x400r Posted December 14, 2004 I am a gps virgin. I am looking at the Garmin Legend. 1)The question I have is can I record say a 100 mile dual-sport loop, save it and down load it to print out later? 2) 8 mb? how big is that? How many maps can I store? How many trips/trail loops can I store? for lack of a better term. Thanks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lstepnio Posted December 14, 2004 You can easily save a 100 mile dual sport loop and save it, it's called a track. You can use free software such as USA Photo Maps (there are a few others) to read the "track" from the GPS and plot the "track" on arial maps and/or topological maps available from Microsofts Teraserver. The tracks on the GPS are very usefull for tracking back to your truck, trail head etc while you're on your adventure. The 8mb should store all the map data you need for your state. The unit is a basic unit, nothing fancy but IMO a very good value. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Norm_Matzen Posted December 14, 2004 X400r, Yup! You can punch in locations as you go. You can load in and print out to a computer, but I think you need mapsource to do it. I bought the TOPO mapsource software and the mapsource pgm is what communicates with your legend. 😢 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Norm_Matzen Posted December 14, 2004 X400r, I forgot, 8mb is enough to load in a bunch of map data. I don't think you will be able to off-road ride beyond the memorie's capability! I have not tried loading in as much as it will hold, but it has accepted all that I have ever asked. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lstepnio Posted December 14, 2004 I only have freely available software and the only thing I can't do without purchasing commerical software is loading additional maps onto the unit. There is plenty of pages detailing free software you can use with your Garmin. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
x400r Posted December 14, 2004 where do i get the free software? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lstepnio Posted December 14, 2004 where do i get the free software? I would start with this wonderful page for all of your GPS related questions: http://gpsinformation.net/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roadcam Posted December 15, 2004 I bought a Legend a couple of weeks ago, still getting used to it ... I think it will fit my needs just fine ... when I made my first attempt to download Roads and Recreation maps to it, i got a scary-looking "you are about to erase all your stored information, do you want to continue? " ... scared me out of there, so I wrote Garmin about it.... they responded that the only thing to be deleted from th Legend was the marine/waterway data that was included from the factory, that you CANNOT erase the original Roadmap info... I went ahead and downloaded my maps, and sure enough, everything works just fine ... thought I'd pre-warn you about that popup message ... and 8MB let me load a very large area of Northern CA and western NV in one chunk ... I was impressed .. WALMART also stocks a GARMIN instructional E-Trex Legend VHS tape for $9.95 that I found very helpful ... Merry Christmas !! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
drzmike1 Posted December 15, 2004 Yeah, Roads & Rec is nice in that it doesn't use much memory. Some of the map data is pretty outdated and of course it doesn't support autorouting (if your unit does that). R&R is no longer available new, but there are copies floating around. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roadcam Posted December 15, 2004 in case anyone is looking for a copy of Roads and Recreation, I just found copies at www.BuyHardwareSupplies.com ... they cost $121.83 plus shipping ... the one I got was the newest verison, 3.03, ... dont know how many copies he has ... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PBDBLUE Posted December 15, 2004 There are about 5 different auctions on Ebay currently for Roads & Recreation. Bidding ranges from $12.00 - $45.00 but not sure what the winning price will be but it's probably worth a look. Do a search for "garmin roads and recreation". Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KS Posted December 15, 2004 I would agree...........I got my R&R disk off Ebay for $40. Don't be concerned about unlock codes. R&R does not need one. KS Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
x400r Posted December 15, 2004 Thanks for all the input. It really helps. I think the legend will serve me well for now. Then I'll up grade. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lstepnio Posted December 15, 2004 There are about 5 different auctions on Ebay currently for Roads & Recreation. Bidding ranges from $12.00 - $45.00 but not sure what the winning price will be but it's probably worth a look. Do a search for "garmin roads and recreation". Thanks for the great tip with looking on ebay.com. I just scored a copy for $22.50! 😢 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DieselsRcool Posted December 15, 2004 You can legally burn a backup copy of the R&R CD. But if you decide to sell the origional on Ebay again to recoup your money be sure to destroy the exact copy(s). You wouldn't be able to sleep at night knowing you are a software pirate for stealing obsolete and unsupported software. 😢 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dirtr1der Posted December 16, 2004 Got the etrex legend. Yep to all the above. As far as the downloadable maps, it depends on the program you are using. Mapsource US Roads and Recreation (which is now discontinued) has map sets that have more off-road/two tracks but the city data is not as detailed as the Metro Guide USA. I can download the whole state of Michigan to my etrex using US Roads and Recreation and still have room in the memory for tracks and waypoints. There is more detail in both programs than you will ever use. The Metro Guide maps have great city and highway detail including restaurants/shops/attractions at each exit along a route. It also auto-routes for you if you are planning a trip. You can click on one location (waypoint) and click on any other one in the nation, and it will auto calculate a route for you just like mapquest. I have punished my Legend over the past 12 months and I still use it every day in the car. Its a good unit and its pretty easy to use. I never used a GPS before I bought it and now I am teaching my friends how to use it. Good luck. 😢 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BadlandZ Posted December 22, 2004 does the eTrex legend use a standard USB cable, or a Garmin specific cable? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
targetdrone Posted December 22, 2004 does the eTrex legend use a standard USB cable, or a Garmin specific cable? The Legend comes with the Garmin cable that fits all of the Etrex models. You will need a serial port, or a USB to serial port adapter. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BadlandZ Posted December 22, 2004 The Legend comes with the Garmin cable that fits all of the Etrex models. You will need a serial port, or a USB to serial port adapter. &$*(! I just got an eTrex Legend for a good price on ebay, under $100 without a USB cable. But, the guy said it uses a "standard" USB cable. If I have to spend $20-30 on a cable, it's not such a great deal.... 😢 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Frostbite Posted December 22, 2004 &$*(! I just got an eTrex Legend for a good price on ebay, under $100 without a USB cable. But, the guy said it uses a "standard" USB cable. If I have to spend $20-30 on a cable, it's not such a great deal.... 😢 Are you getting the PC serial cord with the unit as part of the Ebay deal? If so you should only need a standard serial to USB adapter cord, unless you have a serial port on your computer of course. Then you don't need a USB adapter at all, just plug it into the serial port directly. If you're not getting a cord with it then you need the specific cord for the Etrex line as it has a special end on it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
