Category: (CE)
37 new, starting at $79.41
MapSource TOPO US 24K Southwest DVD
Good Program but No InstructionsReviewed by William R. Drake, 2010-03-01
2/28/10
Even though the Amazon title for this product currently includes
the name "MapSource" it is actually BaseCamp software. My Problem
with this software (BaseCamp) is that as of Feb. 2010 there are no
instructions for how to use it. Garmin lists BaseCamp's copyright
as 2009 and as of this time offers no user's manual for the
program, and I was unable to find any instructions from a web
search. This fact diminishes my faith in the Garmin name even
though the company produces quality products. If you are purchasing
this product as a first-time "BaseCamp User", see my 2/26/10
amazon.com review of the Garmin Topo U.S. 24K West DVD, which is
also a BaseCamp product, and which I purchased through Amazon.
During that very lengthy review ("How to Use Garmin BaseCamp...") I
go into considerable detail about how to use BaseCamp. That
information can help you feel confident about purchasing this
particular product for the SW. Also, if you have Garmin's earlier
software, MapSource, or want to download it from [...], the Garmin
website does have a User's Manual for it and the 24K SW BaseCamp
map can actually be run through MapSource instead of BaseCamp if
you desire. (If you download MapSource from the Garmin website, the
user's manual is downloaded with it.) BaseCamp has some advantages
over MapSource, but MapSource is a simpler program and...has a
user's manual. (I needed mapping software for Utah, that could be
put onto my PC and loaded into my Garmin GPS and after reading
Amazon reviews for the Garmin Topo 24K SW, I ended up ordering Utah
mapping PC/GPS software, which works with MapSource, from Above the
Timber [...] which works well.)
It worksReviewed by Kevin E. Allen, 2010-01-31
It's a map! the detail is good for me. I did notice that some dirt roads were not accurate when compared with your tracks, but that has not been a problem
Southwest mapsReviewed by Frank Jankowski, 2009-12-03
Product is very easy to install and use but map information is very outdated. Garmin should consider updating map info or offer updates for this product.
Very Good TOPOReviewed by Jack Galloway, 2009-11-09
As with most Garmin products this is an excellent map program. Much more details than the older programs. It does take a while to install on your hard drive but who cares?
Garmin Software is ancient, failure-prone and user unfriendlyReviewed by Curmudgeon, 2009-09-09
This map comes with a new, and almost unuseable PC-based mapping
product called BaseCamp. Their older product - MapSource - is old,
creaky, and error-prone, but far superior to BaseCamp. I suggest
you not buy this mapset unless you have MapSource.
Some unadvertised "Gotchas":
These four states comprise 1794 maps and 3.1 GB.
Even my latest Garmin Rino 530 only handles 2024 maps and 3.6 GB,
so these four states use up most of the available room in the unit.
It takes many hours for the software to prepare and download 3 GB.
During this time the PC must be undisturbed or the download will
fail. Also, the bigger files must be downloaded directly to the SD
card, rather than through the GPS. Even so, it usually takes
multiple tries to get a successful download. Their
software/firmware system was written when several megabytes was
considered a big file - thus the poor handling of the GB files. If
there was an alternative I would buy it.
