BMW Motorrad Navigator II - 'a Proper GPS'

[Roberto]

What a great GPS unit this is.

Recently found myself short of a GPS for a trip over to Germany. Still had my old NavII from my RT in a box.. so hooked it up on the fly. I'd forgotten what a great GPS this was- having gone 'up' to a Zumo 550 this is, I think a better unit.

Looks like Garmin don't do map updates any longer, which is a bummer. Anyone know if there's any other workaround out there, or is it what it is now.. If it is, it isn't the end of the world for sure.

Also, a NavIII is similar, wonder if the maps there also can't be updated- otherwise might be worth keeping my eyes peeled?

Cheers,
Rob

 

[PanEuropean]

Rob:

I'm pretty sure that you can update the maps for either the Nav II or the Nav III - the only issue you will have is that the entire European set of maps will not fit into the GPS at one time.

This means that if you are planning a trip from the UK to the Ukraine, you will have to leave the Scandinavia or Iberian peninsula maps out of your mapset... obviously not much of a handicap.

I believe that the process you need to follow to get updated maps goes more or less like this:

1) Purchase a CD/DVD containing the most up-to-date maps from Garmin. This means you can't use the 'web download' option - you need to get your hands on the physical CD/DVD, just like we used to do about 4 or 5 years ago.

2) Load the whole CD/DVD onto your computer. This includes the MapSource program, which is included on the CD/DVD.

3) Check for updates to the MapSource program using the "Check for Software Updates..." command, which is under the Help menu.

4) Once you are up to date, create a map set to load into your device by selecting the regions you want to include in the map set, using the Map Tool (it looks like a polygon with a yellow highlight around it, it is in the tool bar at the top of MapSource).

5) Download that map set to your device. If you have selected too many maps (i.e. more than the memory capacity of your device), the MapSource application will tell you.

--------------

A long, long time ago, Garmin changed the formatting of the maps from the original version (developed in 1997) to the 'NT' version. I'm not entirely sure if the Nav II can take NT map data or not. I am pretty sure that the Nav III can accept NT data. Best to confirm this with Garmin (or another trustworthy source) before buying the CD.

Michael

 

[gavinbell]

nav2 is pre NT type mapping!!

 

[ChasMill]

I have a Nav III with lifetime updates. Simply load the latest map sets to your PC (as opposed to the unit) and select the maps you need as described above.

 

[MikeP]

nav2 is pre NT type mapping!!

Is NT mapping that which gives an oblique view (as opposed to the plan view of the previous version)?

I'm still using my trusty old Nav II and having played with a mate's Zumo, I'll continue to use it until it fails. Okay it's a bit of a brick but it does some things that the newer stuff doesn't, things that I'd rather have than the bells and whistles of a Zumo (I have an MP3 player for music and there's no way I want to connect a mobile phone).

 

[PanEuropean]

Is NT mapping that which gives an oblique view (as opposed to the plan view of the previous version)?

Mike:

I don't think that the choice of views (3D, plan, etc.) directly correlates to the storage format for the maps (NT or not NT). I think it is coincidental that the NT format maps came into effect around the same time that the GPSRs began to offer 3D type views.

My guess is that the NT format allows for more characteristics per road to be stored, for example, lanes and so forth.

Michael