Advise Needed on running Bluechart maps on PC (Laptop)?

Hi,

New to Garmin and Bluechart maps. I am looking to run Bluechart marine maps on my Windows 7, x64 laptop. Is this possible or do they only fully work with a Garmin plotter?

Homeport
I understand that Homeport (software) can handle Bluechart maps but for the purpose of planning and routing a trip.
-Will this program connect to the GPS and give current location?
-Will this program update GPS location and display this on the map?
-Will this program make use of all the Bluechart features such as depth display etc?
-Or is it a static GPS program that only creates routes to upload to a Garmin device?
-Can someone upload Homeport and let me know install procedure?

Which (other) software can run full marine features on a laptop in combination with Bluechart maps?
Please upload?



Thanks,

Pepin

Pepin wrote:Hi,

New to Garmin and Bluechart maps. I am looking to run Bluechart marine maps on my Windows 7, x64 laptop. Is this possible or do they only fully work with a Garmin plotter?

Homeport
I understand that Homeport (software) can handle Bluechart maps but for the purpose of planning and routing a trip.
-Will this program connect to the GPS and give current location?
-Will this program update GPS location and display this on the map?
-Will this program make use of all the Bluechart features such as depth display etc?
-Or is it a static GPS program that only creates routes to upload to a Garmin device?
-Can someone upload Homeport and let me know install procedure?

Which (other) software can run full marine features on a laptop in combination with Bluechart maps?
Please upload?



Thanks,

Pepin

You need Garmin Mobile PC, for runing garmin and marine maps on your laptop - pc, and normally you'll need some external GPS reciever - you can buy it on ebay.com, etc. or where you want...

Look for Garmin Mobile PC in garmin software section, and next time try to use button search , before asking .

You are welcome

sucro wrote:You need Garmin Mobile PC, for runing garmin and marine maps on your laptop - pc, and normally you'll need some external GPS reciever - you can buy it on ebay.com, etc. or where you want...

Look for Garmin Mobile PC in garmin software section, and next time try to use button search , before asking .

You are welcome

Hi, I am new to Garmin and Bluechart maps and thus maybe I sometimes may ask a stupid question. I do try to research this and other sites before placing questions.

- I read on another forum that Garmin Mobile PC does run Bluechart maps but that it won't display all markers etc. Anyone got experience with this?
- I will try to install the Australian Bluechart maps I found on this site. However, I do not have a Garmin Plotter and thus can not compare the differences with MobilePC.
- I did search the threads but found nothing which answered these questions, could you put a link to other threads if these answer some of my questions?
- I got the BU-353 GPS receiver, USB, which works great and has good reception, better than a GPS mouse.
- Maybe there are other alternatives, and someone who reads this has other answers (alternatives) to the questions in the first post?

I do thank you, and anyone, for helping all GPS fanatics like me finding solutions.

(GPS mouse can be OK I guess, but it will limit the location of placing the GPS, with a seperate USB GPS I can place it near a window, put a USB extention cord in between, and/or lead it out of the cabin all together)

It is right, that mobilePC/XT does not display bluecharts correctly. They don't show correct depthcolors and marine symbols, so that it is not recommended to use them for navigation.

To have a look at bluecharts without marine chart plotter you can use the Garmin HomePorttrip planning software (today new version 2.0.4 came out). It shows classic bluecharts, that are installed in mapsource and G2/G2vision charts on SD-card.

I use the older program Garmin nRoute 2.7.6 with classic bluecharts on a netbook below deck and a Garmin Oregon with actual G2/G2vision-map (if available) in cockpit on my sail cruises.

How can I install the .IMG files into Homeport? It looks like Homeport works similarly to MapSource and nRoute.

Will G2 Vision maps work with nRoute and/or Homeport? I got my Australian maps

Code:

[url=http://www.navitotal.com/forums/showthread.php?1081-Australian-Maps-Here&p=3110#post3110]here[/URL]

and am not sure how to adapt these to use with the before mentioned programs. I found some information in other forums saying you can use IMG files and transfer them through a process with the programs cGPSmapper and MapsetToolkit v.1.77. Tried this with these maps but didn't work for me.

I also looked into this post

Code:

[url=http://www.navitotal.com/forums/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=4651]here[/URL]

but that doesn't seem to be perfect either?

Any solutions out there?

or any Bluechart maps in MapSource format out there?

You can use G2 and G2Vision bluecharts with homeport, if you put the maps in a folder named Garmin on SD-card in a cardreader or connected device. It is nit necessary to unlock them for use in homeport. Thats why homeport is ideal to check G2/G2vision maps, before useing in any device.

This maps are not working with MapSource and nRoute!

It is theoretically possible to convert G2/G2vision maps to mapsource-format with GMapTool and cGPSmapper, but I can't recommend this: they loose informations and working instabil in mapsource/nroute. It is better to use classic bluecharts with mapsource/nroute.