Please tell CS that BC is compatible with zumo 660

My experience so far is that BC works fine with the 660. Any errors that crop up in pre-planned routes are due to causes we already know about -- incompatible map versions, waypoints too close to on-ramps, map errors, poor sat reception come to mind.

Incompatible map versions - I am using the map on the zumo to plan the route in BC, so I don't think that's it, unless it is using different versions of the map to display on the computer vs. navigate with.
Waypoints - it happens with waypoints in the middle of a stretch of two-lane road, waypoints after intersections, waypoints anywhere. I am meticulous about choosing waypoints to make sure they are on the road, on the right side of the road, etc.
Map errors - the map may be wrong, but if so it should be consistently wrong
Poor reception - Very unlikely that reception would get poor every time I get close to a waypoint.

I got the zumo about a year ago. For about 6 months I had no problems either, then it just started going downhill. Sorry, I'm starting to believe the Garmin techs.

Pete
Zumo 660
2004 BMW K1200GT

Pete,

I wonder if you misunderstood my post. I'm trying to say that BC has been compatible with my 660, barring "normal" and infrequent routing errors, up until version 4.3.4 came out recently. But I haven't done any touring yet with 4.3.4 because my mama didn't raise no fools and so I didn't update maps, firmware or BC prior to my recent 3400-mile trip.

So my question to the dev team is: did 4.3.4 break compatibility with the 660, or is the FAQ claiming it has always been incompatible? If the latter, I'm less worried because I know that is wrong. If the former, time to bust out my Time Machine backups and downgrade to a usable version of BC.

-dan

Sorry, I did misunderstand. That's a really good question, if/which updates broke it. And if an update broke it, when can we expect the update that will fix it?

On a side note, I've seen somewhere that Garmin CS recommended using Mapsource. I tried to find it, but only an update is listed; you must have Mapsource to install the update. Is Mapsource available? (Apparently it was only available for Windows - I use both Mac and Windows, and would be disappointed if it was only available for Windows, but I would at least be willing to try it.)

Pete
Zumo 660
2004 BMW K1200GT

Workaround to this problem

Duplicate of my post on zumoforums.com:

Not just a workaround, maybe an improvement?

The president of my local BMW club uses RideWithGPS to plan group rides. It has the capability to export gpx files; I did that, imported it to BaseCamp and deleted the excess waypoints, transferred it to the GPS, and guess what? Got the same result, because BaseCamp was setting the waypoints (duh).

So I thought it might work to bypass BC with these steps:
1. Go to www.ridewithgps.com. You probably have to register to be able to save routes. It's mostly intuitive, but they have pretty good online help as well. Create your route and save it.
2. In the View mode (as opposed to Edit mode) you can Export the route. There are two options for gpx files - Track and Route. Click GPX Track. (I tried Route, didn't work very well.) It will save to your Downloads folder in both Mac and Windows with the same name as you gave it in RideWithGPS.
3. Connect the Zumo to your computer. Navigate to the \Garmin\GPX folder.
4. Copy the gpx file from Downloads to the GPX folder. (It may also work to use another folder or the SD card, but I have not tried.)
5. Eject the Zumo from the computer and start it up. Zumo will tell you it detected new data, and ask if you want to import it. I think it's better to say No.
6. Go to Tools | My Data | Import Data | Trip Logs (the GPX file looks like a trip log to the Zumo) and select the route you planned, then select Import. Zumo will calculate a route based on the points, which will take a few seconds to a minute or so, and save it in Custom Routes. From there you're good to go.

I used it for a short route on city streets with no problems. I have a longer route on back roads ready to try in the next couple of days.

Positives: RideWithGPS is WAY easier to use than BC and faster; the issue with dropping routes seems to have been solved; routes can also be shared on the site.

Negatives: You have to be connected to the Internet to use RideWithGPS; I'm still irritated that Garmin do not seem to care about this problem.

I attended a seminar today at the BMW MOA rally in St Paul titled, "Garmin's BaseCamp and the BMW Nav V," run by Dan Townsley. Dan's bio says he started working on GPS technology with the US Navy in 1969, and he is a beta tester for Garmin. It was a packed house, apparently lots of riders trying to figure out how to use their Garmins and/or resolve problems. I asked about this issue - he said it has been a problem with the Z 660/665 since Day 1, and if I understood him correctly the only fix is a hands-on update of the Zumo firmware.

When I get back home I'll be calling Garmin to check into that.

There are no differences in 4.3.4 that should "break" Zumo 66x support. That being said, there are some difficulties with the interaction between the 660 and BaseCamp particularly with routes. I did talk to Customer Support and they said the FAQ was for those that were experiencing routing issues using the 66x with BaseCamp. Given that the 66x is considered a legacy device, there are no more firmware updates slated for it (that I know of). If it's currently working for you, then no worries. Sorry for the confusion.

Thank you very much for this clarification. Very much appreciated.

Any chance of sharing some of the details of those "difficulties?"

-dan

There are no differences in 4.3.4 that should "break" Zumo 66x support. That being said, there are some difficulties with the interaction between the 660 and BaseCamp particularly with routes. I did talk to Customer Support and they said the FAQ was for those that were experiencing routing issues using the 66x with BaseCamp. Given that the 66x is considered a legacy device, there are no more firmware updates slated for it (that I know of). If it's currently working for you, then no worries. Sorry for the confusion.

I find this all a bit bemusing. When Basecamp for Mac was released, the Zumo 66x and BMW NAV IV were very much "cutting edge", and most definitely supported. You seem to be implying that Garmin arbitrarily decides if a device is legacy, and I might just download a new version of Basecamp that no longer supports my (relatively) new device (NAV IV), which, let's face it, wasn't cheap. I have a Mac, I cannot use MapSource, also declared "legacy" by Garmin anyway. The FAQ you refer to is basically Garmin saying, tough, not supported, go away, and that simply should not be the case.

This is making me re-think my GPS strategy. How long will a BMW NAV V be deemed "current"? If I experience difficulties, do you just declare devices "legacy" and ignore it? And the idea that there are "interaction difficulties" really suggests questionable design decisions on one side or the other.

Thank you very much for this clarification. Very much appreciated.

Any chance of sharing some of the details of those "difficulties?"

-dan

Just what has been already discussed in these forums. The Zumo 66x doesn't like some routes that come from BaseCamp, but it does work for the majority of users and routes. I didn't have anything to do with the FAQ, but I think they just wanted to say that routes weren't guaranteed to work.