City Navigator® North America NT - Lower 49 States - Format?
 

Just bought a new Garmin Edge 705 and want to get the detailed maps package. Garmin's own site sells this for what appears to be the best price ($59). But the question is...what format? Get the CD ROM, data card, or download?

If I got the CD how do I get that to my 705? Can you load it into the 705 without a datacard? Can you use a fire wire or UBS to port it in? Do the maps stay on the data card or is there internal memory on the 705 that can store this?

Yeah...lots of questions...many probably not really good ones but I am a bit lost here. Thanks in advance.

Ifyou buy it on the data card you just plug it in, if you buy it on dvd/download you install mapsource on your computer and select and send different maps to the garmin via USB. With it on the computer too you can do planning and look around as well and the only extra thing you need is a blank memory card to put in the garmin. I can't see much point in buying the preloaded card from garmin, I'd much rather have it on the computer too.

I believe the "Lower 49" option is for the download version only. To have the choice between download, microSD and DVD, you'd purchase the North America NT...which Garmin has for $99 -- not $59.

Anyhow, the download vesion is restricted to one device only; this is also the case for the DVD version. With the DVD, you can create and manage routes/waypoints/etc as well as save on multiple SD cards if you wish (for spares or for dedicated purposes), but I don't know if that's the same for the downloaded version. You can also purchase the periodic updates. The microSD version can be moved with multiple devices, but it doesn't allow the same map management features, and you cannot buy updates for it. But, if I'm correct, you don't have the option of DVD or microSD with the Lower 49 version.

So would this work?
 

Price is really reduced.

Yes, it will work, providing you don't mind that the maps cannot be moved to another device, and you will need to purchase a minimum of one microSD card, which can be purchased very reasonably through amazon as well.

Yes having the cd for doing routes is nice but if you buy the cd you are required to get an unlock code for the software which is only good for 1 garmin device.. If you buy a gps or another device down the line it is not transferable.. when you have the microsd card it works is any device that supports microsd cards..

I have both the MicroSD card and the CD. If I had to only get one, it would be the CD because creating Routes or Waypoints on the GPS is a pain. It's WAAAAAY easier to create routes on your PC since the processor on the GPS is much slower. You can save routes on your PC that would otherwise have to be deleted on you GPS. A very important feature. The maps can be uploaded from the CD to your GPS but all of them will probably not fit or it will limit the number or routes you can create.

The MicroSD card has some advantages too. In case your route gets you lost, the GPS can auto-Route you to the location. The SD card also frees up your GPS memory for Routes and Waypoints. If there's a way you can use Google Maps or Microsoft Streets and trips to create and upload routes, (replacing the need for Garmin software) then go this route and get the SD card.