Installing Garmin TOPO Canada on a Mac?

[+Insp Gadget]

Several years ago, I bought Topo Canada maps from Garmin. Since that time I bought a Mac and have no idea how to load the maps so I can put them on my GPS. I have already d/n Map Install, but am not sure how to use it as there are no instructions. Has anyone else run into this?

[+mpilchfamily]

You'll need to install Mapsource (if it came with the maps) or Basecamp to upload them to your unit.

[+Insp Gadget]

Mapsource came with the cd's but it's a Windows based program. How do I load it onto my Mac?

[+mpilchfamily]

You can't unless you have a copy of windows installed on your mac. But Basecamp is esetually the same thing and there is a Mac version.

http://www.garmin.com/garmin/cms/us/onthetrail/basecamp

[+Insp Gadget]

You can't unless you have a copy of windows installed on your mac. But Basecamp is esetually the same thing and there is a Mac version.

http://www.garmin.com/garmin/cms/us/onthetrail/basecamp

 

Thankfully I dont have Windows on my computer now do I have access to a Windows computer. :-) I have Basecamp on my Mac but how can I get the map files into it? It's not copy protected so that should make it easier. Can I just copy the img files over?

[+mpilchfamily]

Not sure if you can do that or not. Not sure how the files are stored on the CD. If they could be copied off the CD and into a folder Basecamp knows about then yes. If not then you may have to forgo using those maps. I think Garmin keeps that stuff pretty locked down so people can't easily distribute the maps to be used on multiple devices. On the bright side there are allot of good free topo maps.

[+Insp Gadget]

Would these free maps work on a Mac? Can you point me in the right direction?

[+mpilchfamily]

http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/

Most of the maps download with an installer some are just the map files. Those that are just the map files will work on any system. Just open them up through Basecamp. Most of those that have an installer are Windows only but some have Mac installers. Here is a direst link to the Canada maps.

http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/country/ca

Check out that one thats editors choice and see what that gives you.

[+allory]

First go to http://www8.garmin.com/macosx/ andvdownload and install most of what is there. You probably won't need the ANT agent and RoadTrip, perhaps Training Center, but will eventually want the rest.

 

With that installed you can install Mac format maps (.gmap) to your hard drive and then to your gps. The free maps at gpsfiledepot.com Work fine if they are formatted for a Mac.

 

If you don't have maps in the Mac format then you will need to install them on a Windows machine and convert them to Mac format with Garmin's MapConverter (http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=3897).

 

Quite a few of the free maps are already available in the Mac format, and in my experience the map makers are pretty receptive to doing the conversion if you ask nicely. If your Garmin map disk is old enough that it doesn't include the Mac format maps you should at least try contacting Garmin to see if they would send you a new disk. The conversion is easy, but if you don't have acces to a Windows machine available it can't hurt to ask.

[+northernpenguin]

Several years ago, I bought Topo Canada maps from Garmin. Since that time I bought a Mac and have no idea how to load the maps so I can put them on my GPS. I have already d/n Map Install, but am not sure how to use it as there are no instructions. Has anyone else run into this?

 

Since you say several years, I will assume you mean Topo Canada previous to v4. I have Topo Canada v4, and the Mac installer is right there on the CD. It puts Basecamp on your system and that's all you really need. MapInstall is useful for transferring maps to your GPS and Road Trip is also useful for 2D map views, waypoint management.

 

If you don't have Windows on your Mac you can use VirtualBox to temporarily run Windows in a virtual machine. Virtualbox is free but you'll need to get Windows somewhere and install it there. But it does mean you can technically convert older maps to .gmap format without having to have a Windows /computer/ just Windows itself. Virtualbox is a bit less of an impact on your Mac than Boot Camp is. I am speaking from the experience of using an Intel Mac - as that's what I am using for my primary computer.

[+CacheFreakTim]

You can install them via base camp or the map installer program on the Mac. Both are free on Garmins site.

[mobiletaylor]

Are there issues with older versions of the 1000K series? I have TOPO USA 1000K but it is version 2. When converted to the older maps work in BaseCamp or do you need RoadTrip? What is the difference with them? Looks like BaseCamp is updated more often.

 

JT