Garmin Aviation Databases and Macs

[KleensRV6]

Has anyone figured out how to download updates to Garmin FliteCharts and other aviation databases using a Mac?

[Mike S]

What is a Mac???

[humptybump]

Is Garmin Communicator for Mac what you are looking for ? Or do you want the Garmin WebUpdater for Mac ?

[FalloutMan]

Check out Garmin Basecamp. It's what I use for my handheld GPS for all my topo plus city nav map management. I don't see why it wouldn't work for the aviation GPS line. If bad comes to worse just dual boot into windows 7 and do what you need to do. If you need more advice on bootcamp I can post a link to apples support page that explains how to use bootcamp Barney style but the program is really straight forward.

[scard]

I use a windows virtual machine (for garmin aviation updates) on the one silly mac that I'm trying to figure out how to operate for work.

[David-aviator]

Very recently I upgraded a 295 data base. It was quite an effort.

First off, while a MAC Communicator is available it does not work for aviation data base transfer. This I confirmed with Garmin tech support. Why do they provide a MAC communicator, I believe it is to upgrade NON aviation data bases, although that I can not confirm. I got the feeling the MAC-PC integration at Garmin failed and they may be fixing it, or not, I do not know.

Originally I bought a HP lap top just to upgrade Garmin and Dynon products. It worked great until MS came out with XP SP3. Garmin upgraded all their software to conform with SP3. My HP lap top was DOA with SP3. Its processor could not be upgraded.

That's when I called Garmin tech support, we have a very late IMAC that blows away most IBM-MS type computers but it would not down load a Garmin aviation data base with the communicator. The response I got was with some sympathy - but the 295 could not be upgraded with a MAC, any MAC.

I ended up imposing on a neighbor with a PC running with SP3, the 295 data base was installed in less than 2 minutes.

What a hassle, but I guess all that ends well, ends well.

[KleensRV6]

Thanks for the input. I have been trying to download the FliteCharts from Garmin to the MACBook but have not experienced any success. You do have to credit Garmin with making it a challenge to download to a standard PC base, and I lack the Pearl and fuglly (I think that is what he called it) talent of Sharpie.

[RV7ator]

Try asking our g3xpert@garmin.com to create a file with the databases and attaching it to an e-mail. That's what he did so I could update a G3X with my Mac. Save the attached file to the desktop then drag the file onto the SD card drive (on the desktop). How you do this and pay for it is something else, and whether it solves all your interface problems I can't say, but in that instance it was a good work-around.

Perhaps the more we peck at Garmin the likelier Mac support will happen.

John Siebold

[Chino Tom]

My Mac book has OS X 10.7.5 I have the Garmin Webupdater installed.
I have no issues installing updates on my 796. There were some warnings
about incompatability with the latest OS X (later version than I have), but I don't see that on the Garmin web site any longer.

[bkthomps]

Originally Posted by scard

I use a windows virtual machine (for garmin aviation updates) on the one silly mac that I'm trying to figure out how to operate for work.

this is what I do as well