Garmin Nuvi Maps Question

Only

I bought a Garmin Nuvi a while ago and use it a fair bit in Ireland. It said it came with Europe Maps but I am not very technologically minded and I wasn't sure how to check and assumed it had them. I took it to Italy last year but couldn't get it to work.
Now we are off to Portugal and hiring a car and we definately need a working GPS .... any advice how to check it will work or where can I download the maps? I think I sahould have gotten free maps with it before - would it be too late to download them now and if so where do I go to get them?

Apologies for such basic questions:o

gbee

You are probably outside the time period allowed by Garmin ~ but that's a matter for them and I've personally found them generous, so give tech support an phone or email.

Because the maps are rather large it is not possible to fit them all in the included memory typically found in Garmin Units.

Your unit came with local mapping for Europe with the option of adding [or deleting] additional maps, like adding France and Germany fro a trip to Germany.

These maps can be added to the supplied memory up to its limit, thereafter they can be added to the SD/MicroSD card which is an optional extra.

I cannot really talk you through the process but you need to load all the contents from your CD and activate them. Then you can bring up MapInstall and you should be able to add in Portugal either to your device or to the SD/MicoSD card that you've inserted in the slot.

This map will be as old as the unit was and it will work fine with that limitation [or none if there have not been changes since].

While you are doing this you can check for firmware updates and install them too. Two types of map options are available, unit maps where you buy the latest update and a lifetime price where you can update three times a year at no additional cost but this is only for the unit you've registered and is non transferable [in other words 'lifetime' is a little deceptive, it's the lifetime of the unit]

Only

gbee wrote: »

You are probably outside the time period allowed by Garmin ~ but that's a matter for them and I've personally found them generous, so give tech support an phone or email.

Because the maps are rather large it is not possible to fit them all in the included memory typically found in Garmin Units.

Your unit came with local mapping for Europe with the option of adding [or deleting] additional maps, like adding France and Germany fro a trip to Germany.

These maps can be added to the supplied memory up to its limit, thereafter they can be added to the SD/MicroSD card which is an optional extra.

I cannot really talk you through the process but you need to load all the contents from your CD and activate them. Then you can bring up MapInstall and you should be able to add in Portugal either to your device or to the SD/MicoSD card that you've inserted in the slot.

This map will be as old as the unit was and it will work fine with that limitation [or none if there have not been changes since].

While you are doing this you can check for firmware updates and install them too. Two types of map options are available, unit maps where you buy the latest update and a lifetime price where you can update three times a year at no additional cost but this is only for the unit you've registered and is non transferable [in other words 'lifetime' is a little deceptive, it's the lifetime of the unit]

Thank you SO much!! Thats a great explaination!
The only thing is I am almost 100% sure that I didn't get a CD with the nuvi ... I would have used it if I had but tbh there was very very little in the box in the line of instructions or anything and I think I would have remembered a cd but I will check when I get home to be sure. ... I know this is probably an awful stupid question but ... do you load the cd on a pc and then from there onto the nuvi?

Sorry - really am a technophobe but really need those maps:o

PrzemoF

On get the maps from here and load it to an SD card: http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/

Tested on 2 different garmins - works fine.

gbee

NO CD? It might be a mini CD. And yes you'd put it in the PC and install everything and connect the Garmin to the PC then.

Alternatively all the software is on line but not evidently available. You need to set up a Garmin account, plug in your device, software may have installed from the device and you might be unaware of it.

Does your device have an SD or Micro SD card? The software might be on that.

Anyway, go to the Garmin Website and make an account. From there the website can scan your connected device and assuming it is compatible [it should be] it'll show up.

Under My Garmin your device will show both the map and firmware or software updates that are available. All the software is free, maps will cost and you may need an SD card or Micro SD card depending on your exact device.

So the website can do all the work for you or most of it at anyrate, you will eventually have all the software necessary on your PC.

richardw001

PrzemoF wrote: »

On get the maps from here and load it to an SD card: http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/

Tested on 2 different garmins - works fine.

Some Questions

- So this is will give me a country garmin friendly map ? - I simply download the compressed zip and copy it to an SD - plug into any regular garmin ?

Does this give voice turn by turn navigation ? and allow you to search addresses etc. ? thought that there was some limitation on voice navigation with free maps ?

gbee

richardw001 wrote: »

Does this give voice turn by turn navigation ? and allow you to search addresses etc. ? thought that there was some limitation on voice navigation with free maps ?

Last time I used, maybe six months or more ago, it would not navigate. But it was [at the time] a far more up to date map so I used to load it separately for the extra details.

I have testimony from trustworthy sources that it works, I believe them, but it's not my personal experience in my location etc.

I'd consider these free maps as an advanced tool and I would not have recommended them in this thread.

PrzemoF

richardw001 wrote: »

Some Questions

- So this is will give me a country garmin friendly map ? - I simply download the compressed zip and copy it to an SD - plug into any regular garmin ?

Does this give voice turn by turn navigation ? and allow you to search addresses etc. ? thought that there was some limitation on voice navigation with free maps ?

Navigation worked when I last time had a garmin unit. Address search was not working, but it might work now according to the description on [1].
(Let us know if you test it)

You have to unzip the file and copy gmappsupp.img to SD card, to a directory named "Garmin".
Here is more info and muuch more map sources for garmin units based on OpenStreetMap [1].

[1] http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/OSM_Map_On_Garmin/Download

Only

Thanks a million for the replies!

I went in to Garmin and registered my nuvi (its a 1340T in cast that makes any difference)
I got an updated version of Dublin City free but can't see anything else ... I'm browsing a bit and its telling me that my installed maps are:
City Navigator Europe NT 2010.10 - Region 15 (Western Europe), Apr 09
does this mean that I actually have the European maps? I just can't figure it ... its giving me an option to buy a 2012 version of European maps.

On the box it also says that it comes with "Lifetime Traffic Alerts" - do I need to download something for this or update it?

Thanks again for your help!

gbee

You have European maps, so that's a base.

They might not be loaded into your Garmin ~ that's the quandary. As I mentioned earlier see if you can find a programme called or similar to MapInstall ~ assuming everything has been done to default, the programme will do one of two things, it will install [or upgrade] or tell you it's installed already.

If it installs and everything is at default, it should install into where your maps are, if it baulks at installing because it's already on your PC, then search your PC for the programme.

Your Garmin takes the Micro SD card so you might get one, a 2GB one should be enough *I think but don't know that this may be a limit ~ these things change*

As your map is 2009, I think an update is worthwhile, there will have been a lot of changes and one way streets and pedestrian streets and motor ways in that time frame.

You don't need anything for the traffic ~ it's not working in Ireland for Garmin at this time anyway ~ can't say anything about other countries.

**** just to throw into the mix; A thought. As your Garmin is this old and as you'd be paying maybe half the cost of a new unit for a map update and as you are planning continental travel, there are lots of new features ~ IF they are working in the regions you're travelling too would more than make up for the cost of upgrading your unit altogether ~ that said, a map update should be sufficient too.

gbee

I'd like to qualify my point on getting a new unit, your unit is not as old as the map, if you know what I mean, it has some of the top end features already, anyway it was just a throw away thought.

Only

Hi gbee, thanks again for your posts, I really appreciate all your advice and help!
I have checked on the garmin website but can't seem to find anything to download other than the 2012 version of the European maps but I'm not sure I want that? Its $90 also.
I have e-mailed Garmin but haven't heard anything back from them yet ... if I could just figure out what I have and what I need ....
I definately didn't get a cd with the Garmin - I hvae checked the box and everything I have belonging to it is in there and no sign of a cd so I'm still none the wiser.
I take your point about getting a new unit and it might be an option but if possible I'd prefer to sort my own one out as I've just gotten used to it really.
Thanks again!

gbee

https://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=3291

Have you this?

Only

No, I don't think so - went to install it there and its letting me - only thing is, do I click Run (not save) to install it?

OK, tried to run it but it said "Previous MapInstall not found. will terminate"

gbee

Unfortunately, this suggests to me that there should have been a CD or Mini CD with the unit, the link I sent you to is obviously for an upgrade.

I can only suggest you try contacting Garmin again, sorry.

Only

No bother - at least now I know.
Thanks very much for taking the time to help me, really appreciated

GiftGrub100

Just wondering have you tried finding the country in Europe you are going to on the unit, zoom back in the local view and move the map across the screen until you find the area you are looking for, then zoom in on the area. With unit in simulation mode (GPS off) try to get it to select a route.

If you can see detailed road markings etc the map is on the unit.

If the maps are not loaded on the sat nav unit although you have City Navigator Europe NT 2010.10 - Region 15 (Western Europe), Apr 09 then this would be a Garmin issue, I would think they must be on the unit as I had a UK IRL unit first and that only had UK IRL, I would have thought any unit with that map should have most countries.

Only

OK, I zoomed out and then zoomed in on Portugal and I can see roads on it - I actually put in a kind of random address and it 'seems' to be recognising it (as in I can select a street address for Portugal and can press Go ... does this mean it will work there? I have no idea why I couldn't get it to work in Italy and can't remember now what it was doing - think I couldn't get it to find an address when I put it in though.
I got an e-mail back from Garmin and they said that the maps are pre-loaded and free updated maps were available if I downloaded them within 90 days but (obviously) I didn't so they're not available to me anymore:( ... so my question now is where do I need to pay for a new upgraded map? And if so do I have to do it for all of Europe or can I just do it for Portugal or / and ireland?
Do I need to do it on Garmin or will the one PrzemoF posted work for me??
Anything else I should be doing?

Thanks so much for everyones help!

Oh, and any idea why gbee's link didn't work on the download ... and do I still need it??

Sorry - lots of questions I know

GiftGrub100

I would say that your maps are installed on the unit and it should work fine on your trip, however they are out of date, you can update for 60 euro for a one time update or 89 euro for 4 map updates a year for the life of the device.

However you can buy a new Garmin unit for 159.99 with lifetime updates so your maps will always be as up to date as possible.

http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_818307_langId_-1_categoryId_212513

Only

Thanks GiftGrub - I think I will chance it with my old maps and see how it goes - I think the area we are going to wouldn't have changed an awful lot ... hopefully! ...in that time.

One more question if you don't mind please ... I'm thinking it might be easier to use GPS coordinates rather than trying to put in actual addresses but don't have coordinates for some of the places we want to go to ... I might be dreaming but I think I read somewhere where someone mentioned about getting GPS co ordinates off Google maps ... any idea how to do this? .. Have looked but can't see how.

Then its another story trying to figure out how to put the coordinates into my GPS ... did it once before but forget how I did it:o

PrzemoF

Only wrote: »

[..]
Then its another story trying to figure out how to put the coordinates into my GPS ... did it once before but forget how I did it:o

openstreetmap.org

"Export" tab

"Embeddable HTML"

"Add a marker to the map"

and you'll see something like:

Change marker position
Lat: 52,351 Lon: 8,501

GiftGrub100

Be very careful using coordinates, one wrong digit can make a big difference to your holiday, find some landmarks near where you are going and use them if you can't find the exact address.

Enjoy your trip.

Only

Thanks for your help PrzemoF! ... I actually figured how to do it on Google Maps after all that:rolleyes:

GiftGrub, thanks for the warning! I have double checked all the co ordinates I have but will only be using them as backup in case I can't find anywhere nearby ... and will be super careful inputting them if I do use them.

Thanks so much for everyones help, much appreciated!