NewZealand Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 Why is SiRF InstantFixII still not available on the 60/76 CSX series ? Some Garmin units with the SIRF III Chip already got it, and some german vendors (like Medion) already updated also their older SIRF III units with the new firmware. Only the 60/76 C(S)X units are still missing it, though this would be a good enhancement! I asked SIRF if this can be applied to all SIRF-III receivers, and they said yes, it is only a matter of a change in the respective vendors firmware. It is a real pity, that a great unit like the 60/76 C(S)X series is from a firmware point of view handled so stepmotherly by Garmin, while other vendors (like Medion) still value their existing customers. Quote Link to comment
Forkeye Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 Hmmm...maybe Garmin doesnt want to make these units too good.Lots of people have great ideas for the 60csx & 76csx.If Garmin puts all these good ideas into them for free,whose going to buy the new ones?Especially if the newer ones dont work as good as the older ones. Quote Link to comment
+JSWilson64 Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 Seems like when the news originally came out about the InstantFixII, the info on SiRF's site indicated it wasn't a "freebie" for the GPS manufacturers. (and I may be way off base on that, it's based on a memory several months old) Even if the update is free from SiRF to Garmin, there's still programming, testing, QC, etc. costs. Garmin may have done the cost/benefit and decided that it's not worth it to Garmin to update the older units. But they'd need to include it in newer models, because their competition is doing so. Basically, ask yourself, "what's in it for Garmin?" to give you InstantFixII, when you've already bought your receiver? They already have your money, why would they expend resources to include something that's not a bug fix? Not saying that's right, but that's business. And that's why open hardware platforms are better than closed ones. Because can you imagine the features you would like to add to your 60-series, if only you could rewrite the firmware? Quote Link to comment
jholly Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 Seems like when the news originally came out about the InstantFixII, the info on SiRF's site indicated it wasn't a "freebie" for the GPS manufacturers. (and I may be way off base on that, it's based on a memory several months old) Even if the update is free from SiRF to Garmin, there's still programming, testing, QC, etc. costs. Garmin may have done the cost/benefit and decided that it's not worth it to Garmin to update the older units. But they'd need to include it in newer models, because their competition is doing so. Basically, ask yourself, "what's in it for Garmin?" to give you InstantFixII, when you've already bought your receiver? They already have your money, why would they expend resources to include something that's not a bug fix? Not saying that's right, but that's business. And that's why open hardware platforms are better than closed ones. Because can you imagine the features you would like to add to your 60-series, if only you could rewrite the firmware? You present some reasonable arguments. I would agree 100% IF the units were no longer in production. But they are still selling both the 60/76 series. It still might be a business trade off, or it could be some design decision made years ago would preclude a simple firmware upgrade or the current product firmware engineers are simply overloaded with the multiple Colorado issues. Jim Quote Link to comment
+JSWilson64 Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 You present some reasonable arguments. I would agree 100% IF the units were no longer in production. But they are still selling both the 60/76 series. It still might be a business trade off, or it could be some design decision made years ago would preclude a simple firmware upgrade or the current product firmware engineers are simply overloaded with the multiple Colorado issues. Jim I'd vote for the Colorado issues... But it probably has more to do with Garmin's internal projections about the life of the 60/76 products. Or, we might see it roll out next week, or sometime soon (my hope). Quote Link to comment
sokolo0 Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 Why is SiRF InstantFixII still not available on the 60/76 CSX series ? ......................... Because it is no need for InstantFixII for 60/76CSx. It will be an unusable gadget. 60/76CSx 's usually cath fix in seconds. Christopher Quote Link to comment
NewZealand Posted March 29, 2008 Author Share Posted March 29, 2008 (edited) Why is SiRF InstantFixII still not available on the 60/76 CSX series ? ......................... Because it is no need for InstantFixII for 60/76CSx. It will be an unusable gadget. 60/76CSx 's usually cath fix in seconds. Christopher This is just wrong.The units have the normal satellite fix times of a SIRF III chip (of course). Depending on the situation between a few seconds up to three minutes. Edited March 29, 2008 by NewZealand Quote Link to comment
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