Jump to content

Almost ready to purchase Colorado 400t


Recommended Posts

Hi all,

 

I just sold my trusty 60CSx and I'm almost ready to pull the trigger on a Colorado 400t, but need a few questions answered. I'm not looking for facts per se' but more user opinion.

 

First, the display issues. What are the chances Garmin can fix this with firmware and background/color changes? Do you think they will change the LCD panel in future production runs or just do what they can with the existing hardware limitation?

 

Second, the trackback functionality. This is something I use quite a bit and with this feature currently missing and the fact that you can't save tracks to the card (only internal mem) makes me wonder how they could do this. Odds are this will be fixed in a firmware update... thoughts?

 

I know how Garmin works and was an early adopter with the 60CSx and lived with it's problems that Garmin worked out over time. I know that most of these issues including the battery meter and clock can most likely be fixed with firmware updates. My only true concern is the LCD panel.

 

So what do you think? Should I order now or hold off a few more months? The only problem is I am now gps'less :rolleyes:

Link to comment

It be honest, when I'm outside with the CO I don't have any issues with the screen. However when inside at my desk, the screen is a little dim but isn't that what the backlighting is for?

 

Go for the CO!

Edited by BiT
Link to comment

In my mind, "most" of the screen issues are the colour schemes and the fact that the resolution and thus line thicknesses are smaller. Better colour choices and having a day and night schemes would help a lot.

 

It does do a tracback. It is just a little different and could use a few more options.... It only navigates in one direction. They just need a choice to go either way. In fact, there are some improvements. You can save any GPX track file that you want to the internal memory and it can be retrieved, viewed and followed. This is a vast improvement....

 

The "saved" tracks shown were put in the memory from Mapsource on the computer by saving a GPX file to the GPX folder.

 

44.jpg

 

When you choose the track, it shows a map view like this and you can then navigate along it.

49.jpg

 

80.jpg

Edited by Red90
Link to comment

Hi there Moonpup. Go for it, Garmin will sort thru the current shortcomings just like they did when the 60C/Sx came out as you know. At first you will miss the screen brightness of your 60CSx. I really can't say how much a firmware update will address this. In the forest and other low-light conditions there is a marked difference. The track handling is poor right now. I miss having the 20 saved tracks displayed on the map screen. Garmin will fix this...I'm told by techsupp... and I feel this will be fixed. The Colorado is a beauty and you will grow to love it. (I still carry my trusty 60Cx too when hiking in the back country I have to admit).

Link to comment

It be honest, when I'm outside with the CO I don't have any issues with the screen. However when inside at my desk, the screen is a little dim but isn't that what the backlighting is for?

 

Go for the CO!

Ditto. When I'm outside, I rarely use backlighting unless I am in the shade. I don't see them making any hardware fixes for this. I do think some improvements can be made with regards to color choices. I personally have zero complaints with the screen. I believe most of the complaints come from previous 60CSx users (of which the OP falls into), so I would guess you might have issue with the screen at first. If you are worried about it, buy it from REI, and if you just can't stand the screen, just return it.

Link to comment

Also, I just checked....

 

I put a GPX on the unit that had 79 tracks on it. They all show up on the unit..... There is NOT a 20 track limit.

I thought the only issue was that you couldn't color them individually.

Edit: or rather, the individual colors are ignored.

Edited by Marky
Link to comment

So... is this a misery loves company kind of buy it now :rolleyes:

 

Seriously though, good points and I think I would be happy with this unit. I'm pretty confident Garmin will address all the issues they can with firmware updates that are brought to their attention.

 

I've read all the threads and am trying to keep up to date with it all. Any comments on the clock issue?

 

Red90, thanks for pics and Timpat nice to hear from you as well, I bought my 60CSx around the time you got your 60Cx if I remember correctly <_<

Link to comment

I thought the only issue was that you couldn't color them individually.

Edit: or rather, the individual colors are ignored.

 

From what I can see, you can only show one saved track on the map at a time, and yes they all default to the same light blue colour (I think).

 

But, wow, NO SAVED TRACK LIMIT.... How come, two million posts and people don't talk about these great improvements......

Link to comment

Ditto. When I'm outside, I rarely use backlighting unless I am in the shade. I don't see them making any hardware fixes for this. I do think some improvements can be made with regards to color choices. I personally have zero complaints with the screen. I believe most of the complaints come from previous 60CSx users (of which the OP falls into), so I would guess you might have issue with the screen at first. If you are worried about it, buy it from REI, and if you just can't stand the screen, just return it.

 

There isn't an REI in my state that is currently stocking the Colorado. I'll most likely order from gpsnow.com as I have used them numerous times before and have never had any issues with anything I bought from them or problems with gpsnow.com as a company. They are fantastic and besides, now I'm going to have to spring for a new CN-NT 2008 unlock code as I used my other one on the 60CSx... so the $100+ savings from gpsnow.com is going to make a difference

Link to comment

OK, it's a done deal. Just placed my order on gpsnow.com with next day shipping. Should have it tomorrow morning, and I'm looking forward to joining my fellow Colorado owners in the beta testing :rolleyes:

 

I ordered mine from there and selected fed-x home delivery 2-4 days. It took 2 days. Came this morning. I haven't been home to open it yet. I canceled my order with pcnation. Their price is the best I just got impatient in waiting. I still got it with in $20-$22 of thier price.

Link to comment
I've read all the threads and am trying to keep up to date with it all. Any comments on the clock issue?
I don't have any. Some people do. Nobody knows why.

My suggestion is: Buy the GPS at REI. If it has a clock issue, then return it and get another. Both ones I bought have never ever, on any of the firmware releases, had any clock issues.

Link to comment

If you use the "saved tracks" feature it will handle 20 currently, as does the Map60Cx. You can not view more than the one "saved track" at a time on the Colorado. It has to be selected from the Where To?/Tracks menu and will display as a cyan line as Red90 has shown.

 

The way I use them is to have hiking trails saved as separate tracks to be able to view on the map screen. I may have several trails intersecting in an area for example. Right now if you are in the field, viewing the map screen, they are not visible even with the "Show on Map ON" option selected under Setup/Tracks.

 

Here is the 300's Where To?/Tracks page;

 

TrackMenu300.jpg

 

Here is the 300's single selected saved track, my Blue Trail track, the only such visible on the map screen at a given time;

 

TrackDisplay300.jpg

 

Here is the Map60Cx map screen showing 4 saved trails as tracks (Red, Blue, Yellow, Orange), as well as the forest preserve parcel boundary (Green) displayed together;

 

Tracks60Cx.jpg

 

And this is the 60Cx zoomed in a bit with Topo 2008 showing my saved track trails;

 

Tracks60Cx2.jpg

 

I hope this articulates my point of how "saved tracks" are currently displayed on the Colorado.

Link to comment

If you use the "saved tracks" feature it will handle 20 currently....

 

I'm not quite sure I understand what you are meaning.

 

Like I said, I put 79 tracks on the units and could access all of them. Just throw GPX files on the unit and all the tracks are accessible regardless of size. What exactly do you mean by this 20 track limit??

 

Here is a track with ~1100 points.

171.jpg

 

and a close up

257.jpg

 

The detail is the same that I see in Mapsource.

Edited by Red90
Link to comment

When I first bought my 400t I started playing around with it inside to get a feel for how to navigate around the screens. Using it inside, I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed at first...at how dim the screen seemed without backlighting. With backlighting it was fine inside. Then I took it on a few cache hunts and I was surprised at how much better it showed up outside...with little or no backlighting. Dimmer than my GPSMAP76C...but not much. Plenty legible.

 

I have hardly ever used trackback. But I often follow my map back to my vehicle or the trailhead...based on memory and the displayed tracks. I usually wander and don't want to go exactly from one trackpoint to the next, etc, etc...the entire way back. I admit that I have, on numerous occasions with my 76C, picked the point that was obviously where I had parked and gone straight back to that single point. I haven't done anything with tracks on my 400t yet...other than deleting them each time I add a new pocket query.

 

I really like my 400t now. I really hope that waypoint averaging becomes a reality with it in the near future. From me to you...I'd reccommend buying one for yourself.

Link to comment

I just tried a 4000 point track and had a close look. All the points are there. No filtering has happened.

Hi Red, I think we are talking about and using different types of track data. I think what you are describing, and from your screenshots, are from so-called "äctive tracklogs" that were recorded and saved at some point from the Colorado. I'm using track data as well, but like with my 60Cx, my tracks have been edited after the fact or created on a PC, assigned color and named, then loaded as .gpx files and found under "Where To?/Tracks".

 

In the Colorado spec sheet it states under Track log: 10,000 points, 20 saved tracks. These are the type I'm speaking of which equal 20 tracks with 500 track points each.

 

If you have used a 60C/Sx perhaps you've used these before. I hope I explain myself clear enough,, so I'll bow out now. Thanks.

Link to comment

I think the 10000 trackpoint 20 track limit is referring to the capacity of the active tracklog (10000 points) and the number of auto archived track files (20) that the Colorado can maintain.

 

From my tests (this is discussed in the Tracks section of the FAQ in more detail) the tracklog autoarchives track segments into files once it gets to about 10000 trackpoints. Those autoarchive files seem to get to about ~1MB or 5000 trackpoints before they complete and the next one starts. I've only had my CO long enough to get 3 of these archive files but based on Anders' earlier comments about the Nuvi the autoarchiving stops when you get 20 of these files.

 

It doesn't surprise me that the CO can read gpx files with large numbers of trackpoints, if you think about it the tracklog has 10000 so it wouldn't surprise me if a track that large could be displayed.

 

That said the CO is sorely lacking in track management. Trackback is not supported -- routing along an existing track is just about useless from what I can see. No ability to change colors, load more than one track and the ability to archive tracks and partial tracks has so many bugs I gave up. I'm hoping this is one of the areas we see some big improvements in the future.

 

GO$Rs

Link to comment

If you have used a 60C/Sx perhaps you've used these before. I hope I explain myself clear enough,, so I'll bow out now. Thanks.

 

Yes, I'm very familiar with the 60 series.

 

What I am saying is the Colorado is COMPLETELY different. Stick whatever GPX file on there you want with whatever size and number of tracks and you can view and navigate them all.

 

The manual is WRONG!!!! You can have way more than 20 saved tracks on there.... Try it.....

 

When you "SAVE" a track, all the unit does is copy the active track information into a new GPX file in the main GPX directory....

Edited by Red90
Link to comment

I'm using track data as well, but like with my 60Cx, my tracks have been edited after the fact or created on a PC, assigned color and named, then loaded as .gpx files and found under "Where To?/Tracks".

 

These ARE the tracks I'm talking about....

 

I went on my PC and copied GPX files to the unit with 79 different tracks with some as large as 4000 points EACH..... All 79 tracks are there are viewable under "Where To?/Tracks".

Link to comment

Well I got mine tonight and have been playing for hours. It took me a few minutes to figure a few things out but now I like the interface much better than any GPS I have used. My Backlighting and screen is pretty dim unless I am in daylight. Then the Backlight is dim unless its good and dark. I have yet to upgrade to 2.4 but will soon.

 

I downloaded a cache and really like the paperless feature as well.

Link to comment

These ARE the tracks I'm talking about....

 

I went on my PC and copied GPX files to the unit with 79 different tracks with some as large as 4000 points EACH..... All 79 tracks are there are viewable under "Where To?/Tracks".

Well, I'll be dipped! I had not tried to load more of my saved tracks again following the v.2.40 update. Duh, what a twit I can be sometimes. There had been no mention of improvements in tracks in the Change History, but you're right Red90, I do see 74 (in my case) tracks I just loaded up again. They still can't be viewed on the map when panning to them, or to see more than the single track selected as cyan, but sure enough there can be lots more than the stated 20 in the (lacking!) manual.

 

Thanks for waking me up to this improvement, and sorry for being dense. Maybe the next update will give us more utility with tracks. One can hope.

Link to comment

Well I got mine tonight and have been playing for hours. It took me a few minutes to figure a few things out but now I like the interface much better than any GPS I have used. My Backlighting and screen is pretty dim unless I am in daylight. Then the Backlight is dim unless its good and dark. I have yet to upgrade to 2.4 but will soon.

 

I downloaded a cache and really like the paperless feature as well.

 

Hi Paul,

 

I think you mentioned you bought yours from gpsnow.com. Since mine is coming today from them as well, I'm curious about if your clock is working ok, and how's the battery life without the firmware update. Also, can you provide a partial serial # so I can compare when mine comes?

 

Thanks!

Link to comment

Well I got mine tonight and have been playing for hours. It took me a few minutes to figure a few things out but now I like the interface much better than any GPS I have used. My Backlighting and screen is pretty dim unless I am in daylight. Then the Backlight is dim unless its good and dark. I have yet to upgrade to 2.4 but will soon.

 

I downloaded a cache and really like the paperless feature as well.

 

Hi Paul,

 

I think you mentioned you bought yours from gpsnow.com. Since mine is coming today from them as well, I'm curious about if your clock is working ok, and how's the battery life without the firmware update. Also, can you provide a partial serial # so I can compare when mine comes?

 

Thanks!

 

I don't remember how to find the clock, I know its there because I saw it last night. I don't have my manual with me right now. I had some partially charged NIMH when I got it. I played with it all last night with the backlight on and so far this morning. The batteries do say low now but I am still running on the same one. I would say that is no different or even better than my etrex.

 

I did do the firmware update about 1 hour ago. My unit ID is ?????51494

Edited by Paul_Aris
Link to comment

I don't remember how to find the clock, I know its there because I saw it last night. I don't have my manual with me right now. I had some partially charged NIMH when I got it. I played with it all last night with the backlight on and so far this morning. The batteries do say low now but I am still running on the same one. I would say that is no different or even better than my etrex.

 

I did do the firmware update about 1 hour ago. My unit ID is ?????51494

 

Push the power button. It is on the backlight/battery strength screen.

Link to comment

I am in the same boat as Moonpup, except he made the leap. I have a Merigold, that just isn't cutting it anymore for me.

 

I have a few questions that I know have been answered but can not find the posts:

 

Waterproof and scroll wheel movement, can someone add the link that shows where to grease the seal and wheel. I would think that an oil based product would be bad, becuase it hurts rubber, so what should we use?

 

Batteries, are NIMH the way to go for rechargables? I don't know anything about them, so what to get and where. Should we now use the NIMH setting with the new firmware upgrade.

 

Thanks for the help

Link to comment

I don't remember how to find the clock, I know its there because I saw it last night. I don't have my manual with me right now. I had some partially charged NIMH when I got it. I played with it all last night with the backlight on and so far this morning. The batteries do say low now but I am still running on the same one. I would say that is no different or even better than my etrex.

 

I did do the firmware update about 1 hour ago. My unit ID is ?????51494

 

Push the power button. It is on the backlight/battery strength screen.

 

Mine kept time before and after the upgrade.

Link to comment

Waterproof and scroll wheel movement, can someone add the link that shows where to grease the seal and wheel. I would think that an oil based product would be bad, becuase it hurts rubber, so what should we use?

 

I used a tiny bit of petroleum jelly. Pop off the rock'n roller and you should see a series of "bumps" around the inside of the recess in the Colorado. I put a very small amount (a film really) of lubricant on these bumps. The Hardware section of the FAQ in my sig has some of this and video which shows the removal of the RnR.

 

Batteries, are NIMH the way to go for rechargables? I don't know anything about them, so what to get and where. Should we now use the NIMH setting with the new firmware upgrade.

 

People seem to have the best results with >2500maH NiMH batteries. Battery setting in 2.4 can be set to NiMH.

 

GO$Rs

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...