Garmin Zumo 660 English Input Problem

[anguscharlton]

I've just bought a Garmin Zumo 660 from the Harley dealer in Shanghai and it fitted (5000 rmb)

I've changed all the setting to English language and english keyboard but when I try to search for an address or city it doesn't recognise the english input and won't even find Shanghai or Beijing. All the city names and province names are appearing in Chinese characters, so i presume it's wanting chinese character input.

Does anybody know how to fix this problem

Thanks

[Lao Jia Hou]

I have the same model, purchased in Beijing, with the same issue.

According to Garmin (Beijing), it is because the Zumo 660s purchased in China come loaded with the most recent China map, which is all in Chinese (no pinyin in the map).

If you want pinyin, it is necessary to take the unit to Garmin where it will load an older map version (Beijing said free-of-charge).

[SabineHartmann]

guys! the Sumo is il***gal here! find a nice computer shop and somebody will help you. the price is ~ 200 Yuan.
ours is working fine now. even I manage to reach my destinations. TIC

[SabineHartmann]

Richard, we have been in the Beijing shop. it was "working". but then the road is ~ 500m to the side. useless!

[bikerdoc]

The English Garmin map is 2013.20 version about 2.3GB in size, the previous English version was 2012.30 and 1.5GB, before that it was NT7.5 and only 750mb. As for English maps there are two versions, one has the suffix 'Venus' added to the title.

Essentially one version of the map has the offset which then is bundled with a small file (either a 'bin' file or a small 6k 'img' file) that corrects the offset for compatible Garmin devices from abroad. otherwise the other map version has the offset configured into the map for the Garmin devices made in China with the correct firmware...
The offset is a government initiative cloak and dagger BS.... since the CCP is so scared that we all want to POI every farken place in PRC or some such and we all have perverse/nasty intentions... pathetic paranoia.
Consequently it's actually illegal to save POI in GPS devices, especially any that 'might' be sensitive.

[Lao Jia Hou]

Richard, we have been in the Beijing shop. it was "working". but then the road is ~ 500m to the side. useless!

Garmin (Beijing) isn't a shop, it is an office. You were in the wrong place.

guys! the Sumo is il***gal here! find a nice computer shop and somebody will help you. the price is ~ 200 Yuan. ours is working fine now. even I manage to reach my destinations. TIC

A "nice computer shop" isn't actually very nice if it charges for something that the Garmin office provides for free. BTW, it is a "Zumo" and no, it is not illegal. However, using it for unapproved mapping could be construed as such.

OP, the Shanghai HD dealer will probably arrange to have it done for you, as a courtesy. I know the Beijing HD dealer, as well as a couple of other dealers in Beijing, will.

The English Garmin map is 2013.20 version about 2.3GB in size, the previous English version was 2012.30 and 1.5GB, before that it was NT7.5 and only 750mb. As for English maps there are two versions, one has the suffix 'Venus' added to the title.

Essentially one version of the map has the offset which then is bundled with a small file (either a 'bin' file or a small 6k 'img' file) that corrects the offset for compatible Garmin devices from abroad. otherwise the other map version has the offset configured into the map for the Garmin devices made in China with the correct firmware...The offset is a government initiative cloak and dagger BS.... since the CCP is so cared that we all want to POI every farken place in PRC... pathetic paranoia.

Yes, 2013.20 is the one.Bikerdoc, did you load SE Asia maps for your time in Thailand? Did it work ok? I am curious about whether my 660 will be portable to other countries (e.g., Canada/USA). If not, I suspect that the firmware could be flashed.

[bikerdoc]

Yes, 2013.20 is the one.Bikerdoc, did you load SE Asia maps for your time in Thailand? Did it work ok? I am curious about whether my 660 will be portable to other countries (e.g., Canada/USA). If not, I suspect that the firmware could be flashed.

Well I use a smartphone with GMXT, been using various versions of GMXT since, well way back... I was instrumental... on various forums under a different pseudonym - aghh, no best not incriminate myself. I worked with R66, iGO, Mapking and other GPS apps for smartphones... but have moved on, and that has been mainly since I found GMXT has been the better of the solutions for working in PRC, and doctoral studies taking up time not allocated to work, the gym or riding, meant that continuing on with the GPS and other apps for smartphones became lower priorities on the 'time' totem pole. I actually preferred Mapking from MapAsia, and contacted the company to offer to work with them to improve both the product and the maps for PRC especially, but MapAsia declined. Pity as the app has/had some real advantages over competitors.

As for other Garmin maps, yes, I have used GMXT in/with NZ, Australia, Thailand maps etc. Work well. I've had issues with the 2013.20 English map of PRC, takes a long time to load on my HTC HD2, so I either use 2012.30 or the 7.50 maps. I like the ability to be able to use both English and Ch!nese version maps for PRC navigation, and GMXT allows tracking and a whole lot more options that are generally only offered in the more expensive Garmin devices.

Garmin in PRC were partnered with Unistrong locally...

I can't say for sure if your Zumo will work flawlessly in other jurisdictions, since I don't use a Garmin 'device'... as stated I prefer smarphones (I've 5 models of HTC's running various versions of Windows mobile) aside from a Samsung Galaxy Note II. The GMXT and relevant maps for other countries works fine though.

[anguscharlton]

I took it back to the Harley shop and they sent me to the Garmin HQ in the high ted park in Hongqiao. It took them an hour but they were very helpful and loaded the maps in English and it works fine.

They are older maps so may not have some of the newer shanghia roads on but at least it works.

In hind sight I should have just used google maps on my iphone which works pretty well about shanghai and not waster money on the Garmin.

[newyork]

Is anyone using the Zumo 390 in China with Chinese maps (just characters ok)?