Garmin

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The eTrex series are popular with OpenStreetMappers as convenient hand-held device for recording tracks and also loading OSM maps on to the device for display offline

Garmin is probably the biggest manufacturer of GPS devices around. Many of the more expensive units can also take additional maps - leading to the possibility of having OSM Map On Garmin.

This page presents the variety of Garmin devices as part of the OSM wiki GPS device reviews. The list is very long, and so every series (Colorado, Oregon, eTrex, etc.) has now its own page, where general features of this series are explained. Additionally you can find a short description and additional links to the individual models in the following table. See Category:Garmin for more Garmin-related pages.


Pre-made maps

There are many ready to use Garmin Maps based on OSM data. You can download these files and put them straight onto your device or use them with Garmin Mapsource, Garmin Basecamp or Qlandkarte GT.

See OSM Map On Garmin/Download

Connectivity

USB Mass storage

Many Garmin devices can connect to your computer as USB mass storage devices. You can then copy data, such as GPS tracelogs, to or from the computer. The tracelogs are often in .fit or .tcx formats and need to be converted to GPX. Note that some newer models use the very similar MTP mode rather than mass storage mode, and that the Wiki seems to make no differentiation between the two.

Also see: OSM_Map_On_Garmin/Mass_Storage_Mode.

Garmin Connect

Many sport-oriented Garmin devices, (such as the Forerunner series and Vivosmart series) can connect to the outside world via Garmin Connect. Garmin Connect is Garmin's online sport activity tracking service. If you upload an "activity" to Garmin connect, you can then visit connect.garmin.com and export your activity as GPX.

Garmin Connect Mobile

Bluetooth-supporting models can connect to an Android or an iPhone, allowing you to sync and upload your activities to Garmin Connect. You cannot export GPX tracks directly that way, and you'll have to download your GPX tracks from Garmin Connect as described above.

Garmin Express

If you don't want to use a smartphone, Garmin Express is a Windows or Mac program that allows your device to sync and upload "activities" to Garmin Connect. You cannot export GPX tracks directly that way, and you'll have to download your GPX tracks from Garmin Connect as described above.

Synchronization

When connecting to Garmin Connect (via Bluetooth or USB), some devices perform synchronization, which may include uploading data to Garmin Connect, downloading firmware and software updates, and downloading up to date satellite position data, allowing the GPS to lock significantly faster.

Garmin device series

Sea-Chart-Plotter

OpenSeaMap works at Garmin Ship Plotter "GPSmap"-serie (maritime fixed mounting devices).
Ship chart plotters are a closed product line by Garmin. They uses only Vektor charts.
Works also on consumer handhels, see device-list.

Features
  • 4 GB SD-card
  • for all chartplotters "Garmin GPSmap"
  • for most handhelds
Worldwide
  • Europe: North, Central, South
  • America: North-east, North-ouest, Middle and Carribean, South-east, South-ouest
  • Asia: Red Sea and Indic, Indonesia, Australia, Japain and China
  • Arctic
Download

Garmin device descriptions

eTrex series

The eTrex, eTrex Venture, eTrex Legend, eTrex Summit and eTrex Vista make up this range. Colour models have a "C" after their name, and those with an "x" can take expansion memory models - good for OSM maps and long journeys. Some of the older black & white models are capable of displaying maps, although memory is limited to 1 MB on the Venture, 8 MB on the Legend and 24 MB on the vista. Some of the higher end models have magnetic compass and altimeter, e.g., Vista, Vista C and Vista Cx and the Summits.

Since the summer of 2007, there's a new range of "high sensitivity" receivers, coded with "H".

.Typ File Support gives you the possibility to change the look of maps yourself. Newer units with color display from Garmin mostly support it. This allows for maps showing much more detail.

See also:

Model Name Can display OSM-Maps .TYP File Support Expandable Memory Good Points Bad Points Official Product Page
eTrex (Yellow) no no no eTrex (Yellow)
eTrex Legend yes no no eTrex Legend
eTrex Legend Cx yes yes yes eTrex Legend Cx
eTrex Legend HCx yes yes yes
  • High accuracy
  • Takes OSM maps
  • exchangeable batteries
  • Good battery life (16+ hours)
  • Quick satellite lock
  • Water resistant
  • Good screen
  • Black rubber band along the side does not take heat well
  • no NMEA
  • no access to waypoints or tracks from SD card
  • no one-touch "set waypoint" button (needs prolonged press on joystick, difficult when cycling)
eTrex Legend HCx
eTrex Summit yes (?) no (?) no eTrex Summit
eTrex Summit HC yes no (?) no eTrex Summit HC
eTrex Venture no no no
  • low price
  • NMEA support
  • high contrast b/w LCD display
  • long battery life
  • older 12 channel receiver
  • slow RS232 port
  • can not display any maps
eTrex Venture
eTrex Venture HC yes yes no eTrex Venture HC
eTrex Vista yes no no
  • older 12 channel receiver
  • Black rubber band along the side does not take heat well
  • slow RS232 port
  • only 24 MB memory
eTrex Vista
eTrex Vista Cx yes yes (?) yes
  • Black rubber band along the side does not take heat well
eTrex Vista Cx
eTrex Vista HC yes (?) yes (?) no eTrex Vista HC
eTrex Vista HCx yes yes yes
  • Same as Legend HCx (+has barometric altimeter, electronic compass)
  • Same as Legend HCx
eTrex Vista HCx
eTrex 10 yes[1] yes no
  • Has GLONASS support
eTrex 10
eTrex 20 yes yes (?) yes
  • Has GLONASS support
eTrex 20
eTrex 30 yes yes yes
  • Same as Vista HCx (+has GLONASS support, 2 GB built in memory)
  • Very quick satellite lock
eTrex 30
eTrex 20x yes yes (?) yes
  • Same as eTrex 20 (3.7 GB built in memory, 240 x 320 pixels display)
eTrex 20x
eTrex 30x yes yes yes
  • Same as eTrex 30 (3.7 GB built in memory, 240 x 320 pixels display)
eTrex 30x
eTrex Touch 25 yes yes eTrex Touch 25
eTrex Touch 35 yes yes
  • Same as Touch 25 with barometric altimeter and unit-to-unit transfer
  • Comes with OSM based maps preloaded
eTrex Touch 35
eTrex Touch 35t yes yes
  • Same as Touch 35 only 8 instead of 4 GB built in memory and topograpic map
eTrex Touch 35t
eTrex 22x yes yes yes
  • Same as eTrex 20x (8 GB built in memory, preloaded TopoActive map)
eTrex 22x
eTrex 32x yes yes yes
  • Same as eTrex 30x (8 GB built in memory, preloaded TopoActive map)
eTrex 32x

Nüvi series

For detailed information about devices in this series, see the Garmin/Nüvi series subpage. All of them are able to display OSM maps, but there are differences some limitations with tracking, POIs, and some other topics on particular models.

All Nüvi devices
Can display OSM maps? yes
Expandable memory yes
Summary of the different models
Model Name Can display OSM-Maps Good Points Bad Points Detailed description Further Reading
Nüvi 50 yes
  • Can store 10 000 points in internal memory, writes them out in files afterwards. Up to 20 files may be created.
  • Expandable with SD card for maps etc.
  • Writes directly to GPX files.
  • Can't customise GPX track logging settings.
Nüvi series
Nüvi 200 yes
  • Megabytes of memory available for tracks; 10 000 points fit in a MB. Models with the smallest preloaded maps have even a GB of free memory.
  • Expandable with SD card (up to 2 GB) for maps etc., but tracks are always saved in built-in memory
  • No altitude information
  • Log conversion to GPX requires a custom program by the name wnutrak
Nüvi series See Garmin Nuvi 200 Track Hack
Nüvi 205 yes
  • Big space for tracklogs (938MB standard)
  • Expandable with SD or SDHC card (probably up to 32 GB -- 8 GB is approved)
  • Rather sparse placement of trackpoints, only "on changing occurrences", not every x seconds or x meters.
  • Locks to roads on the map: not much use when mapping changing environments. It can be put in "off road" mode, but then it also does not do routing.
Nüvi series See Garmin Nuvi 200 Track Hack
Nüvi 255 yes
  • Can not route through/via multiple points.
Nüvi 2515 yes
Nüvi 300 yes
  • Expandable with SD or SDHC card (16 GB verified)
  • No tracklog
Nüvi series
Nüvi 360 yes
  • Expandable with SD card (up to 2 GB)
  • Possible to record POIs:
    • Simply add a location to your favorites.
    • Then find the file /Garmin/gpx/current.gpx (in GPX format) and use it as needed.
  • No GPS track logging feature for this device.
Nüvi series
Nüvi 370 yes
  • Expandable with SD card (up to 2 GB)
Nüvi series
Nüvi 550 yes
  • Expandable with microSD card
Garmin page
Nüvi 7x5 yes Nüvi series
Nüvi 1450 yes, as per note below for the Nüvi 2350.
  • Expandable with SD card (tested 2GB and 4GB)
Nüvi series
Nüvi 1490T yes
  • Expandable with SD or SDHC card (supports at least 8 GB - probably up to 32 GB)
  • Hidden track log feature is already in GPX format.
Nüvi series See Nüvi 1490T Track Log Hack
Nüvi 2350 yes: A /Map folder must be created on the device, into which supplementary maps named gsupmapx.img (where x is anything, including nothing) are placed.
  • Wide screen;
  • Multiple supplementary maps (put them in /Map directory);
  • Capable of loading and searching at least up to 750,000 custom POIs — as are (all?) other Nüvis;
  • Can route through/via multiple places.
  • Touch screen needs a bit of a prod (but one gets used to this).
  • Micro-B USB socket (this isn't really a bad point; it's just that these are less common);
  • Routing through/via multiple places entails searching for each place, adding it to the favourites, and then selecting the desired favourites (it's a bit long-winded).
Nüvi 2455LM yes, as per note above for the Nüvi 2350.
  • Custom POIs don't show up when browsing the map, but only when they have been found as search results.
  • Mini-B USB
Nüvi 2545LM yes, as per note above for the Nüvi 2350.
  • Hidden track log feature
  • Expandable with SD card
  • Custom POIs don't show up when browsing the map, but only when they have been found as search results.
  • Mini-B USB
Nüvi 2599LMT-D yes, as per note above for the Nüvi 2350.
  • Hidden track log feature
  • Expandable with microSD card
  • Mini-B USB

Oregon series

Detailed page for Oregon series.

Model Name Can display OSM-Maps Expandable Memory Good Points Bad Points Price Further Reading
Oregon 200 yes yes
  • In USB-storage mode compatible with all major platforms
  • A lot of build-in memory (25 MB?)
  • Expandable memory (microSD card - up to 8 GB)
  • Waterproof?
  • Profiles: Different settings for different actions, like mapping, biking, geocaching
  • No Altimeter
  • No Compass
  • Same as Oregon 300??
discontinued Official Product Page
Oregon 300 yes yes
  • In USB-storage mode compatible with all major platforms
  • Barometric Altimeter
  • Electronic Compass
  • A lot of build-in memory (850 MB)
  • Expandable memory (microSD card - up to 4 GB)
  • Well-built unit, rugged.
  • Waterproof
  • Profiles: Different settings for different actions, like mapping, biking, geocaching
  • Strange limitation (general to Garmin) in the way maps are handed: The device can only hold two maps at the time (gmapsupp.img). 2+ maps can be combined to one img-file. This was changed with the beta firmware, from the 2.99: the GPS load any img file in the garmin directory
  • For some reason there is a 10.000 point track log limit.
  • Screen OK but not as bright as e.g. Vista/Legend HCx.
discontinued Official Product Page

Test at "navigation-professionell.de" (German}

Oregon 400t yes yes
  • Same as Oregon 300
  • Got a lot of internal memory (4.0 GB, thereof 1.5 GB free)
  • Preloaded map of topographic maps (EU and US editions)
  • Same as Oregon 300
discontinued Official Product Page
Oregon 450 yes yes
  • 2nd Generation Oregon 300/400 series replacement
  • In USB-storage mode compatible with all major platforms
  • Barometric Altimeter
  • New tri-axial Electronic Compass
  • A lot of built-in memory (850 MB)
  • Expandable memory (microSD card - up to 4 GB)
  • Well-built unit, rugged.
  • Waterproof
  • Profiles: Different settings for different actions, like mapping, biking, geocaching
  • Brighter screen than previous Oregon models
  • Load multiple maps
  • For some reason there is a 10.000 point track log limit.
330 USD Official Product Page
Oregon 550 yes yes
  • Same as Oregon 450, except:
  • Tilt-compensated, 3 axis compass
  • High speed USB
  • Camera (3.2Mpix)
  • Same as Oregon 450
  • poor camera quality
400 USD Official Product Page
Oregon 550t yes yes
  • Same as Oregon 550
  • 4GB internal memory
  • Preloaded topographic map (EU and US editions)
  • Same as Oregon 550
500 USD Official Product Page

Zūmo series

The Garmin Zūmo series consists of devices used for car or motorbike navigation.

Model Name Can display OSM-Maps .TYP File Support Expandable Memory Good Points Bad Points Detailed Description Official Product Page
Zūmo 550 yes yes yes

SD-Card

  • Large track log
  • Names for track points can be entered
  • Waterproof
  • Mini USB
(Only) 4 hours of battery life

Zūmo 550

Official Product Page

eMap

Garmin eMap
Description navigator
GNSS 12 channels
augmentation: waas;egnos
Memory Internal: . External: ? no.
Connectivity rs232
Features
Emblem-question.svg addresses Emblem-question.svg points of interest
Emblem-question.svg mass storage mode Emblem-question.svg Waterproof

See also

External links

References