something like the format above I would just go with the 450 and keep all the maps I need on an sd card. I already have a spare 8 gb card that I am not using.

[Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hide]

So I can say load city navigator as a file named citynav and a national park topo as natparkeast and another named natparkwest all on the same sd card and then choose which ones to show by going to the settings > map section of the oregon?

 

Just want to make sure I can do that before I buy. I was looking at the 450 vs the 450t and if I can use something like the format above I would just go with the 450 and keep all the maps I need on an sd card. I already have a spare 8 gb card that I am not using.

 

Yes, they are all "loaded", but you don't need all "enabled".

 

And again, yes, get the 540 and not the T model so you can keep your options open.

 

The newest version of BaseCamp can actually see the T model's maps but only when you have the gps connected to the computer. Much better to have the maps on your computer, and downloaded to the gps as well.

[+northernpenguin]

So I can say load city navigator as a file named citynav and a national park topo as natparkeast and another named natparkwest all on the same sd card and then choose which ones to show by going to the settings > map section of the oregon?

 

Just want to make sure I can do that before I buy. I was looking at the 450 vs the 450t and if I can use something like the format above I would just go with the 450 and keep all the maps I need on an sd card. I already have a spare 8 gb card that I am not using.

 

Yes, they are all "loaded", but you don't need all "enabled".

 

And again, yes, get the 540 and not the T model so you can keep your options open.

 

The newest version of BaseCamp can actually see the T model's maps but only when you have the gps connected to the computer. Much better to have the maps on your computer, and downloaded to the gps as well.

 

Easy enough to 'keep options open' with the T models. If you want the space back you simply move GMAPPROM.IMG to the memory card or to your computer. If the price is right, the T model is a good deal as you get the Topo map thrown in and it is definitely not a permanent thing.

 

I have a Colorado 400t, which came with USA Topo. Since I live in Canada, that GMAPPROM.IMG file lives on a DVD instead of my GPS most of the time.

 

On my GPS I have citynav.img, topocanada.img, ont-trails.img, etc etc. Works great for me, as I can save the GMAPSUPP.IMG file for maps I'm updating frequently.

[Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hide]

So I can say load city navigator as a file named citynav and a national park topo as natparkeast and another named natparkwest all on the same sd card and then choose which ones to show by going to the settings > map section of the oregon?

 

Just want to make sure I can do that before I buy. I was looking at the 450 vs the 450t and if I can use something like the format above I would just go with the 450 and keep all the maps I need on an sd card. I already have a spare 8 gb card that I am not using.

 

Yes, they are all "loaded", but you don't need all "enabled".

 

And again, yes, get the 540 and not the T model so you can keep your options open.

 

The newest version of BaseCamp can actually see the T model's maps but only when you have the gps connected to the computer. Much better to have the maps on your computer, and downloaded to the gps as well.

 

Easy enough to 'keep options open' with the T models. If you want the space back you simply move GMAPPROM.IMG to the memory card or to your computer. If the price is right, the T model is a good deal as you get the Topo map thrown in and it is definitely not a permanent thing.

 

It's not really "thrown in" if you have to pay $100 more for it, which seems to be the average premium on T models.

 

That's exactly the current price difference on the 450 vs the 450T at GPSCentral.

 

But the T model does have more internal memory so maybe it's worth it.

[+Jeep4two]

You can store as many maps as you like (and turn them on or off using enable/disable in the Setup>Map menu).

 

I have bunches of add on maps loaded (routable streets, several topos, numerous custom maps, overlay trail maps, aerial imagery, topo 2008, select OSM sections).

 

As mentioned you should make sure you are running the lastest release of the software/firmware.

 

Another nice thing - your map selection is uniuqe for each profile. For instance on my unit I have my overlay trial map, Topo 2008 and the Aerial imagery turned on (all others disabled). But my Automotive profile uses Metroguide v6 (converted to routable with Metrowizzz) all others disabled. When I switch profiles the appropriate maps are available.

[+Red90]

There is still a limit on the total number of map tiles as far as I know, 4000 or something like that.