Anybody used an ipad to connect to their 660 with Mapsource?

[Pauly S]

Im thinking of a unit ie ipad/android pad to connect to my zumo 660 whilst im away, i thought of the microsoft surface which comes highly recommended by Shready, but i wondered what other devices aside from a laptop you guys use to talk to the 660 with?
I know you can get a usb lightning port adaptor, but does it connect to the zumo?
I want to use it to devise routes etc on a bigger screen as my eyes arent what they used to be.
another thing crossed my mind, can you use store mapsource on an i phone and send the signal down some kind of usb convertor?
cheers Pauly

 

[leedude03]

unless you want a load of hassle dont go with an ipad, the simple way would be using something like a small laptop/netbook, or an apple laptop. a Surface would work and if you have money to burn that would be a good solution, small and compact and light. you could also use an android tablet if it had a usb for file transfer, but i dont think you could instal mapsource or basecamp on one, but as long as you have usb you can transfer files/routes from somewhere like Motogoloco to your nav sd card. hope this helps.

I know you can get a usb lightning port adaptor, but does it connect to the zumo/ No

can you use store mapsource on an i phone and send the signal down some kind of usb convertor./ No

 

[iand46]

I believe MapSource only works with the Windows OS. If you go down the Apple route (MacBook) you'll have to use BaseCamp.

 

[leedude03]

mapsource will not work with apple gear, as iand46 says you would need basecamp, or use one of the many online services or alternative software

 

[Nutty]

You'd have thought that as the nav has Bluetooth, and the iPad has Bluetooth there would be a simple way to transfer routes without cables.

 

[leedude03]

You'd have thought that as the nav has Bluetooth, and the iPad has Bluetooth there would be a simple way to transfer routes without cables.

If only, that would make things a lot easier,(or harder for some) who knows maybe in the future.

 

[Tomcat]

I run Basecamp on one of these https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lenovo-Mii...502927&sr=1-1&keywords=lenovo+miix+300+tablet (Lenovo Miix 300 tablet). It's a Win 10 PC, with a detachable keyboard that leaves you with a touchscreen 10" tablet. It has a solid state disk drive so is robust for travelling with and you can expand the memory very cheaply with a 128GB micro SD card. Mine cost around £120. BTW it will run Mapsource too as it is a Win PC. You'll need a (bluetooth) mouse to plot routes as the touch screen plus a fat finger isn't ideal for precision pointing. For the money it is brilliant value, as you get email, internet and a host of other functions in Windows and various free Windows apps.

 

[The Grey One]

I've just bought a HP stream for the same reasons. I can run Mapsource & Basecamp, download routes etc. I can also use it to download photos and videos whilst traveling. Not very much storage as is but a micro SD card adds more. I use a seperate drive to take even more. It fits in a small case along with the 2Tb drive (smaller than most mobile phones)

John

 

[Pauly S]

I run Basecamp on one of these https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lenovo-Mii...502927&sr=1-1&keywords=lenovo+miix+300+tablet (Lenovo Miix 300 tablet). It's a Win 10 PC, with a detachable keyboard that leaves you with a touchscreen 10" tablet. It has a solid state disk drive so is robust for travelling with and you can expand the memory very cheaply with a 128GB micro SD card. Mine cost around £120. BTW it will run Mapsource too as it is a Win PC. You'll need a (bluetooth) mouse to plot routes as the touch screen plus a fat finger isn't ideal for precision pointing. For the money it is brilliant value, as you get email, internet and a host of other functions in Windows and various free Windows apps.

looks good, i run lenovo already,so should be good!

 

[Pauly S]

unless you want a load of hassle dont go with an ipad, the simple way would be using something like a small laptop/netbook, or an apple laptop. a Surface would work and if you have money to burn that would be a good solution, small and compact and light. you could also use an android tablet if it had a usb for file transfer, but i dont think you could instal mapsource or basecamp on one, but as long as you have usb you can transfer files/routes from somewhere like Motogoloco to your nav sd card. hope this helps.
Its a minefield !

I know you can get a usb lightning port adaptor, but does it connect to the zumo/ No
cheers dude!

can you use store mapsource on an i phone and send the signal down some kind of usb convertor./ No

thanks mate!

I believe MapSource only works with the Windows OS. If you go down the Apple route (MacBook) you'll have to use BaseCamp.

still in a quandry!

mapsource will not work with apple gear, as iand46 says you would need basecamp, or use one of the many online services or alternative software

confused.com

You'd have thought that as the nav has Bluetooth, and the iPad has Bluetooth there would be a simple way to transfer routes without cables.

i feel pain!

If only, that would make things a lot easier,(or harder for some) who knows maybe in the future.

maybe!

 

[Pauly S]

Thanks for all the replies, i was also wondering what other software will run on the 660 as the garmin stuff isnt great,the number of times we couldnt find foreign hotels was alarming, i used "maps with me" on the android platform several times to great effect on my phone.

 

[Pauly S]

ive just stumbled across this too.
http://wouter.shush.com/2014/02/15/openstreetmaps-en-een-garmin-zumo-660/

 

[leedude03]

Thanks for all the replies, i was also wondering what other software will run on the 660 as the garmin stuff isnt great,the number of times we couldnt find foreign hotels was alarming, i used "maps with me" on the android platform several times to great effect on my phone.

you can use osm maps as well, some say they are better others dont. When faced with the problem of not being able to find a certain place or hotel using garmin maps, i tend to use either booking.com or google maps to find the map coordinates and send them to the nav or type them in to it, its normally very reliable, i say normally because i have had 1 occasion wher it failed me but that was in part my fault. if using booking.com they list the hotels map coordinates on the hotels page, and using google maps if you locate your hotel and then right click on it you will see a window open just click the whats here and you will see the coordinates pop up if you then click that it will put them in the search box top left and you can copy and paste these into base camps locate coordinates and then save as a waypoint rename it to your hotel and send it as a waypoint to the nav. hope you understand this.

 

[leedude03]

Quote (confused.com) what are you confused about maybe i can put this right.

 

[Pauly S]

I've used booking.com frequently but found the number of supplied digits exceeded what the Sat nav wanted.The whole Garmin thing abroad is hit n miss.I'm going to try another software on it.

 

[leedude03]

using another set of maps will not make using the garmin sat nav any easier.

 

[leedude03]

http://boulter.com/gps/ this is a simple online gps coordinate converter very easy to use and handy.

 

[The Grey One]

using another set of maps will not make using the garmin sat nav any easier.

It will if, as with some places, the hotel is on the alternative maps. I find osm maps are more comprehensive.

I suspect that the problem here might be not being able to find rather than not listed though. We had lots of people claiming they could not find our hotel in Austria on their Garmin device. Fact is we were on the Garmin database and clearly shown on the maps. Searching for "Lodgings" near our location found it straight away and is a lot easier than putting in coordinates. A awful lot of people simple don't know how to use their devices to find locations like hotels. Changing software is unlikely to help these people. And on line stuff is not a lot of help is you have no connection. Better to spend a little time ready the manual and practicing finding places.

John

 

[Pauly S]

using another set of maps will not make using the garmin sat nav any easier.

go on...what do youknow
.its just trying to find streets and roads, the data wasnt there.mine is four years out of date, but the hotels werent new by a long chalk.

 

[Pauly S]

It will if, as with some places, the hotel is on the alternative maps. I find osm maps are more comprehensive.

I suspect that the problem here might be not being able to find rather than not listed though. We had lots of people claiming they could not find our hotel in Austria on their Garmin device. Fact is we were on the Garmin database and clearly shown on the maps. Searching for "Lodgings" near our location found it straight away and is a lot easier than putting in coordinates. A awful lot of people simple don't know how to use their devices to find locations like hotels. Changing software is unlikely to help these people. And on line stuff is not a lot of help is you have no connection. Better to spend a little time ready the manual and practicing finding places.

John

this was how i was finding them..ie find city, Bilbao, lodgings near here.bingo. but if its not in the database it doesnt work