Opensource Maps on a Zumo 550

[Roberto]

Afternoon all,

Has anyone used Opensource Maps on a Zumo 550? I will be visiting some countries in Eastern Europe and wanted to see if it was possible to utilise some of these maps.

Can you run them alongside existing City Navigator Maps?
If so, any ideas on how you would load them on to the Zumo?

Thanks in advance,
Rob

 

[Bumpkin]

Afternoon all,

Has anyone used Opensource Maps on a Zumo 550? I will be visiting some countries in Eastern Europe and wanted to see if it was possible to utilise some of these maps.

Can you run them alongside existing City Navigator Maps?
If so, any ideas on how you would load them on to the Zumo?

Thanks in advance,
Rob

I've loaded OpenStreetMap mapping on my Nuvi 765 alongside City Navigator Europe. I have yet to use it in anger but running a route, with City Nav mapping turned off and the OSM mapping on, in simulation mode works.

I'll be out on the bike on Tuesday and will try using OSM data to see have it goes.

I have used NavFree on my Android phone, this uses OSM data, it works well but there have been a couple of minor anomalies, nothing that a bit of common sense can't overcome.

 

[Roberto]

Thanks, Bumpkin, very helpful.

When you loaded the OSM on to the 550 did you need to import via Mapsource?

Cheers,
Rob

 

[Greg Masters]

Wouldn't it just be easier to pay £75 for the Garmin nüMaps Lifetime™ Europe?



Greg

 

[Bumpkin]

When you loaded the OSM on to the 550 did you need to import via Mapsource?

The OSM system here generates an installer for Mapsource and a GMAPSUPP.IMG file (amongst other options). These are the two I used; ran the installer on the PC which shows the mapping in Mapsource and transfered the GMAPSUPP.IMG to my SD card (into a folder named 'Garmin'). You then need to un-check the Garmin mapping in the menus and check the OSM mapping.

If you have the room you can put the GMAPSUPP.IMG file on the internal memory of your GPS. If putting it on an SD card and it's critical to have this mapping I would be tempted to carry a spare, they can go bad and a 2nd SD card is only a few quid.

Wouldn't it just be easier to pay £75 for the Garmin nüMaps Lifetime™ Europe?

Something like £52 from Handtec or Pentagon GPS. Personally I already have a Lifetime update subscription but like the idea of Open Source peer generated mapping data. Interested in trying it out to see how good it is.

Was pleasantly surprised by NavFree despite a few minor glitches, it's point to point nav, no routes though so pretty useless on the bike. OSM mapping on a Garmin opens up a whole load of possibilities.

The OSM mapping is more detailed that the Garmin mapping in some places and has plenty of POI data that is probably, due to peer review, more current than those embedded in City Nav.

Garmin City Nav Europe 2012.40

OSM 2012

 

[Roberto]

Thanks again for all taking the time to respond.

In the end, all considered I took Greg's suggestion and just bit the bullet and got the new mapping from Garmin.

That said it was a royal pain in the ar5e and needed a lot of sodding about to get it sorted to the Zumo unit. In essence, the full suite of City Navigator 12 is too big for the 550. Garmin's own software isn't helpful and not intuitive.

Heading over to the Zumo forums this post http://www.zumoforums.com/index.php?topic=12972.0 is incredibly helpful (note you'll have to register).

So I've got all of City Nav 12 on my SD card and it runs just as quickly as having the map on the Zumo itself.

Very pleased and ready for the delights of obscure Eastern Europe

Cheers,
Rob

 

[Roberto]

..If putting it on an SD card and it's critical to have this mapping I would be tempted to carry a spare, they can go bad and a 2nd SD card is only a few quid..

thanks Bumpkin.. that was good advice too, so I've a second spare card with maps.. plus the software on my laptop, too