Proximity alerts not working corectly

Sorry I'm not much help for the first question since I don't like the large icons cludering my map. I actually like the tiny dots. The alerts work for me , but just use speed in the name so I don't manually enter them.

To answer your second question you can see the lat/long on the satellite screen. On my GPS,nuvi 350, push on the far upper right (on the signal bars) and the satellite screen will appear. I think this should be the same for the C550.

The top right corner of the main screen is the battery & clock. Satellite bars are upper left. At least that's how I remember it on my 350, and how it is on my 660.

As to the first question asked above, try going to settings, then hit map, then check 'map detail' - to see icons, I think you have to select 'more' or 'most' and be zoomed in to the tightest two levels...at leas that's how my 660 works.

According to GPS Magazine c550 Report, you can save your current location on the c550 by tapping the vehicle icon on the map but you cannot view the coordinates.

RT

Well taping the gren bars did not work strange they do not have that feature. Saving the location may work just I will have to see how to get them back out of it so I can update POI files.

I did get it to show icons with the most setting and zomming in. I guess I will just need try a few things on it.

Just read that report and it sounds like it says it will not alert to Enroute POI's If I am reading that right. If that is true then it is working corectly, just not as usefull! I will have to try speed in the file name insted of manual mode.

You may have misread what RT posted.

You tap the vehicle icon not the green bar to save your current location.

You can get the coordinates out of the GPSr by downloading your Favorites to MapSource or EasyGPS.

Being an automotive unit, the alerts don't work on as-the-crow-fly basis, it's the distance by-road. It also wants to make sure that your route will definitely take you past the alert.
So if your alert is set on a side road, you only get an alert (at the distance you have set), if you are routing to it as your destination. Otherwise, you will probably get an alert as you turn into it. If you drive past it, you won't get an alert at all.
The 'fix', is to either move the POI onto the 'main' road, or even duplicate it one or more times on the surrounding roads. Don't forget you can use 'simulation mode' to test your changes.

When I got my C510, I was surprised at this omission and also the fact that you don't get a satellite display. However, since getting my Nüvi 310, which has both features, I have used them precisely zero times !

A similar c550 question was discussed at
C550 Coordinate Question.
May be worthwhile to check it out.

RT

I have tryed to get this to work. I have gone through getting MapSourse and the long unlock procedure I have the C550 hooked to the computer and MapSourse Gives me a yell window when I try to open it and quits.
I goot EasyGPS and can access the favorites file but cound not see where it has Lat and Long info.

I am real close to putting all of this back into the box and driving 60 miles and returning it and taking the $75 restocking fee as a loss. My coustemer satisfaction level is close to 0% right now. Garman help is worse than Microsoft at trying to get internet help (stuck in an endless loop) and unlocking software!

The red camera alert did not work on my C530 for quite some time. Then suddenly one day it started to work.

Not exactly sure what you mean. What operating system are you using on your computer? (Windows XP, Vista, ??) What exactly did you do? And what exactly is the program saying to you.

If you right click on a Waypoint in the list on the left side and click "Edit Waypoint", you will bring up all the properties of that Waypoint.

The software is locked to keep people from stealing it. Usually, the unlock procedure can be done without too much difficulty. Did you complete the unlock procedure, or did you get stuck somewhere. Garmin has very good customer support so I'm sure this can be worked out.

First I will say thanks for all the help everyone!

I tryed the leftclick on the waypoint and edit that works and will use that one. EasyGPS seems to work for what I want it to do. I do have a work around now at least. Not sure why they took that feature out but I can now work around it. I can also have EasyGPS on my home computer and my laptop that will be in the truck with me. MapSource will be on the home computer.

Yes the unlock did not work right. There again I do not mind security but when it goes to the point that you upset people and make them contact support and want to return the product they have gone to far (I told them this in the email) I had set up myGarmen on the web site. Then downloaded the software. It then asked for an aditional number from the yellow sheet. One I had supplyed to "Register the product" on the web site. It came back and said that # had already been used. Yes By me! So it would never work after that.

Well I then tryed to use there support link I used in the email saying I had unlocked MapSource corectly. They did not have under the product tab my unit listed I tryed to send it anyways It stoped me saying I had to select a product. More frustration.

I have decided to keep it and just put the Custom POI's in with no alerts. I can still set them as destenations and go to them. It basicly works but the alerts would be nice feature but it seems I will have to wait till it decides to work. (See above) I can also go to the list and see how far they are away. this is a real distraction to do this when I am driving but It does work and is partly usefull. Weigh stations are basicly right on the road I guess it see them as on a side road and will never alert to them.

For the most part it is a wonderful unit and works well. It will serve me well. My main point is if you want people to be totaly happy and not tie up your suport system have ways for them to get some help when things go wrong. Have it go to a web page and have several things to try. It just might be able to resolve the problem. Not just a yell window that the person may not understand what it is asking for.

Not exactly sure what they want in the window. The C550 has pre installed maps. So I hooked it to the computer thinking that is what it was asking for. Nope same message.

MapSource Yell window:

MapSource could not find any installed MapSource map products.

Please install one or more MapSource map products and start MapSource agan.

Ok, a couple of things you've said are confusing me. You state that you "downloaded the software". Are you talking about the MapSource update? Do you have the MapSource CD or DVD? You can't download the actual program. And the update won't work without the actual program installed first.

I'm not sure what a "yell window" is.

Since you are having trouble with the Garmin website and support via email, I would call with your questions in the future. The Custom Support people are very good over the phone. If you explain the unlock code issue, they can straighten it out.

Let's take another look at your POI alert issue. First of all, on your GPSr, take a look at one of the individual POI locations for which you set an alert when you loaded it.

The information page for that POI should have the POI name and information about the alert. It would read "Proximity = 4000 feet" or something like that. Does your screen have that? If not, it sounds like the alert did not load properly.

Let's confirm something else. When you load the Custom POIs, are you loading ALL of them at the same time? If you aren't, then the subsequent ones are overwriting the previous ones. Check the list and see if all the ones you loaded are in fact present on your unit.

Yell windows are Diolog boxes thal only have Ok buttons. No extra buttons leading to help or a way to correct the problem or choises to chose from to help you work around the problem.

No CD or DVD in the box. I guess I do not get to use MapSource then. Everything on C550 is preinstalled.

I will be on the road for 2 weeks and away from home computer for two weeks. Will be hard to call and fix this problem when I will not be at the computer that it is on.

Yes I loaded them all at the same time. Yes it did have the "Proximity = 5280" using Manual mode to give some POI's "No alerts" and others alerts at different distances. I checked and the right distances were showing on that screen.

This is the message you get, when you try to install the Mapsource update from the Garmin website. What it is saying, is that you don't currently have a full copy of Mapsource installed, for it to update. There are ways of getting round that, but it's of limited use without any maps and you can't just copy them off the C550.
Living in North America, you've got a good chance of getting a full copy of Mapsource and the maps on DVD just by calling Garmin and asking for one. (Sadly, that's not the case in UK)

Ok, I've never heard them called that before. These dialog boxes are telling you something, and it's important to read and try to understand what they are telling you. There may not necessary be choices that could be provided in the dialog box if what you are trying to do won't work at all. If you don't understand, then write down exactly what it says, and provide that information to whomever is trying to help you. That will give them insight into exactly where the problem is.

I understand that you are frustrated. Hopefully, now you are starting to understand how it works. But you were getting upset with Garmin for the wrong reasons. You were trying to unlock something that you didn't have.

Ok, one more thing. Do you have the Proximity Alerts turned on? On your unit, click "Wrench", "Proximity Points", "Proximity Alerts". This is detailed on page 35 of your users manual.

As hornbyp said, you can probably get the MapSource disk for free by calling Garmin. Calling works better than emailing for this.

My luck (as well as many others on this site) with Custom POI alerts has been hit and miss at best. As hornbyp said, the alert will work for 'on road' POIs, such as 'Low Clearance' and 'Red Light' as the coordinates should be on the road. Rest areas, weigh stations, etc are usually off the path so the chances of them giving an alert is 'maybe'.

I've found the only way to make absolutely sure the GPS alert is working correctly is to use your GPS to get the exact coordinates of several close intersections. Create your own Custom POI using these coordinates, then load it with 'POI Loader-manual mode' using 1000 feet distance. Now drive that route and see if the alert sounds. (Incidently, I've found the alerts sound whether a route is set or not set, made no difference.)

Hope this helps just a little bit. As someone mentioned, use Garmin's call line .... much better than email. From what I've read, Garmin's support, compared to other GPS manufactures, "is as good as it gets".

RT

Map source is free for the asking - to U.S. addresses - if you e-mail or call Tech support. The update, as stated previously, and also stated on the web site, won't work unless you have Map Source installed.

I agree, Tech Support, at Garmin is the best their is, call them when you can - sometimes e-mail loses things in translation.

Mapsource was not included with units with built in maps as they didn't think people would need it for loading and unloading maps. However, many of us requested it as a way to work with waypoints or favorites. If you request it for this reason, Garmin usually will provide it free of charge. Do a search on this site for Mapsource to get further information.

Second question first, the c550 does not allow you to view actual lat and long on any of the display screens. Agreed, it would be a nice feature to see on the screen.

You should be able to see custom bmp's that you have set up with your custom poi's. The trick is, that they will only be visible at the 300 ft zoom level and closer. Unfortunately, another feature that would have been nice, would be to know what zoom level we are at. If you zoom all the way in, the back out up to three times, that will be the 300 ft level. The fourth time you tap the - you will lose the icon.

(In the "browse map" mode, there is a zoom scale in the lower left of window).

I have my map detail set to medium detail. As I approach a red light camera location or a starbucks, I can see the icons, unless I'm zoomed further than 300ft. This is how my c550 works.