Garmin MapSource City Navigator, North America DVD-ROM for Garmin StreetPilot GPS Units by Garmin
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Digital camera reviews of Garmin MapSource City Navigator, North America DVD-ROM for Garmin StreetPilot GPS Units
Digital camera Review: Few LARGE map segments: undocumented compatibility probs
Summary: 3 Stars
I got this software for my Legend C. I had also considered the City Select version (newest version is also V7). I could not tell what the functional difference was between the two versions. Historically, I think that the Navigator was more complete.
Well, the software is fine, and it turns out that the difference between the Navigator and Select is immediately apparent, unfortunately. The navigator has 10x fewer map segments, and each segment is takes much more memory. Many segments are larger that the Legend can handle (24MB) when full routing information is included.
It turns out that the City Select (v7) has exactly (as far as I can tell) the same map and route info, but it has more map segments (like the previous versions of Navigator) so that it will be useful for the smaller memory devices such as the Legend C. Even the middle-of-the-road units like the GPSMAP60C probably would be better with the City Select version.
Be careful when you are deciding which version to buy. I probably need to try to return this software, if I can. I am not sure Amazon will give me a refund because I had to "unlock" the software before I could find out that it was not actually fully compatible with the Legend C.
Digital camera Review: Fully Comprehensive Travel Guide
Summary: 5 Stars
I do a lot of traveling all over the US and I am very pleased with the performance of this product. I use this with a Garmin 60CSx GPS unit with the entire contents of the DVD stored on a 2GB mini-SD card. Since purchasing I have been in at least three different geographical regions away from my home and this version 8 software seems to be very up to date and accurate. I have not encountered any missing streets or erroneous information thus far, including in and around my home area in Texas. If you were to compare this software to Microsoft Streets and Trips, you will find a much more robust and accurate mapping product. The breadth and scope of content is much more richly detailed and accurate. Performance on the PC is equally impressive. Downloading waypoints and tracks from the GPS is a snap and allows you to save multiple map sets for easy reference. Planning out specific routes and uploading to the GPS is also very easy to do.
The only two things that I find to be inconvenient is the lack of compatibility on Mac OS X. It would be nice to be able to connect to my Mac since that is my primary computer; but this is not a major issue. Also, the other issue that is somewhat annoying is the timing of pop up windows on the GPS unit to alert you of your turns or exits. I am not sure if this is an issue with the GPS itself or with this software, but in any event, I have found that sometimes you don't get much notice of upcoming turns and exits. It would be nice to be able to set this to trigger at about a 1/2 mile from the waypoint instead of 2/10 mile as it is currently set. Again, not a major issue as long as you're paying close attention - otherwise you might just shoot past your turn or exit, especially if you're traveling fast.
Overall, this software provides all the data and maps you need to navigate anywhere in the US, Alaska and Hawaii. It seems to be current and accurate and a necessary component to any GPS device used for traveling.
Digital camera Review: Garmin 60C and 60CS Owners Beware!
Summary: 1 Stars
I have owned the 60CS for about 2 years for business travel purposes. Great unit. Was able to download map coverage for highway corridors I traveled on a regluar basis. Thought I'd never have to buy another handheld again. WRONG. I purchased the new City Navigator North America v.8 upgrade DVD, and quickly realized that Garmin increased the geographical area and physical size of its downloadable maps (added more data into the mapsets). So, on a 56 MB internal memory chip you cannot load maps with the same coverage area that you could using e.g. City Select NA verson 5. So discouraging. In this update Garmin could have made the maps' geographical coverage area, and thus size, smaller, but either they were too stupid or did it to get people like me to have to buy a new unit. Ended up coughing up $300 for the 60Cx and bought an extra 256 MB card.
In short, if you own the 60C or 60CS, don't expect to be able to store the same number of maps with this software. Stay with what you have or be prepared to buy a new unit if you must have a number of maps covering a specific geographical area.
This is great software, and Garmin knows it, but I'm giving it only one star for this reason only.
Digital camera Review: Garmin City Navigator
Summary: 5 Stars
Overall it's a great product. Load these maps to your GPS and you'll never get lost again. Street level detail is very accurate. You can go someplace you're not familiar with and pull up attratctions and your gps will take you right to it. I'd like to see the product support connecting to the internet to obtain current road construction data and updated or new street information like Microsoft Streets and Trips can do. Maybe it can, but I haven't found it. A must have for travelers.Digital camera Review: Garmin City Navigator v. 8.0
Summary: 5 Stars
I purchased the Garmin City Navigator v. 8.0 to use with a Garmin 276C GPS unit for street navigation in the USA for this year. I have used the GPS unit and software in IL, OH, TX, FL, MO and NC and points in between, and have had positive success in all but two situations. One situation is that our home street address here in NC is out of sync with the mapping software. (The street numbering doesn't come down to our number, and our [lower] house number is 'beyond' a higher house number.) The other time was in Wheaton, IL, one of the directions given by the software through the GPS unit seemed 'wonky', but as that was the first time I used the GPS/software combination, it very well may have been 'operator error. I did send in a report to Garmin about the first problem and recieved a positive response from Garmin's cartography deptartment. They advised,
"We appreciate the specific error reports. What happens with them is we research them and add anything we can (stuff from the raw data not visible to end users)...then pass the info along to the source vendors to get their eyes on it and, hopefully, lead to some improvement for down the road. That vendor is NavTeq.
It sounds like the potential address range assigned to the line needs fleshed out and the line representing the road may need to be extended."
I have not done much with the mapping software on any computer, other than make sure I have waypoints added while using the GPS are in the software on the computer.
I will recomend that users of this combination of GPS and software buy the Garmin cigarette power cord with built in speaker so that the spoken directions can be heard, or in some other way get a speaker connected to the GPS unit. I have found that to be very helpful.
While not specifically software related, I will also recomend the Ram Mount system for holding the GPS unit in a vehicle. I use the suction cup base for the windshield and the appropriate mount for the GPS unit. This is the second Ram Mount system I have and it takes the worry out of having loose GPS units floating around the driver/front seat/dash area, and improves safety.
All in all, I am extremely pleased with the City Navigator v. 8.0 for my applications.
Cheers, and 73,
Norm