What I learned on a two day roadtrip with Colorado 300

[Tomas4x4]

Settings:

- Colorado 300 with loaded maps from Topo US 2008 (on the SD card) and Topo National Parks West (v3) (in the built-in memory), latest firmware (2.40)

- roadtrip from Portland, Oregon through Klamath Falls to Susanville and finally Redwood City, California

 

Finding nr 1:

Autorouting with above maps is not working well. I was unable to create route to Klamath Falls, the Colorado kept complaining about 'no roads near the starting point'. I know that Topo US 2008 is not a routable and was expecting the unit to use base map (we were driving on the I-5 which is on the base map). My theory is that unit was trying to use Topo National Parks which is routable. We stopped on Crater Lake and I was able to create a short route there since this area was covered by Topo National Parks. I have of course tried to turn off both custom maps but it did not have any effect. I would appreciate if turning maps on/off would affect which map is used for autorouting or if the unit would default to base map for autorouting instead of telling me that there is no road near starting point. My previous experience with 76CSx was that unit would find closest point on routable road, create first segment as off-road and then use available roads for the rest. That was on the unit with US Topo and basemap.

 

On the related note, why is US Topo 2008 not routable?! I have used Topo Canada which is routable and it was very useful. Also Topo Canada roads were spot on unlike Topo US 2008 where actual roads are often hundreds of feet misplaced. When I see how high quality maps can be created by single determined enthusiast (thanks IndyJpr), I am disgusted with Garmin's map product.

 

Finding nr 2:

Colorado has big problem with showing street names, I have zoomed in whenever we went through a settlement only to find out that street names would not show up. On one occasion I was able to restore it by restarting the unit 2x, on another it just would not work even after 3-4 restarts and I gave up after that. We drove through half of the SF Bay Area with 'blind map' (no street names, no elevation labels), interestingly, the street names showed up on its own for last mile of our journey. I believe it is a software problem and I am surprised no one else is reporting it. My guess (being sofware engineer) is that unit is using some cache mechanism for allocating these labels and not removing them properly causing the cache to overflow. During the drive, I have seen unit go from map with street labels to map without street labels slowly as new streets went into view and old streets were pushed out.

 

Finding nr 3:

Stability; the unit turned itself off on one or two occasions. I think I did not have crash while operating it this time. Unit was used while driving running on car adapter and while cross country skiing running on NiMH (5 hours total). I got few low battery warnings and once it turned off sound and backlight, although it might have been caused by low temperature (I have kept it in the pocket to avoid this problem though).

 

Finding nr 4:

When arriving to the Lassen Volcanic NP, I have turned off Topo US 2008 to force the unit to show Topo National Parks instead and unit was either showing that or base map but not both simultaneously. If the road headed towards the area covered by Topo National Parks, unit was showing that even though I was outside of the area (few miles outside), when the road temporarily turned and headed away, unit was showing the base map. Area not covered by Topo National Parks was left blank. I was expecting to see the Topo National Parks where available and base map everywhere else.

 

Finding nr 5:

Lack of control over map content, at the minimum, it should be possible to change map details level from the map without going through the Setup.

 

I must say I am looking forward to future firmware updates because current version leaves a lot to be desired. On the positive side, I have just found out that Colorado series is now selectable when contacting Garmin support via email... no longer non-existent unit!

[+g-o-cashers]

The basemap on the CO is not a routeable basemap.

 

The issue you saw at Lassen I think I've seen before. When your position lands on a loaded map segment the entire layer associated with that segment is displayed on the screen. If you happen to be near the edge of those maps you'll see actual map data at the current location but you'll see the blank/cross-hatched region where there aren't any map segments in that region. As soon as your position moves off this layer you'll jump down to the next layer and see the basemap. I'm not sure if this is exactly what is going on (there may be some zoom/map detail component) as I didn't try to characterize it exactly -- I'd be curious if others have seen similar behavior.

 

I've heard about the street names disappearing issue but haven't seen (or noticed it) myself.

 

GO$Rs

[Tomas4x4]

The basemap on the CO is not a routeable basemap.

I did not even consider that this would be the case! When I bought Garmin 76CSx, it had routable base map. It is unit with similar audience as Colorado. Does 60CSx have routable basemap?

 

I think that Garmin is against itself by not including autorouting data with the base map, it is not like it is all that useful but it allows new owner to try autorouting feature and could possibly make people buy map with autorouting support.

 

I've heard about the street names disappearing issue but haven't seen (or noticed it) myself.

I have mentioned the problem twice on your FAQ and Issues list but haven't seen anyone confirm it. I find it hard to believe it is hardware related but if no one else reports/confirms the problem, I'll have to change my mind and will try to get the unit replaced. I'll be traveling back next weekend so I'll report how it worked.

[+Red90]

I think that Garmin is against itself by not including autorouting data with the base map, it is not like it is all that useful but it allows new owner to try autorouting feature and could possibly make people buy map with autorouting support.

 

IME, routing on the basemap is worse than no routing at all since the road accuracy is extremely poor. They probably removed it because of this reason.

 

Does Topo USA have street names? I have no problems seeing street names with Topo Canada.

[+g-o-cashers]

I have mentioned the problem twice on your FAQ and Issues list but haven't seen anyone confirm it. I find it hard to believe it is hardware related but if no one else reports/confirms the problem, I'll have to change my mind and will try to get the unit replaced. I'll be traveling back next weekend so I'll report how it worked.

 

I added it to the Issues List yesterday. Obviously if people can come up with a reproducible test case that would allow Garmin to reproduce it we have a much better chance of getting a fix. I still haven't noticed on mine by I'm trying to keep an eye out for it since several people have mentioned it (you aren't alone!)

 

3/17/08: Sometimes street names and elevation contour labels disappear from the map page. Reports that power cycling and/or reseting the Colorado may fix it. (2.4)

 

GO$Rs

[KD6QZX]

[

Does Topo USA have street names? I have no problems seeing street names with Topo Canada.

 

Yes on my 400t I can see the street names of both major roads as well as the small roads (ie; dirt roads in a subdivision) I figure the base map may have done an overlay for the major roads, but not the smaller ones.

[Tomas4x4]

I am back from my trip to Bay Area. I was paying closer attention to what the Colorado is doing with street labels on the way back. This is what I have seen:

 

1) There seems to be some link to the speed of movement. Once you get to the freeway and go over 40mph, the street labels quickly disappear. This is by no means exact but I have seen street labels often reappear after exiting the freeway and slowing down. It could also be related to change of direction. I have also seen the street labels suddenly reappear while still driving on the freeway at 60-70mph, they would disappear soon after that (see 3rd comment).

 

2) The elevation labels keep showing up even when street labels stopped doing that. As far as I can tell, elevation numbers are always displayed.

 

3) Street labels don't disappear all at once, it is more like that roads entering the view are shown without the label while streets already displayed with the label keep showing with it until they leave the view. On one occasion, street labels disappeared after zooming out one level (they were still supposed to show at that level), zooming back in did not cause them to reappear. You can see 'labeled' street being taken over by 'unlabeled' street on attached screenshots.

 

 

4) For most parts of the trip, the roads were shown without the street labels.

 

I have had one incident of unit turning itself off after pressing rock-n-roller select button (I was switching from trip computer to map view).

[strumble]

I was very interested in your Screenshots!

Here in the UK we are unable to view Text with POIs on CityNavigator and MetroGuide or the Basemap!

You seem to see the text for POI for Religious locations. [or are they Waypoints] ?????

 

What Garmin software are you using?

What options are you setting to get them?

How do some 300 units show them and others do not

 

Thanks

 

 

The POIs are the Garmin installed database except for the 3 Speed cameras at the top of the screenshot. [NO text with any of them]

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Edited March 24, 2008 by strumble

[Tomas4x4]

It is just regular US TOPO 2008.

 

You might need to enable POIs, go to Setup, Map, Select Options, Advanced and make sure that you have Zoom Levels and Text Size set up properly: in my case I have Map Points set to 2km (Auto should work too) and Text Size set to Small.

 

I have latest firmware but this feature actually worked with older versions too.

 

Hope it helps

Edited March 25, 2008 by Tomas4x4

[strumble]

Thanks for you help.

Here in the UK I cannot get that text on the POIs with CityNavigator or Metroguide. Perhaps it is a feature of your TOPO?

[Tomas4x4]

I don't think it is special feature of the TOPO US.

 

You can try download free maps by IndyJpr and try to load them to the unit and see if you will get POI to show up.

 

Also try to post your problem as new topic, this way you will get much greater exposure and I am sure you will get help.

[+apersson850]

Most topographic maps don't support autorouting, as they are more geared towards outdoor use, not car navigation.

For proper car navigation with your Colorado, use City Navigator maps. Even better, use a nüvi 760.

 

The basemap is supposedly autorouting, but that doesn't work unless you have detailed maps with autorouting installed as well. Or so it should be. As far as I've seen, it doesn't work then either.

[djjoonie]

I have the same problem with street labels. I have 2.40 latest software with 400t with street navigator nt 2008

If I only use topo maps, the street name shows up, but the map is off way too much. If I use it with city navigator + topo, or just city navigator, the street names disappears when I am moving.

 

http://x9e.xanga.com/d43c777619d32181636595/m138932045.bmp

http://xb8.xanga.com/256c6276d9d35181636587/m138932037.bmp

http://x79.xanga.com/daac4a7629032181636574/m138932027.bmp

http://xc2.xanga.com/f0fc4a4142232181636567/m138932020.bmp

http://xb6.xanga.com/777c527a42330181636560/m138932014.bmp

http://xec.xanga.com/721c4a4742632181636506/m138931963.bmp

http://x34.xanga.com/cc5c454141232181636472/m138931935.bmp

http://xbe.xanga.com/035c5b7618533181636441/m138931909.bmp

http://x75.xanga.com/36ec577441530181636421/m138931891.bmp

[Tomas4x4]

At last, someone else is reporting the problem!

We have to wait for new firmware and hope it will be fixed in it.

[Maximus XX!V]

I don't think it is special feature of the TOPO US.

 

You can try download free maps by IndyJpr and try to load them to the unit and see if you will get POI to show up.

 

Also try to post your problem as new topic, this way you will get much greater exposure and I am sure you will get help.

 

Garmin National Parks does. It comes in very handy when programming routes on trails. I really wish topo had that feature for trails as well.

[djjoonie]

At last, someone else is reporting the problem!

We have to wait for new firmware and hope it will be fixed in it.

 

i really hope so.

i would love the night view if they add this also.