unlock code question

The answer is # 1

1) Is the unlock code that came on the yellow sheet needed to install and run the DVD mapsource program on my computer

Have purchased a Nuvi 370 that was preloaded with City Navigator for Europe and North America. With reference to Mapsource DVD's, am I supposed to receive a DVD copy of the preloaded maps? Is it something I have to purchase seperately and if so what will it do for me.

As a new convert to the GPS world really glad I found the POI Factory, what a valuable resource.

Many thanks

Nuvi 370, Ireland

I very recently (two days ago) purchased a c550 and it has City Navigator north America NT 2008. Is there something the DVD has that I wouldn't have? Should I call up Garmin and ask for it? If so, why?

You have to call Garmin. They will send you a free copy of the MapSource DVD, though I'm not sure how Garmin Europe will handle yours. It useful for managing waypoints, creating custom POIs, and pretrip planning. You cannot however upload custom routes unless you have the 700 series. Do a site search on "mapsource" and you'll learn tons about it.

Garmin GPS have preloaded maps. You will not get any DVD. You need to request this from Garmin (sometime for free or with fee). I'm not sure how it work in Ireland. But here in US, we usually call Garmin and tell them you need the mapsource DVD for you to be able to backup your favorites from your Garmin GPSr.

You can use your mapsource as a tool to create your own POI and load it to your GPS.

Wow you guys are quick.

Thanks for your help.

Thanks for your help with Mapsource DVD, will give Garmin Europe a try first thing tomorrow, fingers crossed!

Nuvi 370, Ireland

OK, for the record spoke to Garmin Europe and was told very bluntly that I would have to buy the full Mapsource DVD (quoted £100+) I explained all the reasons that I needed the program as suggested on this and other posts but to no avail.

Decided to send an e-mail instead and have received a reply from Garmin support saying what I needed was:
'Garmin Mapsource Trip and Waypoint Manager' but they do not supply it and I will have to go to a 3rd party to purchase it although alot cheaper than originally quoted.

Question:
(1) is the above The 'Mapsource program' that is mentioned on this forum or are there different flavours of mapsource?

Many thanks.

Nuvi370, Ireland

Mapsource is not supplied separately - it's normally bundled with maps that you get on DVD.

You can download the "Training Center" software, which includes a rudimentary world map...AND a copy of Mapsource...

http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=835

What you won't have is a copy of the detailed maps of Ireland. (Although if you happened upon them somewhere else...you would have a valid Unlock Code (the one that came with your Nüvi))

Yeah, sorry. Garmin Europe operates differently than Garmin in the US.

I've seen a lot of talk about a free MapSource DVD. Well, I gave Garmin a call. The "free" MapSource DVD cost me $21 - $15 + $6 S&H. I told them exactly what I've read on this great site. My Nuvi 350 has v2008 maps, but also wanted the software on my PC so I can build routes and add POI's and then download them to my unit.

That's pretty inexpensive, don't you think?

Of course, though, you can't load routes from MapSource to the nuvi 350.

Thankyou for the advice, will have a look at the training centre option. I have received a free update disk from Garmin, Map Update 2008 City Navigator North America NT (Spose thats thunmbs up for them!) am I right in thinking if I had Mapsource then it would load the detailed maps from this disk? Or are the maps for the GPSr and the PC based software completely different?

Nuvi370, Ireland

I'm not sure about the contents of that particular DVD - I believe it might be a selection of maps, in various formats - but no copy of Mapsource (MapInstall instead?). In general, the following file formats appear to be shipped (in varying combinations):-

• Pre-built for unit - one very large file, called GMAPPROM.IMG (or eventually renamed to that). This file is not designed for use with Mapsource. This is the 'style' that is already on the unit, or on an SD card map product.
• Lots of small nnnnnnn.IMG files, each covering a distinct geographic area. Mapsource builds the ones you select into a single file, in a format suitable for the unit. It normally transfers it as well and calls it GMAPSUPP.IMG.
• A 'sizeable' .IMG file that (probably) has _MDR in it's name. AUIU, this is actually the map file that Mapsource itself will read. There are some ancillary files (*.MDX,*.TRF,*.TDB) associated with it.

Or something like that

OK, the disk was sent as a specific update for my Nuvi370, will open it and have a good look to see what files are on it tonight. Certainly when I ran the update there was no option to save to PC but maybe with Mapsource (Training Centre?)loaded I may be given additional options?

Boy is this GPS stuff exciting ! My eyes have been opened.

Nuvi370, Ireland

OK, was following another post on POI Factory on how to save maps to PC from my NA NT 2008 update disk and found that I had mapsource all the time without realising! Steep learning curve here. After saving maps also gained MapInstall and MapSource so I'm happy, only maps for North America so will have to wait for an update for Europe.
Many thanks for your help.

Nuvi370, Ireland

Because Garmin was temporarily out of stock when I requested MapSource, the tech person waived the shipping fee.

Although I had found a "free" version of MapSource somewhere else, it only had the rudimentary world map, not the detailed North America NT 2008 map I wanted. But it was worth the $15 not to keep calling hoping next time I would get a tech support person to send it for "free", and also I really wanted the detailed maps.

i have the Nt American 2008...how do u tell what version? or if i have the latest

Received my disk just over 2 weeks ago, it is marked 'Map Update 2008 City Navigator North America NT' If I check the version on my Nuvi it reads 'City Navigator North America NT 2008'.

Nuvi370, Ireland

City Navigator North America NT 2008 is the latest version.

There are no later versions. The next version will likely be released in Spring/Summer 2009.

I just emailed Garmin support with the info that I needed to be able to setup waypoints and POI's away from the GPSr and wanted to know how to get MapSource. The next communication I got from them was that it was in the mail... I received it 2 days later. I didn't even have to "order" it. They got my mailing info from the My Garmin registration and just shipped it. Great service, and no effort on my part.

How are the maps organised on the Nüvi 370, given that it's got the whole of North America and Europe.
Is there just a single, HUGE GMAPPROM.IMG, or are there some other .IMG files present?

Within the Garmin Folder on the Nuvi there are 2 files,GMAPPROM.IMG @ 993MB and GMAPPROM1.IMG @ 1.24GB! Maybe from the relative sizes you can work out which is which if indeed one is North America and the other is Europe?
There is also a GMAPBMAP.IMG @ 31MB.

Nuvi370, Ireland

Ah - that's what GMAPPROM1.IMG is used for !

I *think* that's probably your copy of the European maps (because it's the bigger of the two).

The other one's the Basemap - for places outside the coverage of your two detailed maps.

Ok, so is one .IMG the European maps and the other North America?

Nuvi370, Ireland

Re read your post and did some experimenting. I had not realised that I have other worldwide locations aswell as NA and Europe! All be it not as detailed as NA and Europe.
So *possibly* the .IMG file is the basic world map and the 1.IMG is the detailed map of NA and Europe?

Nuvi370, Ireland

My 260 only has the NT North America map, and it has gmapbmap.img and gmapprom.img. The second one is 993mb and I'm pretty sure it's the detail of North America. The other is only 5.91mb and is probably the basemap without any detail.

There's a variety of Basemaps floating around - they differ in the areas they cover - also some are 'routeable' and some aren't. The 32MB one is probably the World Wide AutoRoute Basemap 4.01 - at a guess.

There's a thread on GPSPASSION.COM that explains where to locate the different versions (none are distributed as such - they just keep turning up, bundled with other things!)

So as per explanations above:
GMAPBMAP.IMG........World Base map
GMAPPROM.IMG........993MB Probably North America NT
GMAPPROM1.IMG.......1.24GB Probably Europe NT

Nuvi370, Ireland

I reckon so.

Others which show up, are GMAPSUPP.IMG (supplemental maps - Mapsource will create this, if you transfer any maps from the PC). Additionally, there's one called GMAPOEM.IMG (intended for OEM usage, presumably). This behaves like GMAPSUPP, except the first map within it is permanently selected (the de-select option is greyed-out).