laptop software for use with Garmin Nuvi?

I used a Garmin program called nRoute with my old Garmin GPS-V. Now I
have a Nuvi 850.... is there any comparable software that will work
with the USB connection on the Nuvi? Is the USB connection even able
to transfer GPS data to the computer?

Opinions seem to vary whether Garmin is still supporting nRoute -
apparently still downloadable from:

http://www8.garmin.com/software/nRoute_276.exe

I think you'll need the Mapsource program loaded before it runs.

Yes, the USB connection works with the nuvis for transfering data to
and from Mapsource

No doubt somebody with greater knowledge will be along shortly

colinh wrote:

If you don't have a MapSource install with some mapping installed when
you run nRoute you would not have any mapping. As far as I know, there
are no provisions for using nRoute with any mapping other than that
which is installed under MapSource.

I have several MapSource mapping products installed under MapSource, a
non-Garmin topo mapping package that installs itself under MapSource,
and nRoute sees and will use any one of them.

One quirk for using nRoute is that if you want to open *.gdb files for
the routes and waypoints, the *.gdb files have to be saved in the V2 gdb
format as nRoute will not use the default V3 *.gdb files.

If I remember right, nRoute will download tracks and routes from an
attached Garmin GPS receiver as long as that is a capability of the
receiver.

How good is nRoute? I consider it to be worth using in consideration of
what it costs. If you have nothing better available it is certainly
better than having nothing.

You do have to have Garmin proprietary protocol NMEA input for nRoute,
it will not read a standard NMEA input from a non-Garmin receiver.
The Franson GPSgate utility that will convert NMEA data streams to and
from the Garmin protocol can be used to satisfy nRoute's demands for a
Garmin input.

Jack

On Tue, 08 Dec 2009 10:59:08 -0600, Charlie Hoffpauir


No, the nuvi won't provide live position data via USB or otherwise.

But having the nuvi connected by USB to your computer will allow you
to move all sorts of other data back & forth, of course. Lots of ways
to do that.

wrote:


Thanks to all for the info and suggestions.

As clarification, I do have Mapsource and nRoute, and yes, I did want
to use the Nuvi to provide live position data to a laptop running
MApsource/nRoute, however since it won't do that, I'll just continue
to use it "standalone" and keep the old GPS-V to use as a GPS receiver
for the Mapsource/NRoute combo.