HomePort - Garmins replacement for MapSource

[oceanfroggie]

Garmin have just released their new HomePort trip planning and waypoint magement software this week. It costs €29 and is downloadeable from their web site. HomePort is Garmin's replacement for MapSource and is primarily aimed at users of their newer range of G2 Vision plotters, but also works with older plotters for waypoint management.

It does work with older CD versions of BlueCharts and also the new G2 Vision charts on SD. There is a nice feature which allows pre-loaded charts to be saved from plotters on to SD card and then viewed on a PC or Laptop using HomePort.

It has a nice passage planner that works out fuel required and fuel consumption based on own boat profiles and speed choosen per route leg. It does the usuall tidal stuff too (ie heights and streams).

This is the PC passage planning tool that users of Garmins newer range have been waiting for (eg 450, 550, 4000 and 5000 series). It can display pre-loaded BlueCharts G2, and G2 vision charts on SD cards on PC/Laptop screens for easier route planning.

Garmin HomePort

New Garmin HomePort - Trip planning and waypoint magement software

 

[AdeOlly]

Now this is interesting. If I read Garmin's info correctly, HomePort will download charts from pre-programmed Bluechart cartridges, which is something Mapsource won't do. I'm going to check this is the case as that will be v. useful, to me anyway.

 

[oceanfroggie]

Yes, the card menu on new garmin plotters (eg gpsmap550) can save a copy of the preloaded charts onto an SD card, then pop the SD card to a laptop and view the charts on HomePort for passage planning, drawing routes, etc, and transfer of routes back to plotter via SD card.

PS: G2 Vision SD charts can be read in plotter or HomePort running on PC. For folks who already have old CD BlueCharts (eg BlueCharts 2008 CD), they still work with HomePort, but not transferable to SD cards.

 

[[2068]]

How does that work with the older Bluechart CD's?

The information on the CD is packaged/compressed, so I'm guessing it must unpack the chart to your hard drive like Mapsource does?

dv.

 

[oceanfroggie]

How does that work with the older Bluechart CD's?

The information on the CD is packaged/compressed, so I'm guessing it must unpack the chart to your hard drive like Mapsource does?

dv.

This is only of relevance to folk who already happen to own BlueChart CD and have it already installed (ie which includes MapSource). When you run HomePort the BlueCharts will appear in the chart selection list and can be displayed on the PC screen, but cannot be saved to any form of memory card (ie only used for PC display). Only MapSource can write charts to old Garmin blank data cards. It's only useful for folks crossing over.