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cass_71
Canada
7 Posts |
 Posted - 20 avr. 2010 : 18:11:51
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My father-in-law gave my daughter this Lawrence 250C GPS some time back. All it would do was to attempt to take her back to his "home".
Being a Garmin man, I didn't realise the stupid SD card contained ALL the information to run the unit! So, I wiped it.
Lowrance offers absolutely NO support for this unit now. You can't even purchase a new "loaded" SD card anymore! The recent free update only works if you still have the factory software that was last updated years back!
I'll send you my Lowrance SD card and pay any reasonable sum or do whatever you wish to get this fool thing working again.]
It's not that I particularly care about it but, I'm really sick of my father-in-law bitching at me to get it working again!
ANY help will be MOST sincerely appreciated!
cass_71 |
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ST-Bob
USA
3655 Posts |
Posted - 20 avr. 2010 : 20:50:02
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It's unfortunate, but true... Lowrance is out of the automotive GPS market and will not be able to help you with the 250c. Since the map data is 'married' to the unit's internal hardware ID at time of first use, no other copy of the 250c data card will work in it so you can't use someone else's data (copyright issues).
It seems you've turned the unit into a paperweight. Unless you can get Lowrance to help you, you're out of luck, unfortunately. |
Bob Peloquin - Moderator-Lowrance iWay forum
Massachusetts, USA
Various Iways, nüvi 750 |
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cass_71
Canada
7 Posts |
Posted - 21 avr. 2010 : 00:30:17
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Thanks for the kind response.
My only question is, before Christmas, I went to the Lowrance site and saw 2 options for my problem.
I could send in my own card and they would "load" it or, I could purchase a brand new (grossly outdated) Navteq card for about $75.00!
I called and talked to a rep. The rep advised me that a "new" version of the software was "soon" going to be available and NOT buy but, to wait.
Well' I waited and they not only didn't update the software, they totally discontinued supporting my unit and, perhaps, all other Lowrance GPS units as well.
If, as you say, the software is "married" to my specific unit, they could NOT sell ANY replacement SD cards.
If you have a 250C, I'll take my chances and do what it takes to get a copy of your data.
Best
Cass_71 |
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ST-Bob
USA
3655 Posts |
Posted - 21 avr. 2010 : 00:34:57
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The map database gets 'married' to the unit when used the first time, not when the unit is manufactured. You can put in a virgin data card with virgin Lowrance data and it'll be locked to your iWay 250c when it is powered on the first time with the new data card.
I doubt very much there will be any new map data for the iWay 250c. Last version was likely Q3-07 which is as new as I've seen on any iWay or Xog. Unlike Garmin, the Lowrance map data carries the NavTeq date code, not the artificially optimistic dates Garmin uses. For example, Garmin has data labeled 2011 already when they're undoubtedly still really using NavTeq data from the 4th quarter of 2009. Garminalso uses fiscal year dates (July to June) vs. Lowrance's calendar dating (January to December). |
Bob Peloquin - Moderator-Lowrance iWay forum
Massachusetts, USA
Various Iways, nüvi 750 |
Edited by - ST-Bob on 21 avr. 2010 00:38:23 |
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cass_71
Canada
7 Posts |
Posted - 21 avr. 2010 : 01:20:41
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Bob;
OK, you sure sound much more savy than I am.
Still, I'm the one with the "bitchy" father-in-law, not you.
He'll hold this against me forever if I don't attempt a fix!
I'll send you my card for you to load. I don't want you to go out and purchase a new card as mere 2 gig cards are fasssst becoming obsolete, as you well know. I'm presently using ONLY a 16 gig card in my Nikon.
I'll pay you any reasonable sum, for your trouble.
If it STILL won't work, I'll take it to the range and put a 5.56mm bullet(s) through it!
Best
cass_71 |
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ST-Bob
USA
3655 Posts |
Posted - 21 avr. 2010 : 02:46:01
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Don't send it to ME for crying out loud. As I told you before - no other 'married' data will work with it. You need an 'unmarried' map dataset with 'virgin' NavTeq map data nobody here can provide.
Either send the card to Lowrance with an RMA number and have them reload your card with virgin map data (even if it's older) so the unit will work again or buy the most recent updated map card from them. As to age of the NavTeq data, they're building very few new mountains these days (Iceland excluded) so there will likely be only minor changes in roadways. Lowrance will probably NEVER come out with another newer map dataset for the iWay line, regardless of what tech-support says. They're not the bean-counters and have no idea if and when an update will be available. I suggest you sweet-talk them.
You could always get a cheap sub $200 navigator from a company that's going to actually support it... NavTeq upgrades from any manufacturer are between $75 and $500 usually so it may actually pay to replace it.
When you "brick" an iWay 250c, you're usually gonna have to pay Lowrance for some sort of a fix or toss it in the trash. Sorry, but nobody here can fix it for you with their NavTeq maps as they're already encoded (married) to their particular units. |
Bob Peloquin - Moderator-Lowrance iWay forum
Massachusetts, USA
Various Iways, nüvi 750 |
Edited by - ST-Bob on 21 avr. 2010 02:49:15 |
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cass_71
Canada
7 Posts |
Posted - 21 avr. 2010 : 03:39:10
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Bob;
Well that's it then!
Lowrance WILL NOT provide even the old, outdated cards they offered for $75.00 until very recently! I know, I talked to tech support and practically begged the guy for some help; to NO avail!
I'll NEVER own another Lowrance product again!
If I decide to buy the Beechcraft Bonanza a friend owns, ANY Lowrance nav equipment inside will be personally be smashed to pieces with a sledge hammer right there on the tarmac!
I don't care if I could get $175K for it!
They are real %&+#@%!
Best
Michael C. |
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ST-Bob
USA
3655 Posts |
Posted - 21 avr. 2010 : 12:50:21
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I understand your frustration but it's a bit misdirected in my opinion. The old Lowrance ceased to exist in 2008 when Daryl Lowrance sold his company to a major marine electronics conglomerate. Navico, as the new company is called, maintained the Lowrance brand name but it in no way still the same company.
So sorry but the global economic meltdown is to blame, not Lowrance. Plus there's the little matter of you erasing the SD card... |
Bob Peloquin - Moderator-Lowrance iWay forum
Massachusetts, USA
Various Iways, nüvi 750 |
Edited by - ST-Bob on 21 avr. 2010 12:52:06 |
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rwamf
57 Posts |
Posted - 21 avr. 2010 : 19:31:26
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You can use Mapcreate maps on it, just load a SD card, You just don't get the Auto Routing, but is works, plus you get Topo.
Just another option |
LTR
R |
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cass_71
Canada
7 Posts |
Posted - 21 avr. 2010 : 21:16:00
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Sir;
Thanks for jumping into the discussion. I've never heard of "Mapcreate maps" before! I need both the USA & Canada.
Any idea where I'd go to find these maps?
Many thanks
Michael C. |
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ST-Bob
USA
3655 Posts |
Posted - 22 avr. 2010 : 00:28:45
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Remember; although the 'software' is resident in the iWay 250c internal 64 mb flash-rom, the skins and maps are all supposed to be on the SD card. You can probably get the skins from the update on Lowrance's web site, but without the NavTeq maps, it'll probably not boot properly and throw errors. Most of the search functions won't work nor will the turn-by-turn routing.
MapCreate is a software program from Lowrance which has non-routable mapping capability of the T.I.G.E.R. topographical map data. It is both very old and does not contain turn-by-turn data, rendering the iWay 250c pretty useless in my opinion.
What you've got there cass is called a paperweight. |
Bob Peloquin - Moderator-Lowrance iWay forum
Massachusetts, USA
Various Iways, nüvi 750 |
Edited by - ST-Bob on 22 avr. 2010 00:31:03 |
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rwamf
57 Posts |
Posted - 22 avr. 2010 : 22:11:58
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I had a 250 and I tried my SD card from my H20c and it worked fine, you loose the auto routing but you get the topo,
Mapcreate software (US ONLY)has been discontinued but you should be able to find it. You must buy it with their Card writer/reader as it encodes the SD card to work in your gps. so find the Program with the reader.
Note: You must use an LEI branded memory card reader/writer for MapCreate™ 7 to work properly. I got mine here |
LTR
R |
Edited by - rwamf on 22 avr. 2010 22:14:38 |
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cass_71
Canada
7 Posts |
Posted - 22 avr. 2010 : 23:20:16
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To Heck with it!
I'm going to buy another Garmin unit. Their prices are lower now and their quality is great! More features than ever and updates with no hassels, too!
Lowrance can stick to "fish finders" for all I care! I'm done trying to make their unit work.
Thanks to all posters!
cass_71 |
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Wiped Lowrance 250C SD card!
