Garmin GPS - Is a c530 StreetPilot Demo good for anything?

Author

Is a c530 StreetPilot Demo good for anything?

railbird

2007-06-20, 12:33 pm

This is the display version set up in stores for buyers to "test
drive". I snagged this for free while I was in my local office
products store. They had received 2 by mistake, and were going to
trash one(?) so I took it. The instructions say it is programmed for
demo purposes only, but I was wondering if it can be used for anything
otherwise? Thanks.

Joel

2007-06-20, 3:33 pm

railbird <lyn789@yahoo.com> wrote:

> This is the display version set up in stores for buyers to "test
> drive". I snagged this for free while I was in my local office
> products store. They had received 2 by mistake, and were going to
> trash one(?) so I took it. The instructions say it is programmed for
> demo purposes only, but I was wondering if it can be used for anything
> otherwise? Thanks.

If you can't figure it out then mail it to me so I can try to see if I can
find anything <kidding>. Anyway, the chance for anyone to get what you got
is tens/hundreds of thousands to ONE, so I don't know if you can find anyone
had the experience to share with you.

Or you may try WEB which has more users than Usenet

Phil Hornby

2007-06-20, 3:33 pm

"railbird" <lyn789@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1182356830.382337.238640@n2g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
> This is the display version set up in stores for buyers to "test
> drive". I snagged this for free while I was in my local office
> products store. They had received 2 by mistake, and were going to
> trash one(?) so I took it. The instructions say it is programmed for
> demo purposes only, but I was wondering if it can be used for anything
> otherwise? Thanks.

I've seen references to "Demo" in the firmware files - but didn't know what
they did...

Presumably...if it's been 'programmed' for demo purposes, you will reverse
this by loading some normal 'current' firmware for it. The current firmware
lives here:
http://www8.garmin.com/support/coll...ct=010-00521-00

You might find that it's devoid of maps - or at least devoid of maps that
are useful to you. If you have an existing Garmin unit, you might be able to
get round that by using the 2nd 'free unlock' to generate a key for it. If
you haven't, it could start getting pricey...

Can you post a directory listing of what's on the thing?

--
http://GeePeeEx.googlepages.com

GPX Editor for Garmin Automotive Units

Jack Erbes

2007-06-20, 10:33 pm

railbird wrote:
> This is the display version set up in stores for buyers to "test
> drive". I snagged this for free while I was in my local office
> products store. They had received 2 by mistake, and were going to
> trash one(?) so I took it. The instructions say it is programmed for
> demo purposes only, but I was wondering if it can be used for anything
> otherwise? Thanks.
>

Garmin puts thousands of those in the hands of retailers to help sell
products. I'd expect the software on those to have little in common
with their regular models. And it might not even have an antenna in it
or a receiver that is working.

The software cannot be reloaded locally so you are prob ably out of luck.

You can try updating the software with the download from here

http://tinyurl.com/3xdk5y
(long version follows)
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/store/d...cID=134&pID=384

but I wouldn't be very optimistic about it changing anything.

Jack

Jeffrey Kaplan

2007-06-20, 10:33 pm

It is alleged that Jack Erbes claimed:

> Garmin puts thousands of those in the hands of retailers to help sell
> products. I'd expect the software on those to have little in common
> with their regular models. And it might not even have an antenna in it
> or a receiver that is working.

All of the demo units I've seen in stores are real units with antennas,
etc. (I've also only found one store where they actually WORK in the
store. The car electronics salesperson claimed that they have a GPS
repeater antenna in the building specifically to enable their display
GPS units to work.)

--
Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
The from userid is killfiled Send personal mail to gordol

"If I am ever the Hero top 100 list: #74. If my trusty sidekick always
blurts out the fact that I am carrying the most powerful magic object
in the world, then I will get a sidekick who is less of a blabbermouth.

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