Is Explorist 500 A Mass Storage Device?

[+user13371]

I've raised this question elsewhere but haven't found a definitive yes or no answer. Hopefully someone who has one can tell me?

 

When you plug in your Explorist 500, does it appear on your computer as a removable drive? Or not?

[SwissTeam]

I've raised this question elsewhere but haven't found a definitive yes or no answer. Hopefully someone who has one can tell me?

 

When you plug in your Explorist 500, does it appear on your computer as a removable drive? Or not?

Yes, In my case Drive :E

[+Dan_Edwards]

Yes, In my case Drive :E

Sweet! This should allow many programs to directly change the waypoints, basicly allowing a hi-speed sync.

 

Hold on I had to wipe the drool from my chin...

[+EScout]

The unit must be on. There is a menu choice that must be set for USB communications (Menu>Communications>File transfer>SD/Internal) Then you choose whether you want to access the SD card or the internal memory. They are treated like 2 seperate drives, and you can only access one at a time. The internal memory can store waypoint files, routes and maps just like the SD card, within folders.

 

Without being hooked up to USB, you can move or copy files between the SD card and the internal memory. This gives the potential of easy "in the field" swapping of multiple waypoint files between 2 owners of eXplorists with SD cards.

 

(To make waypoints from a waypoint file show on the map screen, you "activate" that file. This saves a step compared to the Meridian, where you had to load from the SD card to working memory, and clear before loading another file.)

 

Interestingly, the cable can be hooked up to the unit both from the top and bottom directions (six contacts on the unit.) The USB functions only with the cable running towards the bottom. With the cable running towards the top, the USB function will not work. The 500 gets power for charging from either direction. I imagine the top direction is for using a power cable in a mobile mount.

[+Dan_Edwards]

They are treated like 2 seperate drives, and you can only access one at a time. The internal memory can store waypoint files, routes and maps just like the SD card, within folders.

This is the best feature of the new explorist. Having it be a drive means that it can easily connect to Mac's, Linux and a lot more. No special software needed, no needing to save the file and then upload it, just save it to the drive.

 

Makes backing up info a breeze too, just drag that drive to a burnable CD and boom, your GPS is backed up.

 

Quick question are the GPS setting just a file in memory? If so you could backup the eXplorist settings! Super sweet!