Is Basecamp replacing Mapsource?

[videolester]

I opened my version of Mapsource and suddenly found NO maps there! After installing & running Basecamp and syncing with my GPS I had maps. Is Mapsource defunct now? 

[maps4gps]

Garmin stopped improving/developing MapSource 1-1/2 to 2 (+?) years ago. 
Earlier this year I was able view the same mapsets in the then current versions of both MapSource and BaseCamp. 

Specific information would be helpful to anyone/everyone interested in this situation.

[Boyd]

As far as Garmin is concerned, Basecamp replaced Mapsource quite some time ago. On their own forum one of the Garmin desktop application developers summed it up by saying "the Mapsource train has long passed". However I don't believe anything has been done (or will be done) to prevent it from working as-is.

For one thing, they need to continue to make it available for owners of old devices with serial interfaces because Basecamp does not support serial communication. Garmin was still selling handhelds with serial interfaces as recently as last year IIRC.

If you run the final version of Mapsource, it should recognize all of the current Garmin map formats (except Birdseye and .kmz "custom maps"). If a map is installed on your computer, it should be usable in both Mapsource and Basecamp.

Basecamp can display maps that are pre-installed on a device, such as City Navigator on the Nuvi, US Topo on an Oregon 450t or a 24k topo on a pre-loaded Garmin SD card. Mapsource cannot display this kind of map.

Basecamp also looks in several different places for maps but Mapsource doesn't, so I suppose it might be possible to install maps that work in Basecamp but not Mapsource. I just read about that in fact and found it interesting - See: https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?p=133665#post133665

But if Mapsource "suddenly found no maps" then I suspect something else is going on. Have you tried rebooting your computer? If there's a problem with the Windows registry, it could prevent some maps from showing.

[mhaseltine]

I haven't tried it lately, but when Basecamp first showed up, it didn't do marine maps, and I was using them a lot for kayaking, so I wasn't happy about that. Is it any different now? If so, what's the alternative for using Garmin marine maps on a desktop?

[Boyd]

Basecamp doesn't work with marine maps. Garmin has a special application called HomePort for this. It isn't free, but it's pretty cheap: https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=64242

[mhaseltine]

I looked at Homeport briefly awhile ago but wasn't clear if it was simply replacing Mapsource's capabilities for marine maps. It sounded way more complex, which I didn't need. As you say, it's not that expensive, so I'll probably spring for it.