kachadurian Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 I just got a 60csx and I'm thinking about buying the City Navigator North America. I know I can get free maps, but is it worth it to have one street navigation option. I was thinking about buying it loaded on the Micro SD card so I could move it to another device if I get something different. Good idea? Bad idea. Free maps just as good? Thanks Tom Quote Link to comment
+sduck Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 I like them because they're basically the easiest option going, if the price isn't a big consideration. I haven't messed with the free maps that are available, so someone else can comment on those. I don't think the pre-loaded sd card version is transferrable to different gps units easily - I think they get activated for one unit only. Quote Link to comment
+Timpat Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 I feel the City Nav NT 2011 is a good value and has the most up to date POIs. It can be found for about $80 online. This or the micro card option is locked to one unit so no moving the maps around, sorry. With the micro card you don't have the maps in Mapsource for viewing/planning so beware. If you use BaseCamp I believe it lets you view them off the unit's card. Quote Link to comment
kachadurian Posted March 5, 2011 Author Share Posted March 5, 2011 I feel the City Nav NT 2011 is a good value and has the most up to date POIs. It can be found for about $80 online. This or the micro card option is locked to one unit so no moving the maps around, sorry. With the micro card you don't have the maps in Mapsource for viewing/planning so beware. If you use BaseCamp I believe it lets you view them off the unit's card. from the Garmin site: "Pre-programmed datacards: Pre-programmed datacards are immediately ready to use out of the box. Simply unpack the card and insert it into your compatible GPS device. These maps do not need to be unlocked to your device which allows you to move the card to multiple units if desired, however you will not directly have access to the mapping on your computer. City Navigator maps in this format are not eligible for map updates. If you wish to obtain updated content, a new card will need to be purchased." How important are updates and how frequently do they come? Tom Quote Link to comment
+BAMBOOZLE Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 I use the City Nav and think getting it on the Micro SD card is the way to go. I have dozens of handhelds and a couple of Nuvi's and have never updated any maps although doing so was free......I've had VERY few issues criss-crossing the country even using Magellan Meridians with 8 year old maps. Congratulations on getting what I think is the best handheld ( new ) on the market for geocaching.....the Gold Standard 60 CSx. Quote Link to comment
+Timpat Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 (edited) from the Garmin site: "Pre-programmed datacards: Pre-programmed datacards are immediately ready to use out of the box. Simply unpack the card and insert it into your compatible GPS device. These maps do not need to be unlocked to your device which allows you to move the card to multiple units if desired,.... How important are updates and how frequently do they come? Tom I stand corrected! Then that is a good option for you. I agree with bamboozle that updates are not that important. Edited March 6, 2011 by Timpat Quote Link to comment
+Woodstramp Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 As cheap as low end Nuvis are, it may be better to just keep the Nuvi in the car and woods-ramble with the 60csx (loaded with free topos) No card swithing. Just road navigate with the nuvi, then use the 60 on foot. That being said, I do have a 60csx that came with a CN card. I have the free topos on another card inside a bison tube hanging on the 60's lanyard. Works great, exept for having to swap cards. No verbal instructions while auto routing, but the beeps work fine. Quote Link to comment
+find waldo Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 I just updated to a 62s and wanted just topos on it as we're off road alot. I bought a Nuvi 1300 for 89.00 out the door. So far, its working great! Have Fun! Quote Link to comment
+Cacheoholic Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 Look at the Garmin 24K Topos? They have great topos, not locked and are routable. Might be a good option if you don’t travel out of the region. Quote Link to comment
NordicMan Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 Another HUGE advantage with the Garmin City Navigator maps is, address information is searchable!! The free "openstreetmaps" version does work well but if you're trying to find "123 Somestreet, mytown" then it'll come back with "address not found". If you DO need to be able to route your car with your 60csx then you'll want to be able to search for addresses! Quote Link to comment
+humboldt flier Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 (edited) YES, YES, YES > I run the City Nav. on micro SD cards and money well spent. Edited March 6, 2011 by humboldt flier Quote Link to comment
kachadurian Posted March 6, 2011 Author Share Posted March 6, 2011 (edited) As cheap as low end Nuvis are, it may be better to just keep the Nuvi in the car and woods-ramble with the 60csx (loaded with free topos) No card swithing. Just road navigate with the nuvi, then use the 60 on foot. That being said, I do have a 60csx that came with a CN card. I have the free topos on another card inside a bison tube hanging on the 60's lanyard. Works great, exept for having to swap cards. No verbal instructions while auto routing, but the beeps work fine. I'm pretty good and finding my way in a car, and I do have an iPhone for most navigation in the car, when it works. The 60CSx is more for when I'm outside cell tower range where the phone fails, mostly on foot but sometime in the car here in Northern Michigan, out West, Canada, Mexico. How is the City Navigator for rural roads and countries other than the USA? Tom Edited March 6, 2011 by kachadurian Quote Link to comment
+Cardinal Red Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 Look at the Garmin 24K Topos? They have great topos, not locked and are routable. Might be a good option if you don’t travel out of the region. Have you ever actually tried this? I have. The topo maps only have MAJOR roads. I generally need nav help on back roads. Topo maps have their place but do not shine on the blacktop. Quote Link to comment
+Woodstramp Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 " How is the City Navigator for rural roads ....." I live in rural Alabama. CN works well in the sticks. There are occasional mistakes in calculations and POI locations, but that's happens with any of them...even the smart phones. "..and countries other than the USA?" Sorry, can't help you with that. Wish I travelled enough to let you know how it works outside the US. Quote Link to comment
+Walts Hunting Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 (edited) Look at the Garmin 24K Topos? They have great topos, not locked and are routable. Might be a good option if you don’t travel out of the region. Have you ever actually tried this? I have. The topo maps only have MAJOR roads. I generally need nav help on back roads. Topo maps have their place but do not shine on the blacktop. Sorry Cardinal but you got your info mixed up. The 24K have ALL the roads. And they are routable. So you can look up 123 jones st., SF, CA and it will take you to the front door. Edited March 7, 2011 by Walts Hunting Quote Link to comment
+Cacheoholic Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Look at the Garmin 24K Topos? They have great topos, not locked and are routable. Might be a good option if you don’t travel out of the region. Have you ever actually tried this? I have. The topo maps only have MAJOR roads. I generally need nav help on back roads. Topo maps have their place but do not shine on the blacktop. Yes I have. I have Garmin Topo U.S. 24K Northeast and City Navigator North America 2011.40 on my Oregon 550. Both have routed identically every time I compared them. Quote Link to comment
+kwitsman Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 (edited) I got City Navigator 2010 on eBay and it works great in my 450. In my area, not much changes as far as roads, so I'm good with last year's maps. I'm not much of a "find me a Chinese restaurant" type of person, so I don't use that feature. That would be when updates and the newest maps would be of most help. If you don't use the Points of Interest search and you don't live in a major city where they might change roads often, then you will probably like it too. Not sure if the previous owner of this SD card used it, but it worked right away for me, so I'm thinking that it's not tied to one unit as much as some software could be. Hope this helps. Karl Edited March 12, 2011 by kwitsman Quote Link to comment
+khumbu_calypso Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 (edited) I am thinking of purchasing City Navigator NT for my GPSMAP 62s as well, but I think I want the DVD version so I can get updates. Is that a correct assumption? With the SD cards there are no updates available, you have to buy a new card. With the DVD version updates are available online? Are they free?? I guess is the more important question... Edited April 29, 2011 by khumbu_calypso Quote Link to comment
+GrateBear Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 This is the one thing that bugs me about Garmin. Buy the SD card and it can be moved to any unit, but no upgrades. Or, buy the DVD and you can later buy updates. I think you can buy a lifetime update, but not sure about that. But, stuck with the one unit. The good thing is that roads don't change that often, so perhaps the SD card is the way to go. After all, where I live, Google hasn't updated their maps in 3 or 4 years! My neighborhood still shows roads and dirt lots, despite the fact there are 20+ homes built there. That's a real pain when I try to narrow down where a cache is hidden. Quote Link to comment
+CacheFreakTim Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 City Nav from Garmin really are great. I have found them to be much more accurate than Google Maps. I only have seen one road missing from the latest upgrade. If you need navigation on roads they are the way to go. Quote Link to comment
+khumbu_calypso Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 I don't see anything on the Garmin website about purchasing lifetime updates for City Navigator NT. Can anyone comment? Is it included with DVD or just "available" and if the latter, how much? Quote Link to comment
+luvvinbird Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 I have 3 Garmin handhelds all using City Navigator North America NT on SD cards, 2009-2011. Honestly, I think they're fine. There's not an appreciable difference between versions that I can tell, so when I and my buddies head out to do some caching we're all "beeping" at the same time. Quote Link to comment
+khumbu_calypso Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 I am not interested in City Navigator NT for Geocaching purposes.... I have topo maps, and Birdseye Imagery for Geocaching. I am only interested in City Navigator NT for routeable maps for driving directions and more importantly the POI's. Sure the roads won't change much depending on where you live and travel, but the POI's are always being updated. New restaurants, hotels, gas stations, etc. The whole reason for buying City Navigator NT would be so I can use my 62s for multiple purposes instead of picking up a Nuvi. But if City Navigator NT on DVD doesn't include free lifetime updates for the $75 price tag, I might be better off to buy the Nuvi 1450 with lifetime map updates for $180. Can anyone confirm whether City Navigator NT on DVD includes lifetime updates, and if not how much to add it? Quote Link to comment
+Team_LPD Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 I get the new CN's every year for my 60CSx. I'm still running Topo 2008 as well. I use the CN for driving and urban geocaching and Topo for hunting and boonie geocaching. Quote Link to comment
+khumbu_calypso Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 @ Team LPD: you get the new SD cards every year cause they don't include updates or you buy a new set of DVD's every year? Quote Link to comment
+CacheFreakTim Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 I have never heard of lifetime updates unless it was a one time deal. If that is true I'd sign up for sure. If anyone knows anything about this post a link. Quote Link to comment
+coggins Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 I have never heard of lifetime updates unless it was a one time deal. If that is true I'd sign up for sure. If anyone knows anything about this post a link. http://www.garmin.com/us/maps/numaps_lifetime Quote Link to comment
+khumbu_calypso Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 So now we're getting somewhere.... So if I read this right, I purchase CN on DVD for $75, one time cost. Then I can subscribe to numaps for $90 for lifetime updates? quote from the Garmin nuMaps webpage linked above. "(it is possible to use Lifetime map updates if you purchased a City Navigator® map on DVD and it is used on the same computer you installed the City Navigator maps)" GPSMAP 62s is listed as a compatible device. I guess the question now boils down to cost. Total of the CN once time purchase and the nuMaps subscription is $165. I am getting awfully close to the price of a nuvi 1450 with lifetime map updates ($190). Still I like the idea of one device for everything even though the nuvi is clearly a much better solution for road navigation (spoken directions, touch screen, larger screen). What would make the price more compelling is if the $90 subscription covers all of the map products you have purchased. So if I purchased Garmin Topos for the 62s would it update those as well? I guess those don't require frequent updates though do they?.... Quote Link to comment
+GrateBear Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 So now we're getting somewhere.... So if I read this right, I purchase CN on DVD for $75, one time cost. Then I can subscribe to numaps for $90 for lifetime updates? quote from the Garmin nuMaps webpage linked above. "(it is possible to use Lifetime map updates if you purchased a City Navigator® map on DVD and it is used on the same computer you installed the City Navigator maps)" GPSMAP 62s is listed as a compatible device. I guess the question now boils down to cost. Total of the CN once time purchase and the nuMaps subscription is $165. I am getting awfully close to the price of a nuvi 1450 with lifetime map updates ($190). Still I like the idea of one device for everything even though the nuvi is clearly a much better solution for road navigation (spoken directions, touch screen, larger screen). What would make the price more compelling is if the $90 subscription covers all of the map products you have purchased. So if I purchased Garmin Topos for the 62s would it update those as well? I guess those don't require frequent updates though do they?.... I also seem to recall that they offered a good deal on Black Friday last year for the lifetime maps. Maybe $60? I'm waiting to see if they do the same this year. Quote Link to comment
+Team_LPD Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 (edited) @ Team LPD: you get the new SD cards every year cause they don't include updates or you buy a new set of DVD's every year? DVD's every year, however......it seems I might have to check into this lifetime update thing. Edited April 29, 2011 by Team LPD Quote Link to comment
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