Garmin Zumo 396
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@Drabslab said in Garmin Zumo 396:
I silently hope that MRA will grow to become a de-facto standard with routing and navigation in one coherent package that works in an identical way independent of whether it is installed on an apple, pc, android or whatever else is invented at some stage.
<Fan Boy Mode>
I would say that MRA is already 95% there as the “defacto-standard” as I challenge anyone to give me an example of any other software route planner that can transfer to so many different device types.
</Fan Boy Mode>Let us not forget that that Garmin updated the Garmin Drive App some time ago that crashed on opening for a while.
Then there were issues with the Garmin XT specifically which MRA assigned a developer to,, this was resolved rapidly.Regarding standardisation of a GPX format, forget it!
The big 2 are undoubtably Garmin and Tom Tom.
They both have completely different ideas how routes should be planned.
Tom Tom are going for Tracks and Garmin are going for Shaping and Via Points.
This is where MRA becomes our knight in shining armour.@Steve-Lynch And TomTom have a long ongoing issue where IPhone users can’t access live traffic events etc via MyDrive. Several botched attempts to cure it have been released all promising that it’s finally fixed - it’s still a problem for thousands of users!
MRAs open and transparent policy of acknowledging problems and then getting on with fixing them puts them head and shoulders above the giants in the industry.
Keep up the good work MRA -
@Steve-Lynch And TomTom have a long ongoing issue where IPhone users can’t access live traffic events etc via MyDrive. Several botched attempts to cure it have been released all promising that it’s finally fixed - it’s still a problem for thousands of users!
MRAs open and transparent policy of acknowledging problems and then getting on with fixing them puts them head and shoulders above the giants in the industry.
Keep up the good work MRAwrote on 15 Jul 2021, 07:58 last edited byHaven’t had an iPhone for a few years now but I rarely find the the need to even consider looking at traffic issues as I purposefully place myself on “Roads Less Travelled”.
I do love an iPad though for taking on tour.
Remember the iPhone 4 Antenna issue, you couldn’t make it up!
I bought a Microsoft Surface Pro 4 when they first came out.
There was an issue with it that Microsoft completely denied for quite some time.
About six months in it developed screen shaking that made it unusable.
Luckily if I connected it to an external monitor there were no issues.Yes I agree it is refreshing to see a company not trying to sweep issues under the carpet.
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Haven’t had an iPhone for a few years now but I rarely find the the need to even consider looking at traffic issues as I purposefully place myself on “Roads Less Travelled”.
I do love an iPad though for taking on tour.
Remember the iPhone 4 Antenna issue, you couldn’t make it up!
I bought a Microsoft Surface Pro 4 when they first came out.
There was an issue with it that Microsoft completely denied for quite some time.
About six months in it developed screen shaking that made it unusable.
Luckily if I connected it to an external monitor there were no issues.Yes I agree it is refreshing to see a company not trying to sweep issues under the carpet.
@Steve-Lynch Like yourself, the iPhone and TomTom issues don't affect me. I think what is peeing new TomTom users off the most is the fact that TomTom devices are being sold with marketing saying that they are compatible with iPhones and they're clearly not. People pay for a service that they can't and don't receive! TomTom blame Apple and Apple blame TomTom - well I never!
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@ Ronald
I am using a 396 and as you I saw straight lines when transfering a route from MRA.
Here is a work-around that I use. Try it - maybe you can use it.Transfer the route using either USB or as I do with my phone using MRA and the Garmin Smartphone link.
In MRA: Open the route and hit the button Page menu -> Save as .gpx 1.1 (BETA route, track, POI)
Select SEND TO ZUMO in Smartphone Link and if you’re lucky the route is transferred to the 396.Before you open the route in Programs->Route Planning go first to Settings->Navigation->Calculation Mode. Select Faster Time and save.
Now when you load the route it is recalculated and the straight lines should be converted to follow the fastest time roads.
Repeat when transferring another route
wrote on 15 Jul 2021, 21:52 last edited by@Lars-Jensen Thanks for the advice, but I'm afraid I don't use a smartphone. Yes, I know, verging on a Luddite ! I know some people can't live without them but I just don't trust the buggers !
I'm not a fan of Swiss Army Knives either. If you need a tool get a good one, not a compromise. -
Hi @Ronald-Weaver ,
Which file do you use in your Zumo? The route or the Track?
For the older Zumo models, it is best to use the Track.
Go to tracks, click on the track of the route you want to drive, then click on the key in the upper left corner.
Choose to make visible,
Choose a color (black or white for the best contrast)
Choose, convert to travel
Choose from start to finish
Zumo is going to count ......
When he has finished calculating, you go to the travel planner and the calculated route based on your Track is included in your travels.
Turn the recalculation OFF!
You now have only 2 Hard Route Points, namely start and finish.
If you deviate from the route, you must drive back to the route in sight (Track has made you visible)With the XT you can use the route.
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Hi @Ronald-Weaver ,
Which file do you use in your Zumo? The route or the Track?
For the older Zumo models, it is best to use the Track.
Go to tracks, click on the track of the route you want to drive, then click on the key in the upper left corner.
Choose to make visible,
Choose a color (black or white for the best contrast)
Choose, convert to travel
Choose from start to finish
Zumo is going to count ......
When he has finished calculating, you go to the travel planner and the calculated route based on your Track is included in your travels.
Turn the recalculation OFF!
You now have only 2 Hard Route Points, namely start and finish.
If you deviate from the route, you must drive back to the route in sight (Track has made you visible)With the XT you can use the route.
wrote on 16 Jul 2021, 08:03 last edited by@Hans-van-de-Ven-MRA-Master I use Route, just because I've never tried using Tracks. I think I know how to generate a Track and convert it to a Route. I just can't help thinking that gives the Zumo too many opportunities to take me up some dark alley.....or worse a Toll Road !
But what the hell, let's boldly go and I'll give it a try ! -
@Hans-van-de-Ven-MRA-Master I use Route, just because I've never tried using Tracks. I think I know how to generate a Track and convert it to a Route. I just can't help thinking that gives the Zumo too many opportunities to take me up some dark alley.....or worse a Toll Road !
But what the hell, let's boldly go and I'll give it a try !@Ronald-Weaver said in Garmin Zumo 396:
@Hans-van-de-Ven-MRA-Master I use Route, just because I've never tried using Tracks. I think I know how to generate a Track and convert it to a Route. I just can't help thinking that gives the Zumo too many opportunities to take me up some dark alley.....or worse a Toll Road !
But what the hell, let's boldly go and I'll give it a try !Add more route points to force your Zumo to take you the way that you wish to go.
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I bought a Garmin Zumo 396 a few weeks ago to replace my Garmin Nuvi which had served me ,temperamentally, for the last 7 years.
At first I was seriously disappointed. Creating routes on MRA and transferring them to the Zumo resulted in mostly straight lines !
I even had a much closer look at Garmin Basecamp to overcome this. That was a complete waste of several days. I find it hard to believe that a company that can provide such serviceable hardware is so badly let down by abysmal software.
So back to MRA. I then found that if I transferred my routes using "GARMIN OLD GPX 1.0" I could get excellent routes with all waypoints etc clearly displayed.
MRA was back in my good books !
Back to Zumo 396. The apparatus itself is very good, a fairly clear screen, a solid mounting and easily removed. There are numerous features many of which I find frankly pure distraction. The fuel level being one of them. Every so often it stthat it arts asking you if you want the Zumo to start looking to fuel stations, often when you're concentrating on riding through a busy town centre !
The other feature that I find curious is the fact that it will occasionally ask if you want to skip the next waypoint ? Why ? I'd spent time putting the damn thing on the route ?
And once or twice, it sent me onto a Toll Road despite having carefully set both MRA and Zumo itself to avoid toll roads.
So, though at first I was close to sending it back, I'm gradually getting used to it....... although I still don't trust it !wrote on 16 Jul 2021, 15:04 last edited by@Ronald-Weaver I can understan your pain. I have same experience comming from using MRA -> GARMIN Zumo 210 to MRA -> GARMIN 396!
- with Zumo 210, it was so easy to transmit a route from MRA to SatNav Device
- with GARMIN 396, MRA is sending track and route both (may this is based on GPX 1.1). Therefore, you need to learn, how many WP you should have in your route, to force the SatNav onto the same (Garmin 396 will always recalculate after import!).
- if you see only direkt route lines after transmit a route to SatNav, please udate general settings in SatNav to use shortest, or quickest and not direct line (Airplane).
- but my biggest pain is: also if I have used shaping points and via points in MRA, after transmission to GARMIN 396, there are only shaping ponits in SatNav Device! Means if you start the route, you will have only information on screen about starting point and end point - nothing between.
If you want to know, how far ist remaining distance to WP (via point, may fuel station) SatNav can't tell you. - if you want to keep your via point of MRA, you need to change each point after transmit in SatNav. If you open the route in App route planning in SatNav, at first you can see all WP, click (tip) on the icon of an WP, this will change it to the other type. Tip again will change type back.
With type via point, SatNav will tell you ongoing time and distanye to it on screen and will inform you if you have reachd it.
@Hans-van-de-Ven-MRA-Master Not everybody is familiar to drive with track overlay on screen at SatNav. Per example, I was always happy to be informed by speech, in stressfull road situations.
But last month, we drove offroad in Italy and no SatNav device in our group knowed those streets (but MRA with those different maps knowed). So, there was no other option to use topographic maps in SatNav - and the track of our route (MRA has also transmitted) as overlay on screen to be able to detect: yes, we are on the correct road.
Still navigation support with signals or speech; "in 50 meters, turn right" isn't possible with topographic maps.Final suggestion: could developers please check, why MRA isn't sending shaping points and via points correctly to GARMIN396.
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wrote on 16 Jul 2021, 15:37 last edited by
@Lars-Jensen said in Garmin Zumo 396:
Before you open the route in Programs->Route Planning go first to Settings->Navigation->Calculation Mode. Select Faster Time and save.
Now when you load the route it is recalculated and the straight lines should be converted to follow the fastest time roads.
Repeat when transferring another routeIf you trust PC’s or Macs then transfer using USB. Then just follow the rest of my instructions:
Before you open the route in Programs->Route Planning go first to Settings->Navigation->Calculation Mode. Select Faster Time and save.
Now when you load the route it is recalculated and the straight lines should be converted to follow the fastest time roads.
Repeat when transferring another route -
@Ronald-Weaver I can understan your pain. I have same experience comming from using MRA -> GARMIN Zumo 210 to MRA -> GARMIN 396!
- with Zumo 210, it was so easy to transmit a route from MRA to SatNav Device
- with GARMIN 396, MRA is sending track and route both (may this is based on GPX 1.1). Therefore, you need to learn, how many WP you should have in your route, to force the SatNav onto the same (Garmin 396 will always recalculate after import!).
- if you see only direkt route lines after transmit a route to SatNav, please udate general settings in SatNav to use shortest, or quickest and not direct line (Airplane).
- but my biggest pain is: also if I have used shaping points and via points in MRA, after transmission to GARMIN 396, there are only shaping ponits in SatNav Device! Means if you start the route, you will have only information on screen about starting point and end point - nothing between.
If you want to know, how far ist remaining distance to WP (via point, may fuel station) SatNav can't tell you. - if you want to keep your via point of MRA, you need to change each point after transmit in SatNav. If you open the route in App route planning in SatNav, at first you can see all WP, click (tip) on the icon of an WP, this will change it to the other type. Tip again will change type back.
With type via point, SatNav will tell you ongoing time and distanye to it on screen and will inform you if you have reachd it.
@Hans-van-de-Ven-MRA-Master Not everybody is familiar to drive with track overlay on screen at SatNav. Per example, I was always happy to be informed by speech, in stressfull road situations.
But last month, we drove offroad in Italy and no SatNav device in our group knowed those streets (but MRA with those different maps knowed). So, there was no other option to use topographic maps in SatNav - and the track of our route (MRA has also transmitted) as overlay on screen to be able to detect: yes, we are on the correct road.
Still navigation support with signals or speech; "in 50 meters, turn right" isn't possible with topographic maps.Final suggestion: could developers please check, why MRA isn't sending shaping points and via points correctly to GARMIN396.
Because they are only in the XT export (gpx-file) and not in the 1.0 and 1.1 gpx file, but the team is working on that.
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@Ronald-Weaver I can understan your pain. I have same experience comming from using MRA -> GARMIN Zumo 210 to MRA -> GARMIN 396!
- with Zumo 210, it was so easy to transmit a route from MRA to SatNav Device
- with GARMIN 396, MRA is sending track and route both (may this is based on GPX 1.1). Therefore, you need to learn, how many WP you should have in your route, to force the SatNav onto the same (Garmin 396 will always recalculate after import!).
- if you see only direkt route lines after transmit a route to SatNav, please udate general settings in SatNav to use shortest, or quickest and not direct line (Airplane).
- but my biggest pain is: also if I have used shaping points and via points in MRA, after transmission to GARMIN 396, there are only shaping ponits in SatNav Device! Means if you start the route, you will have only information on screen about starting point and end point - nothing between.
If you want to know, how far ist remaining distance to WP (via point, may fuel station) SatNav can't tell you. - if you want to keep your via point of MRA, you need to change each point after transmit in SatNav. If you open the route in App route planning in SatNav, at first you can see all WP, click (tip) on the icon of an WP, this will change it to the other type. Tip again will change type back.
With type via point, SatNav will tell you ongoing time and distanye to it on screen and will inform you if you have reachd it.
@Hans-van-de-Ven-MRA-Master Not everybody is familiar to drive with track overlay on screen at SatNav. Per example, I was always happy to be informed by speech, in stressfull road situations.
But last month, we drove offroad in Italy and no SatNav device in our group knowed those streets (but MRA with those different maps knowed). So, there was no other option to use topographic maps in SatNav - and the track of our route (MRA has also transmitted) as overlay on screen to be able to detect: yes, we are on the correct road.
Still navigation support with signals or speech; "in 50 meters, turn right" isn't possible with topographic maps.Final suggestion: could developers please check, why MRA isn't sending shaping points and via points correctly to GARMIN396.
wrote on 18 Jul 2021, 20:55 last edited by@Guzzist I've been transferring my routes created on MRA using GPX 1.0, the "OLD" Garmin, despite being told to use the "NEW" Garmin. Doing that I don't get straight lines !
But I also like to know where my stops are likely to be and where I can restart my route if I take an unscheduled break or diversion. This is where Waypoints are handy on a long route. -
wrote on 19 Jul 2021, 07:07 last edited by Steve Lynch
Some clarity on the Garmin Zumo XT and older GPX files.
In both cases below I am sending the GPX files to the Zumo XT via the Garmin Drive App.If I send the GPX 1.0 to the Zumo XT it tells me I have too many “Stops” so I presume at this point it is seeng my waypoints as Via Points.
It then gives me another pop up with the option to convert them all to Shaping Points.
I accept the changes and the route is created in the Trip Planner perfectly.
The Track is also created perfectly with no straight lines.If I send the GPX 1.1 (Not the Beta XT version) to the Zumo XT it automatically see’s all my waypoints as Shaping Points. (I never use Via Points.) and automatically creates the route in the Trip Planner and the Track is also perfect with no straight lines.
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undefined Hans van de Ven MR.MRA locked this topic on 28 Jan 2022, 14:09