Help me get from here to there

December 26, 2006 7:54 PM

I have a Garmin GPS unit, I would very much like to get some maps on it.

And I am not above paying the $80 to $100 to get the map CDs that they offer. But before I do that, I would like to explore what the Open Source community has to offer. Looking around, I've found a lot of different utilities to create my own maps. But they rarely seem to provide documentation on exactly how to do this.

My question is this; I would like to use something like google maps to create a route-able map (one that defines the streets for navigation purposes, as opposed to just a static snap-shot of a map). Is this possible? I'm not afraid to do the work, but it would help enormously if someone could point me to either tutorials on how to use the multitude of tools that are out there, or failing that, the pre-existing maps themselves (South East Wisconsin and Northern Illinois).

posted by quin to technology (9 comments total)

Which Garmin unit do you have? I have a StreetPilot III (yes, oldschool) and I have not been able to find any data source that'll work for turn-by-turn directions other than the CityNavigator map CDs/DVDs. I haven't looked into the modding scene with newer units, though.
posted by Alterscape at 8:24 PM on December 26, 2006

You can't use Google Maps to create routable things, because what it gives you is *pictures*. For routing, you need *lines* -- preferably with metadata.

Much as I hate to admit it, there's a *reason* those friggin maps are so expensive...
posted by baylink at 8:30 PM on December 26, 2006

It's the Etrex Legend C.

When I'm looking at all the software that exists out there, I see a couple of different ones that support routing, which is why I was kinda hoping I'd get lucky. At the very least, I would have expected more from the GPS community, but the pickings seem pretty slim.
posted by quin at 8:42 PM on December 26, 2006

Look on the bright side: These days, CityNav costs about $100 for a DVD with the continental US and Canada maps; if memory serves, the unlock code that comes with the DVD unlocks all the maps for use on your unit. Back in the dark ages of 2002 or so, one "Digital Coverage Area" cost $100 or more. There're.. at least 10 of those in the US, AFAIK. (or maybe I'm wrong -- I haven't recovered from the initial sting of unlocking two DCAs plus the cost of my unit. :p)
posted by Alterscape at 8:52 PM on December 26, 2006

Ok, follow-up question: for those that have bought the City Navigator software, does Garmin offer any kind of updates to their maps? Or do you have to rebuy them every couple of years to keep them up to date?
posted by quin at 8:00 AM on December 27, 2006

Ok, follow-up question: for those that have bought the City Navigator software, does Garmin offer any kind of updates to their maps? Or do you have to rebuy them every couple of years to keep them up to date?

Garmin buys their data. At least they were in 2003. When I worked for Rand McNally, we used to buy our data on a yearly basis from Etak which was taken over by TeleAtlas. Most mapping companies by their data from NavTec now.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 8:30 AM on December 27, 2006

It is possible to use some of the third-party tools to create and upload a map--I've done it with my GPSMap60 and a map of the university campus I work on. It took me around five hours (after finding all the utilities and figuring out how they work, which was not particularly simple itself) to create the map. I tried creating one of my neighborhood, using Tiger line data, and gave up in frustration a few hours later. Like baylink said--there's a reason those maps are expensive (but considering what you get for the price, it's fairly reasonable).

Unless you live in or are travelling to a region where commercial maps aren't available, I don't think it's worth the effort.

Garmin does come out with updated versions every few years, and owners of previous versions are eligible for a (small-ish) discount.
posted by hades at 10:22 AM on December 27, 2006

And by "small-ish discount", I mean that the full retail version of City Navigator 8 is available for around $110 (with a list of $140), and the update version costs $75. I don't know what the breakdown is for their other map products.
posted by hades at 10:33 AM on December 27, 2006

Based on my read, as much as I would like to support the Open Source movement on this, this seems to be one of those times where it's just more worth it to pay for the maps.

I'd like to see a day where this isn't the case, but from what I've read here, that may be a long time coming.

Thanks all. I'll just buy the software and be done with it.
posted by quin at 10:58 PM on December 27, 2006