2610 - does the basemap matter anymore?

samwise

samwise

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Thinking about my first GPS, and as you can get the whole of Europe on a 2Gb CF card from CN Europe v7 (and the same for CN NA v7), does it matter what base map is set on the machine?

Just asking because the 2610 is currently about £285 at Amazon.com in the US, and could end up cheaper than an EU-sourced 2610, depending on the cost of the EU software :nenau
 
Good question - but I don't know the answer. What I would like to know (and it is relevant to your question, so it isn't a hijack :D ) is whether you would encounter problems with Garmin, if you ever needed to send an US basemap unit back to Garmin Europe for repair ? I would have thought not - as its still Garmin, but someone must know for sure.

Since I typed this, I have sent an e-mail to Garmin asking them. Will let you know the reply when I get it. :thumb
 
samwise said:
Thinking about my first GPS, and as you can get the whole of Europe on a 2Gb CF card from CN Europe v7 (and the same for CN NA v7), does it matter what base map is set on the machine?
Click to expand...
Well it does matter but it is becoming less important as you can now bring more detailed mapping.

Base map will be used when you zoom out to get a wide overview of an area. With US basemap the screen will go almost completely blank at a certain point when zooming out in Europe :(
This is best shown on a unit so ask someone to show you when zooming out at what point it goes from detailed mapping to base map, then you can decide if you need those kind of views.

Base map can be used for autorouting in areas where there isn't detalied data available yet. This is of course less and less important as detailed maps gets better coverage. I just did an autoroute from Krakow, Poland to Liepaja, Latvia but try that on a unit with US basemap... :rolleyes:
You can check out the current coverage in 'MapSource Map Viewer' on Garmins web site to be able to decide if it is enough for your needs.

Base map can be used when you want to use autorouting but look on anything else but the CitySelect/CityNavigator maps. As the basemap is "below" all other maps it can always be used for autorouting when looking at a custom made map or a topo map that doesn't support autorouting.

If these things are worth the price difference to you? Only you can decide.

I find them useful enough to pay the premium, but that's just me and the way I use the unit.
 
Taff said:
...is whether you would encounter problems with Garmin, if you ever needed to send an US basemap unit back to Garmin Europe for repair ?
Click to expand...
I know of several people that had no problems whatsoever when doing that. :thumb
 
Not really an issue

Cost it up with City Navigator Europe first and see if it is really cheaper (in total)
 
BurnieM said:
Not really an issue

Cost it up with City Navigator Europe first and see if it is really cheaper (in total)
Click to expand...

Plus World Map, so that at the large zoom angles (greater than 5 miles IIRC) you'll have the equivalent of a base map.

Plus shipping charges, plus import tax, plus VAT on the above.
 
PRR said:
.. This is of course less and less important as detailed maps gets better coverage. I just did an autoroute from Krakow, Poland to Liepaja, Latvia but try that on a unit with US basemap... :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Playing devils advocate here, but why would you use the basemap for Krakow to Liepaja, when they are both included on City Navigator V7? :nenau

John Armstrong said:
... so that at the large zoom angles (greater than 5 miles IIRC) you'll have the equivalent of a base map...
Click to expand...
Does that mean then that with an US basemap unit, if in Europe you cant zoom out to more than 5 miles?
 
Taff said:
Playing devils advocate here, but why would you want to use the basemap for Krakow to Liepaja, when they are both included on City Navigator V7?
Click to expand...
And it is possible to download to the unit?

I'm not sure since I have only CitySelect. In CS you have the equivalence of the basemap for the parts where detailed coverage isn't available, but that can't be used in the unit.
Does that mean then that with an US basemap unit, if in Europe you cant zoom out to more than 5 miles?
Click to expand...
You can always zoom out but there won't be much to look at.
 
Ah. See your point. Even though Poland, Russia and Latvia are show on City Navigator, you can't download the maps to those area - so the unit will be working on just the built in basemap.

So what you're saying then is that the type of basemap ie US or EU is only relevant if you are travelling outside the downloadable areas from City Navigator or you want to zoom out to a greater scale than 5 miles anywhere.
 
Taff said:
Does that mean then that with an US basemap unit, if in Europe you cant zoom out to more than 5 miles?
Click to expand...

You can, but all you'll see is your waypoints. It'll still autoroute, give directions etc, but you can't see the roads. BTW the 5 miles is a IIRC, might be more, might be less. HTH, end of TLA's and their equivalent. :D
 
I'm just sort of wondering out loud, as I'm planning to take my bike to the US for a month or so in 2007, doing the Eastern seaboard. The states I aim to be travelling in will all fit in the usable area on a Quest 2 (512Mb of space), so might go that route yet.

Alternatively, as I've just got this laptop, I may just keep my eyes open for a second-hand Quest 1 and upload the maps as I need them :dunno
 
Taff said:
So what you're saying then is that the type of basemap ie US or EU is only relevant if you are travelling outside the downloadable areas from City Navigator or you want to zoom out to a greater scale than 5 miles anywhere.
Click to expand...
And when you want to use autoruting but at the same time look at for instance a Topo map. Probably not common but could be useful in some specific situations.

You write downloadable above but what's important is of course what maps hou have downloaded in the unit when you need them. ;)

Being able to have detailed mapping available in the unit is depending on what unit you have. Not all units supports the large amount of memory needed. Less memory makes the base map more important.

The scale when units change from detailed to base map are different so you'd have to look at the exact unit you're interested in to find out exactly.
 
PRR said:
.. You write downloadable above but what's important is of course what maps hou have downloaded in the unit when you need them. ;) ... Less memory makes the base map more important.
Click to expand...
OK, I realise the maps are of no use, if you haven't downloaded them :D but if I've done this right, all 516 City Navigator mapsets total 1.71Gb so using samwises example, with a 2Gb card, you can load all 516 mapsets and still have room to spare, ie download the lot. "Load and Forget" sounds good to me. :thumb
 
Taff said:
Playing devils advocate here, but why would you use the basemap for Krakow to Liepaja, when they are both included on City Navigator V7?
Click to expand...

Sorry, Taff, but they're not! If you think they are, try selecting the maps.

I've been using a US basemap 2610 for several years. There are a couple of issues:

Firstly, you have to have European City Navigator (or CS) with unlock codes for your 2610. As has already been pointed out, that may make a US sourced 2610 more expensive than buying a Europeanitem in the first place.

Secondly, you can get around the zoom-out issue by loading WorldMap with your CN. Visually, there is little difference.

However, whereas you can route-calculate on basemap, you cannot do that on WorldMap.

Greg
 
Adding onto what Greg says if you want to keep within the confines of the EU City Nav mapping then the base map "problem" is easily overcome with World Map. However, beyond eg Morocco, althought he EU CN shows the roads on the PC AFAIK it doesn't show them on the GPS :eek:

BTW I've converted to a BMW Nav 2 with EU basemap from a USA 2610, as I fancy going to Morocco and like the idea of the admitedly basic routing capabilities of the base map if I get there.
I'll still have World Map on as well so that I'll get the greater detail it gives although the accuracy won't be great, e.g. where I live there's an A road that has been around at least 25 years and it's not on World Map :eek: :eek: :eek:
 
another small benefit of the atlantic (european) basemap - my CF card stopped working completely on the ferry to bilbao. Had to use the basemap for the next 2 weeks. It was surprisingly useful. Presumably if you had a US basemap it would be a total blank.
PanEuropean addressed the whole issue some months back. Worth a search.
 
Greg Masters said:
Sorry, Taff, but they're not! If you think they are, try selecting the maps.
Click to expand...
Point taken Greg. :eek: I only realised that after I'd replied, and made the mistake of assuming that everything I could see on Mapsource could be transferred to the GPS unit. In my case, I'll buy a 2610 with an EU basemap (after City Navigator V8 comes out), but in samwises case (where he intends using the GPS in both the EU and the US) the tempation must be high.
 
The reply I had from a very helpful Nick Williams at Garmin may be of interest.

QUESTION
If I buy a Garmin 2610 with an US basemap, would I have any problems if I ever need to send it to Garmin Europe for repair?

ANSWER
No problem at all. Every Garmin GPS product is warranted to be free from defects in materials or workmanship for one year from the date of purchase.

The BaseMap is built into this product, and cannot be changed. World wide there are three BassMap areas, Americas, Atlantic and Pacific. The country in which your GPS is purchased dictates the mapping installed on the GPS.

If you buy in the USA you will get the Americas Highway basemap, this includes the United States, Alaska, Canada, Mexico, and Central and South America, and covers an area from W180 to W30 Longitude, S60 to N75 Latitude. Also included is a high-level worldwide map with political boundaries and major cities.

If you buy in Europe you will get the Atlantic Highway basemap includes Europe, extreme western Russia, Africa, and the Middle East, and covers an area from N75 to S60 Latitude, W30 to E60 Longitude. Also included is a high-level worldwide map with political boundaries and major cities.

If you buy in Asia or Australia you will get the Pacific Highway basemap includes Asia, Australia, and Oceania, and covers an area from E60 to E180 Longitude, S60 to N75 Latitude. Additional detail is included for the islands of the South Pacific and covers an area from W180 to W135 Longitude, S60 to N25 Latitude.

If you have any further queries please don't hesitate to contact us again.
 
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