Garmim next generation of PC charting program?

chuck1 said:
ChuckW - That is why I never purchased a unit that has built in maps/charts. With the new units you can only use the G2 or Vision Series charts. You can not get a version of them that works on the PC. There was a time when you could have the same charts on both PC and GPS units. That is the point of this whole thread that you are losing the ability to do route planning on your PC with the new Garmin units.
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No you're not. You have two modes with the G2 Card paradigm. You can buy the G2 cards, and use them in your plotter, or you can buy the CD and a blank memory card and card reader/writer and push from your PC to the blank card. I've done this, even with my plotter which has built-in charts as well. So if you want the PC option, you need the blank memory card and reader writer, which I have.
 
Chuck, the charting data may differ, but that doesn't prevent us from plotting and transferring courses.

One could argue that the G2 Vision chip actually enhances the PC-to-Plotter experience because I can satellite images on both the PC (Google Earth) and on the plotter.
 
RollerCoastr said:
Chuck, the charting data may differ, but that doesn't prevent us from plotting and transferring courses.

One could argue that the G2 Vision chip actually enhances the PC-to-Plotter experience because I can satellite images on both the PC (Google Earth) and on the plotter.
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Correct and there may be another twist here for a 3rd option which I have not tried. I believe (at least it would seem correct) that if you buy a G2 pre-programmed card, you can also read those maps into MapSource for planning. So there are several ways to use MapSource for PC planning and Garmin is NOT getting away from that as a model. Quite oppositely, they may be considering on how to improve the PC to plotter experience, at least according to a rep I spoke with last season.
 
ChuckW said:
No you're not. You have two modes with the G2 Card paradigm. You can buy the G2 cards, and use them in your plotter, or you can buy the CD and a blank memory card and card reader/writer and push from your PC to the blank card. I've done this, even with my plotter which has built-in charts as well. So if you want the PC option, you need the blank memory card and reader writer, which I have.
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Not sure what you are talking about. What G2 charts can you purchase and use on the PC. I agree about the reader and blank cards on the older units. I've been doing that for years.
 
Per Garmins Site.

"Please note: Charts on a preloaded g2 Vision card cannot be copied or viewed on a computer."

"Please Note: Charts on preloaded Garmin data cards and microSD cards cannot be copied or viewed on a computer."

"BlueChart g2 is available on Garmin preprogrammed data cards. Click on a zone below to view region coverage and purchase BlueChart g2 data cards.
Please note: Charts on preloaded Garmin data cards cannot be copied or viewed on a computer."
 
Note: I just attempted to inform Garmin of the growing frustration of their customers, but their submittal form errored-out. Oh well.

I haven't bought additional maps since I've had the preloaded 478 and 5212, but I do have a G2 Vision. I would really like to copy it. Garmin warned that the data on the card is vulnerable to being over-written and they will not replace lost data. Not only that, but it shipped with a generic label and the SD lock feature in the unlocked position. That almost seems like a conspiracy! :huh:
 
So my hunch was wrong, you can't read a G2 Card into a PC. But that doesn't change the fact that you can unlock maps on the PC and use them on the plotter.

Yes, if you write to a G2 card you will erase all the data. It's like when I get my map updates for my built-ins. They ship me a data card, I update the plotter, then I'm left with a new data card. But once I write to it, the updates on the card are gone forever. If you return the card they credit your account back for the value of the card though.
 
ChuckW said:
So my hunch was wrong, you can't read a G2 Card into a PC. But that doesn't change the fact that you can unlock maps on the PC and use them on the plotter.
....
Click to expand...

Again that only works on the older units. The new units only support the G2 or Vision maps/charts on preprogrammed cards not the older maps that came on CD or DVDs that you can unlock.

This thread is about the new/next generation of GPS & PC routing. Why would anybody buy old outdated maps/charts that they can not use on their GPS.
 
Why would anybody buy old outdated maps/charts that they can not use on their GPS.
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Chuck1, THAT is key, and Garmin needs to provide us with an answer!

So while I can transfer routes, tracks and waypoints back and forth all day long, in order to create routes with their PC product, I have to buy the maps twice. Unacceptable.
 
RollerCoastr said:
Chuck1, THAT is key, and Garmin needs to provide us with an answer!

So while I can transfer routes, tracks and waypoints back and forth all day long, in order to create routes with their PC product, I have to buy the maps twice. Unacceptable.
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Bingo:thumbsup:, Plus you can't even buy the same maps/charts that will work on both the PC & GPS.
 
I haven't responded to this as I don't know anything about Garmin stuff...

Why does anyone pay for charts on a PC? You can get them free (both Raster and Vector) from NOAA directly off their website. They are more up to date than the ones you buy anyway. I use Coastal Explorer by Rose Point Navigation and it sucks in free charts all the time. I can do my planning on my laptop or bridge computer and then transfer the routes over the NMEA network to even my old crappy RL80CRC.

Do these paid for charts for the PC have some sort of secret sauce I don't know about?
 
The garmin world is a proprietary world. If you want all your toys to play nicely with Garmin plotter, you have to use all their stuff. All of their devices use their exclusive bluechart format. Open source and ENC are dirty words.
 
The Garmin stuff can't suck in routes and waypoints from the NMEA network? I guess I was wondering why you have to have Garmin stuff on the PC...
 
I get it... doh!

Most people don't have a way to hook their laptop up to the NMEA network. I take that for granted now.

So.. get a way to hook up your laptop to the NMEA network on your boat (there are even wireless solutions out now) and use any piece of planning software you want.. and get free and current charts direct from the source.. NOAA... screw Garmin.
 
Gary,

That was Chuck's original point: we all agree that it makes no sense to buy charts from Garmin, when:

- you can get them free from other sources (but only for non Garmin programs)

- the maps are now in different formats between the devices and the computer

and,

- many of their products come pre-loaded with maps - the price of which is built into the unit price (so we've already paid Garmin for the license)

I use MapSource to plot, and it's BY FAR the best plotting program I've ever seen. I use it on my tablet whenever possible, and it's awesome to work with. Way back, we bought maps from Garmin that unlocked areas on the computer, and then transferred that data to up to two older Garmin devices. That had value and kept me happy to use even the proprietary systems. Now they're getting away from that model, and their current policies don't make any sense.
 
Four Suns said:
...
So.. get a way to hook up your laptop to the NMEA network on your boat (there are even wireless solutions out now) and use any piece of planning software you want.. and get free and current charts direct from the source.. NOAA..
Click to expand...

Does NOAA do inland water charts?
 
Chuck I have the Garmin 545s. I have one G2 Vision card that has tons of info on it and allows me to have it plot the course. If I remove that Card and stick a blank SD card in it I can transfer all the routes and waypoints to a PC. I haven't bit the bullet yet and bought the Mapsource disk, but when I do I can plan routes and make waypoints and plot courses/routes, save them to the SD card and upload them to the unit. I think it will be great, I just need to buy the software.
 
Nehalennia said:
Chuck I have the Garmin 545s. I have one G2 Vision card that has tons of info on it and allows me to have it plot the course. If I remove that Card and stick a blank SD card in it I can transfer all the routes and waypoints to a PC. I haven't bit the bullet yet and bought the Mapsource disk, but when I do I can plan routes and make waypoints and plot courses/routes, save them to the SD card and upload them to the unit. I think it will be great, I just need to buy the software.
Click to expand...


Todd, You are going to love Mapsource. Great to be able to plan your trip and even view it in Google Earth. Plus you can save all your past tracks on your PC for future use and view them in Google Earth.

I guess I assumed (Ye I know what that means(Grin)) most members had read one or two of my post before when I was bragging on Garmin's Mapsource. It is one great program and I've got multipla inland and coastal water charts plus street maps that I use with it. It is great to use one program and be able to do all your planning on it. Reader / cards are great. Like I mentioned before when I did the trip from SC Inland lakes down to Charleston I had to burn a card with both inland charts and coastal blue water charts for one route. Ye I could have used two different routes and chart card but that would have been a pain. (What nothing on the GPS Oh ye I have to swap cards (Grin))

Some of the problems I've experienced with the free charts they don't have all the new data on them (The TN river charts are way out of date) the Apalachicola,Chattahoochee, & Flint Rivers are from 1994.
The Alabama River is just pictures with mile markers overlaid on them.
None of them have the current Marina, ramps, etc info on them. Garmins Maps/Charts has this on them helped with planning. Their Inland lake/River charts appeared to be the most current that I could find.
 
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