TOPO U.S. 24K - Northeast on Dakota 20

[JROFam]

Hi,

 

I'm looking at purchasing the TOPO U.S. 24K - Northeast maps for my Dakota 20. I am wondering how it performs with the detail level on maximum and the shaded option enabled? If any of you have this installed on your Dakota 20, would you be able to post some screen shots of it? Thanks!

[+ecanderson]

Hi,

 

I'm looking at purchasing the TOPO U.S. 24K - Northeast maps for my Dakota 20. I am wondering how it performs with the detail level on maximum and the shaded option enabled? If any of you have this installed on your Dakota 20, would you be able to post some screen shots of it? Thanks!

You might also want to review http://www.gpsfiledepot.com to see what they are offering there. While the 24K from Garmin are now routable, the 24K from gpsfiledepot are free. You can load those and see if they meet your needs before you invest in the TOPO U.S. set. I'm running gpsfiledepot 24K topos on both my Dakota 20 and Oregon 450 and have been quite happy with the results with high detail level enabled. Give them a try. Won't cost anything but a few minutes of your time.

[JROFam]

I have the 24k Topo maps for Maine from the site your linked however it doesn't have the DEM shading that I was interested in seeing.

[+ecanderson]

I have the 24k Topo maps for Maine from the site your linked however it doesn't have the DEM shading that I was interested in seeing.

True enough. There's not much out there for free maps with embedded DEM data. The files at gpsfiledepot tend to be a trade-off between DEM and additional detail in the maps. None of the former, often lots of the latter (e.g., elevation lines at tighter intervals).

[MtnHermit]

I have the 24k Topo maps for Maine from the site your linked however it doesn't have the DEM shading that I was interested in seeing.

From experience, you'll run the DEM shading for a few minutes then turn it off forever . . . way too DARK.

 

Theirs some user photos for the OR 450 on Amazon where you can see what I mean.

[snowfleurys]

How Garmin codes DEM data is their secret; it has not been reversed engineered so you will only find it in Garmin and Garmin sanctioned products.

[JROFam]

Still looking to hear from others that have purchased this to see what they think.

[+g-o-cashers]

I have this combination on my Dakota 20 but I don't have it here with me to grab a screen shot. I can tell you that the performance (zoom and pan) with these settings works fine but in my experience it is way too dark. I usually turn back the detail a notch if I'm hiking in areas with lots of elevation change and have the shading turned off (or on auto which disables it below a particular zoom level) to improve visibility. I also create multiple profiles so I can switch back and forth between map settings quickly (usually a high viz profile and a detailed profile with the shading on and details cranked up).

[JROFam]

I have this combination on my Dakota 20 but I don't have it here with me to grab a screen shot. I can tell you that the performance (zoom and pan) with these settings works fine but in my experience it is way too dark. I usually turn back the detail a notch if I'm hiking in areas with lots of elevation change and have the shading turned off (or on auto which disables it below a particular zoom level) to improve visibility. I also create multiple profiles so I can switch back and forth between map settings quickly (usually a high viz profile and a detailed profile with the shading on and details cranked up).

Hi,

 

If you have a chance, I would appreciate a screen shot of an area zoomed in to about 100-50' and then at say a mile with the shading on. I've tried to find screen shots but nothing in action.

 

I mostly geocache and would like to see the terrain shaded like on Google Maps terrain view if it performs and looks good. I've found this but to me this does not look too dark: http://www.stephencreek.com/gps/oregon/20080830/dwg001.jpg

 

Thank you!

[+ecanderson]

If you have a chance, I would appreciate a screen shot of an area zoomed in to about 100-50' and then at say a mile with the shading on. I've tried to find screen shots but nothing in action.

 

I mostly geocache and would like to see the terrain shaded like on Google Maps terrain view if it performs and looks good. I've found this but to me this does not look too dark: http://www.stephencreek.com/gps/oregon/20080830/dwg001.jpg

I appreciate what you're trying to do, but you're accidentally getting an apples and oranges comparison. A "screen shot" from a Dakota or Oregon of what was displayed on the face of a Dakota or Oregon is NOT the same as that same digital data displayed on your LCD or CRT monitor. Due to the layer of material involved in creating the touch screens, the luminance isn't anything like what you're seeing now as you read this. Turning OFF the DEM shading has been one of the often suggested approaches for improving the readability of the touch-screen Garmin models.

[JROFam]

I see your point with the touch screens, they are not as clear as a non-touch screen. I guess I'd have to see this in person but unfortunately most stores that have the model on display have the very helpful sticker over the screen.

Edited November 17, 2010 by JROgden

[+myotis]

I make several of the maps at gpsfiledepot.com including My Trails which covers Maine.

 

The only place you can get DEM data is from buying a "T" model, the 24K topo maps, or the 100K USA topo maps. Map makers have no way to add it to our maps.

 

You need DEM data to show shaded relief. However, as others have mentioned, it makes things extremly difficult to see on the map. I have used it to show shaded releif on my GPS 3 or 4 times when it was not clear if something was a valley or a hill. Other than that you are not going to want shaded releif to show.

 

But DEM data provides other benifits. For example, you can click on a location and the GPS will tell you the elevation. Another really nice feature is it wil add elevation to a track or route. This allows you to use the elevation screen to see what the trerrian of your hike/drive is like. Also if you have a T model or Garmin's Topo USA (100K) loaded, you can see shaded releif in any of the topo maps at GPsfiledepot. For example, if you have Garmin's TopoUSA on your GPS and NE Topo from gpsfiledepot, the GPS will use the DEM data from garmin topo USA to show shaded releif in the NE Topo Map.

 

While I never use the built in topos on my 550T (and I never did for my CO 400T), I like having the DEM data. I am not sure how much the various maps costs, but if you really want shaded releif or if you want the other features of having DEM, one option would be to buy TopoUSA to have DEM data for the entire country and also use free maps (donations are always appriciated) from gpsfiledepot.com. If you buy the garmin NE maps, you only get DEM data for that area.

 

Also many people do not get the T models woithout knowldge of besides the built in topos, you also get the DEM data. The DEM data is why I chose the T model.

[+g-o-cashers]

Should also mention the other advantage of the Garmin 24k maps over gpsfiledepot maps is the roads are routable. I use the 24k maps in New England (even though I have the City Nav maps installed) and they are almost as good as City Nav -- I have found a few errors that newer versions of CN seems to have fixed.

[+ecanderson]

Noted in Post #2. Certainly an added advantage if the user plans to use the handheld as an automotive nav unit, but I didn't get that impression from the OP.