Garmin Help requested

[trigrem]

After many years using TomTom I now have a Garmin2595LM.

I never had any trouble loading POI's to my Tom Tom but am having problems loading them to Garmin.

I have Garmin POI Loader on my computer and have tried following the instructions.

I can load some POI's which I converted to CSV from the TOM TOM format but cannot see the bmp images I copied into the same folder.

I tried downloading the instructions supplied by Way2Go in PDF format but the link no longer works.

Any help would be appreciated before in frustration I put the unit on e-bay and go back to Tom Tom.

Trouble is I have used tom tom since Navigator 1 and cannot get a start on the different mindset required.

Doug

[drako]

Sorry, this is not going to be much help but I had exactly the same problem with the same Garmin unit which I ended up selling back on ebay to get a Tom Tom start 25 instead.

 

Having used both, the Tom Tom menus are much easier and more user friendly so no regrets, I also managed to load 12,000 european aires and 30,000 campsites POI's with no trouble.

 

Garmin, on the face of it, appears better value for money especially if you buy the lifetime update models but for use with POI's and for day to day use in a MH TomTom wins any day.

 

I hope you find the answer you are looking for...

Cheers

 

 

[lennyhb]

I thought I had the same problem I then found out the icons only show up at high zoom levels. Try setting a route to one of the POI's using the "browse Map" method when you find the area if you zoom in you should see you icon.

[JohnP]

The POI .csv or .gpx file and the .bmp file have to have the same name, only the extention is different.

eg.

POI file may be called cinemas.cvs or cinemas.gpx and the .bmp file called cinemas.bmp.

 

The POI file together with the .bmp file have to be placed in a folder which we will call cinemas.

 

When you use the POI loader it will only see the folder called cinemas you will not see the names of the files which are inside it.

Clear all of the old poi files you have loaded from the Garmin following the instructions on POI loader to do this.

Then using the POI loader load the folder as a trial. Disconnect the Garmin from the computer and then turn the Garmin back on.

Select where to, Select Extras, Select Custom POI and you should see your POI listed under cinemas, you then scroll down and select which cinema you want to go to. Your POI files may be called anything which identifies them. I only used cinemas as an example.

 

Use any POI file which you have, but the .cvs or .gpx and .bmp files must have the same name. If you wish I will send you a file by email which I know works.

 

Hope this helps

[JohnP]

One thing to add to the above.

 

All poi folders must be placed in to one main folder for the purpose of uploading to harming unit. Eg

 

MY POI folder 25092012 (main folder title perhaps)

 

This main folder includes all of your different poi sub folders named with titles of your choice

Say cinemas, cc sites, nt properties, LPG stations?

 

Into each of these sub folders are the individual .csv or gpx and the .bmp files.

 

The poi loader will see the main folder and load all sub folders and their contents to garmin unit. They will be listed on your garmin under subfolder name. So you will be able to locate any poi.

 

You have to load all poi subfolders in one go. You cannot load them individually, hence the main folder to contain all poi folders

[Guest ChrisB]

Doug

About 9 months ago I also changed from TomTom to Garmin (an offer I couldn't resist with free lifetime maps and traffic updates).

For the next 6 months I struggled with the completely different mode of management, particularly with POIs.

Achieved what I needed to do in the end, but things still seem to have been a lot simpler with TomTom, particularly the ability to add/remove POIs without the need for software (just a copy/pasted to the appropriate TomTom folder).

I find that Garmin's estimates of journey time are fictitious. You can add up to 50% as they seem to assume you can drive at the road speed limits on motorways and towns (no allowance for congestion or traffic lights etc?). At least with TomTom you could set a maximum speed and get a pretty good estimate).

 

Aslo have a map handy (adviseable for any satnav) as Garmin likes to cut corners to save a couple of yards and send you down the narrowest of roads even for a car.

 

I think on balance I prefer TomTom, but can't afford to revert back - yet.

[trigrem]

Chris b

I am coming to the same conclusion, but having spent money I am reluctant to give up yet.

I have had excellent help from JohnP, but am still struggling to load my own POI's. I also had help from someone who told me how to load POI' without using POI Loader, but the post seems to have been deleted for some reason.

I did try writing my own itinerary for my last trip with limited success but ran into problems when taking a forced diversion which took me past my last waypoint, Garmin tried to keep taking me back to that point despite me being many miles past it.

Tom Tom has the same problem but at least you can bring up the menu and Use "Mark as visited" in order to cancel that waypoint. I have not yet found that feature on my Garmin.

I'll struggle for another couple of weeks then if no better will get my Daughter to put it on e-Bay .

Doug

[Guest ChrisB]

A few links I found useful (I suspect you may hae found most - but just in case):

 

http://www8.garmin.com/products/poiloader/creating_custom_poi_files.jsp

http://www.poiedit.com/

http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/modules.php?name=POIs

http://www.poihandler.com/

http://www.archiescampings.eu/eng1/

http://www8.garmin.com/products/poiloader/

http://garminpoi.co.uk/

 

Chris