Garmin Express and Basecamp

Former Member over 12 years ago

Since there is not a separate sub-forum for Garmin Express, I'm posting here as these issues came up during last night's Lifetime Maps Update to 2013.40 that affected Basecamp and my zumo 665.

In an email reply to another rider, Garmin Management admitted to the following unannounced change:

"With Garmin Express, the map update will not be installed to the computer if the device has sufficient internal memory for the computer. This was a decision made by Garmin to simplify the map update process. I apologize for any inconvenience. You can view the mapping on the computer using Garmin's BaseCamp program. BaseCamp can pull the mapping from the GPS device when the device is connected to the computer."

This is disastrous on 2 fronts:

1) If your device has sufficient memory, you will be forced to mount it whenever planning in BC, resulting in painfully slow map loading (each and every time), route planning and modifications, and map re-drawing. This wastes all of the processing horsepower of your pc, and for cross-country trips, it is unworkable.

2) If your device has insufficient memory, you will be allowed to download the full mapset to your pc, but since Garmin Express does not recognize any installed SD card, and because Basecamp eliminated the map transfer feature, you will only be allowed to install a subset of maps to internal storage on your device - in my case, about 1/4 of NA on a 665, even though I have a 16GB SD card. So, for my trip from Colorado to Maine via Florida this summer, I would be required to carry my laptop and actually swap out mapsets on my device 4 times along the way.

It's impossible to discern what Garmin's navigating vision might be, especially considering these latest moves, but I'm quickly coming to the conclusion I'd be just as well off to tape a brick to my handlebars.

The motorcycling community absolutely must have the ability to load the full mapset to both Basecamp and the device+SD card, or Garmin has rendered their technology platform obsolete.

0 danham_ over 12 years ago

Please add me to the chorus of people very unhappy with the new setup. I do not want to have to connect my GPS every time I want to work on pre-planned routes. I had to go find a copy of Map Updater and re-isntall it in order to get the new map onto my Mac. Please, please, fix this.

Thanks,

-dan

0 TXBobcat over 12 years ago

I so far have no major complaints about Garmin. I think it is the best GPS on the market today. I am learning Basecamp and am getting better with it. However if it ever comes to a point where I can not build my routes, store data on my PC I will go back to maps or find a different GPS.

I can use my PC and Streets and Trips which I have used for many years with the company I worked for. I really don't want to have a large laptop taking up space in my truck as we travel the US. We are retired and live fulltime in a 5th wheel trailer. I still use S&T's to plot out my routes and make a printed set of my route so my DW can follow along looking up the other roads and towns.

If I ever find a GPS that will easily route an RV as well as a car or Semi I would be intrested in purchasing it. I do know about the Garmin Dezl and it is getting closer but not up to snuff yet. It would still be a problem if I could not prepare routes on my PC then upload them to the GPS.

BC

0 stuartmw over 12 years ago

However if it ever comes to a point where I can not build my routes, store data on my PC I will go back to maps or find a different GPS.

Agreed. I will not purchase stuff that does less than what I have now or use software that provides less options.

I am not the Borg nor will I be assimilated (into the almighty "average").

0 TXBobcat over 12 years ago

Another SiFi fan... Wouldn't it be cool to have some of the SiFi Technology now to play with.

Haroooo... Beam me up Scotty...

LOL

BC

0 stuartmw over 12 years ago

Actually I only like the original (1960's) Star Trek :) I don't watch the newer stuff but somewhere/somehow I became Borg aware. Either way I don't want to be one or be treated like one.

0 Alter_Nereus over 12 years ago

Beam me up Scotty...

Well you wouldn't get two foot into the air if Garmin had a say in writing the software for the transporter. :p

0 stuartmw over 12 years ago

Nah. You'd be disassembled ok but you may not be reassembled in the same order ;) (Think The Fly)

0 Alter_Nereus over 12 years ago

Yea, but to disassemble something you first have to assemble it - and therein lies the problem. ;)

0 Former Member over 12 years ago

Yes, I can use MapUpdater, and yes, I can use MapInstall, but only if I have those links/programs from prior use (I do), because they have now disappeared from Garmin.com. I expect that Garmin's support for these 2 programs will be discontinued in the very near future, based on their now absence from the site and recent - very disturbing - corporate behavior. Unannounced software changes (GE is perfect example), unannounced changes in strategic direction (forcing map reading from device), unannounced tactical directions (map upgrades in zumos are now a 1-way street), unannounced issues after users make irreversible decisions (2013.30 crashing Mapsource w/o allowing the map version to be rolled back on the zumo).

But GE was the only option when I logged into myGarmin, and as soon as I hit continue in GE, it launched the update process and only then is a user informed on the limits - with no options.

I also don't agree that BC supports map transfer "via MapInstall". It is a separate program, as is GE, and I fully expect a consolidation of updating utilities to save resources as Garmin continues to try and shave costs, so there is no doubt in my mind that Garmin will make an unannounced decision stopping MapInstall support in the very near future.

I am surprised by those few on this forum who would minimize the issue. Using MapInstall, MapUpdater and MapSource as work-arounds for a poorly thought-out software strategy should be absolutely unacceptable to EVERY user.

And please don't confuse my recent visits to this forum as evidence of a new or average user - my zumos have been with me as we lived in 3 different countries, traveled to about a dozen more, and recently covered each of our 50 States and 7 Provinces. I use them for more than 200,000 miles - I've used them hard - and I don't like where I see this all going.

There are no plans to discontinue MapInstall. It's available directly from garmin.com: http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=3291.

I am sorry that you don't agree that BaseCamp provides map installation capabilities via MapInstall, but that was the intention all along. It's been like that for years now, and there are no plans to change it.

I hear that not being able to install the maps on the computer is something that will be fixed in a future version of Garmin Express. But like I said before, I am not on that team, I just forwarded your concerns and it has been acknowledged.

0 SUSSAMB over 12 years ago

Yes, I can use MapUpdater, and yes, I can use MapInstall, but only if I have those links/programs from prior use (I do), because they have now disappeared from Garmin.com.

I also don't agree that BC supports map transfer "via MapInstall". It is a separate program, as is GE, and I fully expect a consolidation of updating utilities to save resources as Garmin continues to try and shave costs, so there is no doubt in my mind that Garmin will make an unannounced decision stopping MapInstall support in the very near future.

I can't see that happening. I also am unclear on the issue you're raising. If you install Basecamp then MapInstall is also installed. MapInstall is launched if from within Basecamp you wish to install maps to a device, or you can run it as a separate program should you wish. Seems quite sensible to me :confused: