Garmin city navigator NA 2012.4

2012.4 maps are the latest !

2012.40 MapID is 2584

Other than satisfying idle curiosity (something I'm guilty of at times), what's the purpose of this number or knowing the value for a given map?

I see that there are lists of IDs on the web and even a program that can be run on your computer to find these IDs.

I am no IT specialist and have little technical computer knowledge. However, after reviewing 3 answers to your question that I found on another forum, I don't feel comfortable with this topic. Maybe I'm off base but the responses I found raise some serious concerns:

Response 1. AFAIK, only the creator of locked Garmin format maps need to know his own "map id" in order to generate map unlock keys to be given to users of his locked map. But the creator of a map would certainly know his own "map id" that is in the source files of his map.

Response 2. What map is that so interesting to have its mapid?...If you purchase an original garmin map from your vendor or direct from garmin, you may like to ask them for help....but if you downloaded from elsewhere and you wanna try your luck to use it then i afraid and regret to say that this place might not suitable for such request.

Response 3. You do not own the map. You only have the licence to use the map. You are not entitled to use the map ID for what ever purpose without the consent of the map owner.

Not saying this is the case, but the one reason I know of is piracy.

If that is the case, he's not going to succeed.

I have to agree. The only reason I know of for needing the map ID is to use an unlock code generator.

Not an appropriate item for discussion here.

Just wanted to thank you guys,all of you.I hope its not a crime to know map ID #.After all,will not ask you any more!

Knowing the Map ID isn't a crime in and of itself, but there is no need to know the Map ID for normal use of the maps. Therefore most people on this site, myself included, are suspicious. A suspicion bolstered by the fact you waited 4-1/2 years to make a post and that post was to ask for something suspicious.

but it is a strange question to ask. Out of curiosity, what did you want the Map ID for?

I doubt you'll get a straight answer.

There are only two reasons to inquire about a "Map ID". Either you are a super-geek (myself included) or trying to pirate. There is no possible way an "average" GPS user would even have a clue that such a thing exists. The most anyone would know is the map version, i.e. 2012.40.

A super-geek would know how to find the answer without asking, so option 2 is the only possible choice. I guess it was cruel of me to ask since I already knew the answer...

After reading the above comments, I still don't know what a Map ID is or where to find it.

The Map ID is the internal serial number of the map itself. It changes with every revision. For example, Antarctica 2010.10 might have a Map ID of 1234. Antarctica 2010.20 might have a map ID of 1456. As to where the Map ID can be found, no one here is going to tell you that. The reason why is the Map ID and the serial number of the GPS receiver are hashed together to generate an unlock code for the map to permit usage on a GPS receiver for which a map update has NOT been purchased.

Map IDs are not limited to maps. Virtually everything Garmin sells, even voices, have Map IDs.

I guess this means you are neither a "super-geeky" person or a pirator... Guess you are normal

Just because knowledge may be used for bad purposes does NOT mean that bad purposes are the only use for it.

I'm very interested in how nuclear bombs work, but I'm certainly not going to build one. Claiming that someone is trying to do something wrong by being curious is very unfair. Curiosity is a good thing, and hopefully still taught in schools.

As someone else mentioned, the Map ID is 2584.

Here's one more detail. This thread started about 12 hours after a (now-deleted) thread started that asked something like "how can this be?" which offered a link to a site that offered downloads of a most-likely pirated map update.

The timing of asking for a proprietary Garmin map's Map ID within a day of seeing a link on this site to download a pirated map may be more than coincidence.

There are no practical reasons for wanting that information. The truly curious would search for ways to get that information and would not casually ask the members of this site. Thus while we cannot know with absolute certainty what will be done with the Map ID, it's in our best interests here as members of the site not to give out that information in the future.

How so? Are you claiming map id number information is a trade secret or Garmin otherwise restricts its disclosure? Now I'm curious!

is that we should not assist someone in pirating software. I think it would be best to read the entire message to keep the context intact.

Strephon --- While I agree with you 100% on this subject, I believe any future posts will be futile. I'm out.

Who said anything about assisting piracy??? If you are trying to claim a malicious intent, I would suggest having facts/evidence first. Otherwise such accusations border on libel. Again, having map identifications does not make someone malicious and I've seen zero evidence that even Garmin holds this as a trade secret. Have you?

What diference is it why he asked the question?

What is it to you, except perhaps that you are offended that the OP MIGHT be researching issues that may not (or may) be appropriate.

Answer the question or not, but conjecture in public is inappropriate . . . if I suggested that you were gay, a thief, a murderer, a tax cheat or something else would that make it true?

And IF the OP were researching how to hack maps, how would that affect you (or almost anyone else) personally?

No one is perfect and that makes 'the board police' all that more pathetic - if the OP has done something wrong that will be between him and his conscience and perhaps the authorities if it ever comes to that. Beyond that, it was a simple question.

What difference does it make?

POI Factory is hosted in the United States and is owned by a United States citizen. By giving that number out it could be seen as a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which specifically disallows "production and dissemination of technology, devices, or services intended to circumvent measures (commonly known as digital rights management or DRM) that control access to copyrighted works."

The Map ID in this case is equivalent to providing an AACS crytographic key for HD DVDs and Blu-ray discs. It's illegal as it is a means to circumvent DRM on the maps, and both POI Factory and its members must be proactive regarding these sorts of things.

On that note, like Shrifty, I'm out of this thread. Y'all seem to focusing on bashing the messenger instead of listening to the message.

That is absolute nonsense and you are doing a disservice by posting such severely accurate information. An identification number is *NOT* a "cryptographic key" by any stretch of the imagination and there is nothing in DMCA that would create such a fantasy.

Furthermore, you should be aware that the Library of Congress has (under statutory authority) provided numerous DMCA exemptions that allow users to access and modify their own devices for their own needs.

Even Garmin (Garmin!) has never made such an outlandish claim about identification numbers vice DMCA.

Your "means" claim is very silly as well. By your logic, possessing a shovel would be illegal since it "could" be a means to break a window and rob a bank.

Again, knowing an identification number is NOT illegal and does NOT imply any illegal activity. If you seriously could claim otherwise, I suggest you include some evidence and the jurisprudence to support the same.

I agree. If you want to be a police officer, then you should go and be one. In doing so, you will get proper training. Without said training, your accusations and assumptions are actually illegal. Yes, YOU are breaking the law by doing this! If you feel something is suspicious, don't feel obligated to join in the coversation. In other words, if you have nothing friendly to contribute, then don't. The rights and ownership of this web-site are not your responsibilty, nor is it your responsibility to assume or accuse anyone of anything.

How would you like it if someone treated you like that? It's uncalled for, unnecesary and unwelcome.

If I want a MAP ID, I shouldn't have to qualify WHY to you. What makes you so special to be able to determine if my reason is valid? That is not for you to decide and no one asked you to take that role. Either provide the answer or don't. Why I want it is none of your business and I shouldn't have to explain the legal and moral issues that entitle me to that information unless you are an officer of the law and are pending an official accusation on behalf of the government. And honestly, we already have people doing that job and last I checked, they discourage and jail 'vigilantes.' Did you not see the story about the guy who shot the african american kid thats been all over the news because he felt the kid was suspicious and had no reason to be where he was? Mind your own business and perhaps it will keep you out of jail, too.

And this is where you are wrong.

We, as a community, have an obligation to not (knowingly or unknowlingly) contribute, facilitate, or otherwise enable illegal activities.

If one feels as if they are "entitled" to certain information that is not typically needed for legal usage, then one can seek that information elsewhere.

An example would be when someone asks if the City Navigator Maps are available "out there somewhere". We have an obligation to say that obtaining copyrighted material illegally (such as from a torrent site) is not supported here. And it isn't discussed here.

Again, we as a community have a responsibility for this.

Noting that wrongly accusing someone of participating in illegal activities is slander, how can you prevent yourself from 'unknowingly' contributing or otherwise enabling illegal activities?

Simple. If you have any questions about the legitimacy of what you consider could be a questionable post (realising that you may well be wrong), stay out of it.

Keep in mind that without any proof or an overt statement from the OP that incriminates him, the only violation of any law whatsoever is in your mind.

with you on this. This discussion should be taken off the side.

Not "contributing, facilitating, or otherwise enabling" illegal activities is a good thing.

However, there is NOTHING, repeat, NOTHING "illegal" about knowing an identification number of a map. Connecting the two is a complete non sequitur, unless you have evidence of intent to commit a "crime."

It is also a complete fallacy to claim that you are the arbitrator or what constitutes "typically needed for legal usage." Nearly anything that can be used for "typical" legal usage could also be used to commit a crime, including your right thumb.

If that was the case, I don't think he or she would have asked here in the first place.