Legend HCX and Vista HCX

[+derrabe]

I am throughly confused what is the difference between these two gps units.

[SiliconFiend]

I am throughly confused what is the difference between these two gps units.

Oh, that's an easy one. The Vista HCx has an electronic compass and barometric altimeter. Otherwise the two units are the same. There's a comparison tool on Garmin's site.

[fujitsu]

Hi,

 

you could go to the garmin site www.garmin.com. There you could make a comparison between them.

 

I could resume to you:

Vista HCx has compass and altimeter. Legend hasn't. That's all.

 

regards

[hwyhobo]

I could resume to you:

Vista HCx has compass and altimeter. Legend hasn't. That's all.

Perhaps I am misunderstanding the features, but I thought Legend still had the altimeter, just not the barometric one. Is the gps-based altimeter (if, indeed, it has one) considered inferior or unreliable?

[gallet]

I could resume to you:

Vista HCx has compass and altimeter. Legend hasn't. That's all.

Perhaps I am misunderstanding the features, but I thought Legend still had the altimeter, just not the barometric one. Is the gps-based altimeter (if, indeed, it has one) considered inferior or unreliable?

 

I don't know if the Legend has a gps Altimeter. By altimeter I mean a graphic window that displays the elevation plot. Obviously any gps can give gps based altitude.

 

BUT, even if the legend had an Altimeter window and used GPS altitude, it would not work. the reason is that the gps altitude can jump around all over the place in the same way that a position reading can bounce.

 

A unit with an internal baro altimeter does not bounce around. Sure it needs to be calibrated, and sure it will change if the baro pressure changes but pressure does not jump around it gradually increases or decreases smoothly.

 

So with the internal baro altimeter it will give a smooth continuous plot and this plot once calibrated will be accurate within a few feet.

[hwyhobo]

I don't know if the Legend has a gps Altimeter. By altimeter I mean a graphic window that displays the elevation plot. Obviously any gps can give gps based altitude.

Sorry, that's what I meant. I used wrong terminology.

 

BUT, even if the legend had an Altimeter window and used GPS altitude, it would not work. the reason is that the gps altitude can jump around all over the place in the same way that a position reading can bounce.

How serious are such jumps? Could you correct (smooth out) those variations later in software?

 

So with the internal baro altimeter it will give a smooth continuous plot and this plot once calibrated will be accurate within a few feet.

Could you draw such an altitude plot later in your mapping software (say, NG Topo) based on the gps position of your track?

 

Sorry for basic questions, but I have never used a GPS for that.

[gallet]

@'hwyhobo'

 

Sorry, that's what I meant. I used wrong terminology.

 

OK then you need the Vista, if you want the full baro altimeter window, and don't forget the Vista includes a flux gate compass which is very useful to have as then the cache pointer will point at the cache when you are moving slowly or stopped, otherwise it points at the bearing which confused a lot of people. Still take a back up compass with your normal paper topos.

 

How serious are such jumps? Could you correct (smooth out) those variations later in software?

 

Could you draw such an altitude plot later in your mapping software (say, NG Topo) based on the gps position of your track?

 

Even if you could do it, why would you want to for $30?

 

The readout you get on the vista can be adjusted for scale either by distance traveled or time elapsed plus you can put a pointer at any spot on the elevation data and see what time you were there.

 

In my opinion Garmin have priced the Vista HCx at the maximum price (for the USofA) that they could and then made everything else cheaper, so in effect Legend buyers are subsidising the Altimeter and Compass on the Vista. I mean 30 bucks, that's peanuts, and it adds to the resale value too.

 

Even if you don't use the altimeter plot, it's really fun to play with and isn't that why we all do this stuff? As we say in Australia, "you're a long time dead".

[hwyhobo]

don't forget the Vista includes a flux gate compass which is very useful to have as then the cache pointer will point at the cache when you are moving slowly or stopped, otherwise it points at the bearing which confused a lot of people. Still take a back up compass with your normal paper topos.

That was my only hesitation about Vista, that it includes a compass that cannot be turned off (according to reports here), and that apparently is enough of a power hog to be a concern.

 

Even if you could do it, why would you want to for $30?

I was curious which one would be more accurate and "smooth". I am not into geocaching (well, not yet), but would like to document various hiking routes.

 

The readout you get on the vista can be adjusted for scale either by distance traveled or time elapsed plus you can put a pointer at any spot on the elevation data and see what time you were there.

That is a good feature. I assume I can also do it after I export the track to mark key points with elapsed time?

 

Even if you don't use the altimeter plot, it's really fun to play with and isn't that why we all do this stuff? As we say in Australia, "you're a long time dead".

Heh, you've nailed it this time.

[gallet]

That was my only hesitation about Vista, that it includes a compass that cannot be turned off (according to reports here), and that apparently is enough of a power hog to be a concern.

 

Let's be real clear here. Old eTrex compasses (or is it compii?) may very well have been power hogs. My old Vista (b/w model) only got about 10 hours out of a pair of 2700 NiMH batteries.

 

My new VistaHCx gets the full quoted 25 hours with the compass on full time. From reports I've read the compass only puts about 5% drain on the batteries and my results would confirm this. Use babelfish.com to translate this

 

The compass on the eTrex Vista HCx (like the old Vista) can be turned off easily with a button on the front. Not only that but even if it is on it will automatically switch off and use gps compass when you are over a certain speed for a certain time. I6kph and 90 seconds is the default but you can set it to any value you like. How cool is that.

 

That's why no one should get the Legend instead of the Vista, unless $30 is going to leave your kids without pocket money for a month, and even then tell them they have to make sacrifices for the greater good of the family.

 

As I'm on a Mac I haven't used mapsource on my computer so I don't know how the information translates.

 

More discussion here

[wsmaal]

so in effect Legend buyers are subsidising the Altimeter and Compass on the Vista.

 

The European Garmin buyers are subsidizing the US Garmin buyers. The prices of the Garmin eTrex H series are really absurd in the European countries. F.i. the lowest eTrex Legend Hcx street price in the Netherlands is 330 Euro. In the US ~150 Euro ($~202). I know, the American base map is, in contrast with Europe (European basemap), free of charge for the consumer, but nevertheless the price difference is much to large.

Edited September 5, 2007 by wsmaal

[dogwalkers2]

That was my only hesitation about Vista, that it includes a compass that cannot be turned off (according to reports here), and that apparently is enough of a power hog to be a concern.

It is easily turned off and it's not much of a power hog.

 

I was curious which one would be more accurate and "smooth". I am not into geocaching (well, not yet), but would like to document various hiking routes.

The barometric altimeter is what does this "smoothing" when it is set to "autocalibrate". The GPS altitude is then used to calibrate the barometric altitude every so often. Altiitude accuracy is then the same as the accuracy of the GPS altitude (about one and a half times your horizontal accuracy), only, as you say, smoother. Greater accuracy can be achieved by manual calibration, but you have to recalibrate to a known altitude or barometric pressure at least once an hour.

 

I assume I can also do it after I export the track to mark key points with elapsed time?

Yes, but ensure you have it set to record tracks to the microSD card and use the gpx files that produces for your post-hike analysis.

 

Like Gallet, I figure the few bucks extra for the sensors is certainly worthwhile, both for their geek utility and their real utility.

[gallet]

it's worse in Australia, the VistaCx is 320 euros here and we won't be seeing the VistaHCx for a few more months, while they sell the old crap stock. Pretty sad really. Fortunately the Australian government allow us to import $1000 worth of stuff without paying duty.

[hwyhobo]

Let's be real clear here. Old eTrex compasses (or is it compii?) may very well have been power hogs. My old Vista (b/w model) only got about 10 hours out of a pair of 2700 NiMH batteries. My new VistaHCx gets the full quoted 25 hours with the compass on full time. From reports I've read the compass only puts about 5% drain on the batteries and my results would confirm this.[...] The compass on the eTrex Vista HCx (like the old Vista) can be turned off easily with a button on the front.

Thanks, you've completely alleviated my concerns. It's time to order the Vista.

 

Oh, and according to The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, it's "compasses".

[hwyhobo]

The barometric altimeter is what does this "smoothing" when it is set to "autocalibrate". The GPS altitude is then used to calibrate the barometric altitude every so often. Altiitude accuracy is then the same as the accuracy of the GPS altitude (about one and a half times your horizontal accuracy), only, as you say, smoother. Greater accuracy can be achieved by manual calibration, but you have to recalibrate to a known altitude or barometric pressure at least once an hour. [...] you have it set to record tracks to the microSD card and use the gpx files that produces for your post-hike analysis. [...] Like Gallet, I figure the few bucks extra for the sensors is certainly worthwhile, both for their geek utility and their real utility.

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I agree as well. The price difference was never a concern in itself, rather the utility. Now that you and gallet have addressed all the issues, the utility of Vista seems clear.

 

Thanks!

[+Miragee]

Good choice. I just got the Vista HCx to replace my trusty Vista C. (I'm loading the maps on the 1 GB card as I type). I am very happy with it and sure like having 1000 waypoints again, as my first monochrome Vista had.