GPS display problems

[+Confucius' Cat]

About a month or so ago, two of my GPSr's developed vertical lines in the screen at roughly the same time. I have seen a LOT of LCD displays with vertical lines at various places like resturaunt credit card terminals and such- all occuring around the same time.

 

This seems like a strange coincidence. Could there perhaps be a firmware defect in some brands(s) of displays?

 

Has anyone else seen this problem recently?

[+CheshireFrog]

About a month or so ago, two of my GPSr's developed vertical lines in the screen at roughly the same time. I have seen a LOT of LCD displays with vertical lines at various places like resturaunt credit card terminals and such- all occuring around the same time.

 

This seems like a strange coincidence. Could there perhaps be a firmware defect in some brands(s) of displays?

 

Has anyone else seen this problem recently?

 

Lines on the display is a classic symptom of a bad connection with the ribbon cable leading from the display. I've had this problem with GPSr's, Palms, Gameboys and Pocket PCs. This is the second most common issue with LCD's, right behind breakage.

 

Fortunately this is also pretty easy easy to fix in most cases. You simply open the device up, disconnect the ribbon cable, clean the contacts and reassemble. I've found a new dollar bill is ideal for buffing the contacts; it's not so abrasive that it will damage the contacts, and it's oil and lint free.

 

This process is a little more involved in a GPSr, since you have to break the water resistant seal to get inside. There have been a number of posts in the forums addressing how best to seal the unit back up again.

 

Don't throw them out.

[+NatureGuy360]

I have had the same problem on occasion. The only difference is that I have about a dozen thin horizontal lines that appear across my screen. Most of the time the GPS receiver works just fine but every once in a while the horizontal lines will appear on the screen. Even if I power the unit off and then back on again it doesn't solve the problem. However since it doesn't happen too often I have come to live with it.

 

By the way I have a Garmin Extrex Legend.

[+SG-MIN]

I have had the same problem on occasion. The only difference is that I have about a dozen thin horizontal lines that appear across my screen. Most of the time the GPS receiver works just fine but every once in a while the horizontal lines will appear on the screen. Even if I power the unit off and then back on again it doesn't solve the problem. However since it doesn't happen too often I have come to live with it.

 

By the way I have a Garmin Extrex Legend.

 

I too have a Legend, and I just started getting the horizontal lines (the GPSr is almost 5 years old). Sometimes it will power up, but I won't know it because there is nothing on the screen.

 

Each and every time if I tap (hard) it on the side of my hand, the screen fixes itself.

 

It's just like momma always said: "If it don't work, kickin' the crap out of it can't hurt!"

[+Confucius' Cat]

About a month or so ago, two of my GPSr's developed vertical lines in the screen at roughly the same time. I have seen a LOT of LCD displays with vertical lines at various places like resturaunt credit card terminals and such- all occuring around the same time.

 

This seems like a strange coincidence. Could there perhaps be a firmware defect in some brands(s) of displays?

 

Has anyone else seen this problem recently?

 

Lines on the display is a classic symptom of a bad connection with the ribbon cable leading from the display. I've had this problem with GPSr's, Palms, Gameboys and Pocket PCs. This is the second most common issue with LCD's, right behind breakage.

 

Fortunately this is also pretty easy easy to fix in most cases. You simply open the device up, disconnect the ribbon cable, clean the contacts and reassemble. I've found a new dollar bill is ideal for buffing the contacts; it's not so abrasive that it will damage the contacts, and it's oil and lint free.

 

This process is a little more involved in a GPSr, since you have to break the water resistant seal to get inside. There have been a number of posts in the forums addressing how best to seal the unit back up again.

 

Don't throw them out.

 

Actually, my being an electronic tech, you would think I would have tried that. But lately I have gotten so into the "board swap" thing that I generally don't mess with my own broken stuff. I figure on most newer electronic gadgets the old adage "there are only two people that will take apart a watch- a jewler and a fool" seems to apply.

 

Anyway my primary point in the post is not to figure out how to fix it (thanks for the advice anyway- I might try that if the OEM swap price is too high), but the wierdness of seeing so many different displays all-of-a-sudden exhibiting the same symptoms. it seems like it might be a "Y2K" bug or something...

[+Confucius' Cat]

 

Each and every time if I tap (hard) it on the side of my hand, the screen fixes itself.

 

It's just like momma always said: "If it don't work, kickin' the crap out of it can't hurt!"

 

Someone once told me that "thumping" is a standard practice on British meters.

 

I had a radio watt meter that I had to thump to get a reading and I did it in front of a State Police inspector a few times during acceptance testing. They made me buy a new digital meter.

[+GSVNoFixedAbode]

My old Legend has glitched a few times with the screen and also the click stick. I haven't plucked up the courage to open it and re-do the cable (yes, that's exactly what the problem is with the Etrex model range). Mine comes right with a bit of percussive maintenance. A friend at work picked up a 2nd-hand Vista with this problem, did the cable-fix trick, and it's been good-as-new ever since.

 

There's an old thread somewhere pointing to a PDF of the repair instructions ... which I can't find at the moment. So here's my link to the PDF document (335kb)

 

Cheers,

G.

[+James Lobb]

I just got my new gps today and it has that same problem. can i get it fixed via warrenty. garmin etrex

[+Team yGEOh]

I fixed the horizontal line problem on one of my Legends about 2 years ago and it is still working great.

 

I used the instructions linked above.

 

Here is the link to my results.

[+2qwerqE]

I just got my new gps today and it has that same problem. can i get it fixed via warrenty. garmin etrex

 

Call Garmin at 1-800-800-1020. They are famous for excellent service for repairs. My Vista C was messed up, so last Nov I sent it in for repairs. Never mind that it was 2 weeks past waranty. Garmin didn't care. Then, last weekend, the re-furb unit they had sent me as preplacement died entirely. I called Garmin. He said they didn't care that the re-furbs only have a 90 day warranty and mine was many monhts past that. He said he didn't care that the original receipt was almost 2 years old. He said, 'A GPSr that can't seek birds is just a paperweight.' and he said to send it in and they would replace it. Free. for the second time.

 

Gotta love Garmin!

[+Quiggle]

Moving to GPS forum.