[mcaswell]

It's now about 1:30am, and for almost 10 hours I've been trying to accomplish the seemingly simple task of readying the Garmin Streetpilot i3 I bought for my wife. It's been one endless headache. I'm using VirtualPC 6, with both Windows XP and 98 at my disposal, and based on suggestions I found searching the web, I've booted into OS9 to run VPC (apparently there's something about OS X that makes VPC not be able to communicate well with some USB devices).

In XP, the Garmin software refuses to recognize the GPS at all. I go through the install procedure, which includes connecting the GPS and having Windows install the driver (that part works), but when it comes to the point of actually selecting the unit to install the maps, it is not seen. Hours upon hours have been wasted trying to get this to work, finally coming to an end when an attempt to update to XP SP2 caused all sorts of wierd things to happen.

The other part of this battle has been fought in Windows 98. At least in this version, I was able to update the i3's firmware to the latest version (which I was not able to do in XP). But in 98, unlike XP, I'm unable to install the map software. Windows tells me that there is insufficient space available (1.5gb is available... that's not enough?). After fighting with that for several hours, I finally gave up, and am going to bed.

I've had similar battles in the past... the map-loading software for the GPS units on my boat (Lowrance) are, of course, PC-only. But in that case, with a little patience, I was able to make it work with VirtualPC. This Garmin thing has just been a bloody nightmare though.

So, tomorrow evening I will do what I had dreaded, what had prompted me to spend a ridiculous amount of time trying to do this on my Mac... I'll have to go across the street to my neighbor's house, who, incidentally, I've been trying to bring over to the Mac side for a while now, and explain to them that I need to borrow their PC to be able to use this GPS, because my Mac can't do it. So, next time they're ready to buy a new computer, whether it's logical or not, this will likely stick in their head as at least one reason to stay with Windows.

In other words, it's bad publicity when Mac users are unable to accomplish seemingly simple tasks like these, and have to go crawling over to PC friends.

Is it Garmin's fault? Is it Microsoft's fault? Apple's fault? It's really no one's fault, I guess. I mean, Garmin should be able to produce a cross-platform map loading app, taking this VirtualPC garbage out of the picture... apparently they don't feel like our numbers would make it worth their while. But I'd also have to say that Apple should jump on this situation as well... perhaps try to work with Garmin to make Mac compatibility a reality?

--Mike

[mduell]

It's Garmin's fault for only providing Windows software and not catering to the 4% of computer owners who have Macs.
It's Microsoft's fault for buying and selling an imperfect emulator.
It's Apple's fault for not writing software for their niche market to work with Garmin's hardware.

[ajprice]

So is there any GPS system that has mac software?

[betasp]

Take a look at http://www.versiontracker.com/php/se...macosx&x=0&y=0

[ghporter]

You may need a USB-to-serial driver for the Garmin software to see the unit. I needed that for my Windows computer to see my (older) Garmin GPS12. As far as I know, almost ALL GPS units want a serial connection, not a USB connection. As for VPC, there are a number of hardware access issues with it; much of the access to such devices as USB hosts has to be massaged just right to get them to work.

What kind of setup does the thing need, anyway?

[ChrisF]

Garmin's USB GPS units won't work with Virtual PC. Some models have both serial and USB ports; those units will generally work with Mapsource within Virtual PC if you are connected via serial, but it will take an eternity to load maps that way.
Personally, I'm hoping that the Intel Macs will have some better means of making this work, but I think the best short-term solution is to just use a cheap PC specifically to load maps. They're cheaper than VPC anyway, and faster.

[mcaswell]

This particular model GPS only has a USB port... the setup that is required involves uploading maps for your particular area (it comes "blank" with no maps loaded).

There have been some reports of success with Garmin USB GPS's in Virtual PC, but you have to use OS 9. Even if you take that same exact VPC hard drive image and run it with the same version (6) of VPC but in OS X, it won't work. And, as I mentioned, I did have a certain degree of success in OS 9 running Windows 98, but either a Garmin or a Windows problem prevented me from installing the map loading software.

If I can find my old VPC CDs, I might try a fresh install of Windows 98 with a volume size larger than 2gb (1.5gb is free on my current drive image, but the Garmin installer said it didn't have enough space, which sounds fishy).

I ALMOST bought a PC today (not to replace my Mac, of course, but to just have around for instances like this). Couldn't bring myself to spend $400 on something that would hardly ever get used.

--Mikee

[iMacfan]

Originally Posted by ajprice

So is there any GPS system that has mac software?

Yes - Tomtom SatNavs have specific mac software, but cost more than the Garmin i3.

David.

[ChrisF]

Originally Posted by mcaswell

There have been some reports of success with Garmin USB GPS's in Virtual PC, but you have to use OS 9.

Yes, it works, but it's probably as slow as using a serial port. The map loading process is fairly CPU intensive. I got tired of waiting for my Powerbook 667 to finish loading.

Originally Posted by mcaswell

If I can find my old VPC CDs, I might try a fresh install of Windows 98 with a volume size larger than 2gb (1.5gb is free on my current drive image, but the Garmin installer said it didn't have enough space, which sounds fishy).

The maps do take up a lot of HD space, but I don't have the PC I use right here so I can't say how much. 1.5GB doesn't sound unreasonable, though. Which Garmin software package are you using?

[mcaswell]

It's "City Select North America NT v7". I don't know if it actually installs all the map data on the hard drive, but on the successful XP install, the folder is about 1.1gb (IIRC). Of course, I can't get the Garmin software to see the GPS in XP!

Right now I'm going to try creating a new, larger hard drive image for Windows 98, and see if I can just copy over the existing system to that new drive (can't find my install disks).

--Mike

[betasp]

If it is USB, Windows 98 does not have antive USB support. You will need a driver, which I am not sure Virtual PC has..

[mcaswell]

Yeah, I expected that XP would handle the newfangled USB device better than 98, but so far the opposite has been the case... I was able to upload new firmware via 98, but I can't do anything in XP (even did a fresh install of XP this evening, found those disks but not 98). XP sees the Garmin when I connect it, it goes through the motions of installing the driver, then says it's ready to use, but the Garmin software still doesn't see it.

I'm going to look for my old VPC/Windows 98 disk tomorrow at the office.

--Mike

[mcaswell]

SUCCESS! Using Windows 2000 on Virtual PC (running under OS 9), the process went perfectly.

In summary: Didn't work in Windows 98 because (according to the Garmin installer) there was "insufficient space on any drive". The "any drive" thing prompted me to try adding a second drive image, which I did, but the Garmin installer then stubbornly reported "the installation failed or you cancelled it" or something like that. I was, however, able to update the unit's firmware via Windows 98, which leads me to believe that if I'd had a large enough drive image, it would have worked. In Windows XP, the install went fine, including the installation of the Garmin driver (which indicated that XP was indeed seeing the unit), but the Garmin software (nor the firmware updater) would not recognize it. However, I noticed that when I went through the process in Windows 2000 (which was remarkably pain-free), the Garmin software didn't ask me to unlock the map as it had before in XP. That leads me to believe that, even though the Garmin map loading software didn't seem to see the GPS, the map unlocking software must have stored the unlock code on the unit.

--Mike

[mcaswell]

Whoa... hold on a sec. Just for the heck of it, I tried it in OS X (VPC6, Windows 2000), and it worked. Everything I've read on the web indicated that Garmin USB will only work under OS 9. I wonder if, in my case, it worked because I successfully installed the DRIVERS in Windows while running in OS 9 (shouldn't make a difference, but who knows?).

--Mike

[mcaswell]

I did a fresh install of Windows 2000 on my Powerbook, and did the whole Garmin procedure without a hitch, all in OS X.

I guess whatever prevented the older Garmin USB units from communicating properly under VPC6/OS X has been taken care of in the newer ones.

HOWEVER, I was never able to get it to work in Windows XP, running under both OS 9 and OS X, on my Powerbook and desktop machine... only Windows 2000.

So, my original point still stands... Garmin, can't you come up with a cross-platform map install solution? Maybe Java-based? And Apple, maybe you should send over an "ambassador" to Garmin to help make it happen. With some very affordable models now out, the popularity of these car GPS navigation devices is exploding... thats a lot more people who are going to be disappointed when they find out that the fact that they own a Mac precludes them from working with their new toy (without the addition of VPC at $200+ that may or may not work).

--Mike

[SuvsareRetarded]

Just geta GPS system that uses SD cards.

[ChrisF]

Originally Posted by mcaswell

I guess whatever prevented the older Garmin USB units from communicating properly under VPC6/OS X has been taken care of in the newer ones.

That's really interesting. I know that Garmin has changed chipsets recently for some of their devices but I haven't heard anything about them working with VPC before this. I sure can't justify replacing my GPSMap 60c at this point though.

[mcaswell]

Originally Posted by SuvsareRetarded

Just geta GPS system that uses SD cards.

Actually, the Lowrance chartplotters I have on our sailboat were chosen specifically for this reason. You still have to run a special map-building application in Windows, but it simply generates the map files, which you then copy to an SD card (seemed simpler and more reliable than having the app in VPC talk directly to the unit).

--Mike

[mr_natedog]

Garmin eTrek Legend Color, OSX Tiger, VPC6.1, Windows 2000.


I performed a clean install of Windows 2000 on VPC 6.1 but I can not get my Garmin to show up in Mapsource.

I upgraded the firmware of my Legend C to version 2.5, which is supposed to improve USB support. Still no luck.

Any tricks for getting this to work??

[ghoffman]

See Garmin's news release at http://www.garmin.com/pressroom/corporate/011006.html, made with much hoopla at this year's MacWorld Expo. However, it's the end of July and I can't get anyone at Garmin to say a word but, "Watch the website."

I'm trying to get an eTrex VistaC to work with my Powerbook G4. I have the MacGPS Pro working fine. It communicates OK with the eTrex. Under VirtualPC 7.0.2, I'm running WindowsXPSP2 where the hardware manager sees the GarminGPS device under USB devices.

But with MapSource or even GPSBabel, no communication takes place.

I've read all the hints, about switching back to MacOS 9 (which I deleted to save space) and earlier versions of VPC.

I'm off to Wyoming this weekend and all the eTrex has in it is a base map of freeways. Not the kind of landmark I'm likely to see near Cody.

[ghporter]

I'm going to say that since it's still July (barely) and it was January when the last post was made before ghoffman's, that this counts as "within six months." FYI, we don't allow resurection of threads older than six months. So instead of just posting on such a thread, you should start a new one, and maybe link to the old thread-this keeps the poor database system from tossing parts at the admin...

In any case, Garmin's equipment is impressive, with the single exception of only directly supporting Windows computers for data transfer, map uploads, etc. There are ways around this, but a cheap, used PC is probably the simplest right now. MapSource has a history of WORKING with most Garmin devices...are you sure you did everything right in setting it AND the GPS up?

[ChrisF]

Originally Posted by ghoffman

I'm trying to get an eTrex VistaC to work with my Powerbook G4. I have the MacGPS Pro working fine. It communicates OK with the eTrex. Under VirtualPC 7.0.2, I'm running WindowsXPSP2 where the hardware manager sees the GarminGPS device under USB devices.

The reports I've seen indicate that only the "x" models (Vista Cx, GPSMap 60cx, etc.) work with VPC or Parallels. You will need either an actual Windows computer or to run an Intel Mac in Boot Camp for it to load maps.
Garmin has announced that their Mac product launches are delayed toward the end of the year (at least) :

OLATHE, KS/June 27, 2006 — Garmin today announced an update on the launch of its application support for Mac OS X version 10.4 "Tiger." The company’s Training Center software is now expected to be compatible with Mac OS X version 10.4 "Tiger” by the end of 2006. Also at that time, we will announce the expected completion date for Garmin’s other hardware and software applications. We thank the Mac community for their support, understanding and patience as we work through these unanticipated delays, and we look forward to providing Mac users with direct support for their Garmin products.

(From http://www.garmin.com/pressroom/corporate/062706.html)