Author Topic: Garmin eTrex Legend HCx question  (Read 5132 times)

Sigurd Mudtracker

Garmin eTrex Legend HCx question
« on: 09 September, 2008, 07:23:18 pm »
I have my finger poised over the Buy It Now button but there is one question vexing me.

I can't work out if the Legend can store routes and waypoints without a microSD card on board.  The reason I ask is because adding the City Navigator microSD seems the cheapest way to get reasonable on-board mapping, but this will fill up the slot and stop me adding any RAM to add or store a small selection of routes and waypoints.

Can anyone enlighten me?  I'm planning to use Tracklogs (which I already have) to upload the relevant routes from.

Chris S

Re: Garmin eTrex Legend HCx question
« Reply #1 on: 09 September, 2008, 07:26:09 pm »
I've forgotten there even is a chip in mine - I just downloaded the maps and forgot about it.

I only download routes/tracks that I'm about to use, which fit into the machines memory. My library of routes stays on the PC.

pdm

  • Sheffield hills? Nah... Just potholes.
Re: Garmin eTrex Legend HCx question
« Reply #2 on: 09 September, 2008, 07:44:59 pm »
I have my finger poised over the Buy It Now button but there is one question vexing me.

I can't work out if the Legend can store routes and waypoints without a microSD card on board.  The reason I ask is because adding the City Navigator microSD seems the cheapest way to get reasonable on-board mapping, but this will fill up the slot and stop me adding any RAM to add or store a small selection of routes and waypoints.

Can anyone enlighten me?  I'm planning to use Tracklogs (which I already have) to upload the relevant routes from.

Just checked my Vista....
The Routes, Tracks and Waypoints are stored in native memory. Maps are stored on the plug in micro-SD cards.

robgul

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Re: Garmin eTrex Legend HCx question
« Reply #3 on: 09 September, 2008, 07:45:48 pm »
The cards are only for storage of maps - either home-made or purchased.  Thus the card is not vital for the use you describe.

Where are you buying from? - I bought one about 3 weeks ago and Amazon, with free delivery was cheapest I could find (when comparing delivered cost ... one place even had Ryanair typem surcharges for paying with a credit card and another for processing the order) - arrived in 2 days.

Rob

Re: Garmin eTrex Legend HCx question
« Reply #4 on: 09 September, 2008, 08:02:21 pm »
Got mine from a US ebay seller at half the UK price

Craig

Re: Garmin eTrex Legend HCx question
« Reply #5 on: 09 September, 2008, 08:13:03 pm »
Just checked my Vista....
The Routes, Tracks and Waypoints are stored in native memory. Maps are stored on the plug in micro-SD cards.
That's true. But there is also the option of logging the tracks to the microSD card (as well as the internal memory). This is useful if you are going on a long tour for example, as you can log weeks / months of cycling to the memory card. Plus the tracks are stored as standard GPX files (1 per day) so you can use a card reader to copy them off without needing specific software installed.

Though regarding the original post, I'm surprised that the maps on the microSD card are cheaper than on CD/DVD - I don't think that was the case the last time I checked.
Plus it can be useful to have the MapSource software installed on your PC, which isn't an option if you buy the maps on a card.
Note another (possibly cheaper) option is to buy MetroGuide plus the autorouting patch (which also means no hassle with unlock codes etc).

Sigurd Mudtracker

Re: Garmin eTrex Legend HCx question
« Reply #6 on: 09 September, 2008, 09:22:48 pm »
Thanks for that - it seemed unlikely that the GPS wouldn't work as described without a microSD card, but I thought I'd better check to be sure!

I've found Amazon to be the cheapest place to buy.  They have City Navigator for UK & Ireland on a card for £39.40 (although it's an Amazon reseller, not the store itself).  The European DVD is £103, and I don't need anything other than UK coverage.  Metroguide Europe on DVD is admittedly a few pounds cheaper.

Re: Garmin eTrex Legend HCx question
« Reply #7 on: 09 September, 2008, 11:56:14 pm »
If you don't have a micro-SD card that you can write to, you miss out on the following...

a) Logging your tracks to the card. This means that you have the "active log" (your current track), and simplified saved tracks that have had all time and height info removed, and half the points thrown away. With the card, you retain full details of your rides, down to a point every second for a week or three, depending on card size. Without, you have to download the active log at the end of every day or lose information.

b) User loaded points of interest - you can't download all the GBG pubs from CAMRA, and use the "find" button to take you to your nearest decent pub.

All waypoints, routes and tracks that are used for navigation have to come from internal memory, and are the same regardless of whether you have a card or not.

Manotea

  • Where there is doubt...
Re: Garmin eTrex Legend HCx question
« Reply #8 on: 10 September, 2008, 12:50:03 am »
Thanks for that - it seemed unlikely that the GPS wouldn't work as described without a microSD card, but I thought I'd better check to be sure!

I've found Amazon to be the cheapest place to buy.  They have City Navigator for UK & Ireland on a card for £39.40 (although it's an Amazon reseller, not the store itself).  The European DVD is £103, and I don't need anything other than UK coverage.  Metroguide Europe on DVD is admittedly a few pounds cheaper.

Surely (weasel word indicating I don't know and am hoping somebody else will confirm my suspsicions) the reason why the DVD is more expensive than the card is that it gives you the ability to plan /review your routes/tracks on a PC whilst the card is GPS only. If so then whilst a city navigator card will enable you to use the gps as an autorouting satnav (take me to...) you'll soon find that creating a route on the GPS with multiple waypoints is totaly impractical.

FWIW I bought my Etrex Vista HCx through ebay.com. The main issue is of lack of warranty in the UK. YPYPATYC.

Re: Garmin eTrex Legend HCx question
« Reply #9 on: 10 September, 2008, 12:57:18 am »
... the reason why the DVD is more expensive than the card is that it gives you the ability to plan /review your routes/tracks on a PC whilst the card is GPS only

I believe that is correct.

Another vote for the Metroguide / Metrogold combination here.

Wowbagger

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Re: Garmin eTrex Legend HCx question
« Reply #10 on: 10 September, 2008, 12:59:06 am »
We didn't bother to put on all the maps available. It tooktoo long.

We just put on W. Europe and the UK.
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Re: Garmin eTrex Legend HCx question
« Reply #11 on: 10 September, 2008, 08:39:41 am »
Just checked my Vista....
The Routes, Tracks and Waypoints are stored in native memory. Maps are stored on the plug in micro-SD cards.
Plus it can be useful to have the MapSource software installed on your PC, which isn't an option if you buy the maps on a card.

I would 100% agree with this.  I got my CD version of Mapsource City Navigator NT 2008 from the US.  £98 inc shipping.  Best £98 I've spent in a long time.

Sigurd Mudtracker

Re: Garmin eTrex Legend HCx question
« Reply #12 on: 11 September, 2008, 09:20:34 pm »
I'm not bothered about plotting routes on the PC - I plan to use Tracklogs (which I already have) for that.  Could I copy the City Navigator card onto a larger card so that I would have storage and data, or is it copy protected in some way?

Re: Garmin eTrex Legend HCx question
« Reply #13 on: 12 September, 2008, 06:58:50 pm »

Re: Garmin eTrex Legend HCx question
« Reply #14 on: 15 September, 2008, 10:48:22 am »
Metroguide Europe on DVD is admittedly a few pounds cheaper.
It's a whole lot cheaper bought here.
Profit or planet?

Re: Garmin eTrex Legend HCx question
« Reply #15 on: 15 September, 2008, 12:23:44 pm »
£10.

 :o


Re: Garmin eTrex Legend HCx question
« Reply #16 on: 15 September, 2008, 05:06:51 pm »
Another vote for the Metroguide / Metrogold combination here.

Does City Navigator Europe 2008 do anything more than the Metroguide/Metrogold combination?

Re: Garmin eTrex Legend HCx question
« Reply #17 on: 15 September, 2008, 05:13:44 pm »
I think it can do postcode search.

pdm

  • Sheffield hills? Nah... Just potholes.
Re: Garmin eTrex Legend HCx question
« Reply #18 on: 15 September, 2008, 05:22:45 pm »
Another vote for the Metroguide / Metrogold combination here.

Does City Navigator Europe 2008 do anything more than the Metroguide/Metroguide combination?

1. When giving routing instructions, City Navigator will guide you properly around roundabouts (eg. "At the roundabout take the 3rd exit") while Metroguide will only say "Turn right"
2. City Navigator (esp NT version which has a different encoding/compression system) map sections are of a different size and number. The CN NT version will fit a whole lot more of Europe on a micro-sd card than the Metroguide version.

These are the only major differences I have discovered...

Re: Garmin eTrex Legend HCx question
« Reply #19 on: 15 September, 2008, 05:27:23 pm »
I think it can do postcode search.

Postcode search might come in handy, can anyone confirm that it will do this?

pdm

  • Sheffield hills? Nah... Just potholes.
Re: Garmin eTrex Legend HCx question
« Reply #20 on: 15 September, 2008, 05:39:27 pm »
Just powered up City Navigator NT on my PC and I can confirm that it WILL do a postcode search (with or without a house number).

It will also do a street name search without a house number (some older versions of metroguide that I used before could not do this.)