Cheaper Alternative To Mapsource?

[+DocDiTTo]

I just bought a Garmin Legend, and would love to get a little more detail than the basemap provides. I don't want to spend more for the Mapsource software than I did for the actual GPS though. Is there an alternative to Mapsource for getting a detailed map into my Legend?

 

I do have Street Atlas USA 2004, and would love to get some of those maps in the GPS. Is that at all possible, or just a pipe dream?

 

Also, I have seen Mapsource software offered on Ebay, but the Garmin site indicates some of it might need "unlocked". Is it safe to buy the used software, or might I end up with something I can't actually use because I'm missing an unlock key? Would the key have to be given to me along with the software?

 

OK, enough questions for one post.

 

Thanks!

--DiTTo

[+horsegeeks]

If you the Mapsource Metroguide which is the proper choice for the Legend it doesn't need to be unlocked.

[+Renegade Knight]

Buried in these forums is information on making your own maps to be used with Garmins. It's labor intensive, but that's the way of it. It's all in the keywords to find the dang threads though...

[peter]

Now that MetroGuide vers. 6 has been announced you can get good deals on the older versions. Version 4.01 uses maps produced by TeleAtlas rather than NavTeq and these actually have better coverage of some rural areas and also of rivers and lakes than do the newer versions. Sure, you'll be missing some of the newer subdivisions and other new road construction, but I think you'll find it to be almost as useful as the latest version at a much lower cost. Another plus is that MG version 4.01 uses somewhat less memory than the latest version so you can load a larger area into your Legend. Stay away from the still older version 3 though - it had very large map regions of almost 8 MB each so you can only load one at a time. Ok if you happen to live at the center of a region but no flexibility to adjust the shape of the area and very bad if you're near the border between regions.

 

As 'horsegeeks' said, MetroGuide does not have any unlock codes or other protection scheme and the same is true of Garmin's US Topo maps, so you shouldn't have any issues if you buy a used version of the software.

[sgt cache]

OK...I'm gonna sound like the idiot here...what do you NEED mapsource software for? I have been doing ok without it. Does it make that much of a difference to cache with the TOPO maps loaded?

 

Just curious really...

 

thanks

sgt cache

[+tirediron]

I don't think anyone can say that they NEED mapsource, but it does make life easier. I have metroguide 4 in my 76CS, and it's great for navigating around the city and finding those urban 'caches. I've been debating on the wisdom of spending almost $200 for Canada Topo... the big plus for that is in planning your "assault" on rural 'caches. Being able to look at a topo map before hand and plan your route can save you a LOT of grief later....

[Neo_Geo]

Is there an alternative to Mapsource for getting a detailed map into my Legend?

 

I do have Street Atlas USA 2004, and would love to get some of those maps in the GPS. Is that at all possible, or just a pipe dream?

There is no alternative to MapSource for loading maps INTO your Legend. None of those other map brands will go into the GPSr. You can only send data from the GPSr to the computer into such programs. If you have a laptop with your GPSr hooked up to it, you can do the realtime tracking in the software on the computer.

 

Since you're probably more interested in putting maps INTO your Legend, I would recommend that you start with MapSource products first. For street level mapping detail, MetroGuide is the best choice for you. It gives you the ability to lookup addresses on the GPSr, and have them diplayed on the screen and have the GPSr point you right to it. You can also lookup restaurants, hotels, gas stations, stores, etc. You can search for such Points of Interest (POIs) by name for the nearest Taco Bell, or by category for the nearest Mexican place. It'll provide you with the address and telephone information.

 

You can also use MetroGuide on the computer and have it create a turn-by-turn route for you to your destination, which you can then upload to the GPSr.

 

All that information takes up a lot of room in the memory though, and you'll find that there isn't enough memory for the Legend to load all the maps for long road trips.

[+Gonzo-YT]

I don't think anyone can say that they NEED mapsource, but it does make life easier. I have metroguide 4 in my 76CS, and it's great for navigating around the city and finding those urban 'caches. I've been debating on the wisdom of spending almost $200 for Canada Topo... the big plus for that is in planning your "assault" on rural 'caches. Being able to look at a topo map before hand and plan your route can save you a LOT of grief later....

 

My Topo Canada was only $100 or so, as it came bundled with my GPS.

 

It's amazing -- for the amount of data you get, that is peanuts. Also, it has a pretty good set of road data, no need to buy the city select. I can do full street routing here in Whitehorse.

[Anarion]

What GPSr did you buy that came bundled with TOPO Canada? And where did you buy it?

 

If the Etrex Legend came with TOPO Canada here in Canada, I wouldn't think twice about purchasing it.