Explorist 600 & The Mac

[+Bob&TheGang]

OK, I really think the Explorist 600 is very cool.

 

I currently a Sports Track Color GPS. I have managed to figure out a way to download waypoints into the unit using my Mac.

 

I see the Explorist 600 has a USB connection. Does anyone know if their is software out there that will work between my Mac and this Explorist 600?

[+Marky]

gpsbabel will talk to the USB eXplorists just fine on a Mac. You will still need some form of Windows OS to get maps onto your SD card, but everything else should be easily doable on a Mac with gpsbabel.

 

--Marky

[+northernpenguin]

The eXplorist just comes up as a USB Mass Storage device. I don't have a Mac, but seeing as I can use Linux to load files onto the SD Card and Mac OSX can be very Linux-like, I don't see why Windows would be required. I certainly didn't see any Linux drivers on my eXplorist CD and it works like a champ.

 

Worst case you might need an SD Card reader.

[+Marky]

I don't see why Windows would be required.

There is no way to generate MapSend DirectRoute or MapSend Topo 3D detailed maps on any other platform. All other functions should be able to be accomplished on any system that will mount a USB drive.

 

--Marky

[robertlipe]

As I reported in another thread, I've tested an explorist 400 with OS/X, Linux, and UnixWare. GPSBabel works just groovy with it.

 

Marky's answer is spot on for non-Windows users - beg or borrow a PC once to build Mapsend mapsets onto a big SD card and you can do the waypoints/track/route transfers in whatever OS you like.

[+TeamDS]

In theory its possible with only a mac.

 

If you get vmware to run on your mac, you can set up a virtual windows system inside it and them load your windows software.

 

the best of both worlds.

[+Marky]

In theory its possible with only a mac.

 

If you get vmware to run on your mac, you can set up a virtual windows system inside it and them load your windows software.

 

the best of both worlds.

The newer, copyprotected MapSend DirectRoute and MapSend Topo 3D (and other compatible versions) are a LOT pickier about if they want to run on a system. Has anyone had much luck with the newere MapSend products and VPC on a Mac? I don't think I recall seeing a post about it one way or the other, but I know lots of people initially had problems on 'real' windows machines so I don't know how it performs on a Mac.

 

If someone wants to give me VPC to test on my G5 iMac, I could do it for them.

 

--Marky

[+ADKcachers]

Mac? Is that the Ipod computer?

[+Marky]

Mac? Is that the Ipod computer?

Speaking of small computers, does anyone have a Mac Mini? I think they are cool, but I didn't buy one and don't know anyone who did. Is this a marketing flop? Or are my friends just not the target audience?

 

--Marky

[+dazed&confused]

Speaking of small computers, does anyone have a Mac Mini?  I think they are cool, but I didn't buy one and don't know anyone who did.  Is this a marketing flop?  Or are my friends just not the target audience?

 

I had read somewhere that the Mac Mini was considered a success. Apparently there was a sizable backorder for them when they first came out. I don't know anyone that has one, but I have considered getting one for my daughter. I really hate to buy yet another monitor when I have several that work well (well enough for a 9 year old).

[bogiesan]

Has anyone had much luck with the newere MapSend products and VPC on a Mac? I don't think I recall seeing a post about it one way or the other, but I know lots of people initially had problems on 'real' windows machines so I don't know how it performs on a Mac.

 

Problem with the theory is that the communications out of the Macintosh, even USB, are still Mac-ish. I dunno about a Macintosh being able to do talk to the Magellan via VPS, but we can't use all kinds of Winderz tools on our VPC rigs simply because they're still Macintoshes as far as the network is concerned.

 

I recently picked up MacGPS Pro from James Assoc to play with my Magellan. No time yet to see if anything works as promised.

 

http://www.macgpspro.com/

 

david boise ID

[+Wacka]

Marky,

I have a Mac Mini. My 5 year old G4 tower was dying and I am still short on funds, so I got the mini. E-mail me with questions.

[mickcabe]

I am newbie with an Explorist 500 and an Imac g5 running 10.3.6. At this point, I'm not concerned with maps, but would like to be able to get the geocaching.com waypoints from my Mac to the EX500. I have installed MacGPSBabel, but no Explorist software. My questions are:

 

What file format do I choose to convert the .loc files to so the EX500 will understand it?

 

Can I then just use "drag and drop" to get the file into my receiver when it's mounted as a drive on my desktop?

 

If this isn't possible, can I use a card reader to write the file to an SD card and then just put that into the receiver? Thanks to any and all for your help.

[+Marky]

I am newbie with an Explorist 500 and an Imac g5 running 10.3.6.  At this point, I'm not concerned with maps, but would like to be able to get the geocaching.com waypoints from my Mac to the EX500. I have installed MacGPSBabel, but no Explorist software. My questions are:

 

What file format do I choose to convert the .loc files to so the EX500 will understand it?

 

Can I then just use "drag and drop" to get the file into my receiver when it's mounted as a drive on my desktop?

 

If this isn't possible, can I use a card reader to write the file to an SD card and then just put that into the receiver?  Thanks to any and all for your help.

Once you have your GPSr mounted as a drive, you should be able to write to the SD card directly from gpsbabel.

 

If you want to create a POI file, you would use the 'magellan' protocol and make sure that the file you write to ends in .upt or the eXplorist won'n see it as a POI file.

 

If you want to create a geocache file, you would use the 'maggeo' protocol (I don't know if this is available yet in a standard build of gpsbabel.) The file extension should be .gs

 

Robert can correct any of my mistakes.

 

--Marky

[flir67]

the easiest way is to use magellan pc conversation manager for the way points and is the only way to get maps on the explorist 4-600 series from my understand.

 

I have the mac ibook and a pc laptop. as for loading maps. the pc is the only way to go. you can use the nema feature on the explorist 600 with some gps utility software so it will display your coordinates , you might be able to use this mac mapping programs but I have only tried it out on the gps screen utility program. search for google on it.

 

good luck

 

for your info I'm running tiger 10.4.1

 

tiger has a nice widget called cords that does coordination conversation.

 

.

Edited June 7, 2005 by flir67