Thread: Convert garmin .img pseudo-NT to non-NT? I know it's possible, but how?(SOLVED!!!)

Originally Posted by kunix

I don't really believe that people who reverse engineered non-NT IMG files can't do the same with NT IMG files There should be some other reasons... Like all of them being involved in some economic relations which make decompiling NT maps by others not desirable

Decompiling maps is a quite different matter than unlocking maps.

There are many companies, which own digital data suitable for GPS maps. I think in each country there could be a few such companies. They could have better local data than Navteq. Or they sell data to Navteq. Actually they could sell data to any publisher who releases maps. But there is condition - no leaks including no possibility to decompile their data. Since cgpsmapper gives no protection, there are nearly no alternative commercial maps. We get one City Navigator Europe, one Topo Germany, one Topo France etc. And Garmin control market, they don't sell their tools to competition.

Now is interesting what would happen if someone would release decompiling tools for Garmni NT maps? Would Navteq stop selling data to Garmin?

Originally Posted by Kanopus

Now is interesting what would happen if someone would release decompiling tools for Garmni NT maps? Would Navteq stop selling data to Garmin?

That would probably be a navigation market disaster for Garmin, right? And a big win for others who didn't have good map data before.
Well, I know that both maps formats can be unlocked. I know that unlocking is "relatively" easy and that free OpenSource tools are available.

What I was talking about is that non-NT maps can be decompiled with easily available 3rd party tools and NT maps cannot. I can be wrong here, as I'm an absolute noob when it comes to maps.

Originally Posted by Giomen

Do the bible by John Mechalas have another analogue?

Additional NOD format can be found at
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Additional NT format (but far from complete) can be found at
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Thanks syzygy.
Yes i already read those documents the other day.
And you are correct on what you are saying.
The imgformat-1.0.pdf document was the most useful. The document is a little incomplete, but we don't need to know/understand where exactly the offset point to. We only need to know where are the offsets to be changed and the amount that need to be sustracted from them to properly point to the data when relocated.
It was relative simple, i need to see some details and i'll upload what i found, later.(i've been busy)
But to resume i will say: THE MATTER IS CLOSED!!!. It is definitely possible to convert pseudo-NT to non-NT without any problem.
I will upload the details and explanation later. But correctly changing the offsets is easy.
The ideal thing would be to do it automatically, but the most important part, that is understanding the issue, is CLOSED.

There are Garmin NT maps, non-NT maps and 3-rd version are quasi-NT maps created by cgpsmapper. Quasi-NT maps could be decompiled, but until recently there was no available tools to do it. That kind of tools can make problems for remaining competitors of Garmin.

Yeah, I've forgotten about quasi-NT maps... Thank you.
As I understand, decompilation of CarteBlanche won't make their sales significantly lower, as they're not encrypting their map anyway. Who would buy the map if it can be downloaded for free? Most probably most map installations are performed by unofficial dealers, who can surely find it and download it...
But it will make Garmin devices less competitive and some other navigation devices more competitive, due to wider map material available. Thus, everyone who sells Garmins would be hit somehow. Am I right ?

Now is interesting what would happen if someone would release decompiling tools for Garmni NT maps? Would Navteq stop selling data to Garmin?

Doubt, as Garmin is the official sponsor of the Nokia mapping. How would all Lumias have a free world wide licence for the Navteq maps if Garmin don't pay for those maps?