New garmin owner~map question

I think the WebUpdater software will check if a new update is available for your unit.

I'm actually curious about the same thing for my 265WT. The last time I tried the WebUpdater software it told me that the current version didn't work on Win2K but that they would be fixing it. Hopefully their screw-up (and my outdated OS) doesn't cause me to miss the window if a new map is available.

Cheers,

- Phil

The latest map version is 2010.40. You can log into the MyGarmin website where you registered your unit. Webupdater does not deal with map updates, only unit firmware, voice updates, etc.

You can check here: http://www8.garmin.com/updatemaps/

Go to myGarmin

https://my.garmin.com/mygarmin/customers/myGarminHome.faces

and create an account, register your unit, and see what map updates are available, including most likely, one free map upgrade to the current 2010.40 under the free update policy Garmin has.

Also, do a Search here at POI Factory and you'll see how much map updating has been discussed. If forced to make a prediction, I'll be looking for the next map update in May. I guarantee you'll first hear about it here if you monitor the discussions here.

Also, with a new nuvi, if you're considering buying the lifetime map update, currently $92.48 at Amazon with free S&H:

http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-n%C3%BCMaps-Lifetime-America-Up...

then it really doesn't matter when the next map comes out and whether you should download now or wait. With lifetime numaps, you'll get up to four new maps a year for the life of your nuvi.

You can go here https://my.garmin.com/mygarmin/customers/myGarminHome.faces and register your GPSr and download the 2010.40 maps there. If already registered then just return to the above address.

You can see what maps and versions you have on the PND under "tools -> settings -> map -> map info" (button at bottom of screen). You can also enable or disable maps in the list if you have a collection of them.

I just today recieved my 765T that I bought from Costco. I stumbled on this forum. I am sure I will have lots of questions. Thanks for being here. I guess I will read the distuction sheet before I try to download any POI files.

Welcome to the site. And it I remember anything from the instructions packed with my units, there was a veritable dearth of information on adding custom POI. The lack of information was almost overwhelming.

Here's a guide I put together, Charlesd45 also has a great guide.

POI Loading Procedure Using WINDOWS

Following these instructions will allow you to load custom POI into your Garmin unit. These are BASIC but VERY detailed instructions intended as a process on how to load POI to the memory in your unit.

1. Download and install the latest version of POI Loader from http://www8.garmin.com/products/poiloader/.

2. Create a Folder to hold all your Custom POI. NOTE: I put my folder on my Desktop.

3. Download the desired POI files from POI Factory and put them into the folder created in Step 2. POI files may be either CSV or GPX format. GPX format files are written using the XML programming language and normally contain more information about a particular point of interest so the downloaded file size is much larger than a CSV format file.

4. Visit the Icon library and download the desired icons for your POI files and put them into the folder created in Step 2.

5. Visit the Sounds Library and download the desired sound files for your POI. Nüvi 2XX and Nüvi 1XXX units require WAV sound files. WAV files require you to install a sound conversion program called SOX. SOX.EXE can be downloaded from http://rapidshare.com:80/files/139638423/sox.zip. Unzip the folder containing the program SOX.EXE. Select the SOX.EXE file, right click and select COPY.

6. Using Windows Explorer, go to C:\Garmin. This must be the same folder that has the program POI Loader.exe. Right click on any BLANK space in this folder. Select PASTE. SOX.EXE should now be copied to the folder. Check and be certain the folder contains BOTH POI Loader.EXE and SOX.EXE. If SOX.EXE is not copied to this folder, WAV sounds will not play.

7. Using Windows Explorer or another program, open the folder containing the files to be loaded into your Nüvi. POI Loader will only load about 32 POI files along with their icon and alert sounds from a single folder.

8. Match the file name to the ICON file. Rename the ICON file so it has the same name as the POI file. POI files can be either CSV or GPX – it doesn’t matter. These file names must match exactly with the exception of the file extension. NOTE: there can only be one period in a file name. A period in a file name marks the beginning of the file extension. Icon file names can only end in BMP.

9. Match the file name to the SOUND file. Rename the SOUND file so it has the same name as the POI file. POI files can be either CSV or GPX – it doesn’t matter. These file names must match exactly with the exception of the file extension. NOTE: there can only be one period in a file name. A period in a file name marks the beginning of the file extension. Sound file names can only end in MP3 or WAV. Using WAV files requires another program not found on POI-Factory.

10. Connect your Nüvi to your computer using the USB cable. Wait for the Nüvi to show it is connected and ready to receive files (Black screen with an ICON at the bottom showing it is connected to the computer.)

11. Run POI Loader.

12. Select Garmin Device as Where to save your Points of Interest.

13. Press Next and wait for the program to find your Nüvi. The Nüvi will be shown in the box labeled Device:.

14. Press Next. The program will ask the location of the files to be loaded. Use the BROWSE button and select the FOLDER containing the POI, ICON, and SOUND (Alert) files.

15. Select the measurement units used for your Nüvi. Feet and Miles per hour or Meters and Kilometers.

16. The Nüvi POI Loader suggests running the program in Automatic. For BASIC file loading, this is sufficient. NOTE: The only two alert sounds that will play automatically are for Red light and Speed cameras. For other alert sounds to play, you must select MANUAL and set either a distance or speed alert trigger. The default alert sound is a bong or ding. NOTE: If a file name contains ANY numbers, POI Loader will assume it is a speed alert and play the sound file for that POI automatically. If you have set a speed alert and are travelling faster than the alert speed, the alert will continue to sound until you are at or below the alert speed. Press Next.

17. POI Loader will read and convert the POI files, ICONs and ALERT sounds and load them to your Nüvi. If POI Loader encounters an error with a source file, it will tell you the name of the file POI file containing an error. When finished, POI Loader will tell you the number of POI successfully loaded to your Nüvi.

NOTE: Every time you run POI Loader, it will overwrite the previous output file and you will loose any POI not contained in your source folder so all files have to be present in the folder every time you run POI Loader.

18. Disconnect your Nüvi using the Stop or Eject USB device.

19. Power up the Nüvi and select WHERE TO -> EXTRAS and see if CUSTOM POI is displayed. Press CUSTOM POI and you should see a list of all the POI loaded.

TROUBLESHOOTING:

20. If you do not see a custom icon or hear the custom alert sound for a Custom POI that successfully loaded, it is most likely because you have a double file extension (two periods in one or more of the file names.)

21. Open Windows Explorer. Select TOOLS. Select Folder Options. Select VIEW. Under FILES AND FOLDERS uncheck the box that states: Hide extensions for known file types.

22. Using Windows Explorer, open the FOLDER containing the custom POI files, icons, and alert files. Verify each file name has only ONE period just before the 3 character file extension. Rename any files containing more than one period so the file contains only ONE period.

23. Restart this procedure at Step 8.

Repeat as necessary.

ADVANCED OPTIONS

POI files can be grouped and categorized. The most common method is by using sub folders. Sub folders are created under your main folder holding your POI files. You can only have one level of sub folders.

An example is:

My POI top level
>Food sub folder
>>Applebees.csv POI file
>>Applebees.bmp icon file
>>Applebees.mp3 (wav) custom alert sound file
>>Cracker Barrel.gpx POI file
>>Cracker Barrel.bmp icon file
>>Cracker Barrel.mp3 (wav) custom alert sound file

>Stores sub folder
>>Best Buy.csv POI file
>>Best Buy.bmp icon file
>>Best Buy.mp3 (wav) custom alert sound file
>>Wal Mart (Combined).csv POI file
>> Wal Mart (Combined).bmp icon file
>> Wal Mart (Combined).mp3 (wav) custom alert sound file

>Fuel Locations sub folder
>>Loves.GPX POI file
>>Loves.bmp icon file
>>Loves.wav custom alert sound file
>>Pilot Locations.GPX POI file
>>Pilot Locations.bmp icon file
>>Pilot Locations.wav custom alert sound file

Selecting Where To --> Extras --> Custom POI will show three entries, Food, Stores, and Fuel Locations. Pressing one of these names will show the POI files contained in that folder. NOTE: You must have more than one category in order for the category method to work. Having only a single subfolder will display all the file names rather than the desired group name.

There is no change to how POI Loader is run. POI Loader is told to load the contents of the top level folder, My POI. The sub folder names become category names. Using the subfolder method you can have 32 sub folders each with 32 POI files along with custom icons and alerts.

One thing that's not always obvious is that Garmin now just includes the Quick Start Manual with the hardware. As a HAM, I'm sure you'll want to read the full Owner's Manual:

http://www8.garmin.com/manuals/2721_OwnersManual.pdf

and more:

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/store/manual.jsp?product=010-007...

Welcome to the site w6pea

I was messing with the media player for the gps and wondered if the quality would be the same as playing a cd with the mp3s in it. I have it set to play on my car speakers but wasnt sure if theres a quality drop off from playing it on the gps media player

Depends what the bitrate is.

I didn't know webupdater would tell you the latest map update for your gps.

It's the same file as the cd except I want it to play thru the SD card instead of burning it into a cd. I wasn't sure if it would effect quality

Depending on how it was ripped, the bitrate may be lowered. CD's are 320. 196 will be fine for mp3's on the card.

One thing that's not always obvious is that Garmin now just includes the Quick Start Manual with the hardware. As a HAM, I'm sure you'll want to read the full Owner's Manual:

http://www8.garmin.com/manuals/2721_OwnersManual.pdf

and more:

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/store/manual.jsp?product=010-00715-20&cID=134&pID=14926[/quote]

Yes I agree. What a joke the quick Star manual is. I have friend his favorite saying is "Well that's about clear as mud" I wonder what he meant by that?
Any way thanks for the link I found it last night on the Garmin Site. One thing I think is funny the OM says that you should charge the unit for 4 full hours before you use it on battery power. that would be nice if they included a charginging plug or kit. Heve to buy one as an acessory, geezzz! give us a break. They could at least put a power cord in with the box. I know when you read further in the manual it says that it will charge while it's hooked to the Traffic recieve TM transmitter cord.

Is there a way to have the map when your driving show stores/poi on it while in navigation mode? I know once I get out of it and expand the map the icons show up for gas stations etc that I'm near