SatMap - wtf is going on!
Comments
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Graemetherunner - if you have time to update us with more information as you spend a little more time using the unit I know many of us would appreciate it.
Have you been intouch with Satmap about your memory card issue, and if so, how useful/speedy was their response? I'm hoping that due to their size they will be more efficient, although they could of course be over-whelmed as people buy up the units and have issues.0 -
ok will do.
the response was helpfull about the sd card.
You can't copy multiple maps to 1 card using the current cards (they all have protection)
However you will be able to do this with the downloaded versions (although not yet available)
What is available is a custom map with a central location of my choice so that would cover the essex / suffolk border.0 -
graemetherunner wrote:ok will do.
the response was helpfull about the sd card.
You can't copy multiple maps to 1 card using the current cards (they all have protection)
However you will be able to do this with the downloaded versions (although not yet available)
What is available is a custom map with a central location of my choice so that would cover the essex / suffolk border.
That's all rather alarming....I wonder how they can protect the SD version but not a downloadable one....although it is obviously wise to allow a copy of a download in case of a pc crash or whatever. So now you have the situation that the downloadable version is able to be copied and about £10 cheaper than their card version which can't. :?
When you copied two different maps on to one card would it see only one map or none?I'd rather walk than use Shimano0 -
When you copied two different maps on to one card would it see only one map or none?
No idea as you can't currently do it.I wonder how they can protect the SD version but not a downloadable one
each sd card I have appear on a pc to contain 3 files - an xml one with one line of 20+ characters another very small file called licence that has 3 or so lines & then the very large map file. I guess these 2 files are checked when satmap opens the map & if the (encrypted?) contents of these files don't match the id of the SD card (possible?) it fails.
I'm only guessing on all this.
I guess that the downloads can't have this as you wouldn't be able to use them... but I also get the impression that perhaps thats why the downloads are not yet available...?
If I was going to be selling add-ons for a new electronic product I would want them available at launch given the shelf life of electronic kit.
Anyway took it on a small test run last night & so far I'm well impressed... feels a bit like something out of the old tv series Quantum leap.0 -
for those that are interested I got mine from action outdoors
satmap0 -
graemetherunner wrote:When you copied two different maps on to one card would it see only one map or none?
No idea as you can't currently do it.I wonder how they can protect the SD version but not a downloadable one
each sd card I have appear on a pc to contain 3 files - an xml one with one line of 20+ characters another very small file called licence that has 3 or so lines & then the very large map file. I guess these 2 files are checked when satmap opens the map & if the (encrypted?) contents of these files don't match the id of the SD card (possible?) it fails.
I'm only guessing on all this.
I guess that the downloads can't have this as you wouldn't be able to use them... but I also get the impression that perhaps thats why the downloads are not yet available...?
If I was going to be selling add-ons for a new electronic product I would want them available at launch given the shelf life of electronic kit.
Anyway took it on a small test run last night & so far I'm well impressed... feels a bit like something out of the old tv series Quantum leap.
Mmm...well the OS terms and conditions say you can make one backup copy...I assumed that meant the card version as well :? I could see there may be a problem if you have several different xml and license files on one card. Have you seen if there are any hidden files on the card via Windows Explorer with tweaked View Options?
As for the lack of downloads I just think it's a clear indication of the quality of the marketing side of the operation.
The excuse for the lack of a website (beyond one page) for seven months from the end of the 'countdown' was that they wanted to launch the product and the site at the same time. The product hasn't been launched, a few units appear to have escaped the factory ....a few lucky people have got a unit but none of those are people that ordered one from Satmap....they haven't even emailed us saying it's been launched or will be very shortly. I have read elsewhere that units are now in shops but neither seller in Guildford had had them by Saturday when I happened to be cycling in the area.... map cards are few and far between, the nearest stockist to me in Plymouth is Hereford or Guildford, the picture of the £25 bikemount they supplied to sellers was the cheap strap bit rather than the substantial element of it...I wonder how many of those are currently available.......moan moan moan etc
I'd rather walk than use Shimano0 -
The shop part of the site is up...includes details of the areas covered by each of the region map cards.
http://www.satmap.com/ukstore/login.phpI'd rather walk than use Shimano0 -
Given that SD memory cards are notorious among photographersfor their high failure rate compared with other memory cards, I wouldn't like to spend large sums on buying maps on SD cards with no likelihood of backups.check out our website at www.magfos.com for stories and photos of our trips.
Ride to Live; Live to Ride0 -
When I got home last night I had a voicemail message from Satmap about my pre-order, and whether I wanted to proceed with a full order. Unfortunately I am somewhat undecided at the moment about buying one. To get the unit, bike mount and maps for the south east of England we are talking almost £400. Had the new Garmin Edge not been announced this would have been a clear choice, but now I'm not so sure. While the mapping and routing on the Edge won't be as good in my opinion it will clearly offer a whole range of additional functions that are very appealing.0
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magfos wrote:Given that SD memory cards are notorious among photographersfor their high failure rate compared with other memory cards
New here and just lurking, but had to chime in on this. I'm a keen photographer and frequent quite a few photo forums including one very professionally orientated one. This is the first I have heard of SD cards being unreliable!!
Are you sure you're not confusing them with MD cards, ie. microdrive cards. These were notoriously unreliable and essentially if you dropped one you pretty much may as well throw it away.
SD cards, like CF cards, use flash technology and essentially there is very little to go wrong, since there is no reliance on moving parts. Yes, they can get corrupted, usually due to user error like pulling a card out while it is still being read or written to, but even when corrupted there are many programmes on the market that will usually be able to retrieve the data off the card anyway. Heck, I got one of these programmes for free with my last 4GB Sandisk card I bought (not been needed though).
I think you're way more likely to lose an SD card because it so small, than lose the data on it due to them becoming corrupted. For this reason I am hoping that these maps will be available for download, so that I can put lost of maps on one large SD card rather than have several to look after.
Great site, by the way! Just need to persuade my work to join 'cycle to work' so that I can get a bike!!
Back to lurking... 0 -
s1m0n wrote:magfos wrote:Given that SD memory cards are notorious among photographersfor their high failure rate compared with other memory cards
New here and just lurking, but had to chime in on this. I'm a keen photographer and frequent quite a few photo forums including one very professionally orientated one. This is the first I have heard of SD cards being unreliable!!
Me too......I know that the top of the range cards such as Sandisk Extreme IV and similar are prone to being counterfeited and sold on eBay etc but not genuine cards failing.
I ordered mine from Action Outdoors and it was supposed to arrive this morning but I got a call to say their post wasn't collected last night as a fire in their street closed the road....this thing is clearly jinxed!!I'd rather walk than use Shimano0 -
It's finally arrived!!!
Expect a decent indepth review tomorrow.I'd rather walk than use Shimano0 -
And meanwhile, all their faffing has allowed their competitors to get in on the act...
Road Angel Adventurer 7000 and MemoryMap0 -
I'd rather walk than use Shimano0
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Very interesting... I look forwards to the action review.
Comments:
"Soft" keys means programmable keys, as in software - the same key may perform different functions at different times.
The slow first start-up is indeed common to all GPS. You'll get it again if you leave it unused for a long time, or take it to another part of the world.
SD cards have DRM built-in, so copying cards is almost certain to be a no-no. The same protection has also been used for Japanese HDTV broadcasts with a copy-once limit, so I'd guess that it's possible that downloads will have a write-to-card once limit0 -
The question for me is whether or not maps will be available for places other than the UK and whether "other" digital maps can be used. My emails to the manufacturers on these points remain unanswered. A unit at this price which is limited to such a small part of the world is to my mind, a very expensive piece of kit.check out our website at www.magfos.com for stories and photos of our trips.
Ride to Live; Live to Ride0 -
If you are thinking of buying it so you can upload routes to it and follow them out on the road hold on to your money.....
Thank you for your mail. The gpx up & download app is due for release in the near future, as a simple download from the website.
We found that ActiveSync was generally giving users of other (non Satmap) products some headaches, and we therefore decided to produce a simpler, more stable version, designed specifically for the Active 10 series. More details about handling gpx files will be available on the web closer to the time.
The User Forum is also in the process of construction, and will be released as soon as possible.I'd rather walk than use Shimano0 -
At the weekend a friend pretty much convinced me to get one, but now I'm definitely going to hold onto my cash for a while longer.0
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I'd rather walk than use Shimano0
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Recently bought one, and I think it's brilliant. I've used it in conjunction with Memory Maps, and uploaded routes to it, and used these out on the hills.
The online route planner is OS based mapping. Haven't used this to plan a route yet, but it does mean you don't have to have tracklogs \ memory maps as well.0
