Garmin GPS - Please summarize: Garmin 60CS on Mac OS X

Author

Please summarize: Garmin 60CS on Mac OS X

Robert Brunner

2005-08-29, 5:48 pm

Hi,

I'm a Mac user, and I've recently purchased a GPSMAP 60CS. I'm planning
on buying the City Select v7 software, but I'll need to buy something to
run it on.

I'm considering buying a really cheap PC to run the software, but I'd
think I'd prefer getting Virtual PC so I can use the GPS with my
PowerBook on the road. But its not clear to me whether the Garmin
software is currently working with Virtual PC.

My PowerBook is about a year old, so it will not boot into OS 9 to run
an older version of Virtual PC. My underderstanding is that the 60CS
will not work with USB under OS X. Is that still true? Has anyone
verified that with the latest 60CS 4.00 firmware and current Garmin USB
drivers?

Does the serial connection work under OS X with a serial adapter? I've
already got a Keyspan adapter, but I can acquire another one if the
Keyspan doesn't get along with VPC. More importantly, are all the
features of City Select available over the serial connection? I don't
mind waiting a long time for maps to transfer, but I'm curious how long
it might take to fill up map memory.

Any advice would be apprecated.
Robert

Hugh Scott

2005-08-30, 5:48 pm

On 2005-08-29 08:52:54 -0400, Robert Brunner <rbrunner@uiuc.edu> said:

> Hi,
>
> I'm a Mac user, and I've recently purchased a GPSMAP 60CS. I'm planning
> on buying the City Select v7 software, but I'll need to buy something
> to run it on.
>
> I'm considering buying a really cheap PC to run the software, but I'd
> think I'd prefer getting Virtual PC so I can use the GPS with my
> PowerBook on the road. But its not clear to me whether the Garmin
> software is currently working with Virtual PC.
>
> My PowerBook is about a year old, so it will not boot into OS 9 to run
> an older version of Virtual PC. My underderstanding is that the 60CS
> will not work with USB under OS X. Is that still true? Has anyone
> verified that with the latest 60CS 4.00 firmware and current Garmin USB
> drivers?
>
> Does the serial connection work under OS X with a serial adapter? I've
> already got a Keyspan adapter, but I can acquire another one if the
> Keyspan doesn't get along with VPC. More importantly, are all the
> features of City Select available over the serial connection? I don't
> mind waiting a long time for maps to transfer, but I'm curious how long
> it might take to fill up map memory.
>
> Any advice would be apprecated.
> Robert

Robert,

I had the same problem as you, since I am a Mac user too. I have an old
G4 tower and broke down and bought an Averatec laptop PC. However, I
believe that Virtual PC on the PowerBook will work for you. Prior
posters here have comented on it. Do a Google search of the GPS
newsgroups and you will locate the information. As for me, I am glad
that I got the little PC. I take it with me when I travel and enjoy it.
But I am waiting for a Mac Mini with the Intel chip so I can run both
OS X and some windows OS on the same box. Good luck.

Robert Brunner

2005-08-31, 2:48 am

Robert Brunner wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'm a Mac user, and I've recently purchased a GPSMAP 60CS. I'm planning
> on buying the City Select v7 software, but I'll need to buy something to
> run it on.
>
> I'm considering buying a really cheap PC to run the software, but I'd
> think I'd prefer getting Virtual PC so I can use the GPS with my
> PowerBook on the road. But its not clear to me whether the Garmin
> software is currently working with Virtual PC.
>

Thanks everyone for the advice. I've just ordered Virtual PC and the
serial/cigarette lighter cable, along with City Select v7.

Robert

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