nüvi 30/40/40LM/50/50LM

[quisp65]

I keep going back and forth between the TomTom XL 350 ($109) with free map update vs the Garmin Nuvi 40 ($119) where I would have to obtain free maps from doing things listed here. I need Mexico so I would have to obtain my own maps since the Nuvi 40 doesn't include that. I prefer the Garmin because it's lighter and the screen is less cluttered and a few other things. My level of adeptness at doing things like this should cause me no problem because I have 20+ year of going down this route.

My question is if obtaining these free maps can be done with less than hour of "hacking" time without frequent issues popping up down the road I would prefer the Garmin. If sometimes it take longer than that to get things working and sometimes issues pop up that make you have to go back and do things again then I would prefer the TomTom. It's next to impossible from just reading messages for me to determine this since I have never owned a GPS. Any help? TY in advance.

[matt77303]

The garmins are easier to download the maps onto. Just download the unlocked image from here and copy it to your device or SD card.

Matt

[quisp65]

Ended up getting a Nuvi 50 which is a Nuvi 40 with a 5 inch screen. Actually this thread should be Nuvi 30/40/50. The GPS is completely identical except for the screen sizes of standard, wide, & 5 inch. The Garmin website does confirm they are identical except for screen size. Was motivated to get a GPS after being in Greece for 2 weeks with one driving. I had a TomTom IQ there which is TomToms entry level model in Europe. The Nuvi 30/40/50 is Garmins new entry level model. I prefer the Garmin and especially like the unit shutting down on it's own when the car is turned off and turning on when the car starts. The TT didn't do that. Also I can confirm the screen is easier to see during the day and less cluttered. There is a few more options in the TomTom but none of them I needed and none I can really remember well due to my oldtimers :-D. Oh I remember. The TT had the more options to pick what you had on the screen, and how the TT navigated.
I downloaded the N. America unlocked map and put it on a 4mb microSD card and it worked fine. The internal space wasn't big enough to put the N. American map on it without deleting a bunch of stuff I didn't want to delete. The unit came with only 1 voice that announced streets but I downloaded other english ones with WebUpdater and it had other english ones that sounded less annoying.

[tp2168]

I use both TomTom One XL and Garmin nuvi 1300 in Mexico.
Garmin GPS is easier to update maps then TomTom.
Garmin maps have more road and city details.

[skoladaisy]

Hi, Sorry for not following the topic exactly but I am thinking of getting a nuvi 50 but I am not sure if it has a pedestrian mode and if city xplorer maps are supported. I need some navigation while in London and hope this could be of some help.
Thanks everyone

[skoladaisy]

Hi, Sorry for not following the topic exactly but I am thinking of getting a nuvi 50 but I am not sure if it has a pedestrian mode and if city xplorer maps are supported. I need some navigation while in London and hope this could be of some help.
Thanks everyone

[atridhr]

Hi all,
i just got a nüvi 40 model, and i think its pretty good.
Although, i noticed that POIs cannot be displayed live on map, but only listed trough interface.

Is it possible to update software/framework to for example guidance 2.0 or 3.0 since they support it?

Any solution or suggestion would be appreciated.

[bela008]

Please HELP ME...
hi
i bought nuvi 50, without any additional map. Unlock city navigator eu 2012.30 , adriaroute 3.30 and scg 2.5.... i uploaded (3 maps on sd card + 1 bought with on device unchecked) to my old nuvi 1200 works great. But in nuvi 50 it says that the maps are locked and i cannot see them. When i put adriaroute and scg on sd card without city navigator they are there and working! Please help because i don't know where is the problem?

doing this for years on nuvi 255, and nuvi 1200 and never a problem

[Tiger]

Please HELP ME...
hi
i bought nuvi 50, without any additional map. Unlock city navigator eu 2012.30 , adriaroute 3.30 and scg 2.5.... i uploaded (3 maps on sd card + 1 bought with on device unchecked) to my old nuvi 1200 works great. But in nuvi 50 it says that the maps are locked and i cannot see them. When i put adriaroute and scg on sd card without city navigator they are there and working! Your description seems to indicate that the City Nav eu is locked Please help because i don't know where is the problem?

doing this for years on nuvi 255, and nuvi 1200 and never a problem

Seems to indicate that City Nav Eu is the culpret and not properly/filly unlocked. Try this...

- Copy the CN UE 2012 img back to PC and save a copy as a backup

- Run the "Fast IMG unlocker" tool on the PC copy of the IMG (it should modify the IMG and remove any protections that might still be there)

- Copy the modified IMG with City Nav back to the SD card and try it again in your 50

[bela008]

Seems to indicate that City Nav Eu is the culpret and not properly/filly unlocked. Try this...

- Copy the CN UE 2012 img back to PC and save a copy as a backup

- Run the "Fast IMG unlocker" tool on the PC copy of the IMG (it should modify the IMG and remove any protections that might still be there)

- Copy the modified IMG with City Nav back to the SD card and try it again in your 50

ok, thank you. i will try. Why is this happening? i did many time the same thing, unlock wit unlocker 1.5 put the code in unlock regions ... and every time it worked. All 3 maps working in nuvi 1200 same procedure.
Is it maybe because the nuvi 50 has only based map (no detail one) and the nuvi 1200 has CN2011 already inside?