Mapsource as stand alone desktop app

[TheJoker]

Gents,

I've been playing around with AutoRoute 2003 during the w/e just to try to plan a nice little trip for next summer, BUT, buggering AR doesn't have Finland in it... well, it's got Helsinki - we're not going far off it, but still we're not going to take the ferry over to Helsinki - and thus I can't even create a trip to mainland Finland from Sweden... *sigh*

Having played around with the online demo on Garmins site, I'm wondering if it's possible to run the Mapsource application without any GPS at all. As I'm about to buy a GPS anyway it would be very handy to plan this trip on the PC, and when happy transfer it to my new GPS when it arrives...

Is this possible - or am I breaking a lot of laws if I should use Mapsource...?

 

[Greg Masters]

Joker

I use MapSource and CN all the time as an 'Autoroute' substitute.

My guess is that you could use it, even if you didn't have a GPS, provided that you can get hold of an original copy of MapSource (any version) and an original copy of Euro CN (any version).

You can get the latest MapSource update from the Garmin website and Garmin will post out the latest CN mapping data (which isn't unlocked). The only issue is: can you load the mapping data to your PC without the unlock code? I can't remember.

Greg

 

[Howard Millichap]

You can use any Mapsource product so long as you've bought it...........BUT.........so long as Garmin don't find out, you could use a borrowed one. It only becomes difficult when you start to get into "unlock codes" etc..
I use Mapsource as my route planner. Never used anything else.

 

[TheJoker]

Thank you very much, Gents!

That does answer my question.

 

[BurnieM]

All of the locked MapSource products such as City Navigator or City Select require an unlock code to be enter into MapSource on the PC before they will display any detail.

 

[TheJoker]

All of the locked MapSource products such as City Navigator or City Select require an unlock code to be enter into MapSource on the PC before they will display any detail.

I better go buy a GPS then...

Thanks for the info Burnie!

 

[K2R]

Burnie, won't they display detail? A lack of unlock code just prevents you from downloading data with routing info. If all that is needed is an autorouting product, the Metroguide Europe would be a possibility. And it doesn't require an unlock code in any case.

 

[BurnieM]

Burnie, won't they display detail? A lack of unlock code just prevents you from downloading data with routing info. If all that is needed is an autorouting product, the Metroguide Europe would be a possibility. And it doesn't require an unlock code in any case.

Yep, thats right

Metroguide Europe seems to have the same area coverage, no unlock code, is a lot cheaper and will auto-route on the PC. For a PC only product it is the way to go

However....
.... if later you want a product that will auto-route on your GPSr then Metroguide won't do it

 

[TheJoker]

Yep, thats right

Metroguide Europe seems to have the same area coverage, no unlock code, is a lot cheaper and will auto-route on the PC. For a PC only product it is the way to go

However....
.... if later you want a product that will auto-route on your GPSr then Metroguide won't do it

Hmmm... I've now suspecting that Microsoft owns shares in Garmin...

Trip planning will have to wait till I purchase a GPS...

Thanks for the replies, Gents!

 

[PanEuropean]

Burnie is correct.

A Garmin cartographic product that requires an unlock code to function on a GPSR (for example, CityNavigator or CitySelect) will also require that an unlock code be present on the computer (the PC) before it will display street level detail, or allow searches for POI's, etc.

It wasn't always like this. Up until about MapSource version 4, you could stuff a CN or CS disk into a computer, load it, and view all the maps in full detail, create routes, do whatever you want. Garmin had no concern about this. But, the cartography contained in CN and CS does not belong to Garmin, it belongs to Navteq. Navteq told Garmin that they had to change MapSource so that it would not display street level detail without an unlock code being present, so Garmin made the change.

Why did Navteq make this request? Well, they sell their cartographic data to other companies, some of whom make and sell stand-alone PC applications that do the same thing as MapSource does. One of those companies put pressure on Navteq to put pressure on Garmin to suppress the street level detail unless an unlock code was present. And just who are those companies? Well, if you want a hint, look for the first company name that appears when you turn your computer on...

PanEuropean

 

[Capt Over-reaction]

What PC WORLD I knew they were big, but not that BIG