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"Question: Can I download HomePort to more than one computer?
Answer:
Given the HomePort program is not locked to a specific device or computer, it is possible to download the file to more than one system.
It is important to remember that the detailed mapping program used with HomePort will need to be loaded to each new computer separately. Please be sure you are using compatible BlueChart, BlueChart g2, or BlueChart® g2 Vision* detailed mapping software.
Also, none of the additional operating systems can be related Macintosh. Currently, only Windows operating systems are compatible.
*This data can be acquired from a compatible device, BlueChart CD, or pre-programmed data card.
Last modified on: 10/12/2009"
from the garmin faq's. copyright laws still are in effect so giving it to a bud would be a no no, but loading it on another of your computers seems appropriate. ron
When I downloaded the file, I saved it instead of Run it. After I saved it and Before I ran it, I made a cd of the file which I can now use to install on other computers, IE laptop.
I then clicked on the install file and installed it on my desktop computer.
So, if you have saved it when you downloaded, you have a copy on your computer that you can use again.
Like most people, I suppose, I didn't bother to read the license (which you can only do while you're installing the product). I believe the MapSource license allowed the licensee to install it on two of his/her own computers (not your's and your buddie's, just yours).
As for the comment about the price and making money on charts, etc., at this price, it's possible they are just marketing this as an enhancement to their plotters. Something to make their equipment more attractive than the competition's. I wouldn't be surprised to see it included with the plotters at some point.
Like most people, I suppose, I didn't bother to read the license (which you can only do while you're installing the product). I believe the MapSource license allowed the licensee to install it on two of his/her own computers (not your's and your buddie's, just yours).
As for the comment about the price and making money on charts, etc., at this price, it's possible they are just marketing this as an enhancement to their plotters. Something to make their equipment more attractive than the competition's. I wouldn't be surprised to see it included with the plotters at some point.
C-Map (used by some RM units) already gives the plotter software away to it's users. It works great, though it did have a bumpy start-up period.
Other cartography publishers also provide free or low cost plotting software.
The money is in the blades, not the handles.......
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Terry Jason 35, Yanmar 370 hp, Lots of fun at a leisurely pace
Does the sd card, w/dnwlded maps have to be used, for the maps to be present on the homeport program...I have the maps on the sd card, they show up in homeport, but haven't been able to dwnload them to program..tried copying the maps to a folder in my documents and accessing that way w/o card no luck!
Does the sd card, w/dnwlded maps have to be used, for the maps to be present on the homeport program...I have the maps on the sd card, they show up in homeport, but haven't been able to dwnload them to program..tried copying the maps to a folder in my documents and accessing that way w/o card no luck!
i've emailed garmin about this over the weekend. i'll post the response when i get it. ron
I beleive what BWP means is that HP will not utilize files that are downloaded or copied down to your computer. It will always look to an SD reader for its additional information. Unless Garmin makes a change to the program.
However, you can copy them to your computer using windows explorer. I did that for backup in case the SD fails, I have the files to copy back onto another SD to make another one.
Lady's Travels: From Minnesota on Lake Superior to Nassau, to Charleston, SC., to Key West, Fl. & Return.
Charleston to Windsor, Ontario Canada
Now exploring the Great Lakes...
I kept many different "versions" of my WP's, Routes and Tracks in Mapsource files. One file kept nothing but all my tracks (I save every track I ever take on the boat, and upload to my PC). Another file kept ALL my WP's and Routes that I save. But because the plotter (5215) limits us to only 20 routes, I would copy only the needed 20 or less routes to the next file, which was my "daily use" file. This daily use file kept all my WP's and routes I will use on my plotter. If I add a WP or route, I would save it /add it to this file in order to upload it to my plotter for use. If I was going offshore, the night before I'd copy all my offshore routes to the plotter. If I was fishing inshore, I'd copy all my inshore routes and WP's to the plotter.
I have to figure out the best way to do this now, since it sounds like it "syncs" to the SD chip directly automatically??? Have to play/learn it....
I kept many different "versions" of my WP's, Routes and Tracks in Mapsource files. One file kept nothing but all my tracks (I save every track I ever take on the boat, and upload to my PC). Another file kept ALL my WP's and Routes that I save. But because the plotter (5215) limits us to only 20 routes, I would copy only the needed 20 or less routes to the next file, which was my "daily use" file. This daily use file kept all my WP's and routes I will use on my plotter. If I add a WP or route, I would save it /add it to this file in order to upload it to my plotter for use. If I was going offshore, the night before I'd copy all my offshore routes to the plotter. If I was fishing inshore, I'd copy all my inshore routes and WP's to the plotter.
I have to figure out the best way to do this now, since it sounds like it "syncs" to the SD chip directly automatically??? Have to play/learn it....
you can make multiple folders under "my collection" in hp. then, you can copy routes, points and tracks to each or any. you can "send" a selected folder to the device (sd card). BE CAREFUL with the delete function. while still playing with this, i believe the "remove from folder" function is what we want to use -- if you delete, all the data copied to multiple folders is deleted; not just removed from the folder you are working with. needed to recover with an "undo" a few times. i would also do an "export" every now and then to hard save data -- appears to go into the mapsource data directory; at least on my setup. like i said, i'm still playing with this but this appears to be good info. ron
Yes, you can create folders in the library by going to file new - folder. And then you see a list of your connected devices, one of which is your SD###.
You can create as many folders as you want on the SD but you have to do it through HP, otherwise HP will not recognize the regular windows folder.
but once created with HP, only HP will recognize it as a folder and will ask you when you go to save to, SD, which folder you want to save to and they will all be listed.
Once they are saved on your SD card if you look at it with windows explorer, what we see in HP as a folder is actually a file that contains the group of waypoints, tracks, routes etc.. that we selected.
Not sure if I'm making sense to you guys, it is not the standard windows way of doing things, but it does work this way, you can make as many folders to get yourself organised as you want.
Birdman, with an 8gig chip, you can have all the folders you need to sort out all your routes, tracks, waypoints etc... to match whatever you have now I'm sure... You can also import all your mapsource to HP directly as well as from other maping programs, I have Coastal explorer and it imported the .gpx files for routes with no problems at all.
I now have mine organized with a folder for routes and waypoints for each of the great lakes and a folder for Lake stclair and its rivers, Detroit, St. Clair, thames, clinton, etc... and then folders for waypoints, I like to keep them separate so that when I go to lake huron, only that list of waypoints is loaded into my system.
I will occasionally download my plotters and clear all out and reload only the ones I want. All others are on the chip with a backup on the computer.
Lady's Travels: From Minnesota on Lake Superior to Nassau, to Charleston, SC., to Key West, Fl. & Return.
Charleston to Windsor, Ontario Canada
Now exploring the Great Lakes...
Last edited by RaySea Lady; 10-26-2009 at 05:44 PM.
There is also a backup feature that I used after bringing my most current Mapsource files in. Put them in My Collection and then Backup to the hard drive for future if needed.
Ok sports fans, at the "risk" of being accused of hijacking the thread, you cannot copy the files off of the SD card and use them on your PC because they are encrypted with a DRM protocol which includes the SD card serial number as part of the key.
So while you can copy the "files" off of the SD card for backup, you can't use them. In fact, the only place they will work is on the original SD card. Lose the physical card, and you lose the only way to make it all work.
Now of course, DRM being what it is (meaning a speed bump for determined backup enthusiasts.. ), there are ways around it, but I'm not going to tell how you would go about it. I don't really know, but I know where to look....
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Terry Jason 35, Yanmar 370 hp, Lots of fun at a leisurely pace
Ok sports fans, at the "risk" of being accused of hijacking the thread, you cannot copy the files off of the SD card and use them on your PC because they are encrypted with a DRM protocol which includes the SD card serial number as part of the key.
So while you can copy the "files" off of the SD card for backup, you can't use them. In fact, the only place they will work is on the original SD card. Lose the physical card, and you lose the only way to make it all work.
Now of course, DRM being what it is (meaning a speed bump for determined backup enthusiasts.. ), there are ways around it, but I'm not going to tell how you would go about it. I don't really know, but I know where to look....
Thanks for the enlightment !
That is probably why they provide a backup and restore feature.
Lady's Travels: From Minnesota on Lake Superior to Nassau, to Charleston, SC., to Key West, Fl. & Return.
Charleston to Windsor, Ontario Canada
Now exploring the Great Lakes...
That is probably why they provide a backup and restore feature.
The SD card I was referring to is the G2 Vision chip, not the one you use for routine data xfer.
They don't want to make it easy for someone to just burn a hundred copies and sell them on ebay. I don't blame them.
They don't care what you do with your user data. And even the preloaded maps on a 42xx or 52xx aren't a big worry to them because you can't load them into a 40xx or 50xx unit. You can basically use them with the plotting sw and not much else.
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Terry Jason 35, Yanmar 370 hp, Lots of fun at a leisurely pace
............ So while you can copy the "files" off of the SD card for backup, you can't use them. In fact, the only place they will work is on the original SD card. Lose the physical card, and you lose the only way to make it all work....
Possibly so, but since 2GB cards can be had for under $10.00 and nothing is going to happen to the plotter's built in map, there's no reason not to make a couple cards with the maps and routes, waypoints, etc. on them.
Possibly so, but since 2GB cards can be had for under $10.00 and nothing is going to happen to the plotter's built in map, there's no reason not to make a couple cards with the maps and routes, waypoints, etc. on them.
Absolutely if you are talking about user data. In fact it's a wise move since there have been numerous threads titled something like "Help - I've lost all my waypoints/routes!". And there never seems to be a card around when you need one, kind of like tape measures.
But if you are talking about the vision G2 map cards, that would be a gross violation of copyright law. You cannot legally clone a G2 vision map card. That's not to say you can't clone them, in fact it's not difficult at all, it's just not legal or ethical.
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Terry Jason 35, Yanmar 370 hp, Lots of fun at a leisurely pace
...............talking about the vision G2 map cards, that would be a gross violation of copyright law. You cannot legally clone a G2 vision map card. That's not to say you can't clone them, in fact it's not difficult at all, it's just not legal or ethical.
You are correct. You'll get no argument from me on that.
Then, I guess I did something I was not supposed to do. I copied all of my G2 chips to my desktop, and then copied them back each to a separate 2G chip with the intent of having my chips to work with when I send them out for updating, and the copies all work fine on my desktop.
Yes, but do they work in your plotter? Someone else's plotter?
You can also import all your mapsource to HP directly as well as from other maping programs, I have Coastal explorer and it imported the .gpx files for routes with no problems at all.
), there are ways around it, but I'm not going to tell how you would go about it. I don't really know, but I know where to look.... 
