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#31

GPSr Units / Re: Garmin Overlander - free d...

Last post by dessmo - November 26, 2023, 05:05:42 AM

Thanks again Boyd for your patience and expertise:) I bought the Overlander GPS used so it did not cost me that much. I am planning to use it for what is was meant, overlanding. Until now I have used my iPhone and iPad with different apps which works fine, but I was looking for a unit that don't need an internet connection and have all maps you need preloaded. When it comes to the maps that come with the Garmin Overlander GPS I personally think the Garmin Explorer maps are not detailed enough for overlanding here in Europe/Norway. For on-road driving it is fine, but there are maps available with much more details that are useful for off-road driving and camping than what Garmin gives you. To my understanding you can not use a standard Garmin map in .img-format with the Explorer-app. I have already sideloaded some android apps that have very good maps and that works very well on the Overlander except for downloading maps. That requires a small fee, and the only way to verify that service it has to use the Google Play app which is not included on the overlander. I have tried side loading the play app, but it will not work.I think this might also be a problem with other apps, the free version does not allow you do download maps, and only way to verify that you have paid is via the Play-app. I will try to side load Oryxmaps and see if it works.     

#32

GPSr Units / Re: Garmin Overlander - free d...

Last post by Boyd - November 25, 2023, 10:25:23 AM

Well, there are a lot of Android GPS apps, not sure if they would work on something as locked-down as a Garmin device however. And none of them really work with Garmin-format maps. Orux Maps attempts to open Garmin .img files, but the support was very poor when I tried it (long ago). It used some kind of open source library for displaying the files that basically converted them to raster-format maps on the fly. But you could check it out, there's an APK version

https://www.oruxmaps.com/cs/en/more/downloads

There are other map formats that work better with the app, see this

https://www.oruxmaps.com/cs/en/maps

Othewise, unfortunately, it sounds like you may have chosen the wrong GPS if you aren't happy with the maps that Garmin officially provides for it. I mean, if you want to use Android, you can get a pretty nice tablet for under $300 instead of Garmin's outrageous price! I got a 10" rugged Android tablet on Amazon from a Chinese company for around $200 to test a GPS app I'm working on myself, for example.

But just to confirm, have you tried copying the working .img files from your Astro to your computer, then copying them to the \Map folder on the Overlander? The "can't unlock maps" error message is bogus if you're using a free map of some kind, since they are not locked in the first place.

#33

GPSr Units / Re: Garmin Overlander - free d...

Last post by dessmo - November 25, 2023, 06:13:27 AM

Still struggling, got the device is saying it is not able to unlock the map. I have tried a couple of versions, to include what I use on my hunting GPS Garmin Astro 320. Is there an app that I could install (side load) on the Overlander that would make it easier?

#34

GPSr Units / Re: Garmin Overlander - free d...

Last post by Boyd - November 24, 2023, 03:36:31 AM

Happy to help, hope you're having a good holiday weekend as well! Let us know if this works for you, it might help someone else.

#35

GPSr Units / Re: Garmin Overlander - free d...

Last post by dessmo - November 23, 2023, 04:34:18 AM

Thanks for sharing your expertise Boyd, I will try that. Happy Thanksgiving:)

#36

GPSr Units / Re: Garmin Overlander - free d...

Last post by Boyd - November 22, 2023, 04:06:56 AM

The Map folder needs to be in the root directory. IIRC, Garmin started doing this with the Nuvi 3xxx series sometime around 2009 and continued with the Drive series.I have several of these devices myself, the newest is a DriveTrack which I got around 5 years ago. It works fine with maps I've made myself.

This FAQ suggests that it can be done...

".IMG files must be located in a "Map" folder on the microSD card and/or the device for your device to display them."

https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=wu1trGsT6C2hm8ZnKUmSu9

#37

GPSr Units / Re: Garmin Overlander - free d...

Last post by dessmo - November 21, 2023, 11:39:00 PM

Thanks Boyd, I will try that and see if it works. Would you recommend to put the map folder under Garmin or root?

[Map]

#38

GPSr Units / Re: Garmin Overlander - free d...

Last post by Boyd - November 21, 2023, 01:08:53 PM

Sounds like Garmin has done something strange with the Overlander. Too bad - but they've been trying to discourage third party maps for awhile across their products. I stopped making Garmin-format maps myself, just got tired of their closed system.

Anyway, you may have already thought of this, but have you tried making a folder named Map and putting your .img file(s) in it? IIRC, some newer automotive devices still recognize maps in the Garmin folder, but others require you to use the Map folder.

#39

GPSr Units / Re: Garmin Overlander

Last post by dessmo - November 21, 2023, 12:23:15 PM

I have tried several options, but have yet to find a way to use other than Garmin map. One option is to sideload an Android app that to use in combination with the maps, but for most maps it will require an internet connection which I am trying to avoid.

#40

GPSr Units / Garmin Overlander - free detai...

Last post by dessmo - November 21, 2023, 12:20:36 PM

Is it possible to use free detailed maps like topograpic maps on the Garmin GPS Overlander? I have downloaded maps in the .img format and moved them to the Garmin folder on the GPS but they dont show up on the map page. The Overland runs Android and use the Explorer app for viewing maps when not in drive mode. I have sidled apk-files to use other apps for viewing the maps, but since you dont have the play store on the GPS you run in to problems verifying payed apps with the functionality that ables downloading maps on the GPS. So does anyone know if there is a way around this? I have sidled Gaia, but the gps doses not seem to handle the t app very well, and I also dont find a way to download maps. I would like to be able to use maps from frikart.no since I live in Europe.