Garmin GPS - device routing vs pc routing

Author

device routing vs pc routing

Holden

2006-12-10, 4:33 am

wonder if someone could explain the difference properly. I've
created routes on the pc with city navigator 7 and uploaded them
to my garmin 2610, but realized just lately that i've not actually
been using them, the device is routing itself and recalculating as
i happen to go off course or whatever.
so lets say i just have pc routing as ppl have mentioned with
metroguide, if you go off course are you screwed?
and really, is there any point in creating the route ahead of time
on the pc and uploading it? I can only think that maybe since I
have more control over the precise route that way, but like i
said, i was never using the routes with the way the device is set
up.

Bruce

2006-12-10, 4:33 am

"Holden" <craymore@home.com> wrote in message
news:Xns98958CA4D77C
beHoldenhomecom@216.196.97.131...
> wonder if someone could explain the difference properly. I've
> created routes on the pc with city navigator 7 and uploaded them
> to my garmin 2610, but realized just lately that i've not actually
> been using them, the device is routing itself and recalculating as
> i happen to go off course or whatever.
> so lets say i just have pc routing as ppl have mentioned with
> metroguide, if you go off course are you screwed?
> and really, is there any point in creating the route ahead of time
> on the pc and uploading it? I can only think that maybe since I
> have more control over the precise route that way, but like i
> said, i was never using the routes with the way the device is set
> up.

If you want to create a more explicit route that the 2610 will follow then
you need to create some intermediate waypoints in the route. However if you
do so then when you go off course then the 2610 will want to get you back on
course, which might result in some odd routing so you get back to one of
those intermediate waypoints.

So your left with a choice, either allow autorouting and so if you go off
course accidentaly or intentionally, for example, (you just heard on the
radio that Interstate 77 is in parking lot mode), then the GPS will select
another route that is presumably, based on the information that it has
available, the optimum route (for time or distance or avoid highways because
your on a bicycle or whatever) to get to your destination.

Or you can "hard code" the route by putting in the intermediate waypoints
and then the GPS will follow that route come hell or high water (or that
stalled vehicle on Interstate 77).

You can't expect the GPS to be very smart, it's only got a tiny bit of
intelligence, and in fact (as most would agree) it's actually about dumb as
dirt :)

I think that the Mapsource program has a routing algorithm which is
different from the various GPS devices and so that is why the auto routing
routes as seen in Mapsource are not always the same as seen on the device.
Each device of course has it's own routing algorithm and routing options so
it would be difficult (but not impossible) to have Mapsource reflect each
devices algorithm and hence the same route.

Jack Erbes

2006-12-11, 10:33 am

Holden wrote:

> wonder if someone could explain the difference properly. I've
> created routes on the pc with city navigator 7 and uploaded them
> to my garmin 2610, but realized just lately that i've not actually
> been using them, the device is routing itself and recalculating as
> i happen to go off course or whatever.

When you create routes with MapSource on a PC and upload them to the GPS
you are only uploading a collection of waypoints and/or via points (via
points may also be called map points sometimes). A route identifies
only a set of specific lat/long locations and the sequence you want to
go to them.

A route is never stored as a set of detailed instructions as to which
roads to use and what turns to make. It is only a series of specific
lat/long locations.

When you activate the route for navigation on the GPS, the software in
the GPS commences to look at the list of points and searches its map
data for roads that will connect those points. The result of that
becomes your displayed route on the GPS and the software creates also
creates a list of instructions to give to you as you proceed.

The specific roads to use and the turning instructions for driving a
route exist only in the GPS receiver's memory. Those go away as soon as
navigation of the route is ended or stopped.

If the map data on the PC and the map data on the GPS are *exactly* the
same you will get the same route on the GPS that you saw when you
created the route on the PC. But if the data sets are not exactly the
same you will get a different result on the GPS and the route might take
other roads and be more or less direct in some places.

There is no way to change this process. The GPS has to calculate the
route using its stored map data each and every time a route is activated.

> so lets say i just have pc routing as ppl have mentioned with
> metroguide, if you go off course are you screwed?

If you're using MetroGuide on a PC (that is what it is intended for)
with the nRoute navigation console and with a GPS input, you can
recalculate your route when you get lost. It may even be a setting for
nRoute to automatically recalculate routes when you get off course. I
don't know for sure.

> and really, is there any point in creating the route ahead of time
> on the pc and uploading it? I can only think that maybe since I
> have more control over the precise route that way, but like i
> said, i was never using the routes with the way the device is set
> up.

The point is exactly what you say, the convenience of being able to do
it ahead of time and also to have complete control of the routing.

I generally don't ever get in a car, fire up a GPS, pick a destination
and just follow the instructions. I know from experience that it has no
knowledge of local roads and traffic conditions and won't go the way I
want to go.

So I'll either create the route in advance on a PC and upload it or I'll
do it on the GPS. When I do it on the GPS the process usually goes like
this on my 76Cx:

1 - Enter the destination and see if the route is one I don't want to
take. At this point I don't have a route in my saved or listed routes
yet, only a single destination "goto" route.

2 - Go the the Route page, create a new route, add the destination to
the route, than add one or more waypoints to the route until I get the
routing I want.

People ask me, "why do you need a GPS if you know all that?".

I say it is because it is reassuring to have a warning signal pop up for
each turn and to have the details for the final part of the trip
(generally the part I am unfamiliar with). Also I enjoy seeing the
details of where I am, how far I've gone, have to go, etc.

And if you're looking to drive a specific, complex, and unfamiliar route
with many turnings (for a scenic drive, deliveries, shopping, etc.)
there is no substitute for having a pre-planned route on the GPS.

Jack

--
Jack Erbes in Ellsworth, Maine, USA - jackerbes at adelphia dot net
(also receiving email at jacker at midmaine.com)

Holden

2006-12-11, 10:33 pm

Thanks Jack, you've confirmed/answered all of my questions and I
tend to use the gps for the same reason you do. I often have
general knowledge of my route but not an exact one.

Jack Erbes <jackerbes@adelphia.net> wrote in news:j8ednVnqQ6435-
DYnZ2dnUVZ_rGinZ2d@a
delphia.com:

> Holden wrote:
>
them[color=darkred]
actually[color=darkr
ed]
recalculating as[color=darkred]
>
> When you create routes with MapSource on a PC and upload them
to the GPS
> you are only uploading a collection of waypoints and/or via
points (via
> points may also be called map points sometimes). A route
identifies
> only a set of specific lat/long locations and the sequence you
want to
> go to them.
>
> A route is never stored as a set of detailed instructions as to
which

> roads to use and what turns to make. It is only a series of
specific
> lat/long locations.
>
> When you activate the route for navigation on the GPS, the
software in
> the GPS commences to look at the list of points and searches
its map
> data for roads that will connect those points. The result of
that
> becomes your displayed route on the GPS and the software
creates also
> creates a list of instructions to give to you as you proceed.
>
> The specific roads to use and the turning instructions for
driving a
> route exist only in the GPS receiver's memory. Those go away
as soon as
> navigation of the route is ended or stopped.
>
> If the map data on the PC and the map data on the GPS are
*exactly* the
> same you will get the same route on the GPS that you saw when
you
> created the route on the PC. But if the data sets are not
exactly the
> same you will get a different result on the GPS and the route
might take
> other roads and be more or less direct in some places.
>
> There is no way to change this process. The GPS has to
calculate the
> route using its stored map data each and every time a route is
activated.
>
>
> If you're using MetroGuide on a PC (that is what it is intended
for)
> with the nRoute navigation console and with a GPS input, you
can
> recalculate your route when you get lost. It may even be a
setting for
> nRoute to automatically recalculate routes when you get off
course. I
> don't know for sure.
>
time[color=darkred]
I[color=darkred]
set[color=darkred]
>
> The point is exactly what you say, the convenience of being
able to do
> it ahead of time and also to have complete control of the
routing.
>
> I generally don't ever get in a car, fire up a GPS, pick a
destination
> and just follow the instructions. I know from experience that
it has no
> knowledge of local roads and traffic conditions and won't go
the way I
> want to go.
>
> So I'll either create the route in advance on a PC and upload
it or I'll
> do it on the GPS. When I do it on the GPS the process usually
goes like
> this on my 76Cx:
>
> 1 - Enter the destination and see if the route is one I don't
want to
> take. At this point I don't have a route in my saved or listed
routes
> yet, only a single destination "goto" route.
>
> 2 - Go the the Route page, create a new route, add the
destination to
> the route, than add one or more waypoints to the route until I
get the
> routing I want.
>
> People ask me, "why do you need a GPS if you know all that?".
>
> I say it is because it is reassuring to have a warning signal
pop up for
> each turn and to have the details for the final part of the
trip
> (generally the part I am unfamiliar with). Also I enjoy seeing
the
> details of where I am, how far I've gone, have to go, etc.
>
> And if you're looking to drive a specific, complex, and
unfamiliar route

> with many turnings (for a scenic drive, deliveries, shopping,
etc.)
> there is no substitute for having a pre-planned route on the
GPS.
>
> Jack
>

Steve Calvin

2006-12-11, 10:33 pm

Holden wrote:
> Thanks Jack, you've confirmed/answered all of my questions and I
> tend to use the gps for the same reason you do. I often have
> general knowledge of my route but not an exact one.

And the other thing that it's extremely useful for is when
you're in an area that you know nothing about. The unit
*will* get you to your destination, it may not be the most
optimum route from your view, but it will get you there
everytime.

--
Steve

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