?GPS maps: DVD, download or SD card?

[VinnyR11]

I'm going to be buying a Garmin 60csx handheld for hiking, motorcycle, and car, and have a question about the map formats.

 

The GPS uses a microSD card for storage. I was about to buy Garmin's 24k Northeast topo and their City Navigator map for North America in the microSD format, but I read a review that said if you buy the microSD card you cannot use it with your mapping software on the PC (you cannot download from the SD card to your PC). Can anyone confirm this>

 

I'd like to use my PC to set up routes and other things, so is it best to buy the DVD or download vs. the cards?

[bobbybob]

Vinny,

Routes are a separate function from detailed maps. If you create a route on your computer, you can download it to your unit, even if there is NO SD card installed, as the routes are stored in the built-in memory of the unit, and should work fine regardless of what type of additional mapping is installed. However, the way the routes will *display* (the amount of detail) is dependent on the level of mapping software installed on the unit. The built-in "basemap" shows only major highways; the City Nav. maps (loaded onto an SD card) contain the street level/etc maps and provide greater detail, as do the Topo maps.

 

The rest of your question, not sure what you're asking...? If you bought a Topo SD map and a City Nav. SD map, only one could be loaded into the unit at any given time.

 

Edit: I re-read this and maybe now I understand what you're asking. If you get CityNav on an SD card, I don't *think* this database can be loaded into your computer also and used with Mapsource to create/download routes. But ask Garmin to be safe--I could be wrong. For me, I would rather get the DVD and buy my own SD cards ($7 for a 2GB) and control it myself, for sure.

[VinnyR11]

Vinny,

Routes are a separate function from detailed maps. If you create a route on your computer, you can download it to your unit, even if there is NO SD card installed, as the routes are stored in the built-in memory of the unit, and should work fine regardless of what type of additional mapping is installed. However, the way the routes will *display* (the amount of detail) is dependent on the level of mapping software installed on the unit. The built-in "basemap" shows only major highways; the City Nav. maps (loaded onto an SD card) contain the street level/etc maps and provide greater detail, as do the Topo maps.

 

The rest of your question, not sure what you're asking...? If you bought a Topo SD map and a City Nav. SD map, only one could be loaded into the unit at any given time.

 

Edit: I re-read this and maybe now I understand what you're asking. If you get CityNav on an SD card, I don't *think* this database can be loaded into your computer also and used with Mapsource to create/download routes. But ask Garmin to be safe--I could be wrong. For me, I would rather get the DVD and buy my own SD cards ($7 for a 2GB) and control it myself, for sure.

 

Thanks. That makes it more clear. This is my very first GPS, so I'm essentially clueless regarding the software.

 

My question was a little confusing, but you hit it in your edit. I followed up and it turns out that the SD card can't be downloaded into my computer, so I'll most likely go with DVD's.

[dsl]

Get the DVD and load your own SDs. Main reason is that it would best to load one 2G micro-SD with BOTH topo and street maps. That way, you can switch via menus, as opposed to physically opening up the unit, removing batts, swapping SD chips (and they are tiny and will get lost easily). I have topo & street for the eastern US on one SD and the west on another.

 

Keep 2 things in mind. There is file number limitation that prevents me from loading every single topo map, but I can easily cover at least all the mountainous terrain in the US (there's also a file/combine work-around that you could research on the web). Remember to only activate one type of map at a time - if both are active, streets takes priority, but the unit slows down alot as it seems to redraw 2 layers of maps, even though you can only see one.

 

[bobbybob]

Good point on the re-draw time. Also, I found that if you're using in street mode, and have more than one map region loaded, you can "un-select" the region(s) you're not using in the menu and this will also help the re-draw time, for some reason.