Cheaper Garmin GPS updates where?

[bigr...@gmail.com]

I purchased this Garmin GPS several years ago fvor close to $300.00.It did not include cable to connect to computer and I was entitled to one update.


I hardly used it and when I needed it, It didnt take me to a destination that was long there, before I bought the unit. It kept telling me to make a right tirn and out of the way, when I knew that I had to go straight and make a left turn.

I called Garmin and complained. The customer rep told me politely that I need to d\l updates. It cost too much. I can buy a new unit for approx $60.00 more then the d\l price of about $89.00


Garmin GPS are selling for almost less than half what I paid for mine and now includes unlimited updates. Unlimited updates in my opinion should apply to all owners of Garmins.

Has anybody else with a similar problem found another site to get cheaper software updates?

meteore

[Sunshine]

If you're talking about new maps, they are widely available on the
Internet at no cost. Let your conscience be your guide.

If you mean other software or firmware updates, they are available
from Garmin, but you need a data cable. I don't think there's a charge
for those, so you're probably talking about maps.

[Frank]

Computer connection cables don't cost that much and in fact I found the
one for my Nuvi and mp3 player are the same. Can you still get the update?

I've got a Nuvi 1450LMT with bigger screen and lifetime maps and traffic
as you point out, I'd be tempted to get a new one. Mine replaced a
cheap Invion which I seldom used and my brother in law was overjoyed to
get for free.

I just checked for map updates today after 5 months and there is not a
new one. I was concerned about a road closure and figure the traffic
option would route me around it. I had this problem with my wife's
older Nuvi which refused to acknowledge that a bridge was closed for
repair. She sure wishes she had this option.

[bigr...@gmail.com]

ATTN:- SUNSHINE.

Can you kindly advise Map sites where available.

[Charlie Hoffpauir]

On Thu, 11 Oct 2012 15:04:04 -0700 (PDT), bigr...@gmail.com wrote:

Amazon has lifetime map updates for $54.... it looks like this is for
any Garmin Nuvi device that came with North America maps. A USB cable
is all you need to connect it to your computer.... you probably have
several lying around, if not, check Radio Shack or any store that
sells computer equipment. Bring the Nuvi along, as there are 3
different size connectors on USB cables... 4 if you include the end
that connects to the computer.

As others have pointed out, a new GPS with lifetime updates included
is not that much more.

[Sunshine]

On Thu, 11 Oct 2012 18:20:37 -0700 (PDT), bigr...@gmail.com wrote:

>ATTN:- SUNSHINE.
>
>Can you kindly advise Map sites where available.

I'd rather leave that as a personal exercise, if you don't mind.

[Douglas C. Neidermeyer]

Better look again-- or differently. I find NA updates about every three
months, the most recent being about a month ago...

--
The liberal Department of Agriculture brags that it gives out ever
increasing numbers of EBT cards (Food Stamps) and free school lunches.
The conservative Department of the Interior posts signs in the National
Parks saying "Do Not Feed the Animals Lest Become Dependent on Handouts
and Not Learn to Care for Themselves"

[John Henderson]

bigr...@gmail.com wrote:

> Can you kindly advise Map sites where available.

OpenStreetMap maps for Garmin are available starting from here:
http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/OSM_Map_On_Garmin/Download

You need a routable version (that's the sort which can give you
turn-by-turn instructions to get from A to B).

You keep your existing Garmin maps, put the OSM map onto a memory
card and insert that into the GPS's slot.

John

[John Henderson]

Sunshine wrote:

> If you're talking about new maps, they are widely available on the
> Internet at no cost. Let your conscience be your guide.

I don't know what conscience has to do with it, unless you're
suggesting trying to get genuine Garmin maps for free.

I'm an active OpenStreetMap mapper, and I've purchased three
Garmin GPS units to support my mapping activities. That's three
GPS units Garmin have sold only because Garmin units support OSM
maps. I don't use the Garmin maps which come with the units.

John

[Frank]

You could be right. I plugged it in and clicked on the update icon and
it said I was up to date but also had a place to check for updates.

[Ed Pawlowski]

On 12 Oct 2012 21:01:11 GMT, John Henderson

<jhenRem...@talk21.com> wrote:



>
>I'm an active OpenStreetMap mapper, and I've purchased three
>Garmin GPS units to support my mapping activities. That's three
>GPS units Garmin have sold only because Garmin units support OSM
>maps. I don't use the Garmin maps which come with the units.
>
>John

Cost is a big consideration, but, what else does Open Street Map
offer? I imagine many of us are unaware of them. and have never used
them.

[Sunshine]

On 12 Oct 2012 21:01:11 GMT, John Henderson
<jhenRem...@talk21.com> wrote:

>Sunshine wrote:
>
>> If you're talking about new maps, they are widely available on the
>> Internet at no cost. Let your conscience be your guide.
>
>I don't know what conscience has to do with it, unless you're
>suggesting trying to get genuine Garmin maps for free.

Of course. I thought that was clear.

>I'm an active OpenStreetMap mapper, and I've purchased three
>Garmin GPS units to support my mapping activities. That's three
>GPS units Garmin have sold only because Garmin units support OSM
>maps. I don't use the Garmin maps which come with the units.

Your choice, of course. I tried OSM several years back and didn't get
very far, so for me the Garmin maps are the only viable choice.

[injipoint]

I've had nothing but grief and disaster trying to deal with Garmin's
consumer side. I ordered a US map in the US and it didn't arrive for
weeks. I contacted them and they said they cancelled the order because
according to their records I lived in Australia. No notification
whatsoever, just cancelled. I tried to get a World Map as I spend only
a short time in particular countries and I got no help, wrong help,
advice to go to the internet, an internet response that denied me access
to the map source I wanted. I was told to go to an address in Lisbon
when I was there to get it so I duly got on the subway and headed out to
the suburbs. Got there and they just laughed and said they never
carried maps, just units. Absolutely abysmal set of dysfunctional
departments. I use OSM exclusively now.

HOWEVER, I contrast their disaster of a consumer side with their
professional side and am extremely happy with my new Garmin Radar,
Garmin Chartplotter and Garmin AIS and with the almost-instant sensible
answers I get from Tech Support about even minor queries.

Perhaps it is a case of GMs being up to the task in one area of the
business and near-useless in another side of the business.
Hoges on S/v Common Sense

[Douglas C. Neidermeyer]

That sounds like you're checking for updates to the unit's operating
software, rather than to the map. They're separate processes.

--
"The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look
at the men he has around him."
---Niccolo Machiavelli

[Frank]

I updated last night. Hope it got both maps and system right and it
does work OK but it was a PITA as it took all night and when I awoke and
saw it this morning it said it had been interrupted and then the program
stopped working.

I'm using the icon on the computer and wonder if I should use autoplay
when the device comes up? Whatever, I'll wait til next year before
messing with again ;)

[John Henderson]

Sunshine wrote:

> On 12 Oct 2012 21:01:11 GMT, John Henderson
> <jhenRem...@talk21.com> wrote:
>
>>Sunshine wrote:
>>
>>> If you're talking about new maps, they are widely available on the
>>> Internet at no cost. Let your conscience be your guide.
>>
>>I don't know what conscience has to do with it, unless you're
>>suggesting trying to get genuine Garmin maps for free.
>
> Of course. I thought that was clear.

Not to me, and so maybe not to others. I wasn't aware of that
possibility.

John

[John Henderson]

Ed Pawlowski wrote:

> Cost is a big consideration, but, what else does Open Street Map
> offer?

The ability to fix errors and omissions yourself, for the benefit
of all users of OSM maps.

John

[Sunshine]

On Sat, 13 Oct 2012 13:06:04 -0400, Frank
<frankperi...@comcast.net> wrote:

>I updated last night. Hope it got both maps and system right and it
>does work OK but it was a PITA as it took all night and when I awoke and
>saw it this morning it said it had been interrupted and then the program
>stopped working.

That's not very confidence inspiring. You're just going to ignore it
for a year?

[nob...@nada.com]

The best place to buy this type of cable is Ebay. Micro USB cables are
99 cents, including shipping.

[Frank]

On 10/13/2012 3:34 PM, Sunshine wrote:
> On Sat, 13 Oct 2012 13:06:04 -0400, Frank
> <frankperi...@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>> I updated last night. Hope it got both maps and system right and it
>> does work OK but it was a PITA as it took all night and when I awoke and
>> saw it this morning it said it had been interrupted and then the program
>> stopped working.
>
> That's not very confidence inspiring. You're just going to ignore it
> for a year?
>

No. Next year would probably be February when I do other miserable
things like taxes. I don't use it that much and map update every 3
months would probably take up more total time than I actually use the gps.

But things could be simpler. I had trouble last time too which was
worse. I'm fairly computer literate and blame Garmin for lack of a
better process.

[Douglas C. Neidermeyer]

One of my bitches with Garmin is that the updated US + Canada map is a
larger file than the 1450 has built-in storage for. Thus when you go to
install it, you get an error message saying it's too large and tells you
to delete some files or d/l a lesser map (US lower 48, for example) and
install that instead of what you originally paid for. The other option
is to buy/insert an SD card to install the full map.

I called Garmin Customer No-Service for help. They said the nuvi 1450
has something like 1.78 GB storage but the map was 1.9+ GB...so of
course it won't fit. I asked him if the 35 cents it would have cost them
to stick an extra 2 GB of storage in there might not have been a smart
marketing move. I also said the website suggestion to delete files is
useless as 10 pounds of potatoes won't fit in a 5 pound sack.

The pin head says-- well that unit is 5-6 years old, what do you expect?
I told him I paid pretty close to full retail for it just a few months
ago from one of their authorized reseller and that I expected to treated
fairly. I said if it was an obsolescent product, I expected a reduced
price and a heads-up that I'll need to shell out another $5-$6 for an SD
card. That way, maybe my next GPS won't be a TomTom or a Magellan.

The guy ended by saying that he hoped if I got a call back or email from
the company to rate him I'd give him good marks. Yeah, right!

[Peter H. Coffin]

On Sat, 13 Oct 2012 21:45:26 -0400, Douglas C. Neidermeyer wrote:
> One of my bitches with Garmin is that the updated US + Canada map is a
> larger file than the 1450 has built-in storage for. Thus when you go to
> install it, you get an error message saying it's too large and tells you
> to delete some files or d/l a lesser map (US lower 48, for example) and
> install that instead of what you originally paid for. The other option
> is to buy/insert an SD card to install the full map.
>
> I called Garmin Customer No-Service for help. They said the nuvi 1450
> has something like 1.78 GB storage but the map was 1.9+ GB...so of
> course it won't fit. I asked him if the 35 cents it would have cost them
> to stick an extra 2 GB of storage in there might not have been a smart
> marketing move. I also said the website suggestion to delete files is
> useless as 10 pounds of potatoes won't fit in a 5 pound sack.
>
> The pin head says-- well that unit is 5-6 years old, what do you expect?
> I told him I paid pretty close to full retail for it just a few months
> ago from one of their authorized reseller and that I expected to treated
> fairly. I said if it was an obsolescent product, I expected a reduced
> price and a heads-up that I'll need to shell out another $5-$6 for an SD
> card. That way, maybe my next GPS won't be a TomTom or a Magellan.

It sounds like your actual problem is with the reseller that sold you a
three-year-old receiver as "new". Three minutes with Google would have
told you that the thing was released in spring of 2009. Of course for
that same couple-three dollars, you can buy the micro-SD card that will
fix your problem, but I'm sure you'd rather kvetch.

--
66. My security keypad will actually be a fingerprint scanner. Anyone
who watches someone press a sequence of buttons or dusts the pad
for fingerprints then subsequently tries to enter by repeating that
sequence will trigger the alarm system. --Evil Overlord List

[Douglas C. Neidermeyer]

Well yeah, I'm just not as smart as you;-)

[MLD]

"John Henderson" <jhenRem...@talk21.com> wrote in message
news:adttpb...@mid.individual.net...

Think Torrent

[Frank]

I'm computer literate but not an expert and dealing with a gps maybe
every 6 months takes a bit of re-eduction. Not quite in the category
yet of the elderly guy that said he could not remember where he put his
glasses this morning and has to contend with something new.

It is bothersome that things are lasting longer but can become
technially obselete. I just got rid of three ctr TV's in near perfect
condition to replace with HD sets. You can't even give these things to
charity as the "poor people" want the most modern things. Fortunately
Best Buy took my sets. I once had one in a pile of stuff left for
cancer people pick-up and they took all but the TV set.

Making tech service calls can be a crap shoot. I have not heard
anything good in trying to call Garmin.

[nob...@nada.com]

According to the Garmin website, the Nuvi 1450 is a current model and
not listed as a discontinued model. They are still supplying them to
retailers as new units. Blame Garmin, not the seller.

[Sunshine]

On Mon, 15 Oct 2012 13:12:15 -0400, Frank
<frankperi...@comcast.net> wrote:

>It is bothersome that things are lasting longer but can become
>technially obselete. I just got rid of three ctr TV's in near perfect
>condition to replace with HD sets. You can't even give these things to
>charity as the "poor people" want the most modern things. Fortunately
>Best Buy took my sets. I once had one in a pile of stuff left for
>cancer people pick-up and they took all but the TV set.

In my area, Goodwill takes CRT TV's, working or not. There are also
multiple eWaste drop-off sites around, but some of them charge a fee.
Maybe your area is similar.

>Making tech service calls can be a crap shoot. I have not heard
>anything good in trying to call Garmin.

I've only called them a couple of times, but they answered the phone
quickly and answered my questions directly. No big complaints here.

[Frank]

Good to hear. The computer told me to call them when I had the download
problem but that is always the last resort and I worked around it.

[Peter H. Coffin]

Yup. Just need to add an SD card to make it useful. They made a LOT of
them and are selling off inventory, and why they can be had (refurb) for
a hundred dollars, WITH map subscription, and unused old stock for $125.
But there's going to be REASONS that these are $125 and Garmin is also
successfully selling $300 units that "do the same thing" essentially.

--
Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils.
-- Hector Berlioz

[nob...@nada.com]

On Tue, 16 Oct 2012 07:28:41 -0500, "Peter H. Coffin"

Because some people are suckers for a new model.

[Peter H. Coffin]

... with new features, like more onboard storage.

--
84. I will not have captives of one sex guarded by members of the
opposite sex.
--Peter Anspach's list of things to do as an Evil Overlord

[rogp...@gmail.com]

too difficult to understand. Are there any "simple plug in USB cable and DL." function

[Peter H. Coffin]

On Tue, 13 Nov 2012 07:11:55 -0800 (PST), rogp...@gmail.com wrote:

> too difficult to understand. Are there any "simple plug in USB cable
> and DL." function

Sure. Garmin's. The "simple" is what you pay the money for.

--
83. If I'm eating dinner with the hero, put poison in his goblet, then
have to leave the table for any reason, I will order new drinks for
both of us instead of trying to decide whether or not to switch
with him. --Peter Anspach's list of things to do as an Evil Overlord

[Mike S.]

In article <adreol...@mid.individual.net>,

I was intrigued by this, and so I downloaded the Dec 2 OSM for the United
States for use in my Nuvi 205W. I selected the OSM map under the settings
menu and disabled the built-in CN NA 2009 data as per instructions on the
OSM web site.

The gmapsupp.img file is twice as large as the Garmin files for the same
coverage area.

The map displays funny - road labels do not use the customary US symbols
(such as the shield for interstate highways) but just a rather generic
rectangular symbol with the number within.

POI's do not dislay an address when searching; rather just the distance
away and the county they're in. Already saved favorites display with full
attributes, but a new POI will be saved without an address or state.

It is impossible to enter an address to route to, because there is no way
to enter the state (I'm in NJ). With the Garmin maps, the last
searched-for state is displayed at the top of the menu and you have a
button with which to change to another state. With the OSM map, you can
only enter a city name, or "Search all". I entered an address in
Morristown NJ and it was not found by either method.

I've gone back to the Garmin map for now, as the OSM does not work well
with the Garmin operating firmware.

[benjammin]

Agreed: I had the same experience with OSM maps and my nüvi 650. I went
back to Garmin City Navigator North America NT 2013.30. My 650 worked
faultlessly with the Garmin maps on a recent road trip into the
interior of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. I'm staying away from OSM maps
for now.

[Mike S.]

I posted about this on the OSM support forum.

The only useable suggestion I received was to do my "searching" using the
Garmin map, save as a favorite, and then reboot into the OSM map for
the actual operation. No thanks.

The gist of the discussions there was that the Garmin IMG format is mostly
proprietary, so the things we'd like the OSM images to do are not liikely
to ever happen because nobody knows how to do it.

[Bob Martin]

in 44007 20130317 171020 Ben Jammin wrote:
>Agreed: I had the same experience with OSM maps and my n�vi 650. I went

>back to Garmin City Navigator North America NT 2013.30. My 650 worked
>faultlessly with the Garmin maps on a recent road trip into the
>interior of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. I'm staying away from OSM maps
>for now.

And what did you do about it?

OSM is a community effort and depends on users correcting errors.