Mac + Garmin = WTF???

[kevinmrowland]

So I had a chance to dig through the GPSy site a bit. I came across this little explanation:

"......Garmin has apparently made the decision not to license the details of the map uploading protocol or the format of the MapSource CD-ROMs to any third-party. This means that it is unlikely that you will see any third-party programs on either the PC or Mac support the map upload protocol.

What this means for Mac users is that no Mac program will be able to natively upload maps to the Garmin GPS III+ or any future models that use this method........."

That pretty much seems to sum it up.
You can pretty much do everything else, waypoints, routes, tracks, current location but there is no way to upload maps. Pretty pointless when you drive across the country exploring and want to upload maps for each area.


Ken, how did you come by this program? Did someone recommend it? Most comments I find only refer to MacGPRSPro. The GPSy seems a bit more hardcore, and is a bit more money, I doubt I would ever use it's fancier features.
All I want to be able to do is upload maps and show my location.

 

[GeoRoss]

I may be wrong, but I think that most of the GPS manufacturers use proprietary software to upload maps. I could be wrong, but both PC and Mac (if they every release it) need the Garmin software to upload maps.

I have had bad luck with support via GPSy. Things may have changed though.

It sounds like you either need to wait for Garmin to release the Mac version of their software. Personally, I use a laptop with MacGPSPro. The trade of for bulk is better software. If I had a PC, I would use OziExplorer.

So I had a chance to dig through the GPSy site a bit. I came across this little explanation:

"......Garmin has apparently made the decision not to license the details of the map uploading protocol or the format of the MapSource CD-ROMs to any third-party. This means that it is unlikely that you will see any third-party programs on either the PC or Mac support the map upload protocol.

What this means for Mac users is that no Mac program will be able to natively upload maps to the Garmin GPS III+ or any future models that use this method........."

That pretty much seems to sum it up.
You can pretty much do everything else, waypoints, routes, tracks, current location but there is no way to upload maps. Pretty pointless when you drive across the country exploring and want to upload maps for each area.


Ken, how did you come by this program? Did someone recommend it? Most comments I find only refer to MacGPRSPro. The GPSy seems a bit more hardcore, and is a bit more money, I doubt I would ever use it's fancier features.
All I want to be able to do is upload maps and show my location.

 

[esh]

it was mentioned at expeditionportal.com

i'm shocked you didn't see it!

I personally don't care about uploading maps and have done fine across the country in my 1MB of memory crap basemap in the III+. I've seen the same thing, GeoRoss, though Delorme's new GPS may finally change that paradigm. The proprietary maps are the main reason I've never worried about loading maps into the GPS- the PCs are much more flexible so I put effort into that side. You can get around it by working up a system of waypoints or routes and load those to refer to map objects.

OTOH showing your current location is critical.

I may buy Ozi if we head down Baja. I've seen it used to great success out in the boonies, but I stuck to TOPO! because most people I know that want this ability can't get much further than a TOPO! type of setup. Kind of the same thing with CB vs 2m.

 

[kevinmrowland]

Well now I just feel silly. I just went and checked and I must have missed that new thread.
Thanks for pointing it out.

In my situation I would like the maps on the GPS since I do not want to have the laptop up and running all the time. That, and I don't want to take the laptop on backpacking trips where I would like to be able to play with the GPS.
You have to remember, you are much more of a gear geek than I am.


Baja is looking like it will be really freaking hot. I don't know if we should do that to our faithful canine companions. Still thinking and researching.

 

[esh]

Yeah I was thinking the same thing. We should head down next winter when the baby whales are around.

For hiking, since you're limited to a smallish area, create the interesting things you need beforehand and load waypoints/tracks/routers into the GPS for references. You won't get much detail on that level from any loadable proprietary maps anyways (unless Delorme's new thing is what they say it is).

 

[kevinmrowland]

I want the damn maps on the GPS

Long and short of it is; the little toy should do everything it is supposed to do or it is not worth keeping. I told Garmin that, they haven't responded yet.