Garmin GPS - Max Memory Size for Vista Cx

Author

Max Memory Size for Vista Cx

emanon

2006-02-26, 5:48 pm

This may apply to other Garmin units using the Micro CD memory cards as
well. I e-mailed Garmin Tech Support if the Vista Cx will be able to use the
SanDisk 1 GB MicroSD card SanDisk lists on their website. As others have
pointed out, no one seems to actually have this chip. I'm interpreting their
reply to mean that Garmin is not able to get one these chips for testing
either. It is ambiguous as it does not say if this is beyond the capability
of the GS to logically address 1 GB of stored data.

Since I have not overloaded the supplied 32 MB card that comes with the
unit, the question is academic for now. Sure would be nice to know one way
or the other, though.

The post below is "sanitized" to remove any personal names, but it is a
direct copy of the reply to me from Garmin.

********************
**
I'll be happy to help you with that. The largest Micro SD card that we have
tested is the 512 MB card, so I am not sure if the 1 GB card will work at
this time. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance.

Best regards,

<Name Deleted>
Garmin International
1200 E 151st St
Olathe, KS 66062
********************
**

Phil Wheeler

2006-02-26, 11:48 pm

A dealer reported the same. It's surprising they do not know at Garmin,
though I'm sure the designers do. It is likely an address space issue
... whether the unit can address that many bytes.

Anyway, I'm using 512M with my 60Cx and that seems very ample. I loaded
places I will likely never visit (all western .. to CO, WY, AK, BC etc
... CityNav maps, some local MGUSA 4.01 maps and substantial parts of
Topo West and CA parts of 24K Topo). I may never need to change the
load .. but will if necessary.

Phil

emanon wrote:
> This may apply to other Garmin units using the Micro CD memory cards as
> well. I e-mailed Garmin Tech Support if the Vista Cx will be able to use the
> SanDisk 1 GB MicroSD card SanDisk lists on their website. As others have
> pointed out, no one seems to actually have this chip. I'm interpreting their
> reply to mean that Garmin is not able to get one these chips for testing
> either. It is ambiguous as it does not say if this is beyond the capability
> of the GS to logically address 1 GB of stored data.
>
> Since I have not overloaded the supplied 32 MB card that comes with the
> unit, the question is academic for now. Sure would be nice to know one way
> or the other, though.
>
> The post below is "sanitized" to remove any personal names, but it is a
> direct copy of the reply to me from Garmin.
>
> ********************
**
> I'll be happy to help you with that. The largest Micro SD card that we have
> tested is the 512 MB card, so I am not sure if the 1 GB card will work at
> this time. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance.
>
>
>
>
> Best regards,
>
> <Name Deleted>
> Garmin International
> 1200 E 151st St
> Olathe, KS 66062
> ********************
**
>
>

emanon

2006-02-27, 11:48 pm

I guess it is a matter of the number of bits that can be addressed with the
control chip or if they use a "multi-fetch" to address more than the chip
normally would by direct access. It's been a while since I needed that
information, but I seem to remember that some early 8 bit chips used a
scheme like that to break the 256 byte memory barrier.

For now, I'm not having any problems, it is more of an academic thing. There
are also two schools of thought when it comes to storing data on removable
chips: use smaller chips and build collections of related data (i.e. one set
for local info, like my home state, another for neighboring areas I visit
frequently, etc) and another school of thought is to use as big a chip as
you can and store everything in one place. There are valid points to both
methods, but I admit I'm a packrat. I want to store everything in one place
so I don't have to look for it. Organizers tend to build smaller collections
of data.

"Phil Wheeler" <w6tuh-ng7@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:YarMf.2724$h81.1719@tornado.socal.rr.com...[color=darkred]
> A dealer reported the same. It's surprising they do not know at Garmin,
> though I'm sure the designers do. It is likely an address space issue
> .. whether the unit can address that many bytes.
>
> Anyway, I'm using 512M with my 60Cx and that seems very ample. I loaded
> places I will likely never visit (all western .. to CO, WY, AK, BC etc
> .. CityNav maps, some local MGUSA 4.01 maps and substantial parts of
> Topo West and CA parts of 24K Topo). I may never need to change the
> load .. but will if necessary.
>
> Phil
>
> emanon wrote:
the[color=darkred]
their[color=darkred]

capability[color=dar
kred]
way[color=darkred]
have[color=darkred]
at[color=darkred]

Phil Wheeler

2006-02-27, 11:48 pm

emanon wrote:
>
> For now, I'm not having any problems, it is more of an academic thing. There
> are also two schools of thought when it comes to storing data on removable
> chips: use smaller chips and build collections of related data (i.e. one set
> for local info, like my home state, another for neighboring areas I visit
> frequently, etc) and another school of thought is to use as big a chip as
> you can and store everything in one place.

The other thing is that when you need to reload in order to add some
segment (and you will!), you have to reload the entire chip .. and 512M
will take half the time of a 1 GB chip.

Phil

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