Icons showing on GPS

Since I am new to POI Factory and have a new 880...and this is a new thread...could you please detail the main issue and what question Garmin is responding to?

Thanks.

Below is the question I asked Garmin.Many threads on this problem but I wanted to get a direct answer from Garmin.

Can you tell me when I could expect to see custom or preinstalled icons on my unit?When driving down the road I would expect to see the icons of
the business I pass or come up on.I use the 3d map view.I have made some of my own icons for custom pois but they do not show when driving just
like the preinstalled ones don't.I do notice no problems when doing favorites, the icon shows.Can you explain to me just how this icon feature
is suppose to work and when can I expect to see them?

Also received this little bit of info from Garmin .

With current devices we are providing 3D building images, so icons are
no longer being created or expanded upon. These 3D maps will show the
likeness of buildings and provide more helpful information than an icon.

Charlie, thanks for posting this information, as this question has been percolating in my mind for a while, but I never got motivated enough to contact Garmin.

Yes this is very good information. Particularly the statement about the shift to 3D buildings minimizing/eliminating further icon creation and support.

Could someone explain this to me. How can showing a 3D building be more useful than showing a POI icon?

I must be missing something.

Can someone tell me why I would load an icon for a custom poi if it doesn't display as I drive? Do I just have to rely on the alert telling me I am coming up to my custom poi? thanks

Wow, I may never have to actually look at the road as I drive ever again!

Here is about the only thing I can think of...

I guess the idea is that in a sea of buildings and hidden and crowded strip malls you would be able to actually visualize where the target location is located.

For example yesterday I was driving and I saw the Walgreens icon on my 880 but when I looked for the store outside my car window I could not see it on my left across the two other oncoming left hand lanes. It was not my destination but I was going to stop only if it was easy to get to because we needed some milk. So I wanted to visually see if it had easy access. After I passed the location I saw it hidden behind some other businesses.

Also, think of doctors offices and businesses in those multi-office complexes.

I guess it could also help in downtown areas where the significant buildings can obscure your next turn or street signage. By seeing the 3D landmarks you know exactly where you are located.

IF 3D solves that problem then maybe it could be beneficial.

Custom icons will display and be seen as you drive...however, you must be zoomed in pretty close, such as 80, 120, 200 or 300 ft. At the 500' level (most units)the icons won't be visible.

The only thing about all that zooming in while driving down the highway it may not be the safest thing to do.Question to other members does anyone really pay that much attention to the icons?With the custom pois and voice directions to me not much need to look at the screen.Do check sometime for how much farther a turn may be ahead.

No, I do not look at the screen that much and frankly, I would not want it cluttered up with a whole bunch of icons. I don't want to see or listen to every Walmart, Target, Starbucks, McDonalds, Chili's, Shell station, Hess station, Perkins, Wendy's, Burger King, Ruby Tuesday's, etc., etc., etc.

I use the custom POIs mostly as destinations, not drive-by alerts.

Everyone has their POI file favorites and promimity preformances. I prefer to hear off beat tourist attractions while driving. I've even stopped at a few.

Do you mean that you have to keep your screen zoomed in always? Otherwise, if you don't know where your custom pois are, then how do you know when to zoom to see them.

I never zoom in just to see a screen full of icons. That's just me.

I do have the highway rest areas set up that way, however, with a 2 mile alert.

I have a Garmin Nuvi 350. I set-up the McDonalds custom poi from this site. I named the data csv file, the icon and the sound alert all the same name. I used poi downloader and used the manual process to put this in my Nuvi 350. I set-up an alert for 400 ft. The custom poi is in my Nuvi and a McDonalds next to work is on the spreadsheet.

At lunch I set-up a "Where To" to take me right by the McDonalds, however, there was no alert notication or any picture on my map. How do I make these alerst work for my custome pois? Thanks

bpa5152 You just posted this on node http://www.poi-factory.com/node/17106 not sure if you hit this by mistake.

Sorry