MSN Direct receiver on Garmin
Jan 22, 2007 garmin, gps navigation
If you have already purchased a Garmin with MSN Direct (Nuvi 680 or StreetPilot c580) you may have realized that you won’t be getting any MSN Direct data if you haven’t plugged in the power cord. That’s because the MSN Direct receiver is embedded in the power cord, not the Garmin itself. The funny thing is you just have to plug the power the cord into your Garmin, but the other end does not necessarily have to be plugged in to the power source.
Here is what the MSN Direct support page has to say about this:
The MSN Direct receiver is located in the power cord of the device. To get traffic reports, gas prices, movie show times, and weather information, the MSN Direct receiver must be plugged into the navigation device. The cord does not need to be plugged into a power source.
When you design such portable devices that can easily fit in your pocket ( or purse, or whatever) you expect them to function when you get out of the car too. In this case though I guess you have to wrap power cord around your neck if you want your MSN Direct data on foot.
Both MSN Direct Garmins are available on Amazon: Nuvi 680 for $1000 and StreetPilot c580 for $800.
Loading ...
July 8th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
Why doesn’t someone make a portable traffic receiver that plugs in to the unit that does not require a power source. Also has anyone tried to convert the traffic cord to cut the wire off and connect the small plug that goes into the Garmin directly onto the cigarette lighter plug to eliminate the wire?
September 25th, 2008 at 7:14 am
Unless I’m missing something, you must have an MSN or Hotmail Email address to sign up for MSNDirect. I don’t want an additional Email address, so it seems that I cannot signup for MSNDirect. What am I missing? This doesn’t seem right. The lady I spoke with when I attempted to renew my free trial, agreed. She said she didn’t know why that was a requirement. Seems to be a gimmick to make users signup for MSN or Hotmail Email accounts.
If I have misunderstood something, I would like to know. ???
October 22nd, 2008 at 8:58 am
i have accidentally erased some date in my garmin nuvi 680 while i was trying to upload some music to the MP3 player of my gps. I have no map or have lost a lot which renders my nuvi unusable. Please help.
December 11th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
I busted my GDB 50 adapter as I was attempting to unplug the adapter from the lighter plug. (The plastic tip near the fuse broke) This rendered the entire MSN receiver TOTALLY unusable. Whether it needs power or not, if you break the adapter, you are screwed. Even with the tip broken off, it did NOT work. Hence, I paid $90 to buy a new adapter. YOU MUST buy the Garmin GDB 50, not a knock-off power adapter in order for the MSN to work.
January 12th, 2009 at 10:40 pm
me too what did you do? i think i lost something unloading photos
January 24th, 2009 at 11:43 am
how much was the service
February 22nd, 2009 at 1:54 pm
I also broke the plastic tip recently, but Garmin sent me a new one at no charge that fixed the problem. They didn’t ask anything about when I bought it, but my unit was ~15 months old at the time.
March 19th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
One day I plugged the connecting tip of the GDB 50 receiver into my nuvi 760 cradle and smelled something burning. I unplugged it quickly but the damage was already done – the nuvi would not power up. I called Garmin and since the GDB 50 was out of warranty they refused to replace the tip – I had to shell out $60 for a replacement.
July 25th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
Hi Mike. Did you contacted Garmin via email or by phone? Thanks