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Magellan Sporttrak Map


Dowwie

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I'm frustrated and gotta vent a bit!!!! ;)

 

I purchased my SportTrak Map about 8 months ago and then spent the extra money on the cables, case, topo CD (since I hunt as well), and Streets and Destination software. Yea over $250 in acc.

 

I called Magellan today to find out if there was a software update for the Streets and Destinations since everywhere I have been going lately the streets are not on the map yet the streets have been around since 2000 and these are also in a MAJOR city, Dallas, Tx and some surrounding cities. I was told that there was NOT any updates nor any updates planed since the vendor that supplied the maps to Magellan for the Streets and Destinations, they no longer use.

 

So in a nut shell I can't return the SportTrak Map since it is 8 months old, I can't get any updated software with current or even somewhat current maps. So I'm stuck with this boat anchor with the year 2000 maps to work with! ;)

 

I've spent well over $400 for/on this thing and now it's worthless!

 

Magellan...What a poor excuse.

 

They did offer a trade up program to go from the SportTrak Map to the SportTrak Pro for $179, then add the cables and carrying case for another $99, OH YEA add the $149 street software to that, then some current topo software...another $500+, I don't think so.

 

Magellan is out of the GPS market for me!

 

Can anyone recommend a Good GPS MFG that has regular updates to the map software that goes with it?

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All mapping software is behind the real world.

 

Garmin's City Select has gone from 3.5 to 4.0 to 5.0 in Two years. Topo software is often 10 years out of date for anybody. Garmin won't be any different but by and large it's a good guide for outside the urban world. My experience on the Topo version of Magellan and Garmin is that they both are wrong but neither is wrong or right more often on average.

 

Though I'm not a Magellan fan, your GPS isn't broke and if Magellan finds another supplier for their software they will come out with an update/upgrade. They wouldn't tell you that though because that would imply a promise of a future product that they are probably scrambling to find. No company makes promises like that. They usually stick to announcing a product that is in the works a little early to generate hype.

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Can anyone recommend a Good GPS MFG that has regular updates to the map software that goes with it?

Nope.

 

Sounds like you were expecting too much. To my knowledge, all consumer GPS mapping software comparable to topo and S&D is roughly of the same age.

 

Jamie

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Sounds like you were expecting too much. To my knowledge, all consumer GPS mapping software comparable to topo and S&D is roughly of the same age.

I don't think I am expecting to much by needing some type of current map software at least with in the last 2 years.

 

I mean common, if Mapsco, Randy Mc. and others can print a new map every year with current year streets, to include detailed city maps etc.. why can't the GPS MFG's?

 

Maybe WE as consumers are sending MFG's the impression that we like medioker and are willing to pay a premium to get it?

 

Maybe WE as consumers need to voice more displeasure with this type of mediocracy to force a change?

 

You know the old saying, "don't fix what ain't broke" and if the MFG's think there's nothing wrong then they are not going to spend the money and time to fix something.

 

I don't know...but I don't think I was expecting to much!

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Unless a major earthquake has changed the topography, why do you need updates for Topo software anyway? It is also common knowledge that S&D is somewhat out-dated, as are most GPS mapping software, and a simple search would have alerted you to this. Do not get me wrong I can totally understand the frustration, but I have learned the hard way that you do not buy anything until you have spoken to real owners/users of the product. Blaming the manufacturer is kind of like blaming a teacher for failing an exam when you did not study. The manufacturers make products available to consumers, but it is still the consumer’s responsibility to do the due diligence to insure the product will meet our individual needs and expectations.

 

You live in the Dallas area and there is a bunch of Geocachers there, you should check with some of them to get opinions on products. 9key and HackAttack are two that come to mind. You can also check out the Texas geocaching web site for local Geocachers and opinions.

 

This is just my oppinion, and you know what they say about oppinions ;)

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Unless a major earthquake has changed the topography, why do you need updates for Topo software anyway? It is also common knowledge that S&D is somewhat out-dated, as are most GPS mapping software, and a simple search would have alerted you to this.

You bring up two very good points here!

 

1st the topo software works well and I don't have a problem with that.

 

2nd I did search and could not find anything on the age of the maps that come with the software and that there were NO updates available since it's production.

 

Me being from a Technical background, which I guess I take for granted, have come to expect software updates at least once a year from a software mfg. This is the first software I have run across that does not get updated!

 

Even the Map software Mapsco has gets updated atleast annually.

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Perhaps it has to do with a smaller userbase in the GPSr world?

 

What you are asking for *is* available, but you had the misfortune to buy in just before Magellan announced it. DirectRoute, the replacement for Streets & Destinations, is based upon the same NavTech data as the Garmin software. I don't know about Garmin, but Magellan has indicated that they will be updating the maps in DR in November, and I am under an impression that this will be an annual update. No word yet on update costs for users.

 

The TIGER database which S&D and Topo is based upon is public domain; NavTech charges for theirs. So DR (and the related Garmin software products) are more expensive. I can see the logic in that.

 

You apparently had the misfortune to buy in shortly before DR was announced, so you innocently bought a unit that doesn't have the memory requirements to be able to run DR. Sincere condolences. I was luckier; I was quite pleased to see autorouting features added to my Meridian via DR--without having to buy new hardware. Those with the low level SporTracks and Meridians are being left behind on this count. It's unfortunate and it's frustrating, but I can't really blame the manufacturer for offering no-frills units at the lowest cost possible--with little expansion capability--as well as higher-end units having more memory, and therefore better growth capability.

 

So...if you're pissed at Magellan, Garmin is your best alternative. But as Renegade Knight observed, they aren't radically different. My perspective on your situation (and I intend this in a matter-of-fact way with no implied criticism) is that you got what you paid for. You have some expectations that are high and not unreasonable, but you will have to shell out additional funds for that level of quality. I think you've outgrown your ST Map*. It took me about 6 months of use of my first GPSr to learn what features were and weren't important to me, as well as what questions I should (and shouldn't) be asking. I upgraded to the unit I have now, and have been at times reasonably satisfied and sometimes very satisfied ever since.

 

*Edit: By "outgrowing your ST Map" I mean you want something that will run software with newer maps, which translates into higher-en Meridians or SporTracks that can run DirectRoute. I understand that in other regards your ST Map may be entirely satisfactory yet.

Edited by embra
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A solution we used is MicroSoft Streets & Trips on a laptop with the GPS attached. Larger color screen, updated maps, annual updates, and you can carry your GPX files around with you if you need to upload more waypoints.

 

Our laptop is an old 350mhz and it works just fine. You can pick up a cheap laptop from eBay for less money you're talking up there.

 

Hope this helps!

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A solution we used is MicroSoft Streets & Trips on a laptop with the GPS attached. Larger color screen, updated maps, annual updates, and you can carry your GPX files around with you if you need to upload more waypoints.

 

Our laptop is an old 350mhz and it works just fine. You can pick up a cheap laptop from eBay for less money you're talking up there.

 

Hope this helps!

I have also heard that Mapopolis will autoroute on a PDA. The trick is to find a PDA that will let you do this for less than a GPS.

 

Let me be blunt. Junk it all on eBay and buy a higher end unit with more memory. GPS's seem to hold their value well. This route will set you back the least to get where you are wanting to go. It's just the time it takes to do it.

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I have also heard that Mapopolis will autoroute on a PDA.  The trick is to find a PDA that will let you do this for less than a GPS.

I purchased mapopolis for use on my pocketpc... for about $35. It has very up to date maps for may area (Riverside Ca, which has had a growth boom for the last few years, so paper maps are out of date but these are great)

I can enter coordinates and an icon magically :rolleyes: appears in the cache location, and it gives driving directions/

Using mapopolis for the maps, a GPX sonar for cache descriptions and field logs, and the GPS that was given to me to try out in my classroom, I now feel that I have everything at my fingertips and a low cost..

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