Garmin lessons

What exactly are you trying to learn that's so difficult?

I guess that it is too much learning at one time. All the time I have owned GPSs, I would only add a way point and navigate to it. I am just now into the big JCV files. If you have watched any of the lessons, there is a LOT more there than what I have been doing.
Mental burnout.

Jbees, just because a Garmin has a lot of features on it, you don't HAVE to learn everything in order for it to be useful. In most cases, you could fire it up, push the "Where To?" button, push "Address", type in the address, push "Go", and off you go!

Are you worried about properly updating the maps on it? That procedure can be a bit involved but there are guides we can lead you to that go through it pretty clearly, step by step.

Let us know how we can help and don't feel like you have to master a series of YouTube videos just to use your Garmin. It's a pretty simple device that is very useful.

ChemSteve, you are correct. There is no problem with the map updates for me now. After looking at some of stuff one can do on the Garmin, It's mind boggling. Never knew there was soo much. I'll stick to about what you mentioned with a few trips thrown in.

I am hoping that you have made a backup of your two units, because once you learn some things you want to experiment; and in experimenting, sometimes things go awry.
See Backing Up Your GPS (Garmin) {G}

I do not recall whether you have said anything about POIs, but one of the things I have found useful has been downloading POI files that might prove helpful to me whenever I am on vacation or some trip out of town.

For example, I have a Subaru so I want to have all the Subaru dealers in case I am out of town and have car trouble. I get my tires and battery at Sears so I have all of the Sears locations in case I need a tire or battery. I love getting sundaes at Dairy Queen. I prefer to stay at Hampton Inns. Of course, one should never leave home on a trip without MrKenFL's rest area file. Anyway, you get the idea.

Although it is getting a bit dated, I learned a lot by reading every one of the Gary Hayman pages at
Gary Hayman's Tricks, Tips, Work Arounds, Hints, Secrets and ideas for the Garmin Nuvi {G}

Learn as much as you can at your own pace. We have an interest in you doing this because we hope you will then want to create content for the site.

Keep learning, my friend

John

You're doing well, jbees60, and carry through your efforts until they succeed. Here are some suggestions for your next steps:

1) After any major update (firmware, map update, etc.), you should make a computer backup of all files on the nuvi and its SD card. If something important becomes corrupted or a critical file accidentally deleted, you may be able to recover simply by restoring file from your backup.

2) With the next map update of your 1450, the updater software will suggest that to receive the largest map update possible, it should install the map to the SD card rather than to the nuvi. Since you already use a SD card for the large JCV file, let the next map update send all of North America to the SD card. (Of course, after each map update, you will want to download and install the large JCV file including disabling the small default JCV file. An 8GB or even a 4GB Sandisk SD card will handle future updates for the foreseeable future.)

3) Try to install and use some Custom POI files from here at The Factory. Great starts are RestAreasCombined, any favorite restaurant chains, dealers for your vehicle brand (ditto for tire stores), etc., etc. Custom POIs can be set to alert you or not alert you--and you can add custom icons and audio alerts. I wouldn't try this first, but once you're comfortable with custom POIs, alerts, etc., you can install the all-USA schools POI file and have alerts set up to warn you of upcoming school crossing zones (or at least a good approximation of school zones) and have some advance notice of the need to slow down to 15-20 mph and watch for kids (and cops).

4) There are the quick little things you can do like adding a custom vehicle, maybe even matching your vehicle brand/model/color or custom voices. Be careful with custom voices since some will lose your nuvi's ability to speak street names and others have a fee. (I'm happy with the half dozen English language options that speak street names that are provided by Garmin and stick with Aussie Karen most of the time.)

[Update] jgermann and I were replying at the same time and as usual, he beat me to posting. jbees60, take note of how closely the two replies match.

Yes, after reading both posts, I did notice a similar note in each. I have done very little in the way of backups. Now I might need them if I get too cocky with my clicking.
CraigW / jgermann, thanks again.

Personally, I don't worry about backing up my NUVI. Everything, including the GPS's OS, can be downloaded fresh from Garmin. I won't say it's a complete waste of time but I don't do it.

In order to download from Garmin, Garmin must recognize the attached device (since firmware is device specific). Let's suppose you accidentally format your 750. How will Garmin know it is a Garmin Device attached as a USB drive?

The usual 90/10 rule applies -- 90% of your use will be of 10% or so of the features (change percentages to taste; you get the idea).

I don't use all the blades/tools on my Swiss Army knife regularly. Some I use(misuse) rarely.

Same with the "features" on my 2460. Yes, I've skimmed the manual ... and oft wondered, "Why?" when reading about some things.

And I find it very hard to imagine anyone who would/could use ALL the features in something like MS Word or Powerpoint, let alone use all of them in one document...

I wouldn't even want to see the document. It would be scarey.

Technology is all over, gps is not different. I can use a gps for simple things, you can use your gps for many things. Someone uses for directions someone uses for routes, and someone uses for tours.