Mapsource Poi Or City Select Or City Navigator

[+jeejt]

hi folks,

 

Newbie to this cool world. I recently received a Vista C and the TOPO CD set. Trying to figure out which Mapsource system I need for driving from point A to point B while on the go. Can someone please help me understand the pro's and con's of North America Points of Interest, City Select and City Navigator?

 

Is there something else than Garmin's Mapsource for driving?

 

Finally, a bit off topic, but can I have TOPO and the other Mapsource on the same map (so I can find out how to drive from home to a parking lot near a geocache location and then hike to the geocache)?

 

many thanks!

 

JT

[+Renegade Knight]

Mapsource City Select is what you want for driving directions for your Vista C.

 

POI's are points of interest. They tell you where but not directions on how to get there. I'm not even sure if that has maps. City Navigator comes with certain GPS's meant to be mounted in Autos and not meant for handheld use.

Edited May 30, 2005 by Renegade Knight

[+webscouter.]

Echoing what Renegade Knight says about City Select. City navigator doesn't have as much detail outsite of towns.

 

Also you can put both maps on the GPS but only view one at a time.

[+Team DEMP]

The Vista C doesn't have a huge amount of memory for storing maps, so you might need to rely on detailed City Select map segments for your start/end and use the basemap for the in-between highway driving, assuming you're going on a longer trip.

 

Yes, you can have both City Select and Topo maps on the unit at the same time. Topo maps are smaller in size but there's no auto routing. By default, the unit will use the City Select maps, but you can go to the map setup page and Hide City Select and it will show the topo map segment for the area. Go back to the map setup page and Show City Select and you're back to seeing that map.

[+Rubberhead]

Points of Interest was designed for non-mapping units like the eTrex Venture, GPS 76, GPS 72 and RINO 110. It would be a waste to get it for a GPSmap 60C(S).

 

Like Team DEMP said, you can load both Topo and City Select maps.

 

I would recommend turning on only the map set that you need. It you have them both turned on your unit will display the City Select maps over the Topo maps but it draws the Topos first so it ends up taking twice as long to refresh the screen if you have both sets turned on.

 

Good Luck.

[+jeejt]

Thanks for the help folks. Now I'll froogle for the best deal.

 

How do I choose to display topo or roads? Can I switch back and forth on the GPSr or do I need to hook up to my computer and download the new maps?

 

gracias!

[+lindsychris]

Check your local Best Buy store. They have an entire automotive navigation kid for the Legend C and Vista C on clearance for $104. This includes mounting brackets and City Select.

[+Team DEMP]

I would recommend turning on only the map set that you need. It you have them both turned on your unit will display the City Select maps over the Topo maps but it draws the Topos first so it ends up taking twice as long to refresh the screen if you have both sets turned on.

I've not heard this before. Are you sure? I haven't seen it done but it doesn't mean it isn't.

 

Anyone else know about this? I always leave both enabled and just Hide City Select when I want Topo to show. I always thought it could only display 1 map segment for it's current location and there was a precendence based on the product, if that product has a map segment loaded for that lat/long.

[+Rubberhead]

Team DEMP,

I can actually see mine draw the lower priority maps first, then replace them with the higher priority maps until the highest priority maps are displayed. It is most noticable with very dissimilar maps such as Bluecharts and Metroguide, or Recreational Lakes and Metroguide.

[+Team DEMP]

Rubberhead - I've not noticed this, but I started a thread on the Yahoo 76C(S) Group to see if anyone else has input.

[+Rubberhead]

Rubberhead - I've not noticed this, but I started a thread on the Yahoo 76C(S) Group to see if anyone else has input.

I stand corrected - I tried to get my unit (running 3.90 code) to display then overwrite low priority maps and it wouldn't do it.

 

Either I'm crazy or Garmin fixed this problem somewhere in the updates. I'm not crazy - I promise. I'm not crazy. Neither am I. Wait an minute. Never mind. I'm not crazy. I promise.

[+TucsonBill]

Guess I am a little unclear on the differences between City Select and City Navigator. I already owned a Street Pilot 2610 with City Nav Ver 6. Last week I purchased a Vista C and got a second unlock key to use City Nav on the Vista also. I bought a copy of Topo US on eBay, so I have that capability on both units also. I guess the question becomes is City Select better, and if so, is it superior enough to justify buying a copy to replace my City Nav?

[peter]

I guess the question becomes is City Select better, and if so, is it superior enough to justify buying a copy to replace my City Nav?

No, if anything CityNavigator is better but the differences are pretty small. Both CN and CS provide autorouting, but the directions given by CN will sometimes be a little more detailed and correspond better with the wording found on the actual highway exit signs. In London, the CN maps also know about the congestion zone which requires toll payments and can route around it.

 

CN is much more expensive so I wouldn't recommend buying it for a model like the VistaC but since you already had a copy it makes sense to use it for both units.

Eventually if you want to upgrade the maps you'll have to decide if the advantages of CN are worth the higher upgrade costs vs. getting CS and using that on the 2610 and VistaC.

[CenTexDodger]

Rubberhead - I've not noticed this, but I started a thread on the Yahoo 76C(S) Group to see if anyone else has input.

I stand corrected - I tried to get my unit (running 3.90 code) to display then overwrite low priority maps and it wouldn't do it.

 

Either I'm crazy or Garmin fixed this problem somewhere in the updates. I'm not crazy - I promise. I'm not crazy. Neither am I. Wait an minute. Never mind. I'm not crazy. I promise.

Rubberhead,

 

You are not crazy. I have seen it before as well. If you have the basemap hidden (turned off), and City Select and Topo shown, then when you are zoomed out, it will draw the topo first, then draw the City Select maps over it.

[+Sputnik 57]

For instructions on viewing and hiding map sets, with a screen shot, see question 9 in the Maps section of the FAQ.