Garmin V - waste of time?

[MMC]

I've had a V for a while now and I have to say I'm majorly unimpressed.

- loading maps takes an average 40 minutes
- I can only get about 16Mb-worth on the damn thing (which isn't even all of London)
- it's s-l-o-w to find routes, recalculate and indicate turns

If I'm going from Bampton to Liverpool, it'll (just about) hold the route but won't take all the data if I simply load the maps in.

Question is, am I doing summat wrong or should I just get a new GPS? Having said all that, I've always had top service from Garmin, it's just the unit I have a problem with!

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

its old - think 486 pc compared to pentium 4

buy a new one - its the only answer

 

[ebbo]

Garmin V, things have moved on so much now. It hasn’t the capacity (around 19mb) to hold the mapping needed (by a long, long way) and it has no USB port, so it’s very slow to load.
But, loaded with Roads and Recreation (no routeing mapping) it becomes a very useful device to show you where you are and where you’re going. Plus R+R needs no unlock!

 

[PanEuropean]

Question is, am I doing summat wrong or should I just get a new GPS?

Hi MMC:

The problem is likely this: When the GPS V was released to market in the late 1990s, the maps were very small in size, and contained very little 'invisible attribute data' that the GPSR needed to consider when displaying routes.

In the past 8 years, the complexity of the maps has increased by several orders of magnitude - so, it's kind of like owning and using a late 1990s vintage computer: If you are still running the same OS and software you had when the computer was brand new, the computer will run just as fast as the day you bought it, but if you have upgraded to newer (more complex) software, the computer will now be a dog.

I think your best bet would be to consider replacing that GPS V with a new model GPSR. Here's a link to the current Garmin offerings: Garmin Automotive GPSRs. Not all of them are waterproof, so you will need to check the specs to see which are suitable for moto use. Garmin also has a little web based (online) tool you can use to compare units side by side, you can access it here: Compare GPSR models, and they also have an automated application that might help you narrow the field down, based on what your needs and preferences are - it is here: Garmin Purchase Assistant

Have fun...

Michael

 

[MMC]

Thanks Michael, MM, Ebbo,

OK, I'll look into the R&R thingy (haven't a clue about it, so time for some research) and get meself a new one. Should all be affordable when I sell the Pan!

Cheers - and thanks again.

Mark

 

[PanEuropean]

R&R means 'Roads and Recreation'. It is a set of maps that is now over 7 years old, and useless as teats on a nun for navigation. Those maps won't support automatic route creation, and are hopelessly out of date for use anywhere except perhaps in the very rural areas of the Outer Hebrides. But... they don't require an 'unlock code', which means that folks can pirate them to their heart's delight, and thus get something for nothing.

Just about any current production GPSR that you buy will come pre-loaded with current maps that support autorouting, so, you don't have to worry about maps at all - just pick a GPSR that suits your needs, and likely it will have maps in it. There are a very small number of exceptions - some of the combination marine/automotive and marine/aviation/automotive GPSRs don't come with automotive maps preloaded, but those are the exceptions, not the rule.

Michael

 

[Tobers]

I think the V is a really nice bit of kit. Yes, it has limited memory, but you dont really need a GPS to get you up the M4 or M1 do you? Just load the start and end maps and you're sorted.

The base map is good enough for the rest of the time.

Yes, it takes a while to load, but you're browsing this site at the same time anyway so it's not costing you anything.

 

[Global Rider]

R&R means 'Roads and Recreation'. It is a set of maps that is now over 7 years old, and useless as teats on a nun for navigation. Those maps won't support automatic route creation, and are hopelessly out of date for use anywhere except perhaps in the very rural areas of the Outer Hebrides.

Michael

I wouldn't say that. I use European Roads & Recreation and all the roads (except goat paths) are there. Other than one road leading to the A5 in Germany (re-routed a bit), roads don't change all that often in Europe...hell, there is no room to do so.

True, they don't support AutoRouting, but when I'm touring by motorcycle, that is a feature I'd never used. My imagination and maps do my routing. So other than the "I've just rolled into Livorno, my ferry leaves in no time and how the hell do I get to the ferry port" type of situation, I wouldn't have a need for AutoRouting.

Yes, I'd like City Navigator Europe v8, but it'll be a cold day in hell when I pay more than double of what the equivalent map package goes for, for North American roads.

I know someone in Europe that is a computer/software genius. I'll ask him to look at the Garmin/MapSource Unit ID and Unlock Code issue.

 

[Global Rider]

I've had a V for a while now and I have to say I'm majorly unimpressed.

- loading maps takes an average 40 minutes
- I can only get about 16Mb-worth on the damn thing (which isn't even all of London).

Fixed memory is the main reason I never looked at the GPS V or any other unit like it when I got my first GPS some five years ago. What do you do with 19 Mb of internal memory when you are on the road for a month?

I bought the eMap back then and expandable memory cards were the deciding factor. I think only four or five other Garmin units had that capability.

I now have the Garmin GPSmap 60 Cx which finally came with all the "right" features for me to want to upgrade...

- takes non-proprietary memory...that means cheap-to-buy memory,
- takes alkaline or NiMH "non proprietary" batteries...that means cheap-to-buy batteries,
- also runs on USB power and auxilliary 8 to 36 Vdc power source,
- and too many features to mention.

I couldn't be happier with the unit.

 

[PanEuropean]

...Other than one road leading to the A5 in Germany (re-routed a bit), roads don't change all that often in Europe...

Major roads probably don't change all that much, but you would be amazed with the number of changes that happen from year to year so far as city streets are concerned.

If all you want is intercity highway guidance, agreed, you can use cartography that is up to 10 years old, and it will help you get you there, especially if you are not using the auto-routing feature. But, if you want navigational guidance within cities - you need to have cartography that is less than 2 to 3 years old, otherwise, you keep tripping across roundabouts where intersections used to be, one way streets that used to be two way, medians in the middle of formerly undivided roads, etc. etc... not to mention that the POI database on older cartography will be hopelessly out of date.

Michael

 

[HMR]

Whatever you do, don't upgrade to V8. The map segments are much bigger in this map version and that will not work well with the Garmin V. V7 is the last map with comparatively small map segments.

To my opinion the Garmin V is quite OK but only for very local travel.

 

[jeeperz0]

I go with HMR on this one. Got my V 3 years ago, done 7000 miles across australia with its help, put up with one hell of a hammering on an F650 on lots of washboard. Its tough and good in its way, but it is old. Use it a lot for work in SE UK but do get all the area I work in on the limited memory. When i go out of area get fed up spending the 40 mins loading other maps. Looking at Tomtom, but will keep the V for work.

 

[PanEuropean]

Upgrade to version 8? I bet MMC is running WorldMap, which is still at version 1, I think...



(just kidding)

 

[MMC]

What's all this World Map stuff? Jay-sus, you lot are rude.

I'll have you know I've loaded the latest version of this

 

[Frank Warner]

. What do you do

when you are on the road for a month?

I'm lookin at a year.

Africa, Europe and Asia.

Will have paper maps for Africa when I start, throw them away in Europe, buy Europe ones when there, or just before - same thing for Europe-Asia.

For a GPS thinking of the Garmin 60Cx - has a removable memory card ... autorouting etc. Troulble is maps are expensive for it and not much coverage for Africa/Asia.

 

[alimey4u2]

OK....While we are on the subject, what is the best one out there ??

 

[Frank Warner]

While we are on the subject, what is the best one out there ??

For what?

Lat and Long only

Add tracks, track back

Add way (sp?) points and routes

Add internal map/s

Add removable memory

Add auto route

??????????????

And for what parts of the world ... all changes the answer...

If you have one now you'd know that so I assume your new to GPS ... go take a look in a store (start with an etrex, then a 60C then say a 2760 ?) You'll be there a while .. plan on say 1 to 2 hours. Or the same amount of time on Garmins webb site .. and then 30 minutes in a store to look at the physical size.

 

[alimey4u2]

All the above..........

 

[Frank Warner]

All the above..........

Wot all the world including the North Pole?

Size then - you can have a big screen, or a small one, or something in-between.

For falling on you want a small screen. Harder to hit it and smash it. 60Cx for me then.

For city and country navigation you want a big screen - allows more view of the map. You investigate .. I've done my bit for now.

 

[alimey4u2]

Thanks Frank, I shall look no further..........