MotionX GPS Questions

[lwg]

I've started using MotionX GPS again in lieu of a traditional GPS. Thus I'm now downloading maps for offline use. Initially I don't think I was downloading with enough zoom as I noticed when I zoomed in while in offline mode it would say "Map Data Not Available". I assume this is due to zooming beyond the map capability that I've downloaded. I'm now downloading with max zoom but the file is huge (1.6GB) and it's taking a while.

Anyone else have experience or advice with this? Can't find much with MotionX support on with Google.

 

[lwg]

Managed to find a video on Youtube that detailed you should in fact download at the highest level of detail for remote use. It also mentions that min zoom of 10 is a good starting point, with 16 being the max zoom.

 

[ludeykrus]

Yep, when at the download screen, you set the extent of the area you want to download as well as the max and min zoom of the layers you want to download. If you get tight on space, play around with it and just downloaded the zoom range you will likely use, as it can take s long time to download the maps.

 

[RobRed]

10-15 Zoom is the best for managing memory. 15 is roughly equivalent to 1:24,000. Any higher levels download result in not much more useful detail and huge increase in memory usage not to mention download time.

 

[Roger M.]

Definitely don't download at maximum zoom for 95% of the maps you put into memory.
For off-road topo and road maps, you don't get much extra for maximum zoom, and often you get nothing at all (perhaps most importantly, you avoid the two day long download times!).

I never go beyond 15, and I only use more zoom than that for the Nod-and-a-Wink custom maps for real off the grid areas ... areas where I may want to see photographically exactly what's in my immediate area or coming up ahead on the road.

Try downloading a very small test area (of the area you're interested in) starting around 13-15, and note if it's got the details you need.
In my case, the road to Toroweep shows up in detail at 15 for the topo maps, after which I zoomed up to the max for the Nod/Wink custom hybrid map of the same road to Toroweep, only because I wanted the photo specific detail I noted above.

BTW, everything I know about MotionX GPS I learned from RobRed's posts and personal website, for which I thank him!
The actual MotionX GPS website and manual doesn't come anywhere close to the information RobRed has put up, specifically for off-road and overland use.

It's awesome software, it just has a bit of a steep learning curve to extract the maximum benefit.