JSWilson64

You learned the hard way about NewEgg's return policy. Unless it's their "standard" policy, I won't buy an item from them. I bought an absolute DOG of a notebook computer from them, and am stuck with it, because they wouldn't even accept a return for store-credit-only. I told 'em I was willing to spend $100-$150 more for a notebook that worked as expected, and got nowhere. Bottom line, if I can't return it for any reason, I'm not buying it from NewEgg. edit for clarity- 1) The computer wasn't broken, just crippled by the software the manufacturer loaded on it. According to the manufacturer, it's working as designed. And after returning it as defective and having the second one come out the same way, I'll have to say their designers are idiots. and 2) NewEgg has different return policies for different items. Read carefully before ordering.

I agree with eaparks - you're probably routing off the base map. When I first got my 60CSx, I loaded MetroGuide on it, and we went on a road trip. It routed us fine on the Interstate, the US Hwy we exited onto, and the State Highway we took from that. Then it wanted us to drive the last mile cross-country rather than take the last road, 'cuz it was routing from the base map. Downloaded MetroWizzz (and later MetroGold) and now it'll auto-route on dirt county roads if they're in there.

I use the Garmin mount on my mountain bike, have never had any trouble with it. It has the benefit of having a standard "handlebar" portion that I can use with my Legend or my 60CSx -- only the part that attaches to the receiver is different. I loop the lanyard around the stem a few times, and pass the GPSr through it, before clipping it in to the mount, just in case it pops out...

You can do that with the 60CSX and City Navigator NT (and Metroguide, after alteration). I can second this, and say Go Metroguide! You can buy it used on eBay (or in the GPS Garage Sale forum) without worrying about unlock codes, use MetroWizzz (free) or MetroGold ($6) to add the routing info. With a 2 gig card, you can stick all of North America in there (caveat - MetroWizz is limited to 1GB transfers).

I won't buy anything from NewEgg if it has this policy (some stuff has a better return policy than others), after an experience with a laptop purchased from them. The hardware/software combination simply don't work well together. Returned once for replacement, discussed with the manufacturer and discovered that's just how that laptop works. So, if you buy a product that's a dog by design, but not defective, tough cookies. So, unless you're absolutely sure you'll like it without trying it, don't buy it from NewEgg.

<dumb question>So, do you have to unlock the maps to your GPSr before it'll recognize the card? What keeps you from taking that card from GPSr "A" that's unlocked, and sticking it in GPSr "B" that's not unlocked? </dumb question>

Are you using the same card reader on both computers? My 2GB SD card only shows up as 1GB in my camera due to hardware limitations in the camera -- If you're using two different card readers, maybe one has the same type of problem.

I haven't tried the newer "H" models, but I really like my 60CSx. I have a Legend, too, and much prefer the buttons to the click stick. YMMV - it's all about what works in your hand, in your car, on your bike, etc.

I dunno, something about this quote struck me as funny (emphasis added by me): "Satellite navigation systems can allow users on the ground -- from jet pilots to lost motorists -- to locate any point on Earth."

Never seen a high-speed chase on the evening news in which a car with 4 flat tires is still careening down the freeway, spewing sparks from all 4 rims?

I just got a new issue of Wired magazine (Dec. 07, I think) and there's a one-page love-fest with the Triton 2000 (I think it was in some kind of gift-guide section, but not an ad). I haven't fully read the mag - that page just caught my eye. It looked like the same marketing info that's been out for months. I wonder how many folks are carrying that mag into REI saying, "I want one of these," only to find out they don't have 'em yet...

Step One would be, "Ask your friend what their address is." Step Two: a) Enter the address into your GPSr (if it supports finding an address); OR Enter the address into Google Earth, get Lat/Lon, write down, enter into GPS There's probably other methods, too...

This issue has always elicited several responses in me: 1) Paternalistic: You have free will, don't buy Garmin if you don't like their policies, etc... 2) Indignant: Dang straight! Why can't we keep our maps if we buy a new GPS!!!!! 3) Pirate/Hax0r: Well, if everyone here would post their unit serial # and the unlock code Garmin gave 'em, someone could decipher the algorithm and code a keygen. And it'd only be used by people who have legally purchased a Garmin product and want to move it to a new Garmin product. Right 4) Realist: I just use MetroGuide bought off of eBay, and use MetroWizzz to add autorouting. I know that doesn't work for products that need updating (like marine charts), but it works for me. In the end, I'm probably most like #1 - if it really gets to bothering me, I'll have to switch to another brand. If I were single and only had to answer for myself, I'd probably try (harder at) hacking the unlock code. But once you have kids, you start thinking about the example you set... "Gee, Dad, those new maps are cool!" "Sure are, son, and they didn't cost a cent, 'cuz I haX0rd it!!" I've tried another platform - a Bluetooth GPS with a Palm PDA. It sucked. The available products for that platform didn't do what I wanted, and didn't behave as I wanted them to. I thought about coding my own application, then I found another job and my free time went away. Maybe it would have been different with a Windows-based handheld - there were lots more software offerings, but the PDAs cost considerably more.

Having only used handheld GPSr's while driving, I can't compare my 60CSx to anything but my Legend... :-) But, I use MetroGuide v.7 with MetroWizz-enabled autorouting. With "track up" (rather than "north up"), I don't really have any issues with the speed of auto-recalculation of routes when I miss a turn or decide I know better than the GPS because I have "ground truth" about local conditions. It usually bleeps and spits out a new route within a block or two of missing a turn it wanted me to make.

>> I'd get whichever is cheapest. Then the answer is MetroGuide (buy on eBay with no worries about unlock codes) plus MetroGold ($6) or MetroWizz (free). Not only does it cost less, but you also get that lovely "sticking it to the man" feeling for adding back the functionality Garmin removed. edited to fix borked quote

I'm 99.9% sure you can use MetroGuide with the Vista HCx -- it works with the 60CSx. It doesn't autoroute, however, at least not without some additional work -- search the forum for "metrowizzz" for more on this. If you want auto-routing street maps out of the box, they'll want City Navigator.

Why not pick up a copy of MetroGuide on eBay? You don't have to worry about unlock codes, and can add auto-routing with Metrowizzz? (search this forum for metrowizzz for more on how to) The maps and info are basically the same.

If you shoot the GPSr outdoors on a bright day in open shade (like inside a garage with the door up), and put the camera on a tripod, you should be able to get decent shots without flash. Just work out the angles until there's no reflection. You don't need to angle it very much to keep the screen but lose the reflection. I haven't shot a GPS this way, but have shot other shiny flat things. It might help to have something dark above the camera, so any reflections on the screen are of something dark. Or you could scan the pages of the user manual that show what you want to show....

That's just the nature of the beast. The circle is a representation of the accuracy, and I think it has to do with the map you're using, too (anyone feel free to clarify this). The reported accuracy and the circle are related, but not correlated 1:1; i.e., sometimes you'll get a bigger circle than others, for the same reported accuracy. Given that there are different satellites overhead at different times, and sometimes WAAS works and sometimes it doesn't, you just gotta learn to roll with it. As far as the centering on the roads, you can always turn on "Lock on Road," but then it acts screwy when you're near, but not on, a road (like driving down the alley behind my street).

It depends on your intended use. I have an Etrex Legend and a 60CSx. The Legend is OK for hiking and geocaching (albeit inaccurate in the trees, but that's part of the sport). The click-stick is annoying, but usable hand-held while walking. But I abhor the click-stick, in other settings, especially when cycling or driving. I can't tell you how many times I've had to pull the Legend out of its handlebar mount to navigate a menu while cycling, because the vibrations make operating the click-stick impossible. The buttons on the 60CSx are easier to operate on the bike and in the car, IMO.

I won't venture a guess as to how your employer would like a non-administrative user installing 3rd party drivers on a "locked down" system, but I can tell you mine wouldn't like it. Your best bet, IMO, is to find something that works via serial connection without installing any drivers or software. You'd have to buy a serial cable, and have access to your computer's serial port. GPS Babel might be it - I don't use it. But that way you'd be complying with the "letter of the law" - not installing anything. That will work for a while, but you'll be looking for an app that'll run off a floppy disc when they decide to fill all the USB ports with epoxy and you can't run your thumbdrive application...

How are you going to do it if the computer doesn't have the USB driver for your GPS?

I wouldn't say your 330 was more accurate due to averaging, it just doesn't show small variations as much, just like if you had a thermometer that displayed the average temp. over the last 5 minutes instead of the instantaneous temp. Accuracy is a constant topic here - you might want to (re)read some of the FAQs. Keeping it on will definitely help accuracy. I'll repeat my mantra here: 10 meters is the given accuracy of civilian GPS (excluding surveying GPS with ground stations, post-processing, etc.). It doesn't matter what chipset you have, the owners of the satellites will tell you 10 meters is all they can promise. That's what makes Geocaching fun - if you could just walk right up to the cache with centimeter accuracy, where's the challenge?

Nothing like using a Legend or Gecko to hone your "cache sense." :-)

Does Wal-Mart have any kind of price protection guarantee???