[cool_dube]

Guys,

I have a Garmin Nuvi 205W (yes, an antique!) which is still working fine after 8+ years of service. However, the maps on it (Satguide) are as of Feb 2013 and I am unable to get hold of latest. Can someone please let me know good options for getting the latest India maps on this device?

Thanks in advance...

[ampere]

Originally Posted by cool_dube

I have a Garmin Nuvi 205W (yes, an antique!) which is still working fine after 8+ years of service. However, the maps on it (Satguide) are as of Feb 2013 and I am unable to get hold of latest. .

Wow! Even I have it. But it nicely is locked in my desk. I moved on to another Garmin.

As to regards to Maps, leave both Satguide (Jurassic!) and MMI (They stopped supporting Garmin).

You need to get Garmin maps or open street. Garmin is costly (!00$). In fact it would be costlier than 205W!

Check the space on the device before you purchase and download.

[sgiitk]

I have reasons to suspect that Garmin are out of India. So no maps. As it stands the frequency of map updates has definitely dropped below four a year.

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by ampere

I moved on to another Garmin.

May I know which model did you go for?

Originally Posted by ampere

You need to get Garmin maps or open street. Garmin is costly (!00$). In fact it would be costlier than 205W! Check the space on the device before you purchase and download.

Would Garmin have maps for 205w? I seriously doubt, though! If so, it might make sense to buy a newer model and get lifetime free maps along with it, I guess. Thoughts?

Originally Posted by sgiitk

I have reasons to suspect that Garmin are out of India. So no maps. As it stands the frequency of map updates has definitely dropped below four a year.

If so, what options does one have when it comes to a PND? Call me old school, but I simply detest using mobile phones for navigation!

[ampere]

Originally Posted by cool_dube

May I know which model did you go for?

I moved to a 24XX series. (2455)

Would Garmin have maps for 205w? I seriously doubt, though! If so, it might make sense to buy a newer model and get lifetime free maps along with it, I guess. Thoughts?

Could be suspect. Even I doubt. Usually life time updates are not needed. I map is more than enough. Most highways have been well marked. So usually I have never seen a problem. For the city we anyway have google.


My usage: Garmin comes out only when I hit the highway. For city its always Google on phone.

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by ampere

I moved to a 24XX series. (2455)

This does not seem to be available on the Garmin India website - http://www.garmin.co.in/products/ont...cat=automotive. Did you buy it elsewhere?

Also, does it allow you to "import" a pre-determined route, say from Google Maps, and use it for navigation?

Originally Posted by ampere

My usage: Garmin comes out only when I hit the highway. For city its always Google on phone.

Ditto for me!

[sgiitk]

Originally Posted by cool_dube

If so, what options does one have when it comes to a PND? Call me old school, but I simply detest using mobile phones for navigation!

Same here. But we may have to look for other options. MMI seems to rule the roost. I do not like it but ....

[cool_dube]

Update: tried my hand at Garmin Express which happily identified my device, and updated the software to the latest version, but when it came to updating the maps, it did not give me an option to choose India maps! I guess this is because Garmin never launched 205w in India. I have sent them a query if they can provide me with latest Garmin India maps for my device but I am highly skeptical. Net-net, looks like I will have to purchase a new device :(

[digitalnirvana]

The Garmin or most GPS devices run on Windows CE. There are forums on the internet that have updated maps for various such devices. Try those before buying a new device.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by cool_dube

Update: tried my hand at Garmin Express which happily identified my device, and updated the software to the latest version, but when it came to updating the maps, it did not give me an option to choose India maps! I guess this is because Garmin never launched 205w in India. I have sent them a query if they can provide me with latest Garmin India maps for my device but I am highly skeptical. Net-net, looks like I will have to purchase a new device :(

I have a Garmin Nuvi 215 for about 7 years and it is still guiding me in all my trips. I learnt from this forum that you can download updated maps from Openstreet and that is what I have been doing all these years.

It may not show door to door navigation or be spot on when it comes to POI. But it knows the newly laid roads in the highway and guides you with alternate routes as needed.
One thing I hate with Google Maps is that it tells you ' Take Bagirathi Swamy Salai and turn towards Thiruvalikanni Thiruvandapuram Highway' kind of anglicized Indian street names. Garmin just tells you - 'Turn Right'. Makes your life simple in all the chaos of our roads.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by cool_dube

Update: tried my hand at Garmin Express which happily identified my device, and updated the software to the latest version, but when it came to updating the maps, it did not give me an option to choose India maps! I guess this is because Garmin never launched 205w in India. I have sent them a query if they can provide me with latest Garmin India maps for my device but I am highly skeptical. Net-net, looks like I will have to purchase a new device :(

Login in to your Garmin account online. Purchase the City Navigator maps for India (99.99 I think). Check if they support for 205W first before buying. Because these maps will be node locked to one device and I think not transferable. While you login, you need to connect the device to the computer for the Garmin online account to verify; which device is connected and indeed the device is registered to you.

Once you complete the purchase (take the download option of purchase rather the SD card or CD); you can directly download the map onto the device. (As as I mentioned earlier please confirm the internal space before you download.)

The default 205 comes with pre-installed US maps which may take 2.5GB. You may have to clear up that space before downloading Garmin India maps which will be about 1.8-2G. The current day Garmins come with 8GB and more. But I think 205 came with 4GB.

Hope that helps.

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by Prowler

I have a Garmin Nuvi 215 for about 7 years and it is still guiding me in all my trips. I learnt from this forum that you can download updated maps from Openstreet and that is what I have been doing all these years.

Thanks Prowler. Can you please guide me on the procedure to do so?

Originally Posted by ampere

Login in to your Garmin account online. Purchase the City Navigator maps for India (99.99 I think)

Thanks Amp! I did connect my device to Garmin Express and as I said, it did recognize it instantly. However, when I choose the "Update Maps" option, it does not list "India" as an option, implying that Garmin does not have India maps for this model. Let me know if you think I am missing anything here. Moreover, this page does not list 205w at all :-(

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by cool_dube

Thanks Prowler. Can you please guide me on the procedure to do so?


(

Sure. This is what you do for Garmin:

1. Go to this site : http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/
2. Select Asia -> India
3. If you choose Generic Routable Map, you can download the map there.
4. If you choose the Generic Routable (new Style) then Enter your email id and click Build My map

You will be sent email containing the link. Earlier there used to be a simple download link.

In both cases, You will download something like this : osm_generic_new_gmapsupp.zip

Expand that and the resulting file will be : gmapsupp.img

Now comes the tricky part. Connect your Garmin through the USB. It will show up as a removable drive in your Windows Explorer. In the root you will find the original map - gmapsupp.img

You can download that and save that somewhere safe. You may as well save the entire drive - just in case.

Remove the original image file and replace it with the expanded version from OpenStreet. You are done.

Remove the Garmin device after the usual eject procedure. Connect to your Car and take it for a spin. It should show you the recent map.

[ampere]

Sorry forgot to answer another question of yours.

Originally Posted by cool_dube

This does not seem to be available on the Garmin India website - http://www.garmin.co.in/products/ont...cat=automotive. Did you buy it elsewhere?

I bought it on Amazon.com and not in India.

Also, does it allow you to "import" a pre-determined route, say from Google Maps, and use it for navigation?

Aha! This is one question which bothered me the most! You asked this question before as well!

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/gadge...ml#post3724635 (The GPS/Maps Discussion Thread (Dedicated Satnav, Smartphones, Tablets, etc))

Thanks Amp! I did connect my device to Garmin Express and as I said, it did recognize it instantly. However, when I choose the "Update Maps" option, it does not list "India" as an option, implying that Garmin does not have India maps for this model. Let me know if you think I am missing anything here. Moreover, this page does not list 205w at all :-(

Not Garmin express. Log to Garmin account via the browser. Garmin express will only show the US map updates as thats the default map against which your device is tied to.

[sgiitk]

Originally Posted by cool_dube

Update: tried my hand at Garmin Express which happily identified my device, and updated the software to the latest version, but when it came to updating the maps, it did not give me an option to choose India maps! I guess this is because Garmin never launched 205w in India. I have sent them a query if they can provide me with latest Garmin India maps for my device but I am highly skeptical. Net-net, looks like I will have to purchase a new device :(

Still the question where India is supported remains unaddressed. Someone with a valid India system can check and post back. This is the best option.

Also, if not Garmin then what?