Backup Navionics premium chip?

[carlcmc]

I just purchased the 199 Navionics premium chip that has the 1' contours, lakemaster contours and dnr contours on it. It comes with this scary warning about not plugging it into a pc card reader or trying to back it up as you may destroy the data etc.

Is this for real? I read how someone's card had lost their info and they had to send it in with 15 dollars for reloading. I'd like to make a backup copy on my computer but am slightly hesitant. I have no intention of illegaly distributing it however, I think its ridiculous to restrict a rightful owner of making a backup of it.

Can you just plug it into the card reader, access it and save a copy to your harddrive?

[dockehr]

carlmc, DON'T DO IT! No further explanation necessary!

dockehr

Dr. Roland E. Kehr, Jr.

Lindy Tackle

[shouldbefishn]

carlcmc

The reason they have have programed the card to erase itself is two fold. One is that the entire marine guidance industry has come up with a bunch of closed end systems proprietary to each company that will not allow one software sytstem to operate on another hardware system. Obviously so you are married to their software and hardware.

The other reason is to prevent piracy which could be addressed in ways other than having the card erase itself. In my opinion it would be in all of the companies best interest to have a more open system to allow maps to be read from anyones hardware. I would have purchased a unit long ago if you did not have to be tied to a specific set of maps.

Just a rant I needed to get off my back.