Basecamp, is it going to hurt?

[russ996duke]

Learned, over some time,often painfully, how to just about get mapsource to do what i want it to do.
also leanrt along the way that garmin do, in fact, live in a completely different area of N space to the rest of humanity...its the only posible explanantion for the state of the aervice and apps they supply.

so, now having continuing difficulty with garmin express.. update mapsource seems to be even more of a challenge....I dont really want to spend more of my few remaining years in front of a computer shouting at the stupidity that is Garmin...

can I/should I cut thru the crap and change to basecamp?
will it hurt?
will all my old mapsource routes still work in basecamp?
or should I go and buy a TOMTOM???

what is the UKGSER hive mind collective memory of its ease of transition to basecamp???

 

[The Grey One]

Learned, over some time,often painfully, how to just about get mapsource to do what i want it to do.
also leanrt along the way that garmin do, in fact, live in a completely different area of N space to the rest of humanity...its the only posible explanantion for the state of the aervice and apps they supply.

so, now having continuing difficulty with garmin express.. update mapsource seems to be even more of a challenge....I dont really want to spend more of my few remaining years in front of a computer shouting at the stupidity that is Garmin...

can I/should I cut thru the crap and change to basecamp?
will it hurt?
will all my old mapsource routes still work in basecamp?
or should I go and buy a TOMTOM???

what is the UKGSER hive mind collective memory of its ease of transition to basecamp???

If you buy a Tomtom you are stuck with Google maps for planning routes. There was a screenshot posted today on Facebook of a Google map of this region. So hopelessly wrong that it is just laughable.
Personally I am sticking with Mapsource, and yes old routes can be imported into Basecamp if you must. My only experience of downloading from Garmin is getting a new maps for a guest, we have (for Austria) a slow connection at 100 meg so it was OK. I use openstreetmaps which are easy to download as well as being better all round.
John

 

[Andy B]

Basecamp - it's like everything in life that changes. It's more often about a mental attitude to change more than anything else.

As I was just about competent in Mapsource I decided the sooner I went over to Basecamp the better. I think that was the right decision for me and I'm really happy with it now. It is definitely better than Mapsource - but you will only find that out once you've really got to grips with it. There are lots of tutorials (which I never remember finding for Mapsource) and it is intuative in its own kind of way!

Most people who say they hate Basecamp simply haven't wanted to embrace the change needed to learn a new system. If you are a Luddite - stick with Mapsource. If you are more open-minded and see learning as a challenge and an adventure go for it!

 

[RobertG]

Most people who say they hate Basecamp simply haven't wanted to embrace the change needed to learn a new system. If you are a Luddite - stick with Mapsource. If you are more open-minded and see learning as a challenge and an adventure go for it!

Utter bollox . I never used Mapsource, learned Basecamp in some detail, I am now quite proficient in it and I HATE Basecamp. Let me clarify I really REALLY HATE Basecamp .

I can get it to do everything I need it to do. But

- It is clunky
- It is not intuitive
- The workflow makes little sense
- Bits don't work
- Everything takes longer than it should.

It is just not a nice programme. It is designed by a tech group in Garmin that has never heard of user-centred design .

Having said that, Tom-Tom and Google - no chance. (That still doesn't make me like Basecamp)

 

[spm0912]

maybe I'm easily pleased, but I find Basecamp fine for what I want from it. I plan all my routes on a conventional map, Waypoint my start and finish point, let it decide on a route, then shape it to match the route I actually want it to take. Spend a few minutes zoomed in along the route to make sure it's not doing any stupid routing and transfer to device. The latest update has changed the way things are done slightly with a new trip planner, haven't had a chance to play with it much but seems a step in the right direction.

However, if you want it to plan suitable routes for you, forget it, it'll be taking you all over the shop. Tom Tom is far better at coming up with intuitive routes on it's own.

Actually getting the maps onto your device and basecamp, well that's another story!!!

 

[Wapping]

maybe I'm easily pleased, but I find Basecamp fine for what I want from it. I plan all my routes on a conventional map, Waypoint my start and finish point, let it decide on a route, then shape it to match the route I actually want it to take. Spend a few minutes zoomed in along the route to make sure it's not doing any stupid routing and transfer to device.


Actually getting the maps onto your device and basecamp, well that's another story!!!

In two

Mapsource is still good, even so.

 

[John Armstrong]

I'd used Mapsource with the SP3, 2610 etc and now use Basecamp. There's a lot of different concepts that have "Garmin" as a starting point, but which then diverge completely. The Youtube instructions help, but as Bascamp is changing rapidly make sure the video reflects what you're trying to do.

For the last few months I've not used Mapsource, and have got to be fairly happy with how it does things. One usefull bit is I can update the Montanas maps from it, just like the good old days of the SP3 etc

One real piece of advice, register here:

https://forums.garmin.com/forum.php

and tap the knowledge of the Basecamp section, that even has Garmin developers posting on.

 

[Nutty]

I've just planned a quick route for my wife in Google maps, and it took a fraction of the time it would have taken in Basecamp.

Is there a way to plan a route via Google maps, then save and import into Basecamp?

 

[Bumpkin]

I've just planned a quick route for my wife in Google maps, and it took a fraction of the time it would have taken in Basecamp.

Is there a way to plan a route via Google maps, then save and import into Basecamp?

You can use ITN Converter or TYRE, I prefer the former, to plot a route. These use the Google Maps API so in the main it's similar to using Google Maps. ITN Converter can even use via Michelin mapping which has those green edged roads

Once happy I tend to import the resulting GPX file into Basecamp to recalculate and check that it gives the same route, adding some extra routing nodes where appropriate, before exporting as a GPX file to my Zumo 660.