Mac/Windows Software

Basecamp Windows I want my money back! (birdseye)

I want my money back! (birdseye)

Former Member over 12 years ago

I recently upgraded to the latest version of basecamp and bought a new subscrition to birdseye imagery, and downloads are so slow and buggy that it's essentially unusable:

1) Every time I try to download an area with more 1000 tiles the download process freezes partway through and never restarts.
2) Even if I go through the process of downloading small areas (less than 1000 tiles) at a time the download speed is horrendously slow (multiple minutes to download 1 MB of data, even though I'm on a 12 MB/SEC connection that will stream HD video.

This is rediculous, and people have been complaining about the slow (deliberately throttled?) download speeds for years.

By comparison, downloading satellite imagery to my delorme GPS is at least 100 times faster, and doesn't freeze. Ditto for loading satellite maps onto my android tablet to be viewed in the trimble mytopos app.

0 atlas_cached over 12 years ago

You forgot to mention that most (if not all) BirdsEye satellite imagery is more than a decade old and essentially useless for navigation purposes, unless you are a Pilgrim looking for Plymouth Rock.

0 Former Member over 12 years ago

I have no idea if we do refunds, but I'd just contact Product Support and ask. Link is in my signature.

0 Former Member over 12 years ago

One would think (for numerous reasons) that Garmin would fix the speed issues, and supply newer BirdsEye imagery to stay competitive.
In the FAQ's it is indicated that the BirdsEye imagery is updated when new imagery is available. This couldn't be further from the truth. At least not in the Northeast!

I must have been fortunate as I didn't experience any issues with downloading my imagery. (But that was a few years ago.)
On the downside, even back then it was OLD imagery, and today (3 years later), it's still the exact same. ~ "Thought I saw a dinosaur at over-zoom....."

~A big dinosaur, as the imagery isn't as clear ("hi-res") as one would expect to begin with. (relative to other imagery tools that are readily available online)

The truth is: Once you get it downloaded, it's better than nothing, but not good by today's standards. ~ Honestly, I'd pay double (possibly more) for "the good stuff!"

0 atlas_cached over 12 years ago

I agree, TrakBak.

If Garmin provided a Premium BirdsEye that was on par with Google Maps or Google Earth satellite imagery, never more than a year old in urban areas, and not much older elsewhere, provided FAST download speeds, and substantially increased the maximum map size we can download, I would pay a PREMIUM price.

Remove the crippling download speeds, improve the satellite imagery, expand download options (I have specific thoughts about this), and charge accordingly for it. You might be surprised how many will buy.

0 Former Member over 12 years ago

I also would agree that this could be a much better service all around.

0 FrensicPic over 12 years ago

TRAKBAK...I agree with your statement: "PPS: Garmin desperately needs to add an "On The Trail" forum section (like in the European/German forum). ~ It's highly likely that this post doesn't belong anywhere!" I followed the link you provided and went to the GPSMAP 62/78 forum. Google Chrome did a good job translating to English and read some good discussions.
Thanks, John

0 Former Member over 12 years ago

TRAKBAK...I agree with your statement: "PPS: Garmin desperately needs to add an "On The Trail" forum section (like in the European/German forum). ~ It's highly likely that this post doesn't belong anywhere!" I followed the link you provided and went to the GPSMAP 62/78 forum. Google Chrome did a good job translating to English and read some good discussions.
Thanks, John

Yep, I don't get it. How difficult would it be (and what is the downside) to provide "outdoors users" with a proper forum for posting? ~ At present, legitimate "On The Traill" posts results in "clutter" where they frequently don't belong. The message this does give to "On The Trail" uses is: Garmin must not care.

PS: Not once have I received any response from a forum administrator explaining why there is no "On The Trail" section.. :(

0 Former Member over 12 years ago

How difficult would it be (and what is the downside) to provide "outdoors users" with a proper forum for posting?

To be complete this board would need forums and sub-forums for Garmin's complete product line. This was taken directly from their main website.

On the Road

Automotive
Motorcycles
Trucking
RV
Cameras

On the Go

Apps
Cameras
Tracking

Into Sports

Golfing
Running
Cycling
Swimming
Multisport

On the Trail

Handhelds
Wrist-worn
Two-way Radios
Dog Tracking & Training
Pet Obedience
Action Cameras

On the Water

Chartplotters
Sounders
Fishfinder/GPS Combos
Fishfinders
Handhelds & Wrist-worn
Radar
Autopilots
Communications
Instruments
Sail
Entertainment
Transducers

In the Air

Flight Decks
Avionics & Safety
Sport Aviation
Portable GPS

About the only category I haven't seen posts about here is aviation ("In the Air") models.

Like you I have no idea why this board doesn't have those forums. Users post anyway (where posts don't really belong). It might be because of some Garmin internal policy (perhaps they require a Garmin employee from each category to moderate their forum).

Frankly I monitor the Activity Stream rather than individual forums for new posts so it doesn't both me much anyway.

0 Former Member over 12 years ago

Hi STUARTMW;

I agree (mostly) but the thing is (if I'm not mistaken): Many of the missing forum categories you mentioned are covered (sort of) because you can find specific sub-forum categories for the actual model/units themselves.
In the case of most "On the Trail" units (my Montana 650 for instance): There is no specific hardware sub-forum for this unit. (or "usage" category)

Note: Unlike the US forum, the German forum does in fact have a sub-forum category for Montana GPSr units. (And probably some of the other "handheld" units too.)

0 Former Member over 12 years ago

Years ago I asked the same question and I did get a response from one of the Mod's -- Resources.

Garmin USA will not fund the resources necessary to manage those additional Fora.