Virgin 3597

 

Just picked up a NOS 3597LMT.
It responds quicker than my original in route calculation and screen refresh. Any ideas what causes the slower response? I'm assuming all 3597s have the same processor. The serial number on the new one is about 1400 higher than my original.
Debating what updates to install. Maps are necessary but are firmware updates needed? Is it better to install the maps on an SD card?
Any ideas would be appreciated.

--
DriveLuxe 51, 2017 VW Arteon w MIB3, nüvi 3597LTMHD x 2, 1450 died, 205w retired, iQue first and possibly the best

SD Card

Before updating, install a 16GB or higher SD card. Even so, Garmin Express might not use it.

There is no choice - the software update is done before the map.

dobs108 smile

not on mine

On my garmin express I can list the updates and only install the ones that I want only firmware or only maps, but you can't just click install all, click on view details aand it will show you what it is going to install then pick what you want to install instead

I've

darrell1949 wrote:

On my garmin express I can list the updates and only install the ones that I want only firmware or only maps, but you can't just click install all, click on view details aand it will show you what it is going to install then pick what you want to install instead

I've always found that even selecting the update options individually, when a map update is selected GE will update any system/firmware software update prior to the map update even if you did not select it.

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

More'n Likely, the map

More'n Likely, the map updates are tied to the latest software updates, and won't work properly with older ones.

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Frank DriveSmart55 37.322760, -79.511267

why?

OP:
why don't you want to update the firmware?
Because you perceive a "slowness" of your older unit?

What are you seeing, in really measurable time?
Minutes, Second, 1/2 second?

--
I never get lost, but I do explore new territory every now and then.

New out-of-box vs seasoned devices

A new factory fresh Garmin device hasn't learned your preferences and this could account for some of its apparent snappiness.

Once used for several weeks, especially if features like myTrend and such are active, the device learns your typical speed compared to posted speed limits, learns your routes and can offer a route and use your preferred routing, takes up storage space with tracklogs and many other things which have the potential to slow things down. You'll notice the same thing if your well-used device receives a hard reset and seems quicker after the reset.

Unless you use the cloning technique, Garmin Express will choose where a map update goes and as long as it all fits in the nuvi, the SD card won't be used. On my 3597, probably due to my installing all available Enlish language navigation voices, Garmin Express needs a SD card to install all of North America BUT it install all but the JCV file internally in the 3597 and puts the JCV file in the SD card.

I don't know what version your 3597 has but here's a summary of what past updates have done:

https://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=5673

May not be valid comparison

Although the exact manufacturing dates of your units (both old and NOS) likely can't be determined, the 3597 dates from the 2nd quarter of 2013. To compare the NOS unit with one that has been updated to the current map revision, may not be a valid comparison.

Do any of your older units use the extra memory slot?

Personally, with an SD card in hand, I would just update to the latest and greatest of everything that GE would recommend.

--
John from PA

Size limits on SD card

dobs108 wrote:

...install a 16GB or higher SD card...

I should have said:

At least a 16GB SD card so the entire map can fit on it.

No bigger than a 32GB SD card - source - Garmin Support:

https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=UsL6MuMMCM8PpgAhUUCqp7

dobs108 smile

Hmmm ...

Even the EU map is well under 8Gb so unless you plan on loading more than the map then 8Gb should be ample.

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

Not sure when used

I have 8Gb cards in both of the family 3597 units. I only recall being advised during install once that GE was using the card. I've taken no special measures to discard files to save space. Maybe the unit is still pretty close to holding standard updates for North America without the card.

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personal GPS user since 1992

As far as I can tell, once

As far as I can tell, once it uses the SD Card, it never asks again. I see new map files on the card in my unit, in the Hidden System Files, there was no permission request.

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Frank DriveSmart55 37.322760, -79.511267

Prompt?

If you do not install an SD card, is the software smart enough to prompt that there is insufficient space prior to updating or installing maps? I have a 3497 and still "luckily" have not had to add a card although it's 8GB internal memory is pretty maxed out with the later maps. I have a bunch of cards laying around but haven't thought to put one in since the updates appear to work fine.

--
Garmin: GPSIII / StreetPilot / StreetPilot Color Map / StreetPilot III / StreetPilot 2610 / GPSMAP 60CSx / Nuvi 770 / Nuvi 765T / Nuvi 3490LMT / Drivesmart 55 / GPSMAP 66st * Pioneer: AVIC-80 / N3 / X950BH / W8600NEX

Yes

Express will warn if there is insufficient space and give you the options open to you, generally choose a smaller map region or add a sd card.

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

Response times

KenSny wrote:

OP:
why don't you want to update the firmware?
Because you perceive a "slowness" of your older unit?

What are you seeing, in really measurable time?
Minutes, Second, 1/2 second?

Had a chance to directly compare on a couple activities.

Redraw map when zooming out
Original 3597 3-4 seconds
Virgin Immediate

Route calculation
Original - 9 to 10 seconds on a 257 mi trip, provided 2 possible routes with no highways and shortest preferred.
Virgin less than 2 seconds, provided 3 possible routes, same route settings.

Specs
Original
Firmware 5.50
Maps CN NA 2020.3 full

Virgin
Firmware 3.80
Maps CN NA 2014.1 full

Does that information answer your question?

GE shows it will update Firmware if I install CN NA 2021.1 on Virgin.

Tried WebUpdater Ver. 2.5.7 in a virtual Win XP SP3 environment and it will attempt to just install CN NA 2021.1 but some of the change logs for the 3597 firmware make reference to "Added improvements for handling larger map files."

Looks like I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place.

--
DriveLuxe 51, 2017 VW Arteon w MIB3, nüvi 3597LTMHD x 2, 1450 died, 205w retired, iQue first and possibly the best

Great

sussamb wrote:

Express will warn if there is insufficient space and give you the options open to you, generally choose a smaller map region or add a sd card.

Thanks!

--
Garmin: GPSIII / StreetPilot / StreetPilot Color Map / StreetPilot III / StreetPilot 2610 / GPSMAP 60CSx / Nuvi 770 / Nuvi 765T / Nuvi 3490LMT / Drivesmart 55 / GPSMAP 66st * Pioneer: AVIC-80 / N3 / X950BH / W8600NEX

Yes

cassel wrote:
KenSny wrote:

OP:
why don't you want to update the firmware?
Because you perceive a "slowness" of your older unit?

What are you seeing, in really measurable time?
Minutes, Second, 1/2 second?

Had a chance to directly compare on a couple activities.

Redraw map when zooming out
Original 3597 3-4 seconds
Virgin Immediate

Route calculation
Original - 9 to 10 seconds on a 257 mi trip, provided 2 possible routes with no highways and shortest preferred.
Virgin less than 2 seconds, provided 3 possible routes, same route settings.

Specs
Original
Firmware 5.50
Maps CN NA 2020.3 full

Virgin
Firmware 3.80
Maps CN NA 2014.1 full

Does that information answer your question?

GE shows it will update Firmware if I install CN NA 2021.1 on Virgin.

Tried WebUpdater Ver. 2.5.7 in a virtual Win XP SP3 environment and it will attempt to just install CN NA 2021.1 but some of the change logs for the 3597 firmware make reference to "Added improvements for handling larger map files."

Looks like I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place.

That does seem like a sizable difference.

I agree that you are between a rock and a hard place. But what choice do you have if you want to remain current?

It could be that there is a problem with the older unit and not the firmware as you claim. I would be willing to bet it is NOT the firmware update.

I would just update the new one and move on.

--
I never get lost, but I do explore new territory every now and then.

3597

I have a 3597 that was a refurb unit, but haven't had a chance to unpack it yet

I keep hearing that the 3597 was one of the best units Garmin put out.

Yep

pratzert wrote:

I have a 3597 that was a refurb unit, but haven't had a chance to unpack it yet

I keep hearing that the 3597 was one of the best units Garmin put out.

Still won't give up my 3497. Wish they still had 4.3" navigators.

--
Garmin: GPSIII / StreetPilot / StreetPilot Color Map / StreetPilot III / StreetPilot 2610 / GPSMAP 60CSx / Nuvi 770 / Nuvi 765T / Nuvi 3490LMT / Drivesmart 55 / GPSMAP 66st * Pioneer: AVIC-80 / N3 / X950BH / W8600NEX

Updated

I bit the bullet and did all the updates. After a short drive in the country to test I tried the same tests to compare my new and old units.

New unit has slowed some but in general still faster than older one.

When I'm able to go on some longer trips i'll try again but that may be a while.

--
DriveLuxe 51, 2017 VW Arteon w MIB3, nüvi 3597LTMHD x 2, 1450 died, 205w retired, iQue first and possibly the best

Somewhat disagree

sussamb wrote:

Even the EU map is well under 8Gb so unless you plan on loading more than the map then 8Gb should be ample.

While sussmb is far more knowledgeable than I'll ever be I disagree with the 8GB SD card. The cost difference between 8GB and 16 GB is not great so my suggestion would be to buy a 16 GB in the first place. If I remember right the newest North America full map is already near 8 GB.

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

Actually ...

the CN NA map file is still under 4 GB. Depending on your model, adding the feature files that get downloaded (voice recognition, junction view, point addressing, etc.) can make the total size of installed files approach 8 GB, but Garmin Express seems to be smart enough (at least on my nuvi 3597) to split the files between internal memory and SD card. So a 8 GB SD card should be sufficient for the foreseeable future. That said, I also agree with Melaqueman. SD cards are so cheap, if you are buying one you may as well get a 16 GB card instead of a 8 GB. But if you already have a 8 GB card on hand it should work just fine.

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

8 GB cards getting hard to find

Melaqueman wrote:
sussamb wrote:

Even the EU map is well under 8Gb so unless you plan on loading more than the map then 8Gb should be ample.

While sussmb is far more knowledgeable than I'll ever be I disagree with the 8GB SD card. The cost difference between 8GB and 16 GB is not great so my suggestion would be to buy a 16 GB in the first place. If I remember right the newest North America full map is already near 8 GB.

Best Buy no longer carries 8GB cards and the 16GB cards in general are more expensive than the 32GB card. 32GB is the maximum size card the 3597 can use according to https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=UsL6MuMMCM8PpgAhUUCqp7. Once at the link you have to expand the list at the bottom named "nuvi series".

--
John from PA

I'd swear

that the NA map on my Garmin is almost 8GB alandb, but maybe that is because I install all of North America. Canada, USA and Mexico !

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

Similar on a 2689

Melaqueman wrote:

that the NA map on my Garmin is almost 8GB alandb, but maybe that is because I install all of North America. Canada, USA and Mexico !

My 2689, fully up to date reports "233 MB free of 7.02 GB". Although it also has a 16 GB card installed, none of it has been used.

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John from PA

FAT32 4 GB file size limit.

Melaqueman wrote:

that the NA map on my Garmin is almost 8GB alandb, but maybe that is because I install all of North America. Canada, USA and Mexico !

Since Garmin storage uses FAT32, file sizes are limited to 4 GB. The full CN NA map still installs in a single gmapprom.img file, so it is less than 4 GB. Once it exceeds 4 GB, Garmin will need to split the map into two files, as they have done with the CN Europe map.

As I said in the earlier post, if you add together all the files downloaded in a map update for a device like the 3597, you are easily up to 6 or 7 GB or more. This includes not only the gmapprom.img file, but gmapdem.img, as well as the .ASR, SID, .JCV and .DB files. However, the SD card does not need to hold all these files. Garmin Express installs some of them in internal storage even when it is using the SD card for the map update. I hope that clarifies it.

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