Customer Reviews

Garmin Roads and Recreation 2000 U.S.A. CD-ROM (Windows)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I purchased this product to plot and provide turn-by-turn directions for trips and to load maps to my Legend. This product does not provide turn-by-turn directions. When I called the Garmin software help line, the suggestion was made to purchase the Metroguide USA product since it had all functions of R&R and more. Seems the R&R was the first software product offered and is for low memory units (1mb). This is an obsolete product and since I opened the package--it cannot be returned. If you have a newer GPS unit with more than a mb of memory, don't bother with this software. It is not designed for your unit. Don't look for this info in the manual--it's not there. Call the help line and you may find your money was wasted.

Roads and Recreation works well with a mapping Garmin GPS, but has not been updated in a long time. The current and original version 3.00 is missing some major highways built since 1999 and some since 1998. If you don't mind occasionally driving across empty countryside (on your mapping GPS), then this product is pretty good. For roads before 1999, major and minor, it works well as a download into a mapping Garmin GPS. For PC-only use it does not compare with other products such as those from Delorme (Street Atlas)or Microsoft. Garmin should be honest about its MapSource products and tell the user when they were last updated. This is especially true for its basic marine software, Waterways and Lights. Software sells fancy GPS units. In the case of Garmin, adequate best describes the software. It's right up there with a 3-year old telephone directory. Most everyone is listed, except...

This CDROM has many streets, but is a little out of date. I live in Las Vegas, and we build streets here faster than most maps can keep up. But I know there is an electronic map source company right here in town, that keeps all the map makers up to date overnight. (TV news showed them and how they work.)

Therefore, I'd expect Garmin to get with the program and update more often. They have an update source for aviation data just about monthly, (I know.. I keep the current Jeppesen data base in my Garmin 295 color GPS for my airplane.) They could just as easily update this software with something you download to provide just the changes since the CDROM was issued.

Most important: To upload any of the maps from this CD ROM, you need a RAM cartridge for your GPS unit! Nothing told me this, not even the software documentation nor the GPS manual. There is only very limited memory built in the GPS units.

This CD ROM has the ability to transfer major sections of the country (it would take about 8 sections, as I recall just to get California), and you can select how much you want to transfer. I'd get at least a 64MB RAM cartridge. The new 128MB RAM would be better, but at $250 (discount) to $350 (Garmin retail), its expensive!

Captain Dan
Las Vegas

I have a Legend and wanted additional map details for my unit - so I purchased this software. Well, I got all the map details but no functionality. The documentation is bad and so is the online help. Worst of all you can not even look up a street address - even with a paper map I can look up the general area of a street. What's up with that? I would not recommend this product at all buy the Metroguide.

This is a pretty good product: adequate detail on almost any road you'll be on in the USA; it's easy to select maps to download to your unit; it transfers the maps quickly with my rather ancient computer; overall simple to use.

First negative: manual is not concise, in addition to overlooking minor details like every time you download new maps it erases whatever you've previously downloaded. Not necessarily a bad program, but it would be nice if they told you about it instead of making you learn by trial and error.

Second negative: not very current info. I think a lot of this map is at least a couple of years old.

Still and all, I'd buy it again: the pros far outweigh the cons.

This really is a step up on the standard map that comes loaded in the eTrex Vista, and when driving around with the GPSr attached, I never have to ask for directions. However, in a large growing area like where I live, there are always new subdivisions popping up, and this can't keep up with them. The software is over 3 years old, and while it makes inter-city travel a breeze, and familiarizes you with new places, you'll always still need a map close by for reference, especially if you drive any amount for a living.

I think Amazon should check there suppliers a little beter. The company that was suppose to send the product is out of business or something. Never got the Item nor a e-mail. All I got was charged for the item. Thats it just charged. Now I have to fight to reverse the charge.

I purchased this software for my husband who likes to know where he's at and where he's headed. We travel frequently and he hikes every weekend. He uses his Garmin III plus for trails, travel and curiosity. He's not satisfied to see what is just around him-- now he knows his direction in terms of compass points and geographical slant. It's a must if you like to fulfill curiosity or if you have a reason to know.