Lodogg2221

Well, I updated my Vista HCx and now I guess Im wishing I wouldnt have. It wont turn on now. All I get is a little click, and nothing else. Any ideas? Not too happy right now. Well, nevermind, I suppose all this toy assembly for the kids today has my brain fried. Always make new batteries your first check when things wont power up...dont be like me and get mad at something that is your own fault! Now dont I feel dumb...

Hey thanks! I didnt know I could do that... I also know the Garmin can have custom POIs, where the Magellan seems to be able to, but its much harder to upload them... Trying to find out all I can about both...I wish price was more of a factor! That would make the decision easy!

Well, I now have both to evaluate for a couple days. A few things Ive noticed right off the bat. The Magellan 4350 can acquire sats in my basement rather quickly. The Garmin takes a LONG time, and needs to be told to keep searching. The POIs on both units seem to be almost identical. But the Magellan searches them MUCH faster than the Garmin does. The screen looks (per my wife) cartoony on the Garmin compared to the Magellan. The Magellan will display MPH on the screen while routed...and I thought it wouldnt. It also routes very well after the update. Its more in line with the route I would choose. The Garmins are fine, but when I know where Im going, I am biased and like certain routes...I suppose everyone does...but the Garmin likes to take me around the long way a lot of times. The Garmin does have different voices you can use (not TTS though) and different icons for the pointer. The Magellan does neither, although the voice is MUCH clearer and more natural sounding on it as opposed to the mechanical sounding voice on the Garmin. Garmin displays speed limits on the highway and major roads, so far I have not seen the speed warning feature of the Magellan, though I hear it is only on Interstates. The Garmin will tell you the direction to the POIs in addition to the distance, the Magellan only tells you distance. Knowing the direction is VERY helpful while driving... The Garmin also goes off track when you do. So if you turn off the road into a parking lot, the cursor will follow you, seemingly into nowhere. The Magellan seems to keep it locked to the road...I actually prefer the Garmins method here. Magellan has a tone that plays just before you are supposed to turn, which could be nice I suppose, but they both speak street names, so if you are watching, its not necessary...

Hi all. Just wondering about car GPS. I already have a VistaHCx handheld, but the screen is just too small to use for routing in a car or motorcycle. Anyway, any opinions about these two units? They are esentially the same price, with the Magellan actually being about $15 cheaper. My real issue with the Magellan is that it wont display current speed while "routed" to a location... Otherwise, it seems to have better graphics or at least much more subdued tones...and many more features, as well as included accessories in the box (case, ac adapter, USB cable which Garmin doesnt include). Anyone have either that would care to comment? Why do I really care about seeing my speed while driving? I have a speedometer dont I? Am I missing something else? I know that Magellans support has been hammered around here for a while, but I dont plan to use it really. I just bought the extended warranty, so if there is a problem, its an over the counter exchange...regardless of which one I choose... Oh, I should say that I did own the Magellan for about 6 hours ysesterday, but thought Id give the Garmin a try, so I exchanged them. The only real issue I had with the Magellan was an interesting routing issue that took me around the block to the LEFT when the place I wanted to go was on the RIGHT and BEFORE it wanted me to turn. In all fairness, I did NOT update it before I tried that, so it could have updates. (I read on recent review of a similar issue before updating that disappeared after.) So, Garmin with less features, or Magellan with all kinds of features including MP3 and RF modulator...as well as lane assistance, and 3d landmarks and more accessories? Oh, and Ive read that the Magellan at least could be used for geocaching, so I COULD sell my Vista if need be...not sure about the Garmin.

In the GPS... Go to main menu screen, then setup, then system, then hit the menu key, and select "software version" Now if you meant on your computer, well, you cant really. Mine said nothing of which version it was, either one that I got for 2.50 update, but neither did the 2.60 that I got using webupdater...

They aparantly know what customer service is...which is kind of hard to find these days...though it does seem that most things mentioned on this site seem to be of that same idea, with a few exceptions...

Just ordered one, thanks for the heads up!

The Vista HCx and Legend HCx should use the same firmware shouldnt they? Which if thats the case, does your friend have the latest update? I guess I would think they should both be identical...but maybe I missed something somewhere...

I had no idea the DeLorme came with all that stuff...that makes it look a lot better price wise... I still ended up with the Vista HCx (paid $315 so far and have unit, Topo 2008 and 2gb micro sd card), and am pretty happy so far, I just wish someone would come out with one map set that could do everything, like a combination of the Topo and City Navigator, and the Waterway maps, but all in one package...AND not make you buy another license to use it on another GPS that you own (Garmin)...

I walked with mine maybe 1/4 mile, but very slow, and it did record speeds of .7 mph...which it would not do before I upgraded from 2.30.

Maybe it has something to do with the altitude being calculated by barometric pressure?

Amazon.com has the Vista HCx for $220 free shipping....

Feel free....Im not about to take a chance of being hit by some crazy cager that would rather talk on their phone than drive...not on foot anyway...

How do you know the Vista is not MORE accurate than the 60?

Do you have the latest updates installed? Versions 2.50/2.60 are the latest...maybe that would help some on the accuracy.

Use webupdater, make sure you have 2.50/2.60 the latest versions of software and firmware... Also, after I upgraded to the 2.60 firmware, I got a reading of 12ft accuracy under cloudy skies...I cant say I ever looked when I had 2.30, since Ive only had it a few days...I did notice that it seems to register movement and stops a bit faster than before too.

Ok, so Im glad I spent all that time on the phone just to know that I could spent that time doing something constructive, and just updated it tonight! Ill give it a shot when I get home....

Post number 20 says when... Except that was yesterday, and it isnt there.... Call them, I finally got the right one, though I havent tested it much, heck, I hadnt had the Vista but for a few days, I just wanted the most recent version... Anyway, I had to talk to two people, as I posted the first said it was what I needed, but it wasnt, and then I called back and was sent the correct version. Strange thing, the first was a .exe file which was a winrar app, the later was the zip file everyone here mentioned. The odd thing, both .rar files were a number, and the same number...but the first my Vista said was 2.30 and the second my Vista says is 2.50 So now Im happy, I have 2.50/2.50....most current versions....and I only had to spend roughly 30 min on the phone total to get it.

Currently on hold to Garmin, I got the update, except it was 2.30, which is not what they said they were emailing me! Maybe its because the guy I talked to had no idea at first of the update, then said oh, yeah, ill email it to you... So I guess Ill try again. I wish they got it right the first time...I hate waiting on hold. So this guy finally gets that I want the GPS SW 2.50 and not the update on their web updater after he puts me on hold... He is sending me an email...I guess Ill find out soon enough if it is right or not. BTW, my Vista hung after the original update too...screen froze, so I turned it off, and back on, and it worked fine but showed the old firmware version...

So how do we get the FW 2.50 update? Call Garmin and ask em for it? Its not on their site yet...

So my new Vista HCx should be here today, but I have yet to get any software, which means I can see where Im at, but not in relation to much... I know I want the city navigator and would also like the topo...but, I have read that once you use the software with one serial number you cant use it again, and have read of older versions that dont do that... Obviously the City Navigator would be up to date, but are the Topo maps that important? I have seen the Topo 2008 for around $70... Or better yet, if you were in my shoes, what would you get? I plan on a 2gb card, so space should be ok... Thanks in advance for all advice!

Looks like now some users have 2.50/2.50, but also looks like you have to talk to the right person at Garmin to get it... But, they did report much better accuracy, one said it now recorded speeds as low as .7 mph...maybe that will cure your acent values?

Thanks for all the responses. I will use it a while and see how it goes... I do, after reading about everyones experience with Garmin, believe they really are trying to fix the problem as best they can, so maybe waiting will yield a fix before I even ask them about it. Thanks again!

2.40 huh? So do you have the low speed problem with that version, or does that fix it? I also notice that it is not on Garmins site yet....

"I figured Id ask about the slow speed tracking errors and when the fix would be available if at all." From the middle of my first post... There is no fix without Garmin fixing it.