IMC and HOOK 5

[BigChipmunk]

Hello, I recently bought a Lowrance Hook 5. I downloaded IMC and successfully created AT5 files. When I put the SD card in the Hook 5 and power it on, this happens:

1. Unit starts up and displays the basemap.
2. After 15 seconds, there is a short beep.
3. After this beep, the basemap will only display when zoomed out (scale >= 50 miles).
4. If I try to zoom in, the map is blank.

So then I tried using the Sample file that comes with IMC. Exact same result. I tried many different combinations: encrypted, unencrypted, root folder, not root folder, big files, little files, etc.... always exact same result.

Question 1, is IMC compatible with the Hook5? The Lowrance website says "The free, unsupported Insight Map Creator (IMC) software allows a consumer to create unencrypted .AT5 formatted maps for use on all current Lowrance multifunction displays and chartplotters." which implies to me that it should work.

What am I doing wrong?

Chip

[BigChipmunk]

I did get the Insight Genesis Social Map to work just now. However it does not cover the area I need.

Social Map requires the Serial Number and Content ID in order to work. Is that needed for IMC? I don't see any way to enter it.

[Luke]

Social Map requires the Serial Number and Content ID in order to work. Is that needed for IMC? I don't see any way to enter it.

No, IMC don't need the Content ID and Ser. Nr.

Maps produced through the IMC should work in most of the Units,
depending on some Parameters like ATLAS Version, Colors used, and so on.

[BigChipmunk]

When a map does not work, is there any way to know what the problem is? All I get right now is a beep and then no map. This even happens with the Sample map that comes with IMC.

[Luke]

You have the latest Firmware on the Unit?

Related on the not working map, which files dou you have on the SD card?

[fjordfischer]

The sample maps are shape files. This files you must process with the IMC vector mode to the *.AT5 format.
Please read the attached pdf-manual for more informations.

[BigChipmunk]

Thanks for confirming that the Content ID is not required. One less thing to worry about!


IMC Sample ===============================


The sample file that comes with IMC is


IMC_Sample/MySample/BoundAT5s/MySample_Large.at5


I put this one file into the root of the SD card. This does not work and gives the beep followed by a blank map.


Social Map ================================


This works. It creates these files



at5.xml
Elite_Large.at5
Elite_Medium.at5
Elite_Small.at5
permits.txt


This works if I put them in the root of the SD and also if I put them in a subdirectory. The behavior is the same except instead of going blank, the screen shows an alert e.g. "SocialMap 123456" and I press Enter and then the map is there.


I then tried replacing Elite_Large.at5 with the one from the IMC Sample. Does not work.


Sonar ================================


Today I successfully recorded sonar onto the SD card, uploaded it to Insight Genesis, and it generated a map with depth contours. So the SD card and everything else about the unit is working.


Firmware ==============================


I just bought the unit new a few weeks ago. Do I need to update the firmware?

[Luke]

Firmware ==============================
I just bought the unit new a few weeks ago. Do I need to update the firmware?

Always 
Because the Unit might be laying in the store for some time or just a few weeks long enough that there might be an update available.
Just to be sure that it was the latest firmware.

And for the maps:
When IG and everything else works, there might be a problem wit the sample map,
maybe Greg can answer something about the sample map.

[BigChipmunk]

I checked the firmware and it is the latest. 2.0.7.0.10. Last updated in October.

[gregory]

I wasn't aware there was an at5 in that sample folder.   

That At5 was generated about 4 years ago when the IMC was first being developed.  I would use an OSM download to test instead of that one.