Numpties in Garmin support - conflicting information

[WindyChuffer]

I've recently upgraded my 2610 GPS to City Navigator v9. In waiting for it to arrive, I thought I'd buy a memory card that would take the whole of Europe as they are so cheap now (4GB card for £15 or so).

So, a quick phone call to Garmin tech support to ask what size card I need. The nice person said a 1GB would do, so thats what I ordered for £10 delivered.

I then find that the whole of Europe requires 1.4GB or if you select the routing data (the check box in the bottom left of MapSource), 2.2GB is required. Not amused as a tenner wasted...packaging disposed of etc.

So, another call to Garmin to ask whether the "routing data" is actually required and told yes, and that a 4GB card is required, and was advised to buy that. However, was not convinced that the chap on the phone knew what he was talking about re the routing data.

I rang again to ask about what speed card I should get (no point buying a super fast card if the device can't support it), to be told that a 4GB card has never been tested on the 2610 and may not work. Still unconvinced about the routing data question.

So, 3 different conflicting answers from the same small tech support team - there are only 30 people working there!

Anyone tried a 4GB card in the 2610??? Which one?

M.

 

[wilbjr21]

I asked about a 4GB card and the answer was the following:-

The 2610 has only been tested by Garmin with a 1GB card.
Some 2GB card have been reported to work (I have a 2GB Sandisk card and it works fine)
A 4GB card will not work.

Hope this helps.

 

[BigAlMacMac]

Not sure how much it helps but I have a 4GB microdrive and it did not work.

The 2 GB microdrive did?!?

Why not use a 2GB drive and just not put all the maps on?

Unless you are planning Iceland to Turkey via Finland and Gibralta you probably wont need all that mapping.

Sounds like an interesting trip though

 

[Ash]

i have a 2gb skandisk card pre loaded with all EU mapping.
loaded by my local garmin dealer works fine.
why you were told 4gb card you'l never need more than 2gb thats what garmin HQ told me.

 

[Magwych]

I had a 4Gb CF card spare when I bought my 2610. Have been using it since day one. If you upload to the Garmin it does not allow you to send more than 2048Kb ( 2GB) to the card. I have not yet tried saving 4GB to the card via a card reader yet. If I do will let you know.

 

[Kav]

Why not put the British Isles on a 1gb card and the rest of Europe on a 2gb?.Works for me!.

 

[Peter Pan]

OK here goes! .........

I've got and been using a 4Gb card for about 2 years without any problems with City Navigator v8.

The card I use is an i-Pro Compact Flash Fat32 6.0MB/s 40x

When I purchased and installed City Navigator v9, all 600 odd maps come to c.2.2Gb. I suceeded in transferring them all to my 4Gb card (via my PC and not directly to the 2610) without any problems AFTER I'd upgraded to Mapsource v6.12.2

Good news so far, HOWEVER ......

I then found out (today in fact) that if I selected Find and then Address, the QWERTY keyboard that would normally display to enter an address wouldn't work.

The solution? Cut back on the number of maps to get the total file size back to less than 2Gb - now it works!

Garmin in their infinite wisdom don't appear to have considered the possibility that some of their customers would prefer to put the entire map set on one card and not be arseing around with different c/f cards!

 

[BurnieM]

Basic rules;
1. the SP 2610 supports FAT (not FAT32). FAT has a maximum size of 2GB
2. Many high speed cards will not work on Garmin GPS

'The search function is your friend'

Short answer; buy a regular speed Sandisk 2GB card

 

[Peter Pan]

Basic rules;
1. the SP 2610 supports FAT (not FAT32). FAT has a maximum size of 2GB
2. Many high speed cards will not work on Garmin GPS

'The search function is your friend'

Short answer; buy a regular speed Sandisk 2GB card

Thanks BurnieM. Unfortunately I'm not particularly familiar with FAT and FAT32 but with the number of 2610's that've been sold worldwide, is there a reason why Garmin can't make the SP 2610 support FAT32?
Is supporting FAT32 a software change?

 

[Jodel]

I have a SanDisk 2Gb card and it works fine. I was able to fit all the maps from City Navigator V8 on this card. With City Navigator V9, I left off a few sections of Europe and was able to fit all of the UK and nearly all of Europe.