My purchase from Garmin of CNNTNA

Where did you order it from?

What maps are currently on your GPS unit?

MM, I ordered online from Garmin. They did not show any edition information on their order page, so I assumed I'd be getting the 2009 edition of CNNANT. Who would imagine they'd still be selling the old 2008 version?

I purchased the Nuvi 880 from Target online, and
it arrived July 15th preloaded with CNNANT 2009.
The post I quoted above indicates there IS a 2009 DVD available, but that is not the one they sent me.

For $99.99, I expect to get the latest maps available and all I needed it for was to plug into my MapSource on the computer. I already have 2009 on the GPSr. I also purchased World Map, and I presume that is okay. However, I haven't ripped it open either, choosing to wait and see what I learn from Garmin.

Currently on my 880 I have ONLY that CNNANT 2009 installed. Plus I guess a basemap, which I do not know how to identify. I tried to update the software from 2.50 to 2.80, but the WebUpdater will not work. Since I do not have latest software, I cannot use the microSDHC card.

I'm paying full price high-dollar for it all, and blimey it seems to me they could pay attention to what they send out the door.

Well, that's why I asked. You probably shouldn't have purchased it at all. Garmin would have sent it to you for free just for asking.

However, in purchasing anything online, the standard caveat is that it's up to the purchaser to be sure of what they are purchasing. That said, Garmin has very good customer support. I would call them and explain exactly what you've said. That you intended that your purchase was the CNNANT 2009 version. They will take care of you.

I'm crossing my fingers that I get a sympathetic person. I have poked and explored everywhere I know to find my way to the starting line with this Garmin. I NEVER had this much trouble with the Garmins I used for marine navigation. Maybe I am just passe and technology has left me in the last century. ....sigh... wish me luck when I call.

I dont think you will have a problem either, like MM said, their support is awesome!

Don't mess around with email. CALL Garmin.

1-800-800-1020

As best I can tell - City Navigator is totally separate from the Base Map used in the actual units themselves. It seems to be an expanded version with many more P.O.I.s in it.

WHen I ordered my copy of City Navigator at the end of June, I ordered it from AMazon. I havent checked since, but at the time the only version of City Navigator they had listed was 2008.

It appears that that thing labled 2009 Map Update is an update to base map Garmin uses in its units, not to city Navigator.

Doing a Google search just now on City Navigator, it appears there is not yet a City Navigator 2009. The only results that have a year label are labeled 2008. So apparently 2008 is the latest version.

What happens from here is a good question. since it appears that CIty Navigator is fuller version of the map built into your Nuvi, and that the 2009 Map Update thats floating around is an update to the base map, I'm thinking that the best option would be to wait for City Navigator 2009 to be released.

Yeah, estimate another 30 minutes on hold. My husband thinks I spend entirely too much time obsessing over this GPS stuff, but I am a bulldog
when it comes to getting a GRIP on things.

This and the WAAS reception failure are my two major concerns I'm dealing with today.

The preloaded maps are EXACTLY THE SAME as the retail version of the same map version. There is no "expanded version".

A basemap on a GPS unit is also completely different from the detail maps that are loaded on the unit.

The good news first?
I did not have to wait 35 minutes, just about 15 was all. And the support guy I talked to was most friendly and efficient. Dealing with the CNNANT edition issue, he is sending the map CD to me which will use the same unlock code as presently is on my preloaded maps. He said the auto unit purchasers are not as hot about getting a CD, so they don't usually provide one with the units. But he will send this to me and I am able to return the one I have not opened. Now I can put that money on the US TOPO 2008 map!!

The bad news is, there is no separate WAAS on the
880 or the 8XX series Nuvis. The manual has a glitch on the Spec page 60, and that will be removed. He said the receiver is sensitive enough to get the position information without WAAS, maybe a foot difference, and having WAAS would really eat up the battery quickly. So there will be no Bird#51 flying on my sat page. Drats. He said they just wrote it out of the software.

Like folks told me, Garmin support does try to do a good job, and they knew I had spent a bundle on things so far. It makes me feel better, even though I wanted the 880 to have WAAS (and dead reckoning) too. But you cannot have everything, can you.

Overall, my teeth are no longer on edge, and I feel more satisfied. Thanks for your advice and encouragement.

The maps themselves, perhaps.
The information about locations such as restaurants, gas stations are NOT. City Navigator definatly has much more of such info.

Sorry, but that is not the case. City Navigator North America NT v2009 is the same whether it is the preloaded version on your GPS unit or whether it's the DVD version purchased separately. It's the same exact thing.

I agree. They are exactly the same software - maps, POIs, everything is the same.

The reason I need the DVD is to have the same thing on my computer that I have on my Nuvi 880. I don't have anything to play with in the MapQuest software installed there.

What is the function of the thing they call "Basemap" and where did it come from? If I should change to another map beside CNNANT, would the same basemap be loaded in the 880? And now I'm wondering just what IS the basemap? O lordy, the more I know the less I understand.

From what I understand, the basemap just has major roads. You can see what the basemap looks like by going to Tools (wrench icon) > Map > Map Info, and uncheck the City Navigator map. Then go back to the home screen and go to view map. When you're done, just go back in and check the City Navigator map to show that map.

After updating to 2009 CN NT with the downloaded upgrade, the 2009 data files for Mapsource were in a folder named "Garmin" on my drive. I then installed Mapsouce and could use them like they were installed from the DVD. I think I had to also unlock them from Mapsource but the same unlock code given in the online update worked.

As I stated above, Garmin will send you the DVD with MapSource and the maps for free. As a registered user of a unit with the maps preloaded, the disk is typically free just for the asking.

The basemap is something completely different from the detailed (City Navigator) maps.

BTW, my response that you quote was in response to the post stating the the maps were different from the preloaded maps, which isn't the case.

I just want to be clear about soemthing. I think the term "base map" is confusimg me. Maybe you're using the term differently than I am. WHen I say base map, i'm thinking of what comes preloaded on Garmin's gps - maps, POI info, that type of thing. It appears that whatever came in my Nuvi 760 (what I'm calling the base map) is identical to what came on the City Navigator 2008 dvd - maps, POIs, etc. Of course no voice data on the dvd....

No, that is the incorrect term.

As I stated in the post that you quoted, they are two different things.

The nuvi comes with two different maps.

The basemap (which is in a file on the unit names gmapbmp.img) which is a a high-level worldwide map with borders and major cities. The basemap does not contain POIs.

The detailed street maps also called City Navigator (which are contained in a file named gmapprom.img) on the unit) are detailed maps containing highways, interstates, business and residential roads with attributes such as turn restrictions, roundabout guidance, speed categories and other navigation features. They also include nearly 6 million points of interest.

You can change, update, delete the detailed street maps without affecting the basemap.

And yes, the preloaded maps and POIs are identical in the preloaded version versus the retail version of the same product version (eg 2008 vs 2008). They are identical.

Ok - great - glad I asked and got that clarified.
I guess i mst have missread something in your origional post, anyway I understand ya know for sure

OK, I had no idea what the "base map" on my unit was, since they listed the CN as the one selected for navigation. So, I assumed it had to be integral to the unit and nothing I do will affect it. The manual did not tell me that, Mama, so you are way ahead of that. Thanks.

If you are interest to see what the basemap covers, you can turn your detail maps off.

Go to Settings > Map > Map Info and uncheck the checkbox.

Be prepared to be underwhelmed by the detail or rather the lack thereof.

But DO NOT be tempted to delete it thinking that you don't need it. The unit needs it for some of it's functions.

Several Zumo users found out that their XM radio on their Zumos wouldn't work after they deleted the basemap file because "they didn't know what it was".