Garmin DO NOT BUY IT before you read this!!!

Complaint over policy of non allowed duplication of PreProgrammed DataCards for personal use in a second Garmin GPS unit.

My complaint is based on the restriction of dublicating PreProgrammed DataCards beeing so deep imbedded in Garmin and their autorized dealers sales/ordering websites that this is only explained in the third or later web-ordering/info layer.

Instead of clear information about any restriction for a specific product the contrary is being illustrated in the websales and information examples given below which includes phrases such as:

" you are free to go! Conveniently ready determine which format works best."

I believe Garmin more activly, should announce any restrictions of a product up front.

I suggest that Garmin - for the price of the appropriate blank data card, plus a fee for transfering the mapprogram in question to the cardmedia - establishes this service with the same restrictions that applies to the CDmedia.

Such a move by Garmin would set consumers of both product even.

Hans

Meindert

I think my GPSMAP188C and my GPSMAP188 and the map I have, is just great and would certainly buy the stuff again, this time though a bit more informed. Itīs all about information isīnt it.

At my place CPH the card is ~480$ and the CD ~640$(including a card and USB reader) I would pay the 160$ and some for the card. Maybee Garmin could lock the second card to a specific GPSMAP serialnumber and then I should pay a fee, say 20$, so in all about 200$ for the transaction, still saving me 280$.

Anyway it īs my own dumb fault resulting in a not so dumb suggestion(I think). If Iīm the only guy caught, its not even worth it. Just info and an idea - no bitching. Thanks for the feedback

"tvnav.com" <GPS@tvnav.com> skrev i en meddelelse

You, beeing a Garmin seller, surely knows about consumer needs, and how important it is to have them satisfied in the long run. And that is the reason I hope to convince Garmin that they could improve on their costomer service profile in this aspect.

The way to do this in this case, vould be to let a costomer send in his pre-programmed card to Garminīs designated distributor and let this distributor do a single copy on a card. The blank card, the postage and a fee for programing the card of course beeing paid for by the costomer.

Assuming there is a recgonized need AND will, for such a program, some distributorīs may make a buck or two- and the costomer is happy!. A true win-win setup.

Now a sceptic could say:" this has never been done" OR he might even say:" Itīs not fair". But those are really only arguments for the lazy. What happened to TRYING?.

If this proposed solution to the problem of copyprotecting is NOT feasibly technical possible, I shall bow down and forever keep silent and spend my dollars as Iīm supposed to do. Until a wiser points the way. Regards

Hans A semi-happy Garmin costomer

"tvnav.com" <GPS@tvnav.com> skrev i en meddelelse

As you write the copy will only work on a specific designated machine(GPS).

I might be dumb, but even I can understand if someone ask me if I want this or that product, explaining the difference between the two. My complaint stems from not having been able to deduct a difference in the mapprogram by way of the media the maps were on, by myself from the web or GUESS it, when I bought the GPSMAP at a marineEXPO, since neither you or the salesperson there told me, then. Please re-read the post again with a friendlier eye.

Not out to scorn Garmin, I think they have a fine product, but I just dont get it do I. Will taking a copy froma CD be managable for Garmin and not harm them, but doing a copy from a card be uncontrolable and swamp us with lawbreakers? Still doīnt get it.

Hans

"tvnav.com" <GPS@tvnav.com> skrev i en meddelelse

Now, had I bought the mapsoftware on CD, I would have been able to do a transfer to a blank card AND a legal copy to a second blank card (at least that what I believe is correct)

Of course, when I shift steering station I could unplug the card and insert it into the other GPS.

I just would like Garmin to change policy and allow a copy from a PreProgrammed DataCard, as they presently do from a CD.

As I write; this restriction is solely on the PreProgrammed DataCards, it is not obvious to a buyer at the time he/she orders.(wasīnt for me anyway, but you could argue Iīm the only one so dumb)

Youīr right that a Garmincard can be used at all compatible GPSīs, so I did not express myself clear, sorry.

My aim remains though.

Hans

"tvnav.com" <GPS@tvnav.com> skrev i en meddelelse