Map sizes

Welcome to The Factory, Jack.

Your nuvi 1350 will be offered the "map update to SD card" option when the largest map your unit is entitled to be received will no longer fit internally in the nuvi. Don't fret having all or part of the map being installed to the SD card. Many folks here have been having map files installed to a SD card for their Garmin device for several map updates in the past and all works very well. I'd go for an inexpensive name brand 8GB card.

I assume you have a lifetime map update subscription for your 1350 now. Keep in mind that you should not go over 24 months between doing a map update since you may lose future updates if 24 months is exceeded between updates. If you don't have a lifetime subscription (doubtful in your case), many folks here will suggest not buying a lifetime subscription but rather buy a new Garmin device with lifetime maps.

Regarding size increases, it's hard to say how much each addition adds but the filesize increase compared to years ago with your first North America map can be due to the addition of:

-more roadways
-more roadways with speed limits identified
-more built in POIs
-lane assist (which your 1350 offers) and other special guidance features for more roadway junctions
-probably other things I haven't thought of

Note that some of the features built into the map file will be for new features that can only be displayed on newer devices which your 1350 can't display but are still part of the map update you install. These include things like school zone alerts, RealDirections, and I think for the newest devices, things like railroad crossing alerts, etc.

But all in all, if you're still happy with your 1350, don't sweat the addition of a SD card, then let Garmin Express (or GarminMapUpdater) offer you the full map update using the SD card option.

Regarding the loss of address searches with partial maps, I'm not totally convinced this is the case. Someone with more experience will likely pipe in with a confirmation or rejection of the statement made in the forum link you provided. I do agree that obviously you can not do a WhereTo search for areas in map segments not present on a partial map. But as stated earlier, go for the full North America map update using a SD card and then not have a partial map search issue.

Welcome to the site.

We usually recommend the following.

There is a "Learn" button in the upper right of this page next to "red light cameras" that takes you to a Getting Started page. It is worthwhile visiting this page.

To make navigation easy, most browsers provide the following option. When you want to follow a link - but still keep your current page open - you can hold down the "Ctrl" key as you left-click on a link. That action will open a new "Tab" in your browser up on the "Tab" bar. When you then left-click on that new "Tab", you will follow the link - leaving the "Tab" you are now reading open and available to click on and return here.

So, using the "Learn" link, you might try the "Ctrl" - left-click sequence and then return here. You can return by either "X-ing" out of the "Getting Started" page (using the "X" on the "Tab" itself) or just left-clicking on the "Tab" for the page you are on right now.

Note that the Learn Button will give you access to two valuable reference pages -
the "Index" to all of the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) and the Glossary of Terms and Links.

Since you are new here, I encourage you to go through a couple of the Tutorials.

The first link makes sure the settings on your computer are such that you can do more advanced POI loading.
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/30393

The next link helps you make a backup of your GPS by attaching it to your computer. (NEVER do anything to your GPS until you have a backup). It also assures that you put your (newer) unit into a state where you can see all of the folders there.
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/30394

Let us know how we can help you enjoy your GPS.

Thanks a lot, CraigW. I'm used to external media cards, and the I/O pathway to them, being slower than internal memory, but maybe it doesn't matter in a GPS since it's not writing. I didn't want to create any delay.

It's hard to believe they've been able to add that much to the map files with just road, speeds, POI's, lane assist data, and alerts. It's too bad I can't remove the data the 1350 can't use, as you mentioned.

As far as searching not working, I figured if you tried to do a search on something that was removed, it would just return no results (as it often does anyway), but would still work if it's something not removed. But that person implies that it breaks it completely.

A search of the forums here will offer a lot of discussion about choice of SD cards with little consensus. For what it's worth, I use the "slow" Class 4 Sandisk SD cards in my nuvis and have no issues that I've identified.

I agree that it's hard to come up with an answer for why map files are so much larger than they were in past years.

I had a look at the forum thread you linked to in your orginal post and see that it dates back to 2010. Since then there has been a good bit of headway in dealing with partial maps and the use of SD cards in your Nuvi. Garmin's preferred software for both map and software updates is Garmin Express which will provide you with options for installing only certain portions of a full map update and/or installing a full update or pieces of it to an SD card.

It is no longer required to use any other software, like those used in the thread you linked to, to get options on map coverage installed or where to install the map files. Using Garmin's software will, AFAIK, eliminate any searching problems that may have occurred in the past.

Jack9, I don't have any idea how different the performance is between a 1350 and a 1450, but I can tell you that I've used an SD card in my 1450 since the day I bought it almost 8 years ago. The performance is absolutely fine. I download the North America map which includes all of North America, Mexico and many of the Caribbean islands. The map goes onto the SD card, which leaves plenty of room in the 1450 itself. Don't overthink things: use an SD card.

Phil

I have been using an SD card for my Nuvi 1300 and I have not had a problem once I followed the directions that are posted on this site. My only suggestion would be to use and external card reader as it will go faster than if you go through the GPS itself.
Good Luck!
Dave

Thanks again.

Again, external media is slower. Example:
https://www.androidpit.com/why-internal-storage-is-better-th...
"Traditionally, accessing data on external storage mediums was almost always slower than the dedicated drive"
Another:
https://android.stackexchange.com/posts/63857/revisions
Yes, it's an Android phone, but this is general fact that applies to any internal/external memory. Also Nuvi is based on Linux, as is Android.

But as I said, it must not matter in a Nuvi, I'm guessing because there's no writing, and because perhaps the Nuvi CPU/chipset is the bottleneck, and not the storage. So, I'm happy about that!

Another thing is if I could delete data that can't be used by my GPS, it seems it would decrease search times, which can take a very long time.

"Garmin's preferred software for both map and software updates is Garmin Express which will provide you with options for installing only certain portions of a full map update and/or installing a full update or pieces of it to an SD card.

It is no longer required to use any other software, like those used in the thread you linked to, to get options on map coverage installed or where to install the map files. Using Garmin's software will, AFAIK, eliminate any searching problems that may have occurred in the past."

Hypothetical question, can Garmin Express possibly be used to edit a map file you already have?

Garmin Express is used to install maps, not edit them.

To restate what CraigW said in his initial reply to you, if you already have a lifetime map subscription for your 1390, by all means get a SD card and update the map. If you don't, I question whether a map purchase (one-time or lifetime) is worth it for a nuvi 1350. For a few dollars more, you can get a newer Garmin refurb with full warranty, more storage, more features, faster processor and lifetime map updates included.

I've used it. It can also be used to install part of a map, as t923347 said. And it could be editing, before it installs.

And that's what I meant, to install only part of a map file (vs from online). I have no reason to edit and save. Later on after I posted that, I thought someone would reply with that same response, but I couldn't edit my post.

It's certainly not unthinkable to question whether someone has come up with a hack to use GE to install from a file. People do things like that all the time.

Good stuff to know.

If you installed the map to the computer with Garmin Express or Map Updater, you can use MapInstall to install partial maps (selected regions) to your device. If you didn't select the "Install to computer" or "Install to device and computer" option when you originally installed the map, then MapInstall will not work. The "Map Options" button on Garmin Express does allow you reinstall your curent map or install it to the computer. But I think this is only available while a map version is relatively current. I am not sure how long Garmin leaves older maps available for reinstall.

Back in the old MapSource days there used to be a third party utility that would "decompile" an installed map .img file so it could be used by MapSource. I don't know if MapInstall worked on the decompiled map to install to the device though. I also don't remember the name of the program and don't know if it still exists or works with newer maps. I remember using it back in 2008 when I got my first nuvi 755T so I could get the installed map (City Navigator 2009) into MapSource.

GMapTool. I used it extensively to add/remove map segments to mapsets that had already been compiled as well as changing the mapset's "name" (ex. CNNA NT 2015 to CityNavNT2015). It worked very well. I have not however used it in many years so I don't know it's current use in regards to current mapsets and newer operating systems. Regardless, I'll provide the link:

http://www.gmaptool.eu/en/content/gmaptool

GMapTool is mentioned in the post I linked to in my OP, and what I was going to use until I read that it breaks search. Would be good to know for sure if that means breaks it completely or not.
Also with it, I believe you first have to split the map file into all files, then join it back.

DorkusNimrod, I'm trying to email you but it seems the address you have on your Factory account is invalid.