LOWRANCE MAPCREATE US TOPO ACCESSORY PACK

User Review: - Could be a better product, but...
Software is not that great. Had to install an upgrade just to get it to work w/o crashing/hanging up (on Win XP). Even then, it cannot do large maps at one time. thus you have to make several smaller ones which just takes more time. Will occasionallly lock up anyway. Also, appears to require a special card reader to limit # of MMC/SD cards used. Pretty lame attempt to limit people copying maps for others.

The website is not great either for updates, etc. My device has a newer version than available upgrade on the website !

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User Review: - Map Create 7 was relatively easy to use
Map Create 7 is easier to use than previous models because everything is on one CD. There was some confusion getting the map border that I chose to the SD card. I think it was user error. You need to save map before you transfer it to the chip. The map detail is not as detailed as my Navionics Hot Maps Premium chip used in a newer gps/depthfinder, but the lowrance LCX15 would not except that chip and called for the one made by Map Create.

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User Review: - Card Reader has issues
I purchased version 7 after buying a Lowrance 540c. I've had nothing but problems with the supplied card reader. I sent it to Lowrance for repair and after a couple of weeks they sent me 2 new card readers at no charge. 1 of the 2 new readers didn't work at all and the second one worked for a couple of months and now it's dead. I asked around and found out that this has been a problem all the way back when they released ver. 6.3 . I like the 540c but would have purchased another brand GPS if I knew how poor Lowrance software was going to be with there reader.

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User Review: - Launches other install programs and customer service is no help
I bought the Lowrance iFinder Explorer C device after reading many reviews. I knew from other friends that have bought high end Lowrance products for their vessels that there were numerous issues with the software add-ons.

The base unit is affordable and has a very good outdoor screen. Battery life is better than their older predecessors. The comments already posted do a great job of desribing the rest of the issues.

I am writing this to give a bit more detail to my experience with the MapCreate software. The customer service is intolerable. Because they had no issues in their office with their installatios and use of their own software, it couldn't be their software causing the startup issues I was experiencing. I querried: Do you have Quickbooks or a Brother label printer installed? No response.

I find it odd that I cannot install the full program and do not need the CD or their out-of-date SD/MMC card reader necessary to use their mapping program. This slows up my use of my high speed setup and is out of step with the times. I appreciate they do not like their maps to be copied without permission. I would not either. There are other more customer friendly methods to accomplish their security, they just need to update: I would suggest if they really cared about us, they would update their archaic methods.

The bottom line: You are on your own if you need to purchase Map-Create, from what I consider a rather arrogant group of design/support people at LEI. I give a poor rating to the software, which is lacking in some controls, and doubt they would accept feedback as they have no way of collecting it and customer service is irreproachable.

The unit itself is OK. I tried the latest Garmin Colorado unit at Cabella's and the navigation controls are superior to the iFinder. Software is also an issue for them, apparently, but I doubt I would have the same install issue as the LEI software.

I am very dissatisfied! I was respectful and patient, but am awaiting a response from my message of over 2 weeks ago.

Update: 11/102008
I finally got the program installed after letting it sit on the shelf since this review. (I tried to sell on eBay, but no takers for a reasonable amount!.

I tried installing again on a fresh install of XP SVC PK 3. Same garbage. I emailed support and also went to the vendor who creates LEI's installation file. Same stuff. I then tried my own fix after reading the same results from many sites, which was suggested by LEI, they left me hanging as I expected. Here's what I did: I deleted all the files from C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield...! This is a risky venture, it is suggested you rename the InstallShield folder to Old_InstallShield... but, as geek, I was willing to just delete and move ahead and accept the consequences. It worked. Now I can create my maps.

All is well. I emailed both LEI and the Install Shield Co's to let them know how they can help their customers... nothing heard.

So if you can navigate through your PC you can try the above... I do suggest you rename rather than delete.

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User Review: - Lowrance Map Create 7
Got this for my Lowrance LMS-527cDF iGPS unit (fish finder and GPS) Had no problems using it for both street maps and lakes. It does not have the accuracy or detail that Garmin has, but that is not a fair comparison. It does have a ton of detail including minor streets and rural roads and fair shore detail (includes bottom contours and structure as well a some fishing info) when you are in the boat. Even though you can buy a 4 gig. SD chip, the software would not load more that about 5 or 6 hundred Megabytes per map. That is not a big problem because 500 megs will cover about 5 or 6 states, and you can load as many maps on the chip as you have room for. It only limits you to producing 5 chips. So be sure to get the largest chips you can affored and you will not run out of map space before the 5 chip limit shuts you down.

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