Streetpilot 3, City Navigator s/w & unlock codes

Max

Guest
Can anybody explain to me what the differences are between European City Navigator software V4.00 that I own and the newly release version 5 of the same software? Garmin want $150 for the unlock code but I want to know if it's worth buying first.
(I currently only have the unlock code for the UK region with my Version4 s/w)

Secondly, does anybody know if the unlock code that I own is transferrable to other Streetpilots (i.e. the software license is user specific) or have they been clever and one unlock code only works with one GPS serial number (i.e. the license is unit specific)?

If the former is the case (as opposed to the latter), is anybody interested in sharing the cost of the version 5 software????
 
Max said:
Can anybody explain to me what the differences are between European City Navigator software V4.00 that I own and the newly release version 5 of the same software? Garmin want $150 for the unlock code but I want to know if it's worth buying first.
(I currently only have the unlock code for the UK region with my Version4 s/w)

Secondly, does anybody know if the unlock code that I own is transferrable to other Streetpilots (i.e. the software license is user specific) or have they been clever and one unlock code only works with one GPS serial number (i.e. the license is unit specific)?

If the former is the case (as opposed to the latter), is anybody interested in sharing the cost of the version 5 software????

Some good news, some bad. First the bad: unlock codes work for a single unit, so you can't share the cost with someone else*.

The Good: You have paid to unlock just the UK region. If you pay the $150, you get all of Europe unlocked & updated to V5.00 - which is a completed bargain. I can't comment on the differences between V4.00 & V5.00, presumably others will;).

MikeO:)

*OK, if you own 2 SPIIIs, you can get an additional (free) unlock code for the second unit. Visit Garmin's site, it's full of info & their staff have always been extremely helpful whenever I've needed to contact them.
 
The biggest difference appears to be the amount of detail. Certain areas like Southern Ireland were very lacking in detail on version 4. Version 5 had street level mapping in many more areas.
 
In a nutshell the maps have been updated to reflect the geographical changes that have happened since V4 was created and also to provide more details in areas that were weak like Ireland (though this is admittedly still piss poor and represents a poor service to our Irish cousins).

The big win for me was that I, like you had only the UK unlocked on V4 and prior to the release of V5 unlocking the rest of Europe was a £200 additional cost and had I done it I might still have been hit with an additional £100 upgrade to V5 (whether users received free upgrades depended on how recently they bought their SPIII or how recently they paid for an unlock). So I have now snared a full European unlock AND an upgrade to V5 for little more than £100.

How much of a bargain this represents for you depends how likley/soon you might have been looking to get Europe unlocked.
 
If the former is the case (as opposed to the latter), is anybody interested in sharing the cost of the version 5 software???? [/B][/QUOTE]

I ask this question some time ago, and the response on this site and other GPS forums was it's a lot of money for not that much improvement on the older Ver4. But as others have said if you want europe then it's probably worth it, I travel a lot in europe and ver 4 is good.
If you only interest is in the UK then it's questionable if the $150 is worth it, I still use ver4 you can unlock for 2 units but they have to be registered in the same name

John
 
Re: Re: Streetpilot 3, City Navigator s/w & unlock codes

roadrider said:
If the former is the case (as opposed to the latter), is anybody interested in sharing the cost of the version 5 software????

I ask this question some time ago, and the response on this site and other GPS forums was it's a lot of money for not that much improvement on the older Ver4. But as others have said if you want europe then it's probably worth it, I travel a lot in europe and ver 4 is good.
If you only interest is in the UK then it's questionable if the $150 is worth it, I still use ver4 you can unlock for 2 units but they have to be registered in the same name

John

John,

I looked into the the possibility of sharing awhile ago. My understanding is that the unlock code is generated to include reference to the hardcoded device identity. Thus it should not be possible to share the same unlock code between different Garmin units.

In searching the web I did find a hack site which claimed to have broken the unlock code. However, I have no intention of going near such a site before I fully backed up my PC.....

However my recent trip to Southern Spain showed that the maps in Version 4 are well out of date and although usable you are sent down some interesting routes....
 
Having grudgingly forked out $100 for the V5 upgrade I must admit it is better. Much better when you come to roundabouts and you can load up more maps - they have made them smaller so you can get more maps onto your GPS.
Still didn't stop me getting lost near Verviers in the Belgium Ardennes on Friday - the GPS didn't tell me there were going to be road works just where I wanted to turn of the motorway :D
 
Re: Re: Re: Streetpilot 3, City Navigator s/w & unlock codes

AdamZ said:
John,

However my recent trip to Southern Spain showed that the maps in Version 4 are well out of date and although usable you are sent down some interesting routes....

Adam

I didn't think it would be long before someone cracked the unlock codes. Apparently Spain is not much better supported in Ver5,
minor improvement mainly in the cities.

On the garmin web site you can unlock for up 2 units but they have to be registered with the same name

John
 


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