Tales Of Zumo

[BonusVFR]

Way back in Post #147 V4 Rosso mentioned a replacement security screw aftermarket product............little did I know at the time he was just trying to push the 10K views limit/ceiling!

Well here is an update on the Security Screw Replacement! Thanks V4 Rosso!

This is what it looks like except it is stainless........this is from ECM on ZumoForums

This screw replaces the factory security screw which requires a special Garmin tool to well..............screw it in/out. This arrangement works well if you a teenager working in perfect light and have never had an alcoholic beverage in your life.

I never used the screw as it was too hard to screw??????? - a man has to know his limitations.

The stock screw helps secure the Zumo in the MC mount to prevent an accidental discharge of your Zumo on the street. It may help for a few nanoseconds with thieves too but I doubt it. The clamp worked fine for me and my Zumo has never popped but……………..

Well anyway the replacement screw is available on line here:

http://www.boelis.nl/index_bestanden/SecurityscrewEN.htm

If you want testimonials …….there are nearly 30 pages of SCREW discussion and happy customers on the ZumoForums! The thread was started by another guy from the Netherlands ……..ECM a Zumo wizard.

http://www.zumoforums.com/index.php?topic=1153.0

Well, I received a Xmas present from my tour compatriot ………

…………………………..a replacement screw!

You can see that his vision is like any 50+ guy…………

so he needs the device that is easy to operate without the tool. It is!

Here it is on my machine. Thank you Santa.

[BonusVFR]

Way back in post 96, I talked about the POI loader and the Honda Dealers dB.

The guy, HAL, who runs the Wing site as well as a good parts store (no aftermarket VFR yet though) just updated his Honda dealer list to include phone numbers that which you can dial using the Zumo 550/BT. He also has the file in other formats to use with other Garmin GPS units. Make sure you update your Garmin POI loader to the latest version (Aug 07).

Here is Hal's POI site which gives you some simple instructions on how to do it too. The dB is not perfect though and no Canada yet.

http://www.regi.net/poi/

Thanks Hal

[BonusVFR]

I use my Zumo all the time when travelling, also in my car.

Does anybody know of a FM transmitter to transmit directional messages and mp3 from my Zumo to the car radio, when using the car bracket? There seems to be no mini jack outlet, only a miniUSB contact on the right side of the bracket.

I use the Zumo all the time in my truck - hardly ever pinpoint stuff using the internet anymore.

Just about any FM transmitter should work - I have a Belkin. Just run a 3.5mm plug (double male) from the Zumo car mount to the FM transmitter assembly. This should be in your FM transmitter kit. If not any electronics store (or Walmart in the US) will have one.

Even better if you have a MP3 port on your radio ......then you can go direct to the car system without the FM transmitter using the same 3.5mm cable.

BTW the Zumo makes a great handsfree cell device in the car. Fantastic screen so you can see all the stuff you can not see on your cell plus the POI database is right there if you want to call ahead! So you can see your phone dB as well as the Zumo restaurants etc.

and you can take and receive calls thru the MC mount speaker hands free once you enable BT on the phone.

[BonusVFR]

There was a question in another thread about how to clear out your Waypoints/Favorites on the 450/550

On the Zumo:

Lets talk about Recently Found locations too. On the Zumo itself you can clear out all your “Recently Found” attempts in one sweep using the Clear Button .........Do you really want to do this?? Or individually when you select the found location and then “Edit”.

With the “Favorites”, which are essentially the Waypoints downloaded from Mapsource or manually entered/saved in the Zumo, you can only delete them individually after you have selected a particular Favorite then use the “Edit” function to delete.

Now the Mapsource way:

Have you backed up all your files on the Zumo yet???? Do it!! So in case this method or any other crazy idea does not work …….you do not have to call Garmin tech support.

When you hook up to the USB, the Zumo first Enters a USB mass Storage Mode and saves all waypoints, routes and trip logs in GPX format. These data points are saved in a Current.gpx file found in the Zumo storage in a directory called Garmin and then a GPX subdirectory. Your SD card should also be available if you want to look at that but the Current.Gpx file will be on the Zumo unit not the card.

It is simple then to load up the Current file in Mapsource using Filemanager. Delete the “Waypoints” you do not like in Mapsource and save the file back to the Zumo.

There are other ways to do this but this should work.

EDITED to add but it does not! There appears to be no way to instantly delete all your favorites...........still looking

Did I say Backup first!!

As I said before, I like to eliminate all non relevant waypoints when I go for a tour in a distant land plus add in a few maybe Points in case my plan changes. I have saved all the old waypoints in a Mapsource file so I can load them back on when I need to. In fact after every tour, I save everything in my Zumo including the archived trip logs to one gpx file.

[BonusVFR]

Well I did more experimenting with the Mapsource quick delete of all favorites described above and the technique does not work. Here is what I added to the post above .

"EDITED to add but it does not! There appears to be no way to instantly delete all your favorites...........still looking"

Sorry about the bum steer :warranty: :blink:

[AB-Oz]

Hi zumophiles,

While i wait for my registration at Zumoforums.com to get approved, does anyone know how to get the zumo to re-index the MP3's?

The reason I ask is I copied some songs over to the Zumo's SD card, then realised they didn't show up in the artist list right, so I renamed them but they still dont show.

Is there a way to get zumo to recognise the new name, or does it base it on the id tags of the mp3 file itself? Maybe I just answered my question

Cheers

Adam

[BonusVFR]

Try dumping the mp3 files into a Directory on the SD card called .........MP3. If that does not work try putting the music into the MP3 directory on the Zumo itself to see if that works ok. Music has to be MP3 format.

All my naming efforts did not work but there is some software somewhere that ID for you. But if the id stuff is there it should show up on the Zumo.

[AB-Oz]

All files can just sit on the SD card, or in the MP3 folder of the Zumo.

the key to zumo displaying titles, artist etc is all in the Id tags of the mp3 files. If you right click on the file in Windoze Exploder, choose Properties, choose Summary these are the id tags of the file.

Zumo will allow groupings based on Artist, Album if these are filled in right.

You can edit these tags, or use some shareware to do it en masse (google it). Or get these right when you ripped the music in the first place (for backup purposes only of course!)

Cheers

AB

[BonusVFR]

All files can just sit on the SD card, or in the MP3 folder of the Zumo.

the key to zumo displaying titles, artist etc is all in the Id tags of the mp3 files. If you right click on the file in Windoze Exploder, choose Properties, choose Summary these are the id tags of the file.

Zumo will allow groupings based on Artist, Album if these are filled in right.

You can edit these tags, or use some shareware to do it en masse (google it). Or get these right when you ripped the music in the first place (for backup purposes only of course!)

Cheers

AB

Most of my ID info is there already ..........have not taken much time to fill the few holes I have. I can navigate the MP3s fine with the current data.

When I run the Ridges I like my MP3 player on!

[V4 Rosso]

"EDITED to add but it does not! There appears to be no way to instantly delete all your favorites...........still looking"

On a streetpilot you click <find><waypoints> and when you are presented with the list of POIs you press the <menu>button after which you get a menu that presents you the choises of deleting a single POI, all POI's or POI's that have a particular icon. I don't know what (screen)buttons the Zumo has, but the workflow might be somewhat similar to a streetpilot.

[NorthernVFRDave]

Ok so I got my Zumo all setup on the bike I mean in the Car (bike is sleeping because of winter :pissed: )

And it works great, but now its dumb question time.

Why with a unit that can find my location anywhere in the world with in 20feet, but I have to tell it what time zone I'm currently in :blink:

You think the unit could figure that out on its own, please tell me I'm not smarter than all the guys at Garmin and no one has ever come up with that idea before? :idea3:

[V4 Rosso]

please tell me I'm not smarter than all the guys at Garmin

I guess you are. :lol:

They did think of daylight savings time though.

If you live/ride in Venezuela, your Zumo will never be able to tell the correct time. :joystick:

[BonusVFR]

Ok so I got my Zumo all setup on the bike I mean in the Car (bike is sleeping because of winter :goofy: )

And it works great, but now its dumb question time.

Why with a unit that can find my location anywhere in the world with in 20feet, but I have to tell it what time zone I'm currently in :blink:

You think the unit could figure that out on its own, please tell me I'm not smarter than all the guys at Garmin and no one has ever come up with that idea before? :goofy:

They come from Kansas .................Some Wizards of .....................Oz. :goofy:

It was explained to me once why you have to change the time zones manually but I forgot. I think it is more about that you can not write a formula to describe what pols will do with time zones. When I was in the Navy we used to use Zulu time to eliminate some of the confusion when traveling lots of miles.

When I start doing cross border or do they or do they not have recognize "daylight savings time" travel, I just look at the Zumo time and see if it matches Bank neon alternating time/temp displays.

Pretty easy to change and it makes me feel like the machine needs me and that we are a total system. :goofy:

[BonusVFR]

More software Updatees:

Changes made from version 3.80 to 3.90:

Corrected issue that provided invalid search results near your destination for long routes.

Corrected issue with MadMaps support that could cause an incorrect Speed Zone alert to display.

Mine still works :warranty:

[sailcycle]

Though certainly not a Zumo expert (yet), I thought I'd share the experience I've had planning for my 4-day trip to Vermont this summer. Playing with the Zumo and MapSource is also the best way to learn how they act and interact and has been a fun way to pass PMS season. I'd also rather learn the nuances now than wait until I'm on the App Gap. :joystick:

My first bit of advice is to read through this entire thread and capitalize on the experience BonusVFR and others share. If you don't own a Zumo, you probably will before you get to the end of page 3. I would also recommend joining Zumo Forums although you'll be hanging out with a lot of Hardleys, BMW Dweebs and Wingers. Not that there's anything wrong with that. :unsure:

Our current Tourmaster is a wiz at planning routes with paper and pen, but he has a poor sense of time. His 3:30 lunches and after-dark finishes are the stuff of legends. My new Zumo will not replace his great routes, but it will certainly act to keep him honest. :warranty:

I used MapSource to plot 4 1-day routes for our Vermont trip, based upon the primitive list of turns The Tourmaster provided us in Word Perfect. Ugh. To map the general route, I loaded about 10 Waypoints (flagged and announced) for each day, then let MapSource do its thing. Then I forced the route down specific tasty bits by dragging the route to Map Intersections (Viapoints that are not flagged or announced). I then deleted the Waypoints that were no longer needed, leaving me with only the Start, Lunch and Finish Waypoints and a bunch of Map Intersections (PONIs).

Once I was happy with the MapSource route, I downloaded it to my Zumo to let it churn. Several of my Viapoints got flagged on the Zumo, so I renamed the Zumo-generated route and transferred it back into Map Source to compare with the original. Looking at the list of Viapoints, it was clear that some of them were either Points of Interest or Street Addresses, causing the Zumo to treat them as Waypoints. I simply re-positioned them to an intersection and all was well.

All in all, I probably transferred each route back and forth between MapSource and the Zumo 3-4 times until they were perfect. I suspect I'll get better over time, but I probably only spent an hour or two on each day's 300-mile route. Plus it was fun. My final steps were to fantasize about the trip by transferring it to Google Earth (not as much snow there) and to e-mail the MapSource file to a friend who also has a Zumo.

I also plotted one of my favorite local 75-mile loops and experimented with it while bouncing around in my stiff, old truck. I added a gas-stop Waypoint along the way, just to see how it reacted. I then went off-course a few times to test things out. I did get a few odd U-Turn voice commands, but I barreled through them with no apparant damage.

One thing I would like to see on the Zumo is a way to reduce the number of alerts. After you take a turn, Jill kindly tells you what your next turn will be. As you get within striking distance, you get her early warning announcement. When you finally reach the turn, she tells you where to go. That's 3 announcements per turn. I would like more control over Jill (I've been married for 29 years, so I'm not holding my breath) and decide whether I want her to badger me once, twice or three times per turn. :salesman:

All in all, this has been a great purchase and I believe it will add another dimension to our group rides. :thumbsup:

[NorthernVFRDave]

Ok got a question about mapsource.

If you have ever played with Google Maps, you know you can put in a start and end point then just drag the route track line around to change it up a little, I can't seem to do that with Mapsource once it plots out a route for you, your stuck with what it gave you unless you want to draw the whole route by hand

[V4 Rosso]

Select the route by clicking on it, it will turn from purple to yellow. Now select the "add viapoint" tool or whatever it's called.

Click on the route somewhere you want to modify it, next click on a road you want to add to the route. Repeat this until your satisfied with the route.

[NorthernVFRDave]

Cool thanks didn't know I had to make the route yellow first :warranty:

[BonusVFR]

Though certainly not a Zumo expert (yet), I thought I'd share the experience I've had planning for my 4-day trip to Vermont this summer. Playing with the Zumo and MapSource is also the best way to learn how they act and interact and has been a fun way to pass PMS season. I'd also rather learn the nuances now than wait until I'm on the App Gap. :joystick:

My first bit of advice is to read through this entire thread .............................................................................

...................................................................................

.......................................................................................

One thing I would like to see on the Zumo is a way to reduce the number of alerts. After you take a turn, Jill kindly tells you what your next turn will be. As you get within striking distance, you get her early warning announcement. When you finally reach the turn, she tells you where to go. That's 3 announcements per turn. I would like more control over Jill (I've been married for 29 years, so I'm not holding my breath) and decide whether I want her to badger me once, twice or three times per turn. :salesman:

All in all, this has been a great purchase and I believe it will add another dimension to our group rides. :thumbsup:

Great post. You really have to play with Mapsource a while to get the hang of it.

................

As regards controlling Jill’s Voice Recommendations and Marriage………..Here is my “Life is not Fair” soliloquy.

While I have been married over 30 years (different women …..but it nevertheless adds up), I have learned very little about GPS units. Some years ago, I was forced to trade in an older unit for newer, lighter, better performing and more attractive model. Caution..........It was more expensive of course and required that I contribute a rather large recycling fee and ongoing premiums.

But in some ways despite the significant upgrade there are parallels. There are “apparent bugs” in the core operating system. From my conversations with other aficionados and board members, these software glitches seem endemic to all GPS units.

Now as to Jill, I have found with experimentation that you can alter the voice protocols by reprogramming the Logic and or Feeling modules. This usually has a short term impact. Messing with the logic controls often cause my unit to uncontrollably transmit…….so I do not attempt this often and only when I make the mistake of acting instinctively to solve a problem. This can be aggravating especially on tour. Albeit blurting out a decisive fact gives you fleeting satisfaction (measured in nanoseconds), this action is never a good tactic or strategy.

As I have “matured” I have found that I can dabble with the Feelings component. This usually works at the onset ………if you understand. However this exacting and somewhat tedious programming requires considerable patience, follow up, and unnecessary audits. The reprogramming also decays over time and obliges one to make more and larger investments downstream. It is a catch really ………the better you are at it the more you have to ……..well…….talk about it. This is not encouraging particularly if you like to spend large amounts of productive time on VFRD.

Of late, I have been outsourcing the interminable task of code writing to females geeks. Although their actions often seem imponderable and aimless, they are remarkably effective at getting the job done.

If the either of these “pearls” do not work for you……………Try this!

Announce “Yes Dear” and proceed on the route you like. Disregard Jill as best you can and under no circumstances stop and ask for directions.

:goofy: J/K :warranty: :goofy: :blink: :blink:

Oh ............Version 3.9 of the Zumo software has a Upgrade on Jill but I am not sure what it does. I think that anybody who reads my post knows this all too well.

Can I be of any further help?

[BonusVFR]

Adding the Zumo to a VFR support vehicle ie the grey box.

I am addicted to the Zumo on tour and increasingly use it in the truck too.

One of the really nice things about my Zumo and Wing combo is that I can fully integrate the MP3/Nav/Cell sound right into the stock sound system.

The Wing uses a 3.5 mm Aux input jack so that external inputs can be run through the system. The 2.5mm input for the Cell output/transmit is also shown here too.

While most new cars have this 3.5mm input jack, my 2001 Chevy truck does not. What are the options without buying a new radio? A radio with this input and integrated device is clearly the best option. But if you do not want to listen to the crummy and tiny Garmin auto mount speaker what do you do.

My Research options:

1. FM transmitter – which I bought early in the process. This works but has a problem. If you live in a large metro area or adjacent to a foreign country it can be hard finding a clear radio station and you have to adjust the station when you are on the move – ie the only time I need the GPS. Hello ……..San Diego is not Nebraska. It gets worse as I often drive north to an area called LA.

2. FM Modulator – this device hooks to your FM antennae input and essentially sends a strong signal through the radio – you access the Zumo/ipod device by tuning to one or two FM frequency choices. You use your radio presets to access the Zumo output which is 3.5mm hard wire plugged into the FM modulator.

And finally I kept looking at my radio and wondered what the hell is that? How do I tap into that.

Inquiries with all the local car audio shops, web research and the Chevy dealers/GM came to naught! Very Frustrating.

I gave up talking to the young audio geeks at the shops and decided to buy a FM modulator so that I could save some money and keep the stock radio.

While trying to figure out how to get my radio out to see if I avoid an installer fees, I found exactly what I wanted.

http://www.discountcarstereo.com/detail.aspx?ID=347

Wow!

The GM Aux Connector unit plugs into the 9 pin factory CD changer jack. I just hit the Aux button on the radio faceplate and I am in.

Voila Zumo inputs into the radio via the RCA/3.5 mm plug. Works like a charm including full Bluetooth outgoing phone thru the Garmin speaker on the auto mount.

Next up more Zumo sound farkling on the VFR.

[V4 Rosso]

You can see that his vision is like any 50+ guy…………

RAM now has screen magnifiers. May be helpfull for your riding buddy? I don't know if one of those is suitable for a Zumo though.

Or what about this? Adhesive reading glasses:

Or the DIY solution: :D

[BonusVFR]

Looks like the Screen Magnifer can be adapted to work for the Zumo......

I use this dual use pane technology which is still available and actually works. Once you get over the ego thing .................

[Chev]

Could someone please verify the mount I need to get my Zumo mounted on my tank?

Do I need the RAM-B-238? Linky

Also, is the medium arm the 5.25' arm?

Thanks

[NorthernVFRDave]

If you buy the 550 and you should, don't do a me and cheap out on the 450, which on top of bluetooth does not come with all the car mounts a $120 package like the 550 does.

In the box you get the parts all the you need to connect it to your tank, other than some longer bolts

[NorthernVFRDave]

Your link didn't work for me but you need a RAM-B-231Z

If you buy the 550 and you should, don't pull a me and cheap out on the 450, which on top of bluetooth does not come with all the car mounts a $120+ package like the 550 does.

In the box you get the parts all the you need to connect it to your tank, other than some longer bolts