Customer Reviews

Magellan MapSend CD for Meridian and MAP330 Series GPS Handhelds

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

I bought this software to help with both trail and street navigation with my Meridian GPS. After driving around with the unit once, I thought there was a problem with my GPS. It consistently showed me driving 500-1000ft off the current road I was actually on. I tried to contact technical support to see about a repair, but they won't answer e-mails or phone calls. I finally found a news posting that said the maps were just inaccurate. So I put it to the test. I drove down a major highway (I-95 in New York/Connecticut) with full view of the sky (WAAS mode) and let the GPS keep my track. When I got back, the track on the GPS screen was 500ft off the highway (I was in the water at one point). I downloaded the track to MapSend, and it showed the same thing. I was never even close to the highway or any other street I was on. Then I took the waypoints from the track and plotted them in Microsoft Mappoint. All the points were right on the roads I travelled. I found out the reason. The MapSend maps are based on outdated and inaccurate TIGER line files (US Census data, available for free). Other software is based of other vendors (NavTech and others), that is much more accurate and the vendor has to pay royalties. Mappoint uses NavTech data, and so does some of the Garmin products. MapSend uses the TIGER data to keep the cost down, and passes on the value to you. In short, MapSend is completely worthless. The POIs are outdated by many years, you never know what street you're on, and tech support is unreachable.

I bought a Magellan Meridian Color recently, its basemap is fairly accurate but only have major freeways and roadways. So I check on their website and bought the MapSend Streets and Destinations for USA, along with SD memory.
After load up the SF BayArea region, I found streets and POI are off by a few hundred feet in most area, so it's totally useless and defeat the purpose to have detail map. I wrote an email to Magellan technical support, and here is the reply:
"Hi!

We are currently evaluating different mapping data sources for near future updates. Our current plan is to provide map database updates over the course of next year. We are also working on a program that will allow current owners to obtain the update at a reduced cost.

Thank You."

If the map inaccuracies are up to a few hundred feet is a known problem, they should provide any of the following:

1. refund the buyers who find it's useless
2. publish the data, so people know there is such a problem

3. provide a free upgrade to the accurate map

I felt like being cheated by a well known vendor with such poor quality software. Shame on the MapSend S&D USA software product!

If you're looking for street level point-to-point navigation, look elsewhere. Not quite useless, but nearly so. Locations on uploaded regions are up to two-tenths of a mile off kilter. The best it will do is get you to the general area so you can then use the map image like a paper road map. It will not get you door-to-door. If you're in moutain back country, could be life-and-death serious!
The folks at Thales (pronounced "tallus")/Magellan say they are well aware of the inaccuracy and are trying to find a more reliable data supplier. I'd wait!

I bought the Mapsend Streets Gold CD ROM and Mapsend Street (Europe) for my new SporTrack Pro GPS. Loading the software to my PC was flawless. Loading the data from my PC to the GPS unit was also flawless. The disappointing part was the outdated maps. What's the use of having state of the art hardware (SporTrack Pro) if the software if obsolete (Magellan Mapsend). I find myself driving off the road and on nonexistent roads when I look at my GPS and most of these streets are at least 4 years old. I downloaded the map for Venice and guess what, only one canal is on the map and not all street are shown. When I emailed Magellan for assistance I received their email thanking me for contacting them but that was it. I never heard anything else out of Magellan. If you're in the market for an excellent GPS unit with obsolete software, buy Magellan.

I have been interested in GPS units for several years, and have owned three handhelds so far. The Magellan Meridian Platinum is by far and away the best handheld made, to date. It's user interface and accuracy are top-notch, along with a suite of useful features (temp, barometer, etc...). However, while Magellan succeeded with the unit itself, the mapsend software itself is the most outdated and difficult program i have ever used. I have been using computers for as long as i can remember, and have tackled some pretty difficult software, but this takes the cake. I cannot imagine a less user friendly software. I spent about 3 hours trying to input the information from my PC to the GPS, but to no avail. I gave up and sent the software back. Please, please do not waste your time or money on this product. By all means, if you are looking for a GPS, go with the Magellan, but unless you feel like punishing yourself, do not consider the software a selling point.

I too bought the MapSend Streets for help in traveling. The item is hoplessly out of date. Streets that have been here for 7 years or more are not listed on the disk. I would hope they would provide an update but so far have not seen one. Other than being out of date, it does work fine, easy to use, but how dependable is it if it is that out of date?

I recently purchased a Sport Trak Pro and thought that I would use it to plan camping and hunting trips around the country. I found right away that the maps included were seriously lacking in detail so purchased the mapsend software. What a waste of money. I found that the data is outdated and in some cases just wrong. I was driving down a street that I use often and found that I was 500 feet to the side. In some cases that streets are not even listed even though they have been in place for years. I hope that Magellan is expecting to update the software to be more accurate and complete very soon or this device is less than useful.

My daughter bought a Magellan GPSr. The hardware's features were great! Since I own a Garmin V, I thought she might have out-skunked the old man. That was right up until we tried to find map software for this GPS. (The base map is ok if you like traveling interstate routes without street detail for cities.) So, what good is a GPS without map software? Generally USELESS! We bought MAPSEND Streets & Destinations USA. Thank the lord I only spend $39.00 on it. Good for the seller, bad for me. I should have recognize the clues when there was NOT a "Streets & Destinations USA" version for sale on the Magellan home page. (hint, hint, hint)
I HAVE VERSION V4.00F. THE MAPS ARE SO OUT OF DATE THEY CAN ONLY BE USED FOR BASIC STREET NAVIGATION. MANY POIs DON'T EXIST ANYMORE AND IN SOME CASES THE ACCURACY IS SO BAD STREET CROSSROADS ARE OFF BY HUNDREDS OF FEET.
Do not waste your money on Magellan products unless they get their mapping software FIXED and stop ripping off their customers.

Magicman

This is the worst purchase I have ever made. I loaded the software into my Magellan for 4 areas for a recent trip, Hawaii (my home), Texas, Miami and San Juan. We drove all over during the trip & hiked various places. The maps are not just a 'little' off (50-100 feet I might have lived with), they are WAY WAY off in many areas. Miami down to Key west we were in the water the whole time, in Hawaii it is completely useless for any road, even the MAJOR Freeways.

Everybody laughs when I show them the tracking, I've calibrated many times and gone to known points of reference. The freaking basemap is more accurate!!

Save your money and look for something else. I will definitely think twice about any map software from Magellan, I was expecting it to be off some due to the underlying cheaper database, but it is completely useless in the 4 major areas I tested it (Virginia too). Just my experience.

I find this software very difficult to use. Entering routes is not user friendly. Help section does not help much either. Sorry I purchased it.