Meridian Platinum vs. Garmin GPS V

[+citrix_99301]

I'm eyeing either the Magellan Meridian Platinum of the Garmin GPS V units and was hoping for some positive feedback one way or another. It seems to me the Garmin unit has a big advantage in route planning with notification of upcoming turns, etc whereas the Magellan simply offers the course heading and distance to the waypoint. On the other hand, the Magellan is a bit less expensive. Other than the marketing schtick would anybody who owns either of the two share some first-insight about the pros and cons of their system?

 

Thanks.

[Best_Buddies]

This is not the place for this. There is a page just for GPS receiver information.

 

However, since you asked........

 

I own a Meridian Platinum with 128MB of memory. Having that much memory is nice. I do wish that I had turn-by-turn routing and the larger screen of the GPS V, but I felt that I would not be happy with only 19MB of memory for detailed maps...

 

The big disadvantage of the GPS V is that the memory canot be upgraded. The other thing is that (to me), the shape of the GPS V is great for use in a car, but is not the best for hand-held use.

 

If 19MB is enough, and if you will use it mainly in the car, then the GPS V probably is your best bet.

 

On the other hand, if you like taking off and knowing that wherever you go, you have a map, then the Meridian would be a good choice. You can have 128MB of memory in a nice waterproof package, which is something that Garmin cannot offer.

 

The unfortunate reality is that a perfect GPS does not exist. My ultimate GPS would look like the Magellan SporTrack, but have 256MB of memory, QVGA color screen, external antenna jack, fast USB connection, turn-by-turn routing with a high-quality map, and allow the use of scanned maps. I am still waiting (and probably will be for many years).

 

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Any similarity between my opinions and reality is entirely coincidental.

--Harrkev

[vagabond]

Also don't foget the Magellan has a better antenna system.

I have the Magellan Gold as I didn't think I needed the extra goodies of the Plat. if I knew then what I know now I more then likely would have bought the Meridian and used the extra bucks for more memory chips.

[vagabond]

Also don't foget the Magellan has a better antenna system.

I have the Magellan Gold as I didn't think I needed the extra goodies of the Plat. if I knew then what I know now I more then likely would have bought the Meridian and used the extra bucks for more memory chips.

[Atilla the Pun]

GPS V can connect to an external antenna, so that's really not an issue in this case.

 

AtP

[vagabond]

your right Attila about the antenna,,,,,,,

But why buy one if you don't need it

[vagabond]

your right Attila about the antenna,,,,,,,

But why buy one if you don't need it

[+citrix_99301]

I do really like the Garmin V's routable maps but you're right, external memory seems like a huge advantage as well. . .

 

Which leads to my next question, is there any kind of consensus as to which topo map might be more accurate or up to date? I'm leaning towards the Meridian with Mapsend Topo but have heard it's pretty inaccurate and out of date. Then again, I was checking out the sample map on the Garmin page and my neighborhood, built in 1996, isn't on the map.

[vagabond]

Just when I'm ready to say mapsend is the best it throws me a curve. My daughter lives in a new housing tract just finished this year her street is in mapsend topo, of course I can go to another area that has been around for maybe a couple of years surprise missing streets.

From what I understand from others they both have their good and bad points

I guess I'll just plug into the laptop and use expedia streets and trips 2000, plus then I have turn by turn .

[vagabond]

Just when I'm ready to say mapsend is the best it throws me a curve. My daughter lives in a new housing tract just finished this year her street is in mapsend topo, of course I can go to another area that has been around for maybe a couple of years surprise missing streets.

From what I understand from others they both have their good and bad points

I guess I'll just plug into the laptop and use expedia streets and trips 2000, plus then I have turn by turn .

[peter]

quote:

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Originally posted by citrix_99301: is there any kind of consensus as to which topo map might be more accurate or up to date?

---

 

Neither is good, but they do differ in some respects. Both take the topographic data from the USGS 1:100,000 scale maps (these are much less detailed than the 1:24000 scale maps usually used for hiking). The Garmin maps are the more faithful representation of the USGS maps which is both good and bad since these maps are very dated when it comes to showing roads.

Magellan modifies the maps in two ways: one is to add more recent streets from the Census Bureau TIGER database and the second is to compress the topographic data to reduce the necessary memory size. Unfortunately, this compression can lead to some loss of precision and the MapSend topo contour lines sometimes are distorted as seen when they cross a given river multiple times (i.e. the water would need to flow uphill).

Garmin's Topo doesn't show roads that weren't on the USGS maps and you really need to also get their MetroGuide maps for updated road/street information (generally better than current MapSend products).

[Atilla the Pun]

quote:

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Originally posted by vagabond:

your right Attila about the antenna,,,,,,,

But why buy one if you don't need it

---

 

True, true.

 

AtP

[Atilla the Pun]

quote:

---

Originally posted by vagabond:

your right Attila about the antenna,,,,,,,

But why buy one if you don't need it

---

 

True, true.

 

AtP

[jfitzpat]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Atilla the Pun:

quote:

---

_Originally posted by vagabond:_

your right Attila about the antenna,,,,,,,

But why buy one if you don't need it

---

 

True, true.

 

AtP

---

 

I think Vagabond is confusing the patch ant. in the eTrex line with the V, which uses a QH ant. The external ant. connection is presumably useful for automotive use, etc.

 

-jjf

[jfitzpat]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Atilla the Pun:

quote:

---

_Originally posted by vagabond:_

your right Attila about the antenna,,,,,,,

But why buy one if you don't need it

---

 

True, true.

 

AtP

---

 

I think Vagabond is confusing the patch ant. in the eTrex line with the V, which uses a QH ant. The external ant. connection is presumably useful for automotive use, etc.

 

-jjf

[vagabond]

All I can say is after comparing my old Lowrance Global nav 212 against a Garmin III+ going to many caches the Lowrance beats the III+ every time, I believe the III+ and the V use the same antenna. My Magellan Gold beats the Lowrance about 50% of the time.

The friend of mine that has the III+ was thinking about a V, but after seeing the gold he has decided to go with the gold

 

PS both of my units work very well in the car or the motorhome

[vagabond]

All I can say is after comparing my old Lowrance Global nav 212 against a Garmin III+ going to many caches the Lowrance beats the III+ every time, I believe the III+ and the V use the same antenna. My Magellan Gold beats the Lowrance about 50% of the time.

The friend of mine that has the III+ was thinking about a V, but after seeing the gold he has decided to go with the gold

 

PS both of my units work very well in the car or the motorhome