New firmware for Magellan explorist arrived

[JaggedPath]

Ok, I tried out my 'new & improved' Explorist 210 with EU firmware today.

I went out on my balcony, and turned on the GPS.

After about a minute it synced and was displaying my correct location.

 

It took longer to do this first sync because I reset the whole GPS when I updated the firmware, so it defaults my location to just off the West coast of Africa.

After the initial sync, I shur the GPS off, moved then turned it back on.

 

It re synced with 5 satellites in less then 10seconds!

By no more then 20 to 30 seconds, I had captured 8 satellites and had TWO WAAS signals

 

That's as all time record for my unit. Usually it takes a minute or two to get a basic 4 satellite signal, and if I'm REALLY lucky, on a crystal clear day I "might" have gotten one WAAS... now I have two at amazing strength!

 

So far so good!

 

I played with the new screens the firmware upgrade gives you.

It would be nice to have documentation for the new features, but some trial and error figured them out.

 

I decided to test the unit by going for a short run and record the track log for later display on my PC (using Topo3D Canada).

 

I ran 10KM (6.2miles for our neighbors to the South) and saved the track log.

 

After loading it into my computer, the log is EXACTLY on top of the roads and trails I ran on.

No deviations or 'interpolated' legs.

 

Another thing I'm finding much better is the delays between screen changes.

As in... there are none.

 

With the old firmware, if I was still aquiring a signal and navigated to the moving map screen, it would sit there for awhile no matter what buttons I pushed.

Now, even with no signal (indoors), I can cycle through any screen with no delays.

 

My conclusion...

 

Everyone with an Explorist 210 should upgrade their firmware

I have found no problems so far using the European firmware on my North American 210.

 

Yes, you will default to KM, so Americans will need to switch over to Miles if desired.

 

I hope this helps people who are still thinking of weather to switch or not!

[zsnow]

Ok, I tried out my 'new & improved' Explorist 210 with EU firmware today.

I went out on my balcony, and turned on the GPS.

After about a minute it synced and was displaying my correct location.

 

It took longer to do this first sync because I reset the whole GPS when I updated the firmware, so it defaults my location to just off the West coast of Africa.

After the initial sync, I shur the GPS off, moved then turned it back on.

 

It re synced with 5 satellites in less then 10seconds!

By no more then 20 to 30 seconds, I had captured 8 satellites and had TWO WAAS signals

 

That's as all time record for my unit. Usually it takes a minute or two to get a basic 4 satellite signal, and if I'm REALLY lucky, on a crystal clear day I "might" have gotten one WAAS... now I have two at amazing strength!

 

So far so good!

 

I played with the new screens the firmware upgrade gives you.

It would be nice to have documentation for the new features, but some trial and error figured them out.

 

I decided to test the unit by going for a short run and record the track log for later display on my PC (using Topo3D Canada).

 

I ran 10KM (6.2miles for our neighbors to the South) and saved the track log.

 

After loading it into my computer, the log is EXACTLY on top of the roads and trails I ran on.

No deviations or 'interpolated' legs.

 

Another thing I'm finding much better is the delays between screen changes.

As in... there are none.

 

With the old firmware, if I was still aquiring a signal and navigated to the moving map screen, it would sit there for awhile no matter what buttons I pushed.

Now, even with no signal (indoors), I can cycle through any screen with no delays.

 

My conclusion...

 

Everyone with an Explorist 210 should upgrade their firmware

I have found no problems so far using the European firmware on my North American 210.

 

Yes, you will default to KM, so Americans will need to switch over to Miles if desired.

 

I hope this helps people who are still thinking of weather to switch or not!

 

I found that after I upgrade to 57 firmware, the basemap will change to EU. You can't replace it with the original basemap, otherwise you get an error when start.

[zsnow]

Ok, I tried out my 'new & improved' Explorist 210 with EU firmware today.

I went out on my balcony, and turned on the GPS.

After about a minute it synced and was displaying my correct location.

 

It took longer to do this first sync because I reset the whole GPS when I updated the firmware, so it defaults my location to just off the West coast of Africa.

After the initial sync, I shur the GPS off, moved then turned it back on.

 

It re synced with 5 satellites in less then 10seconds!

By no more then 20 to 30 seconds, I had captured 8 satellites and had TWO WAAS signals

 

That's as all time record for my unit. Usually it takes a minute or two to get a basic 4 satellite signal, and if I'm REALLY lucky, on a crystal clear day I "might" have gotten one WAAS... now I have two at amazing strength!

 

So far so good!

 

I played with the new screens the firmware upgrade gives you.

It would be nice to have documentation for the new features, but some trial and error figured them out.

 

I decided to test the unit by going for a short run and record the track log for later display on my PC (using Topo3D Canada).

 

I ran 10KM (6.2miles for our neighbors to the South) and saved the track log.

 

After loading it into my computer, the log is EXACTLY on top of the roads and trails I ran on.

No deviations or 'interpolated' legs.

 

Another thing I'm finding much better is the delays between screen changes.

As in... there are none.

 

With the old firmware, if I was still aquiring a signal and navigated to the moving map screen, it would sit there for awhile no matter what buttons I pushed.

Now, even with no signal (indoors), I can cycle through any screen with no delays.

 

My conclusion...

 

Everyone with an Explorist 210 should upgrade their firmware

I have found no problems so far using the European firmware on my North American 210.

 

Yes, you will default to KM, so Americans will need to switch over to Miles if desired.

 

I hope this helps people who are still thinking of weather to switch or not!

 

I found that after I upgrade to 57 firmware, the basemap will change to EU. You can't replace it with the original basemap, otherwise you get an error when start.

[+skrysko]

I don't if know is this will help you out or not. You may need to set the file attribute on the basemap to SYSTEM. Here is what I was given by a friend, DOS command "attrib s+ BASEMAP.MGI"

Edited May 20, 2007 by skrysko