Method of Adding Maps

[+ARMY-OF-ONE]

Hi All,

I'm using the Oregon 550 and want to add additional maps. Can someone help me with the Pros and Cons on the purchase of the DVD as opposed to the Micro/SD card and vice versa?

 

Thanks in advance.. ARMY--PATHFINDER

[+Walts Hunting]

The DVD is locked to one device so if you buy another garmin later you can't use it on that one. But you can install it on your computer for use.

 

The SD card can be moved from device to device as needed but can't be utilized on your computer.

 

I travel a lot so use both. I have the CN card (which I bought in late 2009) in my 450 to drive me to caches and I use TOPO 24K that I load depending on where I will be. A bit expensive but the maps are routable which makes the CN redundant but I had it before I got the 24K were available. Plus the CN seems to have more POI's than the TOPO.

 

After I had all this GS came out with their app and it does drive to directions for caches on my Droidx thereby making the CN double redundant. Might even dump it so I can load more topo.

 

So there are the points about each and the decision is individual.

[ao318]

Another nice thing about the DVD is that if your SD card gets damaged or corrupted you can make another one for that specific unit the DVD is locked to. You can also create many smaller cards of certain areas that you cache in like I have one card for the West Coast and another of the sates that boarder California. This enables me to put other maps on the SD card like Garmin's TOPO maps and some of the free downloaded maps. If you are into creating routes and other things on the computer, having the software loaded onto the computer is also nice because it gives you a much larger view and is easier to modify your information within the software.

 

As Walts Hunting stated, the SD card option is transferable between units but cannot be viewed or manipulated on the computer. I have the DVD and it is locked to my CSX. My Topo maps are also on a DVD and they were not locked to a specific device and have that software on my daughters GPSr's. I have had replacement CSX's in the past and Garmin has given me replacement unlock codes for my CN. One nice thing when that happens is that you somehow get upgraded to the most current version of CN. My disk was CN 2008 and my upgraded software on my computer is CN 2010.xx.

 

I believe I have read somewhere on these forums that if you sell or lose the unit and you call Garmin to verify this information by un-registering the unit, they may give you another unlock code for the new unit you have purchased. You can call them yourself to verify that though.

[+Cacheoholic]

I believe I have read somewhere on these forums that if you sell or lose the unit and you call Garmin to verify this information by un-registering the unit, they may give you another unlock code for the new unit you have purchased. You can call them yourself to verify that though.

Boy I hope this is wrong because otherwise I've spent hundreds of dollars unnecessarily!

[snowfleurys]

Some of Garmin's mapsets are locked and some are not.

If you are interested in one of there locked mapsets (i.e. CityNavigation, BlueCharts) and need to use the mapset on more than one GPSr or intend to replace the current GPSr soon - then the prerecorded Garmin card might be benificial.

If you are interested in one of Garmin's unlocked mapsets (i.e. TOPO100k, and posts say their TOPO24k is also unlocked), it is generally better as you can select only some of a mapset to upload to the GPSr and can also add other mapsets to the micro memory card - it is not advisable to add additional mapset data to a Garmin prerecord card as it could damage the prerecorded mapset. If you had CN on a prerecorded card would would have to use the GPSr's internal memory to add additional mapsets (i.e. a contour line overlay mapset, etc.)

 

Since you did not indicate any specific use for your OR it would be hard to say about specific mapsets; however, take a look at the free mapsets available on gpsfiledepot.com. You can 'preview' an area of your choice for some of Gasrmin's mapsets on their website.

 

Some previous posters indicate Garmin has replaced a lost/damaged mapset, others say they have had to purchase an addition one.

Edited February 13, 2011 by snowfleurys

[+ARMY-OF-ONE]

Thanks for the input all! the GPSr will be utilized primarily for Geocaching. 80%. And 20% for hiking/backpacking.

 

Does this change the relavence of the choices?

Edited February 13, 2011 by ARMY--PATHFINDER

[+Walts Hunting]

Hi Army pathinder. You guys used to tag landing zones for us in Vietnam so we could come in (2/8 airborne, 1st CAV) tough job.

 

It does make a difference. You are going to want TOPO and have three choices

 

1. Garmin US TOPO (about $100) which has 100K resolution and is not routable.

 

2. Garmin 24K TOPO which is about $100 for a few states but have the higher resolution and are routable (routable being it will take you turn by turn on roads to the destination). Or at least as close as it can before going off road. For some reason it doesn't have all the trails that the US TOPO does but has a bunch.

 

3. gpsfiledepot.com which has free maps (some of which are 24K) but are not routable.

 

None of these are locked to the unit like the navigator is (new device means new purchase of maps) so when you get a new device you can install them on it.

 

Also all of those can be installed on a computer for viewing.

 

That about sums it up.

[+ARMY-OF-ONE]

Hi Walt,

First let me start by saying welcome home and Thank You Sir for your service.

Thanks as well for your clear and concise explanation of my options. It's cleared up any questions I had.

Warmest Regards.