CD vs SD vs MMC lakemaster

[motocross269]

I am planning on buying the Lakemaster digital maps..I am not sure what format I should buy them in...I do not have a GPS/Sonar unit yet, but will probably buy a lowrance when the time comes.  I want something to run on my PC in the mean time...I was originally just going to buy the CD then I saw that they have a reader on the site that you can plug into the USB port for SD Cards...Do they have a reader for the MMC cards??  I didn't see anything on the site.  What type of cards do the Lowrance units take??? If I can, I might as well buy the right card, thinking ahead for the future.  Any help for this computer illiterate angler would be appreciated.
Thanks B

[bshaner]

If there is a memory card, some company makes a USB reader for it.  Prices vary with the brand.  There are multi card readers as well so you dont have to buy a reader every time you change memory card types.  I have a multi card reader.  I can read any card out there for the most part. 

I dont think Lowrance actually makes card readers, although they might have some type of adapter.  I havent browsed their site.  I dont know that I'd buy a reader from the major manufacturer such as Lowrance.  You can get readers on Ebay or your local office depot or even Wal-Mart for that matter.

My next purchase will be the lake maps software and the appropriate cards.  Since I'm a computer geek and get paid for it I might as well research the lakes while I'm at work and plot courses!   

B

[MBell]

I would by the cd first.  Easier to use/study and plan routes etc.  You have more detail on the cd.  I think the card reader is just to transfer waypoints, not the map.  I don't have a card reader, but I can use my digital camera as card reader works fine.
-Matt

[Revtro]

I wish there was a way on my PC to view the map that I already bought on the MMC card.  It seems like it shouldn't be illegal to do since I own it.  But I can't seem to find any kind of utility to access the maps since they're enclosed in an exec file of some sort.  I can see the file using a multi-card reader, but can't access it in any way.  Guess I'll have to buy the software too.

[motocross269]

That is kind of the jist I was getting from the lakemaster site that you could only use the reader for transfering waypoints, but it wasn't really clear to me...So you can't open the Mapping files on a PC from the SD Card??

[Revtro]

I don't see a way to do it.  I doubt it would be illegal since I own the map on MMC, but I honestly don't know.  I've emailed Lakemaster to ask them about the legality of it.  Their response was ambigious at best.  They said they "don't recommend it because it can damage the MMC card".  I don't see how you can damage an MMC if you simply copy the files to your desktop.  I think they were just trying to discourage it, but they didn't say "you can't do it".  So it may be legal, but who knows...

However, this gets into decompiling, which isn't an easy business and not for the fainthearted.  Couple that with the possible legality of it and I'd say, just buy the desktop software and forget trying to hack the MMC to view the files. 

*Update: I just got this response from Lakemaster. "You can download a Lowrance product emmulator to
view through an onscreen GPS, no functionality."  Sounds like a legal way to view the MMC data on your desktop.  I'm gonna check it out.