2018.30 complaints / issues

 

Finally 2018.30 has school zones in Edmonton. But only some.. so now my POI alerts for said school zones now are doubles.. sometimes. What a mess! One would have thought that if they got around to including school zones.. they would do the whole city at once.. rolleyes

And.. there are still numerous main cross roads that do not show in the top header bar. mad

--
Lives in Edmonton AB A volunteer driver for Drive Happiness.ca and now (since June 20 2021) uses a DS65 to find his clients.

Double Point Alerts

Does your GPS provide audible alerts for Garmin installed School Zones, or simply an icon?

I then presume you have a POI file that you downloaded or created that provides audible and/or graphic as well.

If this is the case, it's no different from test areas. Many rest areas are included by Garmin, but these don't provide audible alerts. They do us an icon that happens to be the same as the icon I use for the ones I downloaded from POI Factory.

The POI Factory ones can and do provide both audible and graphic notification. The second icon is a minor annoyance, but it is only a minor one.

Please clarify.

--
DriveSmart 65, NUVI2555LMT, (NUVI350 is Now Retired)

3597 alerts without POI file

GPSgeek wrote:

Does your GPS provide audible alerts for Garmin installed School Zones, or simply an icon?

I then presume you have a POI file that you downloaded or created that provides audible and/or graphic as well.

If this is the case, it's no different from test areas. Many rest areas are included by Garmin, but these don't provide audible alerts. They do us an icon that happens to be the same as the icon I use for the ones I downloaded from POI Factory.

The POI Factory ones can and do provide both audible and graphic notification. The second icon is a minor annoyance, but it is only a minor one.

Please clarify.

My 3597 does NOT contain a Custom POI file and it "Alerts" with sound (3 Beeps [and a voice I think]) and a banner at the top whenever I am approaching a School Zone - but not all. Didn't hear it all summer. But after September 1, it started going off while we were in NJ. Rarely does it sound off in VA. I also think it is quiet at night and on weekends, so Garmin must have done a little programming to achieve that.

--
Metricman DriveSmart 76 Williamsburg, VA

Garmins with built in school zones

metricman wrote:

My 3597 does NOT contain a Custom POI file and it "Alerts" with sound (3 Beeps [and a voice I think]) and a banner at the top whenever I am approaching a School Zone - but not all. Didn't hear it all summer. But after September 1, it started going off while we were in NJ. Rarely does it sound off in VA. I also think it is quiet at night and on weekends, so Garmin must have done a little programming to achieve that.

I expect there's a genuine Garmin FAQ on this but I've not looked for it. I do have a little summary of what I found with what some Garmin devices can do for school zones in this FAQ:

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/42419

Many Garmin automotive GPS devices now offer school zone alerts. These alerts are amazing in that they alert in various ways depending on day-of-week and time-of-day. My experiences with a nuvi 3597, a 2014 Garmin device, to date show that Garmin's factory-installed school zone alerts behave in this way: driving through one on a school day during school hours gives a visual and audio alert and the nuvi speed limit is lowered to the school zone speed limit; driving through one on a school day before or after school hours results in the same alerts but without the speed limit change; and on weekends, no alert occurs at all.

This is ancient POI Factory history but built-in school zone alerts were first added to a few school areas and reported here by our user rame1012 and KD5XB over five years ago which shocked many of us to the point of thinking they must be imagining their results. Only with our confirming their reports did we become believers:

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/37674

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/37386

rame1012 even did a YouTube on his test:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXe7tOTaF3k&feature=youtu.be

The good news is that these built-in alerts can be updated with map updates so one can hope that future maps updates will be more complete and that any errors found in earlier versions can be corrected.

Here in the SW USA I'm amazed how complete and accurate the built-in alerts are.

PS: I doubt that rame 1012 is the dog, but is he the player or the singer? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He_lu64Mlzw
My vote is for the younger human. smile

Wow!

CraigW, you never cease to amaze me with your knowledge and insight. And your above post is a nice reference for the history of our discussions about the evolution of the Garmin school zone support. But I am most impressed with the last link in your post. What a wonderful talent our POI Factory friend rame1012 is ... in addition to what we already knew about him for his great contributions to the forum (whether he is the older or younger talent ... both are terrific!) Great find Craig!

--
Alan - Android Auto, DriveLuxe 51LMT-S, DriveLuxe 50LMTHD, Nuvi 3597LMTHD, Oregon 550T, Nuvi 855, Nuvi 755T, Lowrance Endura Sierra, Bosch Nyon

Garmin FAQ for 3597

https://support.garmin.com/faqSearch/en-US/faq/content/TRgNx...

This FAQ for the 3597 is pretty thin and there is no date. In my opinion, some units may be smarter than this:

School Zone alerts on automotive devices

There may be times when you will see a School Zone alert display on your device even when it is not during school zone hours. An alert will display as an orange indicator and provide an audible chime under the following circumstances:

During the posted school zone hours, if those hours are known (included in the map data)

Weekdays between 7am-5pm, if specific school zone hours are NOT known (NOT included in the map data)

Currently, not all school zone hours are listed for known school zones. School Zone alerts are available in some locations in US and Canada.

School zone alerts cannot be disabled on your device.

Garmin FAQ for Drive*

This FAQ for the DriveAnything series says the audible alert can be turned off on the Drive units. It seems we have to tailor our advice to fit the various improvements on different models.

https://support.garmin.com/faqSearch/en-US/faq/content/IyHqD...

Same Here

metricman wrote:
GPSgeek wrote:

Does your GPS provide audible alerts for Garmin installed School Zones, or simply an icon?

I then presume you have a POI file that you downloaded or created that provides audible and/or graphic as well.

If this is the case, it's no different from test areas. Many rest areas are included by Garmin, but these don't provide audible alerts. They do us an icon that happens to be the same as the icon I use for the ones I downloaded from POI Factory.

The POI Factory ones can and do provide both audible and graphic notification. The second icon is a minor annoyance, but it is only a minor one.

Please clarify.

My 3597 does NOT contain a Custom POI file and it "Alerts" with sound (3 Beeps [and a voice I think]) and a banner at the top whenever I am approaching a School Zone - but not all. Didn't hear it all summer. But after September 1, it started going off while we were in NJ. Rarely does it sound off in VA. I also think it is quiet at night and on weekends, so Garmin must have done a little programming to achieve that.

All three of my 3597's give 3 beeps and a banner for school zones during school hours. I have no custom POI files loaded.

I also get an alert for a school that closed 6 years, and many map updates, ago. Whether the data resides in the GPS or the map update, it appears to be another poorly maintained database.

The younger?

alandb wrote:

...I am most impressed with the last link in your post. What a wonderful talent our POI Factory friend rame1012 is ... in addition to what we already knew about him for his great contributions to the forum (whether he is the older or younger talent ... both are terrific!) Great find Craig!

From the driver's voice on the earlier YouTube, I think it's the younger. If so, that may easily make him one of the youngest Factory members and certainly the youngest active contributor in the past.

Report this?

bdhsfz6 wrote:

I also get an alert for a school that closed 6 years, and many map updates, ago. Whether the data resides in the GPS or the map update, it appears to be another poorly maintained database.

If the data is built into the map update which seems most likely to me, then it's worth reporting this to Here and Garmin as a map error. I may test this too as a school in my city has just shut down and remains an active Garmin school zone alert. I'll report it, then wait and check future map updates for when the school is removed.

Quick side note ... not a

Quick side note ... not a fan of the school zone alerts that you can't turn off. Some parts of Philadelphia have a school of some sort every block or two, it gets annoying.

--
. 2 Garmin DriveSmart 61 LMT-S, Nuvi 2689, 2 Nuvi 2460, Zumo 550, Zumo 450, Uniden R3 radar detector with GPS built in, includes RLC info. Uconnect 430N Garmin based, built into my Jeep. .

School zone alerts

I have mapped every elementary school zone in Edmonton with a custom POI. When in the proximity of my "point" (100 meters) I get a ping and an alert in the top header bar.

Now.. some.. schools have been added with the latest map update. These are a bit better than mine.. (complaint to follow) as they show an orange bar in the header and also give a ping.

The mess I referred to is now I get double pings and my alerts fighting for space in the top header bar with the GPS alerts.

In settings there are 3 options (for me) a continuous ping (every view seconds) one ping, I assume at the beginning but don't know as selecting that gives me nothing and turns off my POI pings as well. And there is a none setting.

So, my complaint, now that I have some school zones.. is that they give notice far too early as you are approaching.. then in.. a school zone. This might be fine on the open highway where it takes time to slow down.. But in the city getting a notice a block or two early means you hear that annoying ping for a long time..

--
Lives in Edmonton AB A volunteer driver for Drive Happiness.ca and now (since June 20 2021) uses a DS65 to find his clients.

I'll Add it to The List

CraigW wrote:
bdhsfz6 wrote:

I also get an alert for a school that closed 6 years, and many map updates, ago. Whether the data resides in the GPS or the map update, it appears to be another poorly maintained database.

If the data is built into the map update which seems most likely to me, then it's worth reporting this to Here and Garmin as a map error. I may test this too as a school in my city has just shut down and remains an active Garmin school zone alert. I'll report it, then wait and check future map updates for when the school is removed.

I haven't had much luck reporting map errors to Here. Of the dozen or so reports I've made in the last few years, only one was corrected. I suspect that one was also submitted by another authority.

I keep a running list of errors I've noticed and when I get motivated, make multiple reports at the same time.

I have also noticed after

I have also noticed after the map updated that they have added school zone alerts for greater Toronto area finally. But my excitement was short lived when I tested it for a school near my house. There was no alert for this school. Either they will add more schools in the coming updates or this is what you get.

I know they added school alerts for Hamilton Ontario area for years but took them four years to reach Toronto.

--
Iphone XR, Drivesmart 61,Nuvicam, Nuvi3597

Made it

a point to pass several schools today (Monday) and not once did my Garmin alert me to a school zone. No ding no voice !

It will alert me to all my custom POI's though by voice.

--
Nuvi 2797LMT, DriveSmart 50 LMT-HD, Using Windows 10. DashCam A108C with GPS.

Well ...

... it alerts to all the schools in my neighborhood. Clearly yours haven't made the database yet smile

--
Where there's a will ... there's a way ... DriveSmart51LMT-S, DriveSmart50LMT-D, Nuvi 2508LMT-D, 1490LMT, 1310, Montana 650T, Etrex 20

Plenty of alerts

Also have gotten many alerts in my travels with the Garmin school file.

--
Charlie. Nuvi 265 WT and Nuvi 2597 LMT. MapFactor Navigator - Offline Maps & GPS.

Change

I am getting different routing with this update.

I understand now

dobs108 wrote:

https://support.garmin.com/faqSearch/en-US/faq/content/TRgNx...

This FAQ for the 3597 is pretty thin and there is no date. In my opinion, some units may be smarter than this:

School Zone alerts on automotive devices

There may be times when you will see a School Zone alert display on your device even when it is not during school zone hours. An alert will display as an orange indicator and provide an audible chime under the following circumstances:

During the posted school zone hours, if those hours are known (included in the map data)

Weekdays between 7am-5pm, if specific school zone hours are NOT known (NOT included in the map data)

Currently, not all school zone hours are listed for known school zones. School Zone alerts are available in some locations in US and Canada.

School zone alerts cannot be disabled on your device.

I now understand what Ralph6410 was complaining about. Typical of Garmin, that they do not allow you to turn off or disable the alerts, especially when there may be errors, or when they alert even when school is out.

My NUVI 2555 doesn't have school alerts so it was hard to understand the issue. I honestly thought it was the same as Garmin showing rest areas, that do not include any alerts.

--
DriveSmart 65, NUVI2555LMT, (NUVI350 is Now Retired)

Well ...

You can turn off the audible alarm as you can with the other ones included in the Drive models. Unsure whether that option exists on nuvi models with school alerts.

--
Where there's a will ... there's a way ... DriveSmart51LMT-S, DriveSmart50LMT-D, Nuvi 2508LMT-D, 1490LMT, 1310, Montana 650T, Etrex 20

I have also noticed school alerts.

In upstate NY. However, the alerts are in little podunk towns that very few people but locals pass through. They are what I consider a "1 horse town".

--
Nuvi 2460LMT.

Haven't noticed anything

Haven't noticed anything different with the new update. Drove around 500 miles last weekend and everything seemed normal.

The

sussamb wrote:

You can turn off the audible alarm as you can with the other ones included in the Drive models. Unsure whether that option exists on nuvi models with school alerts.

The Drive models have an entry under Settings > Map & Vehicle called Audible Driver Alerts which lets you turn all alerts on or all off or individually select which alerts you want to have turned on/off. The School alert is included in the available selections.

On the Nuvi 3597, which I believe supports School Zone alerts, does not have the Audible Driver Alert option so it would appear you can't turn any individual audible alert off. You can turn all Proximity Alerts off and on under Settings > Proximity Alerts.

--
Nuvi 350, 760, 1695LM, 3790LMT, 2460LMT, 3597LMTHD, DriveLuxe 50LMTHD, DriveSmart 61, Garmin Drive 52, Garmin Backup Camera 40 and TomTom XXL540s.

Always routing improvements?

Panache wrote:

I am getting different routing with this update.

It seems that Garmin periodically "Improves"(?) or tweaks the routing algorithms and includes them in the maps.

I think that the routing algorithms have become so convoluted and complex that they need a fresh start. I know many users have looked at a route on their GPS and wondered "Why does it want me to go that way?". It's like a lot of software I've seen that is so complex that if you change one little thing, you can get unexpected results where you did not want them.

--
Metricman DriveSmart 76 Williamsburg, VA

Algorithms are code, maps are data

metricman wrote:

It seems that Garmin periodically "Improves"(?) or tweaks the routing algorithms and includes them in the maps.

I don't think so. I think the routing algorithms are included in what Garmin calls software and most of us call firmware. Sometimes when you check in with Garmin for a map update, there is also a software revision that has issued since you last updated your unit, sometimes not.

But always you will get some different routing results with revised maps--because the algorithm chews on the map data, and the map data has changed--massively.

--
personal GPS user since 1992

Ralph6410 wrote:Finally

Ralph6410 wrote:

Finally 2018.30 has school zones in Edmonton. But only some.. so now my POI alerts for said school zones now are doubles.. sometimes. What a mess! One would have thought that if they got around to including school zones.. they would do the whole city at once.. rolleyes

And.. there are still numerous main cross roads that do not show in the top header bar. mad

I'm using your POI file with the new map update and noticed that I get double alerts in some Millwoods school zones. Annoying but it's still better than nothing.

Algorithms

archae86 wrote:
metricman wrote:

It seems that Garmin periodically "Improves"(?) or tweaks the routing algorithms and includes them in the maps.

I don't think so. I think the routing algorithms are included in what Garmin calls software and most of us call firmware. Sometimes when you check in with Garmin for a map update, there is also a software revision that has issued since you last updated your unit, sometimes not.

But always you will get some different routing results with revised maps--because the algorithm chews on the map data, and the map data has changed--massively.

@archae86 Either you or I could be right.

BUT, even between firmware updates (last one for 3597 was Oct. 2016) I see differences in the routing. Especially the shorter routes. It could be the data in the maps causing it, but too many users report problems after a map update.

Looking through the Firmware logs at Garmin, I saw updates for "Route Calculations", but nothing for algorithms. Maybe Garmin is interchanging the verbiage. I have been dealing with 3D CAD software (Mechanical & Electrical [circuit board])for over 30 years and I know for a fact that a lot information can be imbedded in a "Data" file than just the raw data. The userid, time, date, software version, license info, computer OS & version, metric or inches and on and on and on. A simple example is a photo you take with your cellphone. Imbedded in the JPG file are the Time & Date along with the L/L (if the camera/phone has GPS) at the time it was taken. What percentage of cellphone users do you think know that (average - not just techies)? Most don't know.

So until someone actually "Cracks" a map file or Garmin "spills the beans" - we may never know.

--
Metricman DriveSmart 76 Williamsburg, VA

There's also the

There's also the possibilities that Trends and Optimize are on. I'm finding that the nagging in the top bar to go to such and such a place are not coming on. I also notice some learned routing patterns are not being remembered. In Options, Trends and Optimize got turned off after the reboot from the install.

YMMV

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Frank DriveSmart55 37.322760, -79.511267

School zones not there !

Well now I have tried both Garmins, the 855 a few days ago and today the 2797 and again made it a point to go past several schools. Again there was no alerts at any time. All my POI's give me an audible alert.

Maybe the school zone is only done in the US of A.

Soon I'll be driving to Laredo, Tx and should be passing several schools in about 1,300 miles of travel. I'll see what happens then.

--
Nuvi 2797LMT, DriveSmart 50 LMT-HD, Using Windows 10. DashCam A108C with GPS.

School Alerts

No school alerts on my 2595 for MA after this latest map update. Quite sometime ago I -did- notice the double Rest Area icons on my map and just assumed it was something that I did to screw it up when I updated them to the latest version available here. I receive an audible voice alert that I custom created so I know the origin is not Garmin.

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"Primum Non Nocere" 2595LMT Clear Channel and Navteq Traffic

Trends?

phranc wrote:

There's also the possibilities that Trends and Optimize are on. I'm finding that the nagging in the top bar to go to such and such a place are not coming on. I also notice some learned routing patterns are not being remembered. In Options, Trends and Optimize got turned off after the reboot from the install.

YMMV

Trends and Optimize? I don't think my 2639LMT, 67LMs and 65LM has that feature. As for learning your driving route? Never seen that either...............

--
2639LMT, 67LM (X2) and 65LM

Former Garmin

Chief_10Beers wrote:

Trends and Optimize? I don't think my 2639LMT, 67LMs and 65LM has that feature. As for learning your driving route? Never seen that either...............

My former Nuvi 3790 had that, if you took the same route several times it learned it.

--
Nuvi 2797LMT, DriveSmart 50 LMT-HD, Using Windows 10. DashCam A108C with GPS.

Traffic Trends

I always thought this feature was too smart for it's own good. The idea is good, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. Once in a while my Nuvi will map some questionable route to destination that makes no sense, and sure enough when I poke around I find that traffic trends has been turned on. The problem with it is that it seems like once it has made up it's mind, it doesn't "unlearn" the alternate route and just sticks with it.... even if it means routing you into a 30-car pike up. Uncheck the box, and the routing goes back to normal.

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"Primum Non Nocere" 2595LMT Clear Channel and Navteq Traffic

Same here

Same here

--
NickJr Nuvi 3597LMT

Downloaded to my 2558 and no problems

or issues. I use it for work making my daily deliveries.

School Zone Alerts

The maps on my 3590 (2018.20) are inconsistent even in the way they alert.

Sometimes they alert me, but then the very next day... no alert at the same school zone location.

Or...

pratzert wrote:

The maps on my 3590 (2018.20) are inconsistent even in the way they alert.

Sometimes they alert me, but then the very next day... no alert at the same school zone location.

They could be inconsistent—or they could be smart, depending on when you had issues. From:

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/42419

Many Garmin automotive GPS devices now offer school zone alerts. These alerts are amazing in that they alert in various ways depending on day-of-week and time-of-day. My experiences with a nuvi 3597, a 2014 Garmin device, to date show that Garmin's factory-installed school zone alerts behave in this way: driving through one on a school day during school hours gives a visual and audio alert and the nuvi speed limit is lowered to the school zone speed limit; driving through one on a school day before or after school hours results in the same alerts but without the speed limit change; and on weekends, no alert occurs at all.

School zones

pratzert wrote:

The maps on my 3590 (2018.20) are inconsistent even in the way they alert.

Sometimes they alert me, but then the very next day... no alert at the same school zone location.

Unless I overlooked it. Garmin support not showing the Nuvi 3590 supports built in school zone alerts. Are you speaking about the school zone file here at POI Factory? If so maybe you just need some coordinate adjustments.For the location you posted about. Not sure why the alert would work one day and not the other if you are entering the coordinates from the same road and direction each time.

Garmin supports shows this info for the built in alerts on why you may get different information.

School Zone alerts on automotive devices.

There may be times when you will see a School Zone alert display on your device even when it is not during school zone hours. An alert will display as an orange indicator and provide an audible chime under the following circumstances:

During the posted school zone hours, if those hours are known (included in the map data).

Weekdays between 7am-5pm, if specific school zone hours are NOT known (NOT included in the map data).

Currently, not all school zone hours are listed for known school zones. School Zone alerts are available in some locations in US and Canada.

--
Charlie. Nuvi 265 WT and Nuvi 2597 LMT. MapFactor Navigator - Offline Maps & GPS.

I was speaking of the

I was speaking of the built-in school zone alerts in the Garmin Maps. They DO show up on my 3590, but inconsistently.

Maybe they don't support that feature in my unit and that's why it doesn't work all the time.

Or...

Maybe the database isn't complete as of yet. There are a lot of schools.

--
nüvi 3790T | Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, will make violent revolution inevitable ~ JFK

.. yes

No issues yet

I've seen some school alerts in my 2460

But they are very far and wide. In fact I have only seen them in some podunk little town that has maybe 1 intersection and 1 school.

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Nuvi 2460LMT.