1Gb memory in a 276C?

[Fasttrak]

Originally Posted by Motorrad

waiting for a report as well... 512mb is a PITA

Best guess was 21 days shipping time, so about about two more weeks to go. I will fill the module up and see that I can access each from within my 276. Seriously hope this works as it would be all I needed in that unit.


K.B.

[Motorrad]

Originally Posted by Fasttrak

Best guess was 21 days shipping time, so about about two more weeks to go. I will fill the module up and see that I can access each from within my 276. Seriously hope this works as it would be all I needed in that unit.


K.B.

has he mentioned if it will work in the 478 series?

[Fasttrak]

Originally Posted by Motorrad

has he mentioned if it will work in the 478 series?

All of that series uses the same custom memory modules. So yes, it should work with the 478 if it works with my 276. Waiting patiently for this sucker to show up.



Fasttrak

[NorthernTraveler]

Keep in mind that the 276C limits you to 900 map segments.

To fill a 2 gig card, you're going to need to use a map set that has pretty large segments.

As you select maps, look at the bottom of the Maps Tab to see how many map segments you have selected.

If you need help on that front, PM me.

[Ed@Ford]

Originally Posted by NorthernTraveler

Keep in mind that the 276C limits you to 900 map segments.

To fill a 2 gig card, you're going to need to use a map set that has pretty large segments.

As you select maps, look at the bottom of the Maps Tab to see how many map segments you have selected.

If you need help on that front, PM me.

Northern Traveler:

I've done an experiment with my TOPO 2008...and VERY roughly...on average, a "map segment" is 0.5 megs...so if you multiple 900 x 0.5 you only need 450 megs of memory...i.e. one of the big 512 garmin memory sticks that already exist.

Does City Navigator or some other mapsets average out to 1 or 2 megs of memory per "map segment"? This would make a memory stick greater than 512 meg valuable. What am I missing here?????

[NorthernTraveler]

There is a way - not easy - to modify the old V3 TOPO or the old Road & Rec to have large segments... up to 8mb per segment (that's the biggest that Mapsource will handle).

The method for the V3 Topo is posted on the web.

I worked up configuration files to use the same method for Road & Rec.

The old Topo goes to less than 300 segments and around 1 GB.

The old R&R goes to 95 segments and 400 MB.

I also run the old Metroguide V8 (not locked)... it has around 1500 segments for the whole US and Canada.

I looked at converting TOPO2008, but ran into problems and never got back to it... it might be possible.

I don't know the segment size of other products....

[Ed@Ford]

Originally Posted by NorthernTraveler

There is a way - not easy - to modify the old V3 TOPO or the old Road & Rec to have large segments... up to 8mb per segment (that's the biggest that Mapsource will handle).

The method for the V3 Topo is posted on the web.

I worked up configuration files to use the same method for Road & Rec.

The old Topo goes to less than 300 segments and around 1 GB.

The old R&R goes to 95 segments and 400 MB.

I also run the old Metroguide V8 (not locked)... it has around 1500 segments for the whole US and Canada.

I looked at converting TOPO2008, but ran into problems and never got back to it... it might be possible.

I don't know the segment size of other products....

Thanks Northern Traveler. I still use R&R, I believe I have the old TOPO 3 disk version but don't use it cause it's old and way back it used to "fight" with my German, Austrian, & Italian mapsets....which I haven't used in years. I recently acquired TOPO2008...because it is newer, a decent product (as suggested by someone one heck of a lot smarter than me with Mapsource), and because it's unlocked. If you could direct me to a link for your "large segment" technique it'd be appreciated. Ed
PS: Googled around and found "Combinemaps.exe" which probably is one of many methods for making large segments......

[Fasttrak]

I did receive the unit on the 20th, have had no time to load anything to it beyond 24K topo west. That ate up about 50% of the 2 gig card. Some time this next week I will load up NT 2012 and see what I end up space wise. The item was shipped in a hard jewel case and arrived in good order.

Visual inspection of the PCB and memory module shows cleaner solder joints than was on the Garmin memory card. At this point I am happy with the purchase as my only options were to purchase a 512 meg card for damn near the same price and on twenty-five percent of the storage capacity. Seemed like a slam dunk to me if everything arrived in good order and functioning properly. I will update as soon as I get a chance to fully load the card and check that both map sets are fully accessibly from the 276.


K.B.

[Ed@Ford]

Originally Posted by Fasttrak

I did receive the unit on the 20th, have had no time to load anything to it beyond 24K topo west. That ate up about 50% of the 2 gig card. Some time this next week I will load up NT 2012 and see what I end up space wise. The item was shipped in a hard jewel case and arrived in good order.

Visual inspection of the PCB and memory module shows cleaner solder joints than was on the Garmin memory card. At this point I am happy with the purchase as my only options were to purchase a 512 meg card for damn near the same price and on twenty-five percent of the storage capacity. Seemed like a slam dunk to me if everything arrived in good order and functioning properly. I will update as soon as I get a chance to fully load the card and check that both map sets are fully accessibly from the 276.
K.B.

So....how many map segments was there in the 24K TOPO West? Is it correct you had to take the "case" from a Garmin memory stick, and put this "bit" into it? I have a 276C as well, but am concerned the 276C's map segment allowance will run out well before all the memory (1 gig or 2??) is used up.

Ed

[Fasttrak]

Originally Posted by Ed@Ford

So....how many map segments was there in the 24K TOPO West?

Absolutely no clue as I did not count them as I loaded the memory card. I am sure it is in the online brochure for 24K Topo West.

Originally Posted by Ed@Ford

Is it correct you had to take the "case" from a Garmin memory stick, and put this "bit" into it?

Yes, you get the PCB and have to unscrew one torx bit, remove the old PCB and install the new one. I believe it took me longer to find my micro screwdriver set than it took to actually swap the PCB's.

Originally Posted by Ed@Ford

I have a 276C as well, but am concerned the 276C's map segment allowance will run out well before all the memory (1 gig or 2??) is used up.

Well, as far as map segments go, you have basically one option and that is to compile them into larger blocks to get around this series of Garmin's limitations. I have zero use for that so it was never even a consideration for me. I need most of Nor Cal down through Central Cal and out to Nevada and Arizona. In the end I will be using several different maps so hoping each map set is a different beast to tackle. Should have time this Thursday to spend with the unit and will post back my results. It is a 2 gig memory module, one module on the top of the PCB and nothing on the bottom, unlike the stock memory card.



K.B.

[Fasttrak]

Ok, update to my previous post. This evening I got the joy of dealing with a new install of City Nav NA 2012. I purchased this 276 from a member here and sadly the CD he sent did not match the product key he sent, no joy from Garmin. So I had to purchase a new CD and key.

What should of been a fairly simple install, online hardware and key registration turned into a... almost all night circle jerk. Will leave it at that for the frustration of dealing with Garmin's tracking and registration system especially if you have several bits of hardware and software keys. In the end I was forced to delete all previous installs, 1998, 2011 and now this new 2012 install.

Finally got everything installed on the 276 and registered. I went ahead and installed the entire 2012 North America mapset from South America to Alaska including Canada. The entire insall took up about 1.25 gigabytes and is fully accessible from my 276. One trouble I see so far is this install nuked the card clean before installing so not too sure the ability to add topo or anything else at this point. I will try and play with it a bit more this weekend and see what I end up with. So, just having the ability to install all of NT NA on one card is pretty cool and would take at least three 512 meg Garmin cards to accomplish this same feat. I am pretty happy with the memory and what it cost, the quality of the PCB and the fact I really need nothing else at this point.


K.B.

[9Dave]

Originally Posted by Fasttrak

I am pretty happy with the memory and what it cost, the quality of the PCB and the fact I really need nothing else at this point.

Thanks for that info.

Sounds like this is doable. I may have to try it out later this spring.

[KevinC]

Now I would be the first to admit I'm as cynical as the next biker but I've been with my 276C since 2004 and, wonderful though I'm sure the Montana is, I'm not ready to replace it yet so the prospect of a big memory boost was too good to let pass by. Plus, with karmic timing, I got an income tax refund which would amply cover the cost!

Contacted our friend garminych at the end of February via PM and he (I'm presuming he's a he!) said they'd have stocks in after 8th March. Put my order in via Paypal on the 15th and got both PM and email confirmation of dispatch on the 16th, including tracking info albeit in Russian (Google translate is your friend). They reckoned 20 to 35 working days but it arrived yesterday after a mere 10 working days.

So what do you get? Well an A5 padded envelope gives up a this



and as Fasttrack has said, the quality of the soldering looks pretty good.



My original 128MB card from the automotive kit would be the one to give up it's innards in the cause



and a bit of work with a small philips screw and two clips and it was out with the old (on the left) and in with the new.



Incidentally, the new memory chip is a Samsung and the board will only go into the case one way thanks to the small hole on the bottom right for those interested/concerned.

Now onto the 'how much can I fit in' stage.

This, for those of a nervous disposition, is Europe and the bit in red is how much of it I can fit onto a 512MB card which amounts to Great Britain, Belgium and most of France,



this comes to 139 map segments and 511.7MB.



Trouble is, even with my relatively old maps (City Navigator Europe V9) I still can't fit all of Europe in as it comes to 2.16MB so, with apologies to Finland, the Baltic States, Romania, Bugaria and Greece, I got down to this,



551 map segments and 1.97GB.



At this point it was a case of make yourself comfy as it takes time for all the indexing, building and sending but 2 hours 15 mins later success! Obviously I can't check every last bit in detail to see it all arrived safely but here's a little sample from the Swiss Italian border.



I'm not sure what else I can add, I've not bounced it around on the bike yet but other than that it does what it says on the tin and I am a very satisfied customer.

[Steve W]

I think I'll have to see how their delivery to Canada is. It would definitely give new life to my 376c. Thanks to those who have gone before!!!

[Gustavo.Ramos]

Originally Posted by KevinC

How do you get that image? it seems to be a screenshot albeit i can only see it in the gps unit.

cheers,