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Meridian package make sense?


EScout

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I have had a Garmin II since 1997 and got a Legend in December and really like it. Two friends are asking advice on which GPSr to buy for travel and caching.

 

I was recommending Garmin, but after researching, the following seems like you get a lot for your money. Please post comments, recommended changes, etc. Also, do all of the Meridians have the same screens and processors?

 

$100 Meridian yellow at Fry's

24 Mapsend Streets at Comp-u-plus

20 32MB SD Card at above and others

13 card interface

15 shipping

8 tax

 

$180

- 50 rebate from Magellan when you buy GPSr and software.

 

$130 total

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quote:
Originally posted by EScout:

I have had a Garmin II since 1997 and got a Legend in December and really like it. Two friends are asking advice on which GPSr to buy for travel and caching.

 

I was recommending Garmin, but after researching, the following seems like you get a lot for your money. Please post comments, recommended changes, etc. Also, do all of the Meridians have the same screens and processors?

 

$100 Meridian yellow at Fry's

24 Mapsend Streets at Comp-u-plus

20 32MB SD Card at above and others

13 card interface

15 shipping

8 tax

 

$180

- 50 rebate from Magellan when you buy GPSr and software.

 

$130 total


 

The current pricing on that line is just amazing. An entry level unit for $100 that does WAAS and is capabable of expanding to include maps and hundreds of megabytes of detail maps is sweet.

 

The non-color meridians all have the same screen and processor. While it's covered in detail in the Meridian FAQ in the yahoo group, the primary difference is the (green|yellow) units are identical except for color and have only 2MB base maps. Gold adds more memory for basemap and Plat adds compass/altimeter. The whole family is clearly closely related.

 

Personally, I'd recommend Topo over Streets. (Apply the current $75 rebate instead of your $50 rebate the price doesn't change by much.) And I'd probably get a 64 instead of a 32 MB card becuase they're only a few bucks more. OTOH, my 330 has 8 and it's pretty rare that I complain about not having enough space for travels...

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The Outpost/fry's meridian deal is the one I've been recommending to friends lately. I don't see anything else out there at the moment that can come close value wise, especially for entry level. Actually, it's not a bad unit at any level. The Meridians are a little large for my liking as a hiker, but bigger can be better in a car or boat.

 

I second the recommendation of TOPO as a software alternative. It includes all the roads, and the terrain data which can be nice for hiking, or caching. Only downside with TOPO is that you loose the POI's for food establishments etc. I personally don't find that much of a loss, but for some it may not be worth the trade off.

 

For what it's worth

 

Jeff

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I bought both Streets and Topo.

 

Big mistake.

Topo contains everything in Streets, PLUS some Points Of Interest, and the topographical contouring (what little there is).

 

The only possible problem is that a detailed Topo map of an area will be larger than a Streets map of the same area.

 

No problem with my 64MB SD card.

 

Please note that I stated "Streets" and not "Streets and Destination". I do not have the latter.

 

DustyJacket

...If life was fair, a banana split would cure cancer.

 

[This message was edited by dustyjacket on March 01, 2003 at 04:38 PM.]

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quote:
Originally posted by dustyjacket:

 

Topo contains everything in Streets, PLUS some Points Of Interest, and the topographical contouring (what little there is).

Good point.

The only possible problem is that a detailed Topo map of an area will be larger than a Streets map of the same area.


Which can be regained. If you don't want topo data or the POIs for a region, you can uncheck them before generating the map. Of course, if you want the additional data, it takes additional space.

 

quote:

Please note that I stated "Streets" and not "Streets and Destination".


 

I don't have S&D, but I have fondled it. Basically it's 'Streets' with POIs for exits, tourist attractions and so on. I guess another way to look at it would be to consider it 'Topo' without contour lines, natural arches, bars, and mines but with POIs for zoos, stadiums, and such.

 

From what I can tell, they all three use the same base map set. Topo has a slightly newer code base offering 'advanced' features like printing.

 

Why these are three different products mystifies me...

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I got the $100 deal at Fry's and picked up 128Mb for $35 (64Mb was $30 so no-brainer). You have to modify the Mapsend.INI file conv_memory_size = 16384 to =32768 then can upload [up to] 4 32Mb regions (use an SD writer or it'll take hours).

 

I sent in the info for a $50 rebate as well. Got the rebate form off the Magellan website and it appears to be good for any Meridian receiver + either Topo or SD software.

 

P. L. Root

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On the Magellan site I can locate the newer rebate offer of $50 for select Meridians and/or $25 for select MapSend software (notable exclusions are green/yellows and MapSend Streets).

 

I am not easily able to turn up the earlier $50 for any Meridian + MapSend product (except Streets) when both are purchased, although I could locate the description of the rebate on Amazon. If one is wanting to use a particular rebate, be sure to verify that you have the coupon in hand and that you are buying qualifying products.

 

Fry's web site doesn't tell you anything about a rebate. I recall something about the latter rebate when it was extended at the beginning of this year that it might apply to only certain dealers. It all comes down to reading the fine print if/when you get your hands on the rebate form.

 

A mite confusing, I'd say.

 

Max

Often wrong but seldom in doubt

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There appears to be two different rebates going. I found the $50 one by linking from the software listings at compuplus.com. It is $50 only. It says:

"Buy one of these: Sportrak Pro, Sportrak Map or any Meridian GPS receiver plus one MapSend software product between January 2, 2003 and December 31, 2003."

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Thanks, EScout. Even with your pointer it took a ittle digging to find it...the $75 rebate is front and foremost.

 

For anybody that wants it, here is the link to the form that EScout described. Doesn't appear to be limited to any particular dealer; does seem to apply to yellow and greens.

 

Max

 

Max

Often wrong but seldom in doubt

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During a trip to Kansas and Texas for the holidays (including a little geocaching, natch!), we introduced some family to the joys of CG-ing. Since then, they've run into others out there who enjoy the sport and who were surprised to find out they "knew all about it!" Now they're actually going to get into it as joint family outings.

 

Well, this sounds like a good excuse to upgrade. (Muahaha!) I'm going to send 'em my year-old Garmin Venture...and buy a new GPSr! Plan on getting a mapping unit; have wanted one since my initial purchase but couldn't justify the first-time expense. (What -- and now I can?!)

 

First considered staying "in-family" and buying the Legend. However, after some great discussion, comparison and analysis in this forum (thank you all!), I've taken another look at the Magellan units. Wavered between SporTrak Pro and Meridian Gold. Now I'm starting to take a greater interest in the Meridian Green/Yellow given the great apparent value and remaining budget for memory & software upgrade. Until I actually make the aforementioned upgrade, though...one question:

 

Does anyone have any idea of the difference(s) between the (USA/west coast/California) basemaps in the MeriGreen/-Yellow's 2MB version and the SporTrak Pro/MeriGold's larger version(s)?

 

Thanks!

 

[This message was edited by FlyingRhino on March 04, 2003 at 10:26 AM.]

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The Sportrak Pro has a 9mb basemap, the MeriGold has 16mb. So the difference is significant - 78% less detail than the Pro and 88% less than the Gold.

 

If you want anything other than the main highways in the basemap, don't get the Yellow or Green.

 

I have the Green, and the uploaded maps provide all the detail I need, but the basemap is very "basic".

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I see a lot of people talking about the rebate ($50) on the Magellan Yellow. I just bought a "Yellow" and the rebate does not apply to the base model. It only applies to the gold, plat, and color models. Check it out!

 

If I happen to be wrong please let me know so I can cash in on the deal.

 

.....Matt151b.....

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Matt, are you looking at the $50 rebate form for GPS purchase only? I know that one excludes yellows and greens, but the $50 form I linked to above says "any Meridian GPS." Of course, you have to buy a specified MapSend product, too, for the latter.

 

Max

Often wrong but seldom in doubt

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quote:
Originally posted by FlyingRhino:

During a trip to Kansas and Texas for the holidays (including a little geocaching, natch!), we introduced some family to the joys of CG-ing. Since then, they've run into others out there who enjoy the sport and who were surprised to find out they "knew all about it!" Now they're actually going to get into it as joint family outings.

 

Well, this sounds like a good excuse to upgrade. (Muahaha!) I'm going to send 'em my year-old Garmin Venture...and buy a new GPSr! Plan on getting a mapping unit; have wanted one since my initial purchase but couldn't justify the first-time expense. (What -- and now I can?!)

 

First considered staying "in-family" and buying the Legend. However, after some great discussion, comparison and analysis in this forum (thank you all!), I've taken another look at the Magellan units. Wavered between SporTrak Pro and Meridian Gold. Now I'm starting to take a greater interest in the Meridian Green/Yellow given the great apparent value and remaining budget for memory & software upgrade. Until I actually make the aforementioned upgrade, though...one question:

 

Does anyone have any idea of the difference(s) between the (USA/west coast/California) basemaps in the MeriGreen/-Yellow's 2MB version and the SporTrak Pro/MeriGold's larger version(s)?

 

Thanks!

 

 

[This message was edited by FlyingRhino on March 04, 2003 at 10:26 AM.]


 

Well I had the Sportrak Pro and now have the Yellow and I wrote a comparison of the two and I'm way more happier with my yellow then I was with my Pro mainly because of the sd card. The only difference from my pro to the yellow's base map is the pro showed the larger roads here in st. louis and the yellow just shows the large highways, but that's it. If your getting the mapping software anyway then save your money. I like the basemap better now because it's less cluttered because it just shows the major highways and then I just zoom in to get the map detail I need. If you don't plan on getting mapping software then get the gold/pro, but if you do then save some $$$.

 

Nathan & Anne

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THANK YOU FOLKS! Special thanx to embra for the link. We bought a Magellian Meridian Gold and Mapsend Topo just after the first of this year. It sounds like we qualify for the $50 rebate. I mailed it off today -- now I just need 8 weeks of patience. icon_wink.gif

 

I am enjoying the Topo maps and am happy with the number of streets shown. Glad that I just ordered the Topo -- it seems good for my use.

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Thanks for pointing out the MeriYellow package, EScout and for your additional analysis, Nathan & Anne. Ran out to Fry's yesterday and picked up the $99.99 Yellow, then bopped over to Staples for the $29.99 (after rebate) 64MB SanDisk SD card.

 

Appreciate your reply to my basemap q, EagleI. Took a look at the MeriYellow's basemap. Even at only 2MB, it appeared to still be more detailed (due to highway mapping) than was my Garmin Venture's. With the $46 MapSend Topo (after rebate) from Amazon.com, I should have more than enough detail to feed the need.

 

Thanks again, all -- named and unnamed, for the discussion here. It's guided my "downgrade" and I'm thrilled! Can't wait to get out on the trail...!

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