Garmin GPS - 76CSx Topo [Q]

Author

76CSx Topo [Q]

2007-06-22, 10:33 am

I'm new to all this so the answer may be easy. Anyway I have the 76CSx
and US Topo maps (the three disk set) from Garmin. I am trying to
install the complete set on a Kingston 2GB micro SD card. The card works
good with a small map set installed but will not work when I have
mapsource build and install the complete set. Mapsource installs the map
set using a card reader. Looking through postings on the group it seems
there is a limit of 2050 maps per set. Is this what I'm running into?
Mapsource will build the set but I don't know if the 76CSx will read it.
If so should I build three or four map sets and then install them on the
card in the Garmin folder. Should each set be named differently?

Does anyone have a URL explaining how to install the maps on my
computer? I know it can be done but Garmin wont tell how.

Lots to learn....Thanks very much for any help

--
scallawag@cox.net

Jack Erbes

2007-06-22, 12:33 pm

j wrote:
> I'm new to all this so the answer may be easy. Anyway I have the 76CSx
> and US Topo maps (the three disk set) from Garmin. I am trying to
> install the complete set on a Kingston 2GB micro SD card. The card works
> good with a small map set installed but will not work when I have
> mapsource build and install the complete set. Mapsource installs the map
> set using a card reader. Looking through postings on the group it seems
> there is a limit of 2050 maps per set. Is this what I'm running into?

That is what it is, and I think the limit is 2025 if I remember the
number right. Those three CD's total out at 4047 files IIRC.

> Mapsource will build the set but I don't know if the 76CSx will read it.
> If so should I build three or four map sets and then install them on the
> card in the Garmin folder. Should each set be named differently?

The 76CSx will only recognize one supplemental detail map. That has to
be in a \garmin folder off the root of the microSD card and file has to
be named gmapsupp.img.

One way you could do it on a 2 GB card is by selecting the maps into two
groups of 2023 and 2024 maps with one group to the east and the other to
the west. Send one group (west for example) to the card and then rename
the \garmin folder to \garmin_west. You'll have to use a card reader or
a PDA for the renaming mentioned here, you can't do that from the 76CSx.

Then send the second group of maps. It will wind up in a new \garmin
folder and be the working install. To change to the other, rename
\garmin to \garmin_west and rename \garmin_east to \garmin.

It is sort of an arcane or complicated process but it would let you
travel with the map files already made as long as you have a PDA or
something that you can use for doing the renaming with.

It takes a while, up to a few hours, to build a map file of that size so
have them already made is a time saver.

> Does anyone have a URL explaining how to install the maps on my
> computer? I know it can be done but Garmin wont tell how.

CD 1 has a setup/install program on it. Put that in the drive and it
will install the MapSource application and copy the mapping data from
the three CD's to the hard drive. That will be an outdated version of
MapSource, you can go online to Garmin and download a update to being
MapSource up to date.

MapSource is an application that will host any and all MapSource mapping
products you own. Once it is installed, the mapping data from other
products are added to it and you choose the mapping you want to use from
a list. The only way I know of to get the initial install of MapSource
is from one of the mapping products.

Jack

z.entropic

2007-06-22, 3:33 pm

On Jun 22, 9:47 am, j <j.m.yo...@cox.net> wrote:
> I'm new to all this so the answer may be easy. Anyway I have the 76CSx
> and US Topo maps (the three disk set) from Garmin. I am trying to
> install the complete set on a Kingston 2GB micro SD card. The card works
> good with a small map set installed but will not work when I have
> mapsource build and install the complete set. Mapsource installs the map
> set using a card reader. Looking through postings on the group it seems
> there is a limit of 2050 maps per set. Is this what I'm running into?
> Mapsource will build the set but I don't know if the 76CSx will read it.
> If so should I build three or four map sets and then install them on the
> card in the Garmin folder. Should each set be named differently?
>
> Does anyone have a URL explaining how to install the maps on my
> computer? I know it can be done but Garmin wont tell how.
>
> Lots to learn....Thanks very much for any help
>
> --
> scalla...@cox.net

I've run into a similar problem trying to install the entire US Topo
set onto my nuvi 350. By trial and error I was able to build a nice
contiguous US + Alaska + Hawaii set with 3850 map segments, leaving
most of the 'boringly flat' :-) Midwest. I placed mapset file in the
internal nuvi memory, the other (an entire US 24K Nat Parks West set)
onto an SD card, and I'm a happy user of both.

Now I'm planning to buy 60CSx due to its route-keeping capability (the
same set of maps can be installed on two Garmin GPSRs), thus I will
have through this painful exercise once again. I think I've read the
map segment limit has something to do with the structure of the map
index/file, but can't find the reference now...

z.entropic

Jack Erbes

2007-06-23, 7:33 am

z.entropic wrote:
<snip>
> I've run into a similar problem trying to install the entire US Topo
> set onto my nuvi 350. By trial and error I was able to build a nice
> contiguous US + Alaska + Hawaii set with 3850 map segments, leaving
> most of the 'boringly flat' :-) Midwest. I placed mapset file in the
> internal nuvi memory, the other (an entire US 24K Nat Parks West set)
> onto an SD card, and I'm a happy user of both.
<snip>

With all 3850 segments in one map image file? I think the reality of
all is that MapSource will appear to be processing and uploading that
many maps but not all the maps will be there on the GPS receiver. Or
something like that anyway.

I put some U.S. Topo maps on my 2610 and it happily counts them up, over
2,800 maps with the City Navigator maps. But with the 2025 limit, I'm
not sure what is actually here. And I'm not going to try to count them
all one at a time.

Jack

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

Larry G

2007-06-23, 10:33 am

On Jun 23, 7:21 am, Jack Erbes <jacker...@adelphia.net> wrote:
> z.entropic wrote:
>
> <snip>> I've run into a similar problem trying to install the entire US Topo
>
> <snip>
>
> With all 3850 segments in one map image file? I think the reality of
> all is that MapSource will appear to be processing and uploading that
> many maps but not all the maps will be there on the GPS receiver. Or
> something like that anyway.
>
> I put some U.S. Topo maps on my 2610 and it happily counts them up, over
> 2,800 maps with the City Navigator maps. But with the 2025 limit, I'm
> not sure what is actually here. And I'm not going to try to count them
> all one at a time.
>
> Jack
>
> --
> Jack Erbes in Ellsworth, Maine, USA - jackerbes at adelphia dot net
> (also receiving email at jacker at midmaine.com)

I didn't quite understand the strategy of dividing the maps sets into
two sets.

Would you then need to have two separate SD cards if you wanted to be
able to switch the maps on the fly away from your PC?

Jack Erbes

2007-06-23, 10:33 am

Larry G wrote:

<snip>
> I didn't quite understand the strategy of dividing the maps sets into
> two sets.

It's my understanding that when you create a map file you should use
2025 segments or less (a segment is a "map" as selected in MapSource).
That is an undocumented limitation that has been confirmed by Garmin
tech support.

But I'm not sure if the limitation is on the ability of MapSource to
compile more than that many maps or on the GPS receivers to use more
than that many maps, or what. My confusion arises from the fact that
MapSource will send more than 2025 and my 2610 will counts maps to a
value higher than 2025.

> Would you then need to have two separate SD cards if you wanted to be
> able to switch the maps on the fly away from your PC?

So I divided the 4047 maps in U.S. Topo into two groups just under the
2025 max. Each would be like 1,500 to 1,800 MB is size so they could be
stored on two 2GB cards. No renaming would be required with two cards,
you would just change cards to go from east to west.

If you wanted to put them on one 4 GB card you would have to do the
thing with multiple folders and renaming the folder in use. And you'd
have to have a GPS receiver that will handle 4 GB cards too.

This is all sort of speculative or theoretical, I have actually done it
yet with the mapping the OP asked about.

Jack

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

Joel

2007-06-23, 12:33 pm

Jack Erbes <jackerbes@adelphia.net> wrote:

> z.entropic wrote:
> <snip>
> <snip>
>
> With all 3850 segments in one map image file? I think the reality of
> all is that MapSource will appear to be processing and uploading that
> many maps but not all the maps will be there on the GPS receiver. Or
> something like that anyway.
>
> I put some U.S. Topo maps on my 2610 and it happily counts them up, over
> 2,800 maps with the City Navigator maps. But with the 2025 limit, I'm
> not sure what is actually here. And I'm not going to try to count them
> all one at a time.
>
> Jack

I don't think I will ever need more than one, and if I want to have some
fun with the GPS then may be 2 (very possible because of newer version on
external memory card). But I wonder if Garmin limits to 2025 uploading from
MapSource to memory card or using?

What I have in mind that if it allows to upload more than 2025 segments
(lets say 4000) but we can uncheck 3000+ segments and lets 2025 segments
enabled.

Jack Erbes

2007-06-23, 3:33 pm

Joel wrote:
<snip>
> I don't think I will ever need more than one, and if I want to have some
> fun with the GPS then may be 2 (very possible because of newer version on
> external memory card). But I wonder if Garmin limits to 2025 uploading from
> MapSource to memory card or using?

Good question, I wonder too. That is the sort of trivia that Garmin
seldom shares with users but maybe someone here has figured it out.

> What I have in mind that if it allows to upload more than 2025 segments
> (lets say 4000) but we can uncheck 3000+ segments and lets 2025 segments
> enabled.

Interesting idea, other than the work of deciding which segments
disconnect and them finding them in the list on the GPS. I think I've
noticed that the maps are listed in alphabetical order and I'd think I'd
probably want to turn them on and off by geographical areas.

Jack

z.entropic

2007-06-25, 3:33 pm

On Jun 23, 7:21 am, Jack Erbes <jacker...@adelphia.net> wrote:
> z.entropic wrote:
>
> <snip>> I've run into a similar problem trying to install the entire US Topo
>
> <snip>
>
> With all 3850 segments in one map image file? I think the reality of
> all is that MapSource will appear to be processing and uploading that
> many maps but not all the maps will be there on the GPS receiver. Or
> something like that anyway.
>
> I put some U.S. Topo maps on my 2610 and it happily counts them up, over
> 2,800 maps with the City Navigator maps. But with the 2025 limit, I'm
> not sure what is actually here. And I'm not going to try to count them
> all one at a time.
>
> Jack
>
> --
> Jack Erbes in Ellsworth, Maine, USA - jackerbes at adelphia dot net
> (also receiving email at jacker at midmaine.com)

Yes, 3850 sements in one Topo 100k IMG file and I don't recall right
now how many segments in the other Topo 24K IMG file (on a different
drive). It's easy to check if they all are there by moving along the
boundary of a covered/non-covered area. I can also see having two US
100K topo IMG files to cover the entire US, incl. Alaska and Hawaii,
but then I would lose my 24K National Parks West file...

z.entropic

z.entropic

2007-06-25, 3:33 pm

On Jun 23, 9:07 am, Larry G <gross.la...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Jun 23, 7:21 am, Jack Erbes <jacker...@adelphia.net> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> I didn't quite understand the strategy of dividing the maps sets into
> two sets.
>
> Would you then need to have two separate SD cards if you wanted to be
> able to switch the maps on the fly away from your PC?- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

No, one supp.IMG file resides on an SD card, the other in the internal
memory (there is 1.8GB storage space on it). The GPSR sees them as
different files, with a 24K file taking precedence if both are
activated (to a certain map scale only).

z.entropic

Joel

2007-06-25, 3:33 pm

"z.entropic" <subPlanck@excite.com> wrote:

<snip>
> Yes, 3850 sements in one Topo 100k IMG file and I don't recall right
> now how many segments in the other Topo 24K IMG file (on a different
> drive). It's easy to check if they all are there by moving along the
> boundary of a covered/non-covered area. I can also see having two US
> 100K topo IMG files to cover the entire US, incl. Alaska and Hawaii,
> but then I would lose my 24K National Parks West file...
>=20
> z.entropic

I have never tried to know if it works or not but seem very possible. =
And
this is what I have in mind. *IF* MapSource limits the number of =
segments
to be transfered to *external* memory, we may be able to trick it to =
accept
more by transfering the max number of segments to external memory, then =
MOVE
it to other folder, then create another set of map.

When we need other set of map we just need to exchange the set, and I
think this trick will get around the limitation?

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