Garmin G2 vision

[skipperdude]

I* purchased a new Garmin 4208 at the Seattle boat show in Janurary.

By the way I saved about $800.00* off the best deal I could find locally or on line.
The room was $150.00
If I hadn't gone to that Irish bar I could have saved another couple of hundred bucks.
woe is me.

Any way there is an add on for around $350.00
*called a vision card. It is supposed to show bottom contures as per charts.
Sort of a 3D image

Anybody have one?**Is it cool or just a fancy gizmo?

SD

 

[Per]

sounds like something i would like for Christmas (or preferable earlier..).
whats the total cost of the unit?

 

[rwidman]

I have one and for me, it's "just a fancy gizmo". There are some features that might appeal to fishemen, and there are photos of the more populated areas along the water and some marinas (dated, of course), but for me, it was not a good investment. And I got a good deal online.

Your 4208 has detailed maps of all the US coastal areas and maybe some others. The G2 Vision cards are for specific regions only. Leave the region and you have no chart at all until you remove the G2 Vision card and let the plotter select the built in maps.

 

[skipperdude]

The 4208 was around $1500.00.

The sounder was $400.00 and the shoot thru the hull transducer about a $100.00.

$2038.00 was the total.

The g2 vision chip is another $350.00

SD

 

[skipperdude]

rwidman wrote:

I have one and for me, it's "just a fancy gizmo". There are some features that might appeal to fishemen, and there are photos of the more populated areas along the water and some marinas (dated, of course), but for me, it was not a good investment. And I got a good deal online.

Your 4208 has detailed maps of all the US coastal areas and maybe some others. The G2 Vision cards are for specific regions only. Leave the region and you have no chart at all until you remove the G2 Vision card and let the plotter select the built in maps.

Thanks Ron,

*I do do quite a bit of fishing. All the marina stuff would be lost up here. So I will* probably just do as you say and run her as she is.

There is also an upgrade for half the cost of the card as* Garmin sells it.

SD

SD



*

 

[rwidman]

You're welcome.

 

[Per]

Any way there is an add on for around $350.00
called a vision card. It is supposed to show bottom contures as per charts.
Sort of a 3D image

to me this is the appealing part, to see the landscape you are over is a huge advantage if doing any kind of fishing (reef/rocks/sand/hard/etc)
i would love to get hooked up with something like that or does it not really work to do that?

i currently have an older gps, it works fine but is a little "un-user friendly" and i have a depthfinder with colors etc but i find it difficult to "decipher" even after reading the manual, perhaps i just need more experience.

 

[skipperdude]

I have friend with the same set up.**It seems the sd card in lend able.**

So I borrowed his sd card and I will be able to see first hand if this thing works as the hype indicates.

SD

 

[rwidman]

You may or may not know this, but Garmin sells a software program "HomePort" for about $30.00. You can copy the built in maps (charts) from your plotter to a blank SD card, place it in your computer, and plan routes and create waypoints, then transfer them to the SD card and upload them to the plotter. Here's an example:

You can also use the G2 Vision card in the PC with HomePort.

If you copy the G2Vision card to a blank SD card, the copy will work with HomePort but not with a Garmin plotter.

 

[skipperdude]

Is it difficult to set up and use?

*kind of challenged. *I have trouble with plug and play.

I was reading about that of which you speak but it started sounding Greek.

That last part sounded like a way for Garmin to be sure you purchase the g2 vision card.

Oh well can't blame them everyone has to make a buck.

Thanks I will try to look into it more closely.

*It is a cool idea.

SD

-- Edited by skipperdude on Tuesday 15th of February 2011 04:08:49 PM

 

[Fotoman]

I have one also and it's kindda cool. I got mine on ebay at a discount, it was about the price of a regular chart so I figured why not. It's nice to see the shape of the bottom and I like to have pictures of places I've never been.

 

[rwidman]

If you have the Garmin plotter with the built in maps (42XX, 52XX, etc.), you don't need the G2 Vision card.* It just adds some underwater details and photos, etc.* More specific information is on the Garmin website.

For my use, it was not a good investment.* Some folks would dissagree.

HomePort is easy to set up and all you have to do is buy a blank 2GB SD card at Walmart in the camera section, put it in your plotter, and use the menu to download the internal maps to the card.* It takes several minutes.* Take the card out, put it in the PC, and Homeport will recognize the card and read the maps.

 

[rwidman]

As I look at the chart I posted, I realize it was actually done in MapSource, not Homeport. Same idea though.

As for photos, you can select a waypoint or route in Homeport, and select "View in Google Earth", provided you have Google Earth installed and have Internet access on your PC.

-- Edited by rwidman on Wednesday 16th of February 2011 09:22:43 AM

 

[Baker]

Damn....I was just offered up a 4210 for 200 bucks......I guess I oughtta go buy it eh????

 

[skipperdude]

Depends on what you are using now.

The 4000/5000 series has a lot of great features.

MY 4208 comes with a video out and 2 video in's

So I can display the chart plotter on a TV or lap top and run 2 cameras into it.

Kind of cool being able to see the cameras and chart plotter on the flat screen.*
.
*Nice and big.

A friend loaned me his vision card so I can see if I want to purchase it.

For 1/2 the price of a new card Garmin can upgrade the card for any new info such as getting bouy readings and weather reports.

SD

 

[Ed]

I got a 5212 in Jan. and have been asking myself the same question.* We cruise the Inside Passage and it appears that the only way to get Canadian charts for the Garmin is to purchase a Vision card.*

One of the features that comes with the Vision card is the ability for the Garmin to calculate a route for you.* All you have to do is a one time setup telling the software what parameters you want to use, minimum depth of water, draft (both air and water), etc.* While I'm not a fan of automatically generated routes they do have a purpose.* If you do a lot of cruise planning for a group it is a quick way to*predict trip mileage.* More importantly, it can provide a safety layer if something happens to the primary boat operator and the crew has limited navigation experience.* All they have to do is tell the Garmin where the nearest/desired port is and follow the route*it generates.

Reading the literature it appears to be easy to modify the generated route if there is a reason to deviate from it.

If you don't have Homeport yet it is the best $30 you'll spend on Garmin accessories.

 

[rwidman]

Baker wrote:

Damn....I was just offered up a 4210 for 200 bucks......I guess I oughtta go buy it eh????

If it works and is not stolen.* It's worth far more than that.

*

 

[rwidman]

Ed wrote:
One of the features that comes with the Vision card is the ability for the Garmin to calculate a route for you.* All you have to do is a one time setup telling the software what parameters you want to use, minimum depth of water, draft (both air and water), etc.* While I'm not a fan of automatically generated routes they do have a purpose.* If you do a lot of cruise planning for a group it is a quick way to*predict trip mileage.* More importantly, it can provide a safety layer if something happens to the primary boat operator and the crew has limited navigation experience.* All they have to do is tell the Garmin where the nearest/desired port is and follow the route*it generates.

Reading the literature it appears to be easy to modify the generated route if there is a reason to deviate from it.

If you don't have Homeport yet it is the best $30 you'll spend on Garmin accessories.

I agree on the HomePort, that's why I brought it up.

As for the auto guidance, that's one of the main reasons I bought the card.* But - theres a cut on the ICW (Elliot cut) that I pass through if I'm headed south.* Everybody goes through there, it's part of the ICW.* Autoguidance refuses to generate a route through the cut.* If you try to generate a route from one end to the other, it will take you out to sea and around an island.* 20 - 30 miles out of the way.* I have read a few other complaints.* It's a nice thought, but it needs a little work to be practical.
I just plan the routes on the PC and upload them.

*

 

[Baker]

rwidman wrote:

*
Baker wrote:

Damn....I was just offered up a 4210 for 200 bucks......I guess I oughtta go buy it eh????

If it works and is not stolen.* It's worth far more than that.

*

*

Nope....a working take out!!! *

*

 

[skipperdude]

Buy it.

*I don't think you will regret it.

*For $200.00 Oh yeah!!

SD

 

[Baker]

Thanks!!! I think I will. My only fixed plotter is a 182C. I will say it has performed perfectly albeit with a small screen. It will be nice to have a screen that big!

This guy was over at our house and he was talking to someone else mentioning the price he would let it go at and I literally flew across the house and out the back door and said......WWWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!....I WANT IT!!!! *MY HOUSE.....I GET FIRST DIBS!!!!....

I am damn near deaf but I heard that loud and clear from inside the house!


-- Edited by Baker on Wednesday 16th of February 2011 04:23:09 PM

 

[Baker]

Thanks fellas.

 

[JD]

rwidman wrote:


skipperdude wrote:

*

Buy it.

*I don't think you will regret it.

*For $200.00 Oh yeah!!

SD

It's
$1,900 new on e-bay.* Hard to believe anyone would let a working one go for $200.

Be sure you get the antenna and power cable.* And bracket if you don't plan on flush mounting.*

You can download the manuals from the Garmin website.


-- Edited by rwidman on Wednesday 16th of February 2011 04:21:24 PM
Even if you don't you can buy an Antenna new and the cables as well for say $200 more.* That $400 and you are done.** I think your Chart*Chip from your old unit will fit the new one as well. *Great deal.

*

 

[rwidman]

JD wrote:


rwidman wrote:

*
skipperdude wrote:

*

Buy it.

*I don't think you will regret it.

*For $200.00 Oh yeah!!

SD

It's
$1,900 new on e-bay.* Hard to believe anyone would let a working one go for $200.

Be sure you get the antenna and power cable.* And bracket if you don't plan on flush mounting.*

You can download the manuals from the Garmin website.


-- Edited by rwidman on Wednesday 16th of February 2011 04:21:24 PM
Even if you don't you can buy an Antenna new and the cables as well for say $200 more.* That $400 and you are done.** I think your Chart*Chip from your old unit will fit the new one as well. *Great deal.


The chart chip from a 182c will not fit a 4210.* That's ok though because the 4210 has built in charts with the same detail as the 182c and they will be more recent.

*

 

[JD]

rwidman wrote:

*
JD wrote:

*

The chart chip from a 182c will not fit a 4210.* That's ok though because the 4210 has built in charts with the same detail as the 182c and they will be more recent.
Correct you are.* My last one was a 3200 and it*needed the chip.

Presently I'm stuck with two E80 Raymarine and can't justify making the change of at least one of them to Garmin*yet but I'm sure I will come with a plan*by the end of the summer.

*


-- Edited by JD on Thursday 17th of February 2011 07:50:56 AM

 

[rwidman]

When I purchased my boat, the PO had been navigating with paper charts and a hand held GPS made for hiking!

I put the Garmin 182c from my previous boat on the Camano untill I sold it, then I had to buy something. Since I have an upper and lower helm, I had to buy two plotters and a depth sounder. I got two Garmin 5208s, a GSD22, and an in hull transducer. Close to $6K, but hey, it's a boat, right?

 

[Baker]

Update....it turns out it is a 2010.....

.....still not a bad deal but still not a 4210.....I will likey wait until he pulls something out a little more up to date. Many of his clients change electronics every 2-3 years.

 

[rwidman]

Baker wrote:

Update....it turns out it is a 2010.....

.....still not a bad deal but still not a 4210.....I will likey wait until he pulls something out a little more up to date. Many of his clients change electronics every 2-3 years.

That sounds more reasonable.* The 2010 is obsolete.* If it's not broken, it will do what it does, but the newer units do a lot more.

*