Pozdrav!
Copy-Paste sa Garmin-city foruma:
From a dutch distributor: (Tks to Marc)
"... the policy on illegal maps will significantly change the course of 2010. Of any illegal map, installed at any time on the device, some traces will remain.
We have already seen that a defective unit that was still well within warranty is out of warranty repair due to the presence of such traces. This is not to scare you but a concrete experience.
Additionally, we also learned that at some point firmware will be adjusted so that the device itself, to find such traces, stops working (and then no longer under warranty). That seems a rather severe measure and may be subject to "intimidation". But we are certainly seeing some concrete developments in that direction ...."
From a Dutch Forum (Tks to Marc)
"Garmin has a new copy protection:
The update of City Navigator 2010.30 introduces a new copy protection. This could also explain why a more recent version of Mapsource is included as available online.
First you don't notice very much. The problems will start when you try to install the map on a second PC. The usual approach is to manually edit the exe file to extract with WinRAR, copy everything to the 2nd PC, and using the *. msi file to install.
This also works with 2010.30, but if you start MapSource you will get the message that the map is locked. If you enter the unlock code in the usual way, the card still stays locked. The cause of this problem is a missing certificate file that is created during the initial setup, and checked online. This file is called CNEUNT2010.30.gma and can be found in% USERPROFILE% \ Application Data \ Garmin \ Maps Only if this file is copied to the 2nd PC on the same location, the map will work.
The gma file is generated online with a GPS connected through a myGarmin account.
At the moment this gma file has no effect on the GPS but it is clear what happens after a firmware update; there will almost certainly be something built in that will make use of the GMA-file ..."
From the author of cGPSmapper: (posted in Map-Author mailing list - people that uses cGpsmapper to lock Garmin 3th part maps):
"My first tests with the very last Mapsource version 6.15.9 indicates that the problem is related to the TDB file.
For the moment I DO NOT KNOW whether updating TDB file will resolve the problem, but at least I know where to start. It can happen that necessary fix to the TDB file is an easy one (but could be opposite of course )
***
We have to be aware that Garmin wants to change the protection method and we do not know whether it will be possible in the nearest future to use - lets call it - 'old locking' method.
My assumption is - within one year the 'old locking' way will no longer work - as that would be the most logical step from the Garmin side.
For sure I will NOT work on the new method for at least few reasons -
- it uses sophisticated signing using cryptographic
- it would require a lot of time to break the method
- this time I'm sure - it would broke several licenses (what I'm not going to do)
Only following the logical aspect - we have to assume that this time Garmin did a housework - and it won't be anymore as 'easy' as it was in the past.
I do declare at the moment -
*** I will not do that for sure. ***
From the Garmin communication we can read :
...
In this first phase we will be adding a digital signature to be paired with our existing unlock codes to ensure that the unlock code was created by Garmin and not an external tool such as Keygen. Content released prior to this change will continue to work as it currently does on both old and new units. Only new content released after this technology becomes available (with new license files from Garmin) will benefit from the changes. Note also that new map releases will continue to function on existing devices with no change needed on your part. Moving forward, nearly all Garmin devices will expect a digital signature to be present for any map unlock code associated with new mapping content. Without this signature, the map will not be recognized in the Garmin devices.
In the second phase to be implemented soon, we will be adding a signature directly in the map binary as well. This mechanism will allow our devices to detect when certain modifications have been applied to the map file after production, particularly the removal or modification of the locking structures themselves. This phase will require you to have internet connectivity at the time your products are built, so that appropriate signature information can be generated behind our firewall for each map, and inserted into the binary when you build the product. Please plan ahead as needed
****
From above it is not clear whether unlocked maps will continue to work as well. Taking strictly the above message - unlocked contents should work fine... 'Old-way locked' - not necessary...
****
Over the years independent map creators did a great job making thousands of free (and commercial) maps for the places which were forgotten by the official map suppliers. Things are going to change, market is more dense at the moment with all the different GPS systems suppliers.
I bet, Garmin do recognize the benefits from that (making for some profiles the first-choice devices), but the sense of the company it to make profit and protect intelectual property. I do believe, they did prepare themself for the next steps:
- they already do allow to upload bitmaps to some of the devices
- MPC is more and more available (but still under strict control of Garmin - so - it's not like everyone can buy it)
What next?
From my side - I'll continue to support all my customers as long as possible, doing my best effort to make maps compatible with Garmin devices (as this is my main focus).
What about new versions of the program? (do not forget that there are at least two more different solutions for creating Garmin maps!) - as for today - I do not know.
What I will continue, is to fix found bugs and support my customers (as written above)
What is unsure now
- whether I'll continue to offer locking (most likely - no)
- whether I'll implement new functionalities of the NT technology
- whether I'll release (prepared from long time already) cGPSmapper 2.0 (completly rebuilded version from the technical point of view, but in terms of result - implementing exactly same features as the current version of the program)
- whether I'll continue my work on the subject at all
Whatever decision I will make, I'll share it here.
