Magellan GPS - Directroute questions, Magellan response (or lack thereof)

Author

Directroute questions, Magellan response (or lack thereof)

David Shaffer

2007-08-25, 10:33 am

I'm pretty frustrated with Magellan.

I own a Meridian color and recently purchased Directroute V3 on DVD. I
had V2 on CDs, but had understood the maps on V3 were updated.

I installed the software Thursday and all went well until I got to the
point where I was supposed to log onto the magellan website and "unlock"
my copy with the code provided on the sheet inserted with the DVD. It
didn't work. It said an item had been removed from my shopping cart and
when I tried to manually place the correct item in the cart, it said it
wasn't available.

A call to Magellan support provided a technician who said the server was
down and that I should try again in a day or two. He said it would be up
by the weekend at the latest. I tried again yesterday to unlock the
software and of course it didn't work.

So I called them again and instead of this weekend, the new technician
said it would be two weeks before the website would be back on-line.
When I told him that was simply ridiculous and unacceptable and I wanted
to hear alternatives to waiting that long, he put me on hold and
connected me with his supervisor.

When the supervisor came on she was also very calming and apologetic,
but not very helpful. She said the website could be up as early as next
week, they weren't sure. I expressed some curiosity about whether or not
the unlock could be done any other way and she assured me that it could
only be done on the website. Imagine.

Here's the most confusing part -- she said that the software on CD could
be run without the unlock process, but the software on the DVD had to be
unlocked. (That seems correct.) I told her that I was upgrading from V2
which was on CD and ran fine, but that I had wanted access to the newer
maps that came with V3 -- and she said the maps in v2 and v3 were
exactly the same, that the later version isn't any newer.

That is not only in direct opposition to what the seller said in his ad
about V3 (and what I had understood from other sources as well). I asked
her specifically about this point, and she repeated the same statement
several times, each time telling me how sorry she was. She said the only
difference was that V3 would enhance the operation of the Explorist
series, and since I'm running a Meridian Color, I wouldn't see any
benefit at all.

Can anyone help me make any sense out of THAT? Or is that an oxymoron --
making sense -- and Magellan technical support?

This is enough to make me want to go out and buy a Garmin, you know???

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

- Dave

Jack Erbes

2007-08-25, 12:33 pm

David Shaffer wrote:
>
> I'm pretty frustrated with Magellan.
>
<snip long sad story>

> Any help or advice would be appreciated.
>

My last Magellan was a Meridian Color. When I looked at upgrading to
the then new eXplorist line (with the eXplorist XL being the primary
candidate of interest), I found it was less capable than the Meridian in
many ways. Both the hardware and software were inferior to the Garmin
offerings and I would also be losing the ability to use the BlueNav
charts I had on CD-ROM with the XL.

I looked at the Garmin handhelds and bought the 76Cx. I have since
added optional street/highway, topo, and marine mapping software
packages to that and am very happy with the Garmin. The Magellan
handhelds don't even come close to competing with that Garmin.

Changing from Magellan to Garmin was a little painful financially but
I'm better off for it.

Jack

Matthew

2007-08-26, 10:33 pm

David Shaffer wrote:
>
> I'm pretty frustrated with Magellan.
>
> I own a Meridian color and recently purchased Directroute V3 on DVD. I
> had V2 on CDs, but had understood the maps on V3 were updated.
>
> I installed the software Thursday and all went well until I got to the
> point where I was supposed to log onto the magellan website and "unlock"
> my copy with the code provided on the sheet inserted with the DVD. It
> didn't work. It said an item had been removed from my shopping cart and
> when I tried to manually place the correct item in the cart, it said it
> wasn't available.
>
> A call to Magellan support provided a technician who said the server was
> down and that I should try again in a day or two. He said it would be up
> by the weekend at the latest. I tried again yesterday to unlock the
> software and of course it didn't work.
>
> So I called them again and instead of this weekend, the new technician
> said it would be two weeks before the website would be back on-line.
> When I told him that was simply ridiculous and unacceptable and I wanted
> to hear alternatives to waiting that long, he put me on hold and
> connected me with his supervisor.
>
> When the supervisor came on she was also very calming and apologetic,
> but not very helpful. She said the website could be up as early as next
> week, they weren't sure. I expressed some curiosity about whether or not
> the unlock could be done any other way and she assured me that it could
> only be done on the website. Imagine.
>
> Here's the most confusing part -- she said that the software on CD could
> be run without the unlock process, but the software on the DVD had to be
> unlocked. (That seems correct.) I told her that I was upgrading from V2
> which was on CD and ran fine, but that I had wanted access to the newer
> maps that came with V3 -- and she said the maps in v2 and v3 were
> exactly the same, that the later version isn't any newer.
>
> That is not only in direct opposition to what the seller said in his ad
> about V3 (and what I had understood from other sources as well). I asked
> her specifically about this point, and she repeated the same statement
> several times, each time telling me how sorry she was. She said the only
> difference was that V3 would enhance the operation of the Explorist
> series, and since I'm running a Meridian Color, I wouldn't see any
> benefit at all.
>
> Can anyone help me make any sense out of THAT? Or is that an oxymoron --
> making sense -- and Magellan technical support?
>
> This is enough to make me want to go out and buy a Garmin, you know???
>
> Any help or advice would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks!
>
> - Dave
Dave, same thing here. I've been waiting about 2 weeks now to be able
to unlock my DirectRoute v3 so I can install maps on my explorist 500.
Same BS from tech support, depending on which person you talk to, say it
should be up in a few days or a few weeks. Meanwhile my already paid
for $100+ software sits idle because I can't unlock the stupid thing.
When i asked why was there no arrangements made to be able to manually
provide unlock codes during the computer transition period, I got kind
of a "huh?" reply. I've only owned to Magellan product for a few weeks
and I'm already regretting it.

Noweldrecumbent

2007-08-27, 4:33 am

Man, that's totally insane. That's it -when I'm done with my Meridian Color
Playing- I'm goin Garmin. What a hoot they are.
Dave

"Matthew" <mherring@wi.rr.com> wrote in message
news:46d1e6f5$0$2356
3$4c368faf@roadrunne
r.com...
> David Shaffer wrote:
> Dave, same thing here. I've been waiting about 2 weeks now to be able to
> unlock my DirectRoute v3 so I can install maps on my explorist 500. Same
> BS from tech support, depending on which person you talk to, say it should
> be up in a few days or a few weeks. Meanwhile my already paid for $100+
> software sits idle because I can't unlock the stupid thing. When i asked
> why was there no arrangements made to be able to manually provide unlock
> codes during the computer transition period, I got kind of a "huh?" reply.
> I've only owned to Magellan product for a few weeks and I'm already
> regretting it.

Ron Hunter

2007-08-27, 4:33 am

Matthew wrote:
> David Shaffer wrote:
> Dave, same thing here. I've been waiting about 2 weeks now to be able
> to unlock my DirectRoute v3 so I can install maps on my explorist 500.
> Same BS from tech support, depending on which person you talk to, say it
> should be up in a few days or a few weeks. Meanwhile my already paid
> for $100+ software sits idle because I can't unlock the stupid thing.
> When i asked why was there no arrangements made to be able to manually
> provide unlock codes during the computer transition period, I got kind
> of a "huh?" reply. I've only owned to Magellan product for a few weeks
> and I'm already regretting it.

When I ordered V3, they sent V2, and now I am VERY glad. In spite of
the software being a tribute to bad user interface design, it does serve
the purpose, although ever time I have to use it my language
deteriorates. Running the application on my laptop is a study in
patience, and I often have to leave it running for 30 minutes or so
while it churns out a region, but at least I CAN get the data onto my SD
card.
Why companies that make this kind of product don't allow for user
subscription to automatic periodic updates of the database is a mystery
to me.

David Shaffer

2007-08-29, 4:33 am

I sent their technical support team an e-mail yesterday asking when the
server would be back on-line so I could unlock and use my new software.
I got a reply today saying pretty much that they were sorry, and they
weren't sure how soon it would be back. And then they gave me the 800
number to call for "additional help".

That really put me over the edge. They haven't been any help yet. How
could they offer additional help?

I've pretty much decided at this point if I can't unlock the software by
the end of the week I'm going to tear the whole system out, receiver and
all, and go shopping for something different.

- Dave

Ron Hunter wrote:
> Matthew wrote:
>
>
>
> When I ordered V3, they sent V2, and now I am VERY glad. In spite of
> the software being a tribute to bad user interface design, it does serve
> the purpose, although ever time I have to use it my language
> deteriorates. Running the application on my laptop is a study in
> patience, and I often have to leave it running for 30 minutes or so
> while it churns out a region, but at least I CAN get the data onto my SD
> card.
> Why companies that make this kind of product don't allow for user
> subscription to automatic periodic updates of the database is a mystery
> to me.

Dallas

2007-08-29, 4:33 am

I spent an hour on the phone today first with tech support and then with
sales support. Their story is as follows;

a) There is no new software for the Crossover
b) They don't know when the topo Canada maps will be ready, but they
will only be on SD, not download or DVD
c) They don't know when the website will be back in service
d) If I'm not happy I can return the unit to the retailer (I only bought
it on August 8th!!)

I will be doing that tomorrow. Garmin, here I come!

David Shaffer wrote:
> I sent their technical support team an e-mail yesterday asking when the
> server would be back on-line so I could unlock and use my new software.
> I got a reply today saying pretty much that they were sorry, and they
> weren't sure how soon it would be back. And then they gave me the 800
> number to call for "additional help".
>
> That really put me over the edge. They haven't been any help yet. How
> could they offer additional help?
>
> I've pretty much decided at this point if I can't unlock the software by
> the end of the week I'm going to tear the whole system out, receiver and
> all, and go shopping for something different.
--

Cheers, Dallas

(All outgoing and incoming mail is virus-scanned with AVG AntiVirus)

Noweldrecumbent2

2007-08-29, 4:33 am

I've been watching this thread. A real sad set of affairs with magellan.
Hope mine never breaks. If it does , it's garmin for me
Dave
"Dallas" <dhinton@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:F94Bi.101791$rX4.77243@pd7urf2no...
>I spent an hour on the phone today first with tech support and then with
>sales support. Their story is as follows;
>
> a) There is no new software for the Crossover
> b) They don't know when the topo Canada maps will be ready, but they will
> only be on SD, not download or DVD
> c) They don't know when the website will be back in service
> d) If I'm not happy I can return the unit to the retailer (I only bought
> it on August 8th!!)
>
> I will be doing that tomorrow. Garmin, here I come!
>
> David Shaffer wrote:
> --
>
> Cheers, Dallas
>
> (All outgoing and incoming mail is virus-scanned with AVG AntiVirus)

David Shaffer

2007-09-03, 11:11 am

Here's the latest....

I tried the Magellan website again on Thursday and ... it WORKED. No
problem in unlocking the program, and that works too. I have yet to have
enough time to explore how v3 may differ from v2. But I am finally now
able to run the software.

This saves me, for the moment, from throwing the whole mess in a box and
starting over! ;-)

Side comment -- I had moved to this version for newer maps. Last week, a
technician told me on the phone the maps in v2 and v3 were exactly the
same. Now that I can run the program myself, I can clearly see -- she
was wrong. I picked three nearby locations that had changed and were all
outdated on my v2 maps. Two of the three are up-to-date on the new version.

Sigh.

Noweldrecumbent2 wrote:
> I've been watching this thread. A real sad set of affairs with magellan.
> Hope mine never breaks. If it does , it's garmin for me
> Dave
> "Dallas" <dhinton@shaw.ca> wrote in message
> news:F94Bi.101791$rX4.77243@pd7urf2no...
>
>
>
>

Ron Hunter

2007-09-03, 11:11 am

David Shaffer wrote:[color=darkred
]
> Here's the latest....
>
> I tried the Magellan website again on Thursday and ... it WORKED. No
> problem in unlocking the program, and that works too. I have yet to have
> enough time to explore how v3 may differ from v2. But I am finally now
> able to run the software.
>
> This saves me, for the moment, from throwing the whole mess in a box and
> starting over! ;-)
>
> Side comment -- I had moved to this version for newer maps. Last week, a
> technician told me on the phone the maps in v2 and v3 were exactly the
> same. Now that I can run the program myself, I can clearly see -- she
> was wrong. I picked three nearby locations that had changed and were all
> outdated on my v2 maps. Two of the three are up-to-date on the new version.
>
> Sigh.
>
>
> Noweldrecumbent2 wrote:
It seems to be that paying that much for a mapping program, free
database updates should be available for a couple of years, at least.
In my local area, new subdivisions spring up at an alarming rate, and
when I try to go there (I have V2), the GPS is rendered useless.

David Shaffer

2007-09-03, 11:11 am

Ron Hunter

2007-09-03, 11:11 am

David Shaffer

2007-09-03, 11:11 am

Ron Hunter

2007-09-03, 11:11 am

David Shaffer

2007-09-03, 11:11 am

Ron Hunter

2007-09-03, 11:11 am

Noweldrecumbent

2007-09-04, 4:33 am

I cannot argue with that conclusion

"Ron Hunter" <rphunter@charter.net> wrote in message
news:Oc6dnX8xoqxy70f
bnZ2dnUVZ_s7inZ2d@gi
ganews.com...
> David Shaffer wrote:
> It seems to be that paying that much for a mapping program, free database
> updates should be available for a couple of years, at least. In my local
> area, new subdivisions spring up at an alarming rate, and when I try to go
> there (I have V2), the GPS is rendered useless.

Tony Hwang

2007-10-02, 10:33 pm

Noweldrecumbent2 wrote:
> I've been watching this thread. A real sad set of affairs with magellan.
> Hope mine never breaks. If it does , it's garmin for me
> Dave
> "Dallas" <dhinton@shaw.ca> wrote in message
> news:F94Bi.101791$rX4.77243@pd7urf2no...
>
>
>
>
Hi,
I am a new owner of Crossover(2500T). Wonder if anybody from Magellan
ever reads this news group. I hope they do for their own sake.

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