Trying OSM 'generic routable (new style)' mapping on Vista HCx

[andyoxon]

http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/   Anyone know in what way this mapping is 'new style'?  Any experiences with it? I suppose it may not actually be that new...

I finally got around to moving* from TalkyToaster British isles with contours, and trying the OSM "Generic Routable (new style)" on my Etrex Vista HCx. 

At first sight it's easier to see the track line (in the usual magenta/cyan/green I use), because the mapping base colour is white rather than yellow...  No contours (and I can't overlay) but I don't actually find contours that useful, because I follow a track and don't have to choose routes on the go.  Not tested the auto-routing yet, but am planning to try following a track while auto-routing (with Route line colour set to white/invisible), found on some occasions with TT mapping that some junctions didn't pop up in turn by turn directions.  However I seem to try auto-routing every now & again, but end up reverting to track-only following, with a few key waypoints in there...

* inserting a new mSD card now that I have some spare.

[andrew_s]

There's no such thing as an "OpenStreetMap style" as such - only the OpenFietsMap style, the TalkyToaster style, the OpenCycleMap style etc etc.
It would seem that at some stage there's been a new version of OpenFietsMap, with a new, different, style. New styles may be needed to reduce clutter as OSN data becomes more and more complete.

With the older Garmins like the Vista, you can't overlay separate maps on the device as it will only deal with one map set (i.e. gmapsupp.img). In stead, you've got to merge the contour data and map data (if separate) into a new gmapsupp.img using MapSource or whatever. I've never done this, so someone else will have to correct/supply detail, if you want it.
The newer Garmins (Etrex 30, Edge 1000 etc) will deal with multiple map data files, so this merge isn't required, and you can also turn a contours on & off, or do things like use one style in urban areas and another in rural areas.

Whether junctions pop up or not in turn by turn navigation has always been a bit flaky in OSM, as the people who put the data on haven't always been consistent about following the road priorities at junctions. You'll also sometimes be following a road and get a "turn right" popup because of a side road on the left.
It is possible to go into OSM and fix the data, but it would mean a fresh download possibly with a fair delay for the edits to work through to the OSM data you are using.

[fuaran]

I think that Generic routable new style is nice.
It uses a TYP file, which changes the colours of most of the roads etc, instead of just using the Garmin defaults. So more like the usual UK colours. Plus as you say, the white background makes the map easier to read. And it has more icons for map features etc.
It will depend on what Garmin you are using it on - it may not be fully supported on the older models. So using it on a Vista HCx might not look as good.

[frankly frankie]

A TYP file usually 'improves' the display on the older models, assuming that is you prefer to see a road rendered as 2 parallel lines rather than one.  But I suppose it may go out of gamut colour-wise, if it's not well-designed.

[andyoxon]

Thanks.

...
Whether junctions pop up or not in turn by turn navigation has always been a bit flaky in OSM, as the people who put the data on haven't always been consistent about following the road priorities at junctions. You'll also sometimes be following a road and get a "turn right" popup because of a side road on the left.
It is possible to go into OSM and fix the data, but it would mean a fresh download possibly with a fair delay for the edits to work through to the OSM data you are using.

Yes, I suppose if the reason for routing blip is the source data - it will be the same with any mapping OSM data behind it.


Fuaran / ff – this OSM variant seems to be pretty similar to the Talkytoaster mapping (except base colour & contours), from a test I did on commute today.  I didn’t notice double line roads.
 
I also tried the auto-routing; so quick query re. this: 
As I don’t like to leave auto-routing to it’s own devices, & so when Route creating try ‘peg’ the Route along the track, away from junctions…  Is there a way of NOT getting the via-points (‘Route points’) coming up as info on the live map, while still having the turn by turn directions displayed at junctions?  e.g.  not having ‘150m to via-point’, or ‘450m to [random] farm’ near via-point…

[Kim]

As I don’t like to leave auto-routing to it’s own devices, & so when Route creating try ‘peg’ the Route along the track, away from junctions…  Is there a way of NOT getting the via-points (‘Route points’) coming up as info on the live map, while still having the turn by turn directions displayed at junctions?  e.g.  not having ‘150m to via-point’, or ‘450m to [random] farm’ near via-point…

Not that I've come across.

TBH, I find notifications of via points reassuring, as they tell you that you're definitely on the route that you intended.  I like to pick visible landmarks (pubs etc) or place names as via points, rather than random bits of road.

[andyoxon]

As I don’t like to leave auto-routing to it’s own devices, & so when Route creating try ‘peg’ the Route along the track, away from junctions…  Is there a way of NOT getting the via-points (‘Route points’) coming up as info on the live map, while still having the turn by turn directions displayed at junctions?  e.g.  not having ‘150m to via-point’, or ‘450m to [random] farm’ near via-point…

Not that I've come across.

TBH, I find notifications of via points reassuring, as they tell you that you're definitely on the route that you intended.  I like to pick visible landmarks (pubs etc) or place names as via points, rather than random bits of road.

Ok thanks Kim.  If they're there to stay, making the most of the 'via-point info' sounds like a plan.   

[andyoxon]

On Mapsource the generic routable map seems squashed horizontally - not sure why this may be.  e.g.  a proximity circle around a waypoint looks like an egg shape...

[Feanor]

My Garmin CN maps are squashed, too.
Always have been.

Don't know why, I've never looked into it.

[Kim]

Is this a Mercator thing?  Are they circular at the equator?  Never really thought about it...

[Feanor]

No, because the area I'm looking at is far too small for any projection artefacts.
Just an area a few k square in aspect-ratio distorted.
I'll make a pic...


Mapsource by Ron Lowe, on Flickr

[fuaran]

In MapSource, press Ctrl+Alt+A. That gives you a dialogue box for the projection angle. So set that to match your latitude. Then restart MapSource.
That should make the map look correct at that latitude. Though it will probably be distorted as the map gets further away from that latitude, so maybe not so useful if your maps cover all of Europe etc.

[Feanor]

Yes, that fixes it.
So it is a projection issue.

Thanks.

[andyoxon]

Thanks fuaran - map looks a lot better, and with perfect circles every time now.     Had been set to projection angle of 35Degrees - so I put in a custom of 51 for here .

[frankly frankie]

I think the default latitude that displays a perfect circle is, perhaps not entirely co-incidentally, the latitude of Garmin's U.S. headquarters.

It only seems to be a problem with 'new' versions of Mapsource - if you downgrade to v6.137 then a circle is a circle anywhere.  (I say 'new' - v6.137 was superseded in late 2008 ...)