Realistic minimum PC spec for MapSource?

[pineweasel]

I'm thinking of investing in a 2610, and I will want a cheap PC to run MapSource on. (I use a Mac for other stuff but Garmin don't support them)

Garmin state that you need a Pentium with 32MB of RAM, but presumably MapSource likes more horsepower and memory?

If so, what's a practical minimum spec I should be aiming for?

Thanks.

 

[Fanum]

Short answer.......

You won't be able to buy a new one nowadays that won't run it.

The limit on the PC won't be down to Mapsource, but to the operating system.

ANything that's capable of running windows XP will be more than capable of runing Mapsource, and with PC's down really low now, you could easily get a decent system that will be more than adequate for 300 quid.

HTH

 

[pineweasel]

Short answer.......
You won't be able to buy a new one nowadays that won't run it.

I should have mentioned that I'm hoping to pick up an old one for next to nothing.

 

[shready]

Pineweasel,

I run Macs and I have an iMac running OS 10.3 with Virtual Pc installed.

I have Windows 98 and 2000 Pro and I run my Garmin software on the Windows 2000 platform.

I have no problems at all, USB connects as normal to upload/download to my 2610.

Ran my unit software update on the weekend, no problems.

Workd a treat.

Cheers.

Jon.

 

[richie]

Pineweasel,

I run Macs and I have an iMac running OS 10.3 with Virtual Pc installed.

I have Windows 98 and 2000 Pro and I run my Garmin software on the Windows 2000 platform.

I have no problems at all, USB connects as normal to upload/download to my 2610.

Ran my unit software update on the weekend, no problems.

Workd a treat.

Cheers.

Jon.

Good news for Mac lovers indeed. Anyone tell me if the same is true with just OSX

 

[shready]

Sorry Richie,

OS 10.2 is OS X Version 10.2 or Jaguar.
OS 10.3 is OS X Version 10.3 or Panther.
The next release is OS 10.4 will be OS X Version 10.4 or Tiger.

Just as long as Virtual PC is running you should be fine.

Running Windows XP is not really necessary and my guess is that it will not perform that quickly as you have the overhead of the Vtrtual PC emulation software running on top of XP itself. It would probably be OK on a high end multi processor Mac.

My iMac runs fine and you cannot tell it's not a Windows machine except for the fact that the design of the machine is a work of art!!

Any other Mac lovers out there???

Cheers.

Jon.

 

[pineweasel]

I run Macs and I have an iMac running OS 10.3 with Virtual Pc installed.

I have Windows 98 and 2000 Pro and I run my Garmin software on the Windows 2000 platform.

I have no problems at all, USB connects as normal to upload/download to my 2610.

Thank you - that's very interesting. I've tried Virtual PC but haven't had much luck with other USB devices (MIDI stuff mainly), so I'd assumed it would be a waste of time trying. I'll give it a go!

 

[richie]

Sorry Richie,

OS 10.2 is OS X Version 10.2 or Jaguar.
OS 10.3 is OS X Version 10.3 or Panther.
The next release is OS 10.4 will be OS X Version 10.4 or Tiger.

Just as long as Virtual PC is running you should be fine.

Running Windows XP is not really necessary and my guess is that it will not perform that quickly as you have the overhead of the Vtrtual PC emulation software running on top of XP itself. It would probably be OK on a high end multi processor Mac.

My iMac runs fine and you cannot tell it's not a Windows machine except for the fact that the design of the machine is a work of art!!

Any other Mac lovers out there???

Cheers.

Jon.

Don't use a Mac myself and probably never will. But I know people who do and appreciate their strong points. A mate of mine needs osX.3 therefore as it will solve some of the problems he has coz he is using mac.

 

[PanEuropean]

Pineweasal:

Like Fanum said, if it can run XP, it can run MapSource. In fact, if it can run Windows 2000, it can also run MapSource. The MapSource application itself doesn't put much of a demand on the processor, however, if you get a real relic of a computer at a garage sale for $50, you might find that the screen redraws are a little sluggish, if the relic computer has minimal graphics (video card / VRAM) capability. In such a case, just select 'less detail' on the display tab of the MapSource preferences page - move the slider to the left, and things will speed up.

The only thing you need to avoid is Windows 98 or older operating systems. The current MapSource application (6.3) requires Windows 2000 or higher.

My 'motorcycle computer' is a 1990's vintage IBM ThinkPad 240, which has a 233 mHz Celeron in it - runs the current version of MapSource just fine.

PanEuropean