Next Firmware for Colorado

[+XopherN71]

Anyone else checking daily or is it just me?

 

 

I have this ongoing daydream that I discover the next update and rush here to post the link first. An FTF is an FTF afterall!

 

Hoping to see a feature I requested in this one where the map would change with the profile (Geocaching = Topo, Automotive = City Navigator, etc).

Edited May 8, 2008 by XopherN71

[+RonFisk]

Anyone else checking daily or is it just me?

 

 

I have this ongoing daydream that I discover the next update and rush here to post the link first. An FTF is an FTF afterall!

 

Hoping to see a feature I requested in this one where the map would change with the profile (Geocaching = Topo, Automotive = City Navigator, etc).

You keep checking and I'll check you. Hope you get the FTF.......

[+verdugan]

Anyone else checking daily or is it just me?

 

Haven't they always been released on a Monday? You could save yourself some effort by just checking really early on Mondays rather than everyday.

[+jotne]

I do have an email from Garmin telling me that they will add map selection to profile.

Hopefully they will fix it.

[+XopherN71]

Haven't they always been released on a Monday?

Dunno, are they? If so that helps

 

I do have an email from Garmin telling me that they will add map selection to profile.

You have an email from them saying this? Sweet!

[+Gushoneybun]

Haven't they always been released on a Monday?

Dunno, are they? If so that helps

 

I say check everyday you only want someone to forget to flick the switch at Garmin on a monday and someone else will get the FTF

[robertlipe]

Anyone else checking daily or is it just me?

 

Seems like a good job for a computer to me. I point my RSS reader[1] at http://www.garmin.com/rss/software.jsp and let it nofity me when there is a change.

 

Yeah, I scan the list and see there are updates for models I don't care about, but it's not like I go into overload scanning the list. At a glance, the most recent 30 updates gets back to March 18, so picking through the list when it updates isn't exactly challenging. Updates tend to come in clumps. May 7 saw four updates, for example. C310, C320, C330, C340, much like 300 and 400t came on the same day - it's a not a hard pattern usually. :-)

 

RJL

 

[1] I use Sage in Firefox, but Google News Reader or any number of other RSS reader update thingies would work fine.

[+XopherN71]

Now that is slick!

 

Added to Firefox in like 2 seconds... thanks!

[+ruggedswordfish]

Latest firmware update killed my Colorado! Its now back with garmin!!! Dont turn on at all!!

[+XopherN71]

I doubt it was the update since quite a few people have run it with nothing but success, something else is missing in this story

[+Cacheoholic]

Like maybe over voltage from using the wrong batteries?

[+XopherN71]

^ Bingo

[+verdugan]

May 7 saw four updates, for example. C310, C320, C330, C340, much like 300 and 400t came on the same day - it's a not a hard pattern usually. :-)

 

Hmm, May 7 is not a Monday. So much for my pattern

[+Team TeeKay]

I doubt it was the update since quite a few people have run it with nothing but success, something else is missing in this story

 

Actually, I had the exact problem with mine. There is nothing else to add to the story. I plugged my unit in to do the upgrade. After an hour of trying to upgrade it still was frozen. Unplugged it and it wouldn't turn on. Tried everything possible to reset the unit and nothing would work.

 

Before this I had nothing but troubles with the unit. It wouldn't lock on sattelites and the navigation feature to get me to caches was never working.

 

Took the unit back to Wally World and exchanged it. I have been extremely busy and only able to get out once with the new unit but it seems to work fine, it also took the update with no problems. I also believe there was an earlier thread started about this was a handful of people having the same problem!!!

[A.B.E.L.]

I point my RSS reader[1] at http://www.garmin.com/rss/software.jsp and let it nofity me when there is a change.

 

wow, how come i didnt know about this before? thanks for the link!

[flyjazz]

I suspect the next update is coming soon,this month hopefully and I've got this feeling that it's going to a spectacular update and exceed expectations. That may explain why Garmin hasn't bothered to make minor Colorado updates available more often. The opproach may be frustrating for users,but Garmin probably knows they are on the hot-seat and has to do something to convince the market that they have the world's premier handheld GPS available.

[+XopherN71]

I'm just concerned now hearing about hardware fixes... I really don't want to send mine back because I like it, but if there's an update of course I want it.

[+jotne]

From what I can see, the Garmin RSS page http://www8.garmin.com/rss/software.jsp

is not as updated as Joe and Jack page http://www.gpsinformation.org/allory/new.htm

 

No Nüvi 2xx software, no astro on RSS, but listed at Joe and Jack.

[+CelticDave]

I suspect the next update is coming soon,this month hopefully and I've got this feeling that it's going to a spectacular update and exceed expectations. That may explain why Garmin hasn't bothered to make minor Colorado updates available more often. The opproach may be frustrating for users,but Garmin probably knows they are on the hot-seat and has to do something to convince the market that they have the world's premier handheld GPS available.

I really hope you are right, but I don't agree. The window for the Colorado is closing in rapidly, at least for me. I was on my second Colorado that was worse off than the first and would not stay on at all. The issue with crappy accuracy is the final straw for me. Yesterday I returned that one and exchanged it for a 60csx. My wife is on her second that has issues but we are holding out that it will be more functional after the next update. Having one of each at this point is the best solution for us.

I remember when someone said they hoped all would be well with the Colorado by Geowoodstock VI. I thought that inconceivable at the time as it was still months away. Now, the week before the biggest geocaching event in the world and Garmin still has not delivered. I am truely disappointed in Garmin for the way they have handled the ongoing problems with their release of the Colorado. So lets hope you are right and the next software release exceeds all of our expectations.

[+themeecer]

I'm just concerned now hearing about hardware fixes... I really don't want to send mine back because I like it, but if there's an update of course I want it.

 

I totally agree. I am bothered by the glitches but still don't want to give my baby up. But can we really expect hardware fixes? Has Garmin done a total recall on a product like that? Sounds great in theory but I am skeptical that they would spend millions of dollars to do so to apease the small minority of users who come to this site. I read earlier that forums are mostly populated by people who either like to argue or are coming here to complain about their product. I have no data on this but I would guess that most Colorado users don't even come to this site and wouldn't even know to demand a hardware fix.

 

 

Don't get me wrong .. it has me bothered that a waterproof GPSr is not entirely waterproof. I am also bothered by the fact that sometimes my cache descriptions are garbled with text written over text, periodic crashes of the system, no mp3 playback for Wherigo, no way to display correct road maps with the topographical maps (the base maps are way off .. so you can either have city navigator nt or the topo maps displaying .. but not both), and having to navigate through several menus to re-display a cache's description while you are actively navigating to the cache. I am pretty confident these issues will be fixed in later firmware updates (besides the mp3 capability).

 

edit: And even with all these glitches if asked whether someone should purchase the colorado, I would tell them absolutely.

Edited May 15, 2008 by themeecer

[+yukionna]

....I read earlier that forums are mostly populated by people who either like to argue or are coming here to complain about their product. I have no data on this but I would guess that most Colorado users don't even come to this site and wouldn't even know to demand a hardware fix....

 

Consider me an exception to this.

I come here to get and to share knowledge and have learned quite a bit already.

Edited May 15, 2008 by yukionna

[+randyrucker]

 

Don't get me wrong .. it has me bothered that a waterproof GPSr is not entirely waterproof. I am also bothered by the fact that sometimes my cache descriptions are garbled with text written over text, periodic crashes of the system, no mp3 playback for Wherigo, no way to display correct road maps with the topographical maps (the base maps are way off .. so you can either have city navigator nt or the topo maps displaying .. but not both), and having to navigate through several menus to re-display a cache's description while you are actively navigating to the cache. I am pretty confident these issues will be fixed in later firmware updates (besides the mp3 capability).

 

edit: And even with all these glitches if asked whether someone should purchase the colorado, I would tell them absolutely.

 

 

 

I have a townhouse in Florida for sale that has been battered by various hurricanes, a little wood rot, and some minor termite damage. Other than that its in absolutely perfect shape. It will last another 100 years. You sound like the perfect candidate to purchase that little gem.

[+themeecer]

I have a townhouse in Florida for sale that has been battered by various hurricanes, a little wood rot, and some minor termite damage. Other than that its in absolutely perfect shape. It will last another 100 years. You sound like the perfect candidate to purchase that little gem.

 

 

LOL. Well it depends on what I am coming from. If I am used to living in a cardboard box or no home at all then that sounds like a perfect place. (Actually a townhouse in Florida in terrible shape sounds apealing as well) It also depends on the fact that I know down the road the house is going to be fixed up free of charge.

 

 

I take it you don't own a colorado or returned yours before you really got to know the unit. My colorado has increased the ease of geocaching ten fold. I was able to go back and find caches in a matter of minutes that I had failed at finding on multiple occasions with my pocket pc. I am able to head any direction without having a ton of pages floating around in my car and my bag. My colorado can list the closest geocaches, allow me to read the descriptions/hints/logs, route me on the road to the cache, route me through the woods to the cache, log the cache as found, and then I can even check my Colorado to see how much more daylight I will have before I need to get back to my vehicle. I'd say that is pretty doggone spiffy.

[+The Hungry Caterpillars]

I am beginning to suspect suspect that it may take more than a firmware fix to sort the Colorado out.

[+ruggedswordfish]

I'm on my second 300, and am loving it again..... until it breaks next time. I do have to say one thing:

 

Here in the UK the support is fantastic. I posted my dead 300 off to garmin on Monday morning, and a new one was back in my hands by midday Friday.

 

I was honestly expecting a long long wait for a replacement, even though they estimate a 10 working day turnaround!!

Edited May 15, 2008 by ruggedswordfish

[+The Hungry Caterpillars]

Hi rugged swordfish.

Have a number of problems with mine -perhaps you canhelp?

I have noticed the internal clock on mine stops after turning off unlike the 60csx and the when turning on before finally picking up satellites reports this time. to check as far as I can I have discovered that even with a satellite fix the stopwatch mode on mine gains about 24 secs/hr or about 9mins/day.

I am no expert but am totally taken aback by this.

Do these problems lead to others such as time to first fix and also perhaps explain other problems that are reported with this unit?

[+Geocaching-Geckos]

Hi rugged swordfish.

Have a number of problems with mine -perhaps you canhelp?

I have noticed the internal clock on mine stops after turning off unlike the 60csx and the when turning on before finally picking up satellites reports this time. to check as far as I can I have discovered that even with a satellite fix the stopwatch mode on mine gains about 24 secs/hr or about 9mins/day.

I am no expert but am totally taken aback by this.

Do these problems lead to others such as time to first fix and also perhaps explain other problems that are reported with this unit?

 

My first Colorado had the exact same issues with the time feature not working like it should. After a few firmware upgrades I decided enough was enough and RMA'd it back to Garmin. A brand new unit was back in my hand less than two weeks later and it works flawlessly. I believe, like others on this forum, that the earlier units, like mine, suffered from a hardware error and not from a firmware flaw.

[+g-o-cashers]

Hi rugged swordfish.

Have a number of problems with mine -perhaps you canhelp?

I have noticed the internal clock on mine stops after turning off unlike the 60csx and the when turning on before finally picking up satellites reports this time. to check as far as I can I have discovered that even with a satellite fix the stopwatch mode on mine gains about 24 secs/hr or about 9mins/day.

I am no expert but am totally taken aback by this.

Do these problems lead to others such as time to first fix and also perhaps explain other problems that are reported with this unit?

 

Garmin agreed to RMA my unit because of the clock issue. It didn't happen every time I powered on but it was enough to be annoying. If you call them with this issue they will probably replace your unit if you tell them you are on the latest software and have tried a master reset or two.

 

I believe that the issue with timers running fast is the result of a firmware workaround for one of these hardware problems. Everyone who is running 2.51 seems to be seeing problem. I'm guessing if you stepped back to older firmware this problem would go away. My suspicion is that they are trying to work around a hardware issue by running the internal clocks faster than they are supposed to.

 

GO$Rs

[+The Hungry Caterpillars]

I actually discovered this problem with 2.4 and think it was there earlier than that from what I recall at least with the time being incorrect at start up. The problem with the stopwatch was when I checked on a hunch that this may demonstrate some related problem. What I do find very disturbing is that even with a satellite fix the stopwatch still runs fast (24s per hour) (internal clock problem) Surely this must have a deleterious effect on a GPS that is after all time dependent.

I do very much suspect that this is down to faulty hardware rather than anything else.

Anybody else confirm please?

[+george_k]

What I do find very disturbing is that even with a satellite fix the stopwatch still runs fast (24s per hour) (internal clock problem) Surely this must have a deleterious effect on a GPS that is after all time dependent.

I do very much suspect that this is down to faulty hardware rather than anything else.

Anybody else confirm please?

 

The time drifting would be annoying alright (for instance, if you use the alarm feature). However, it should *not* affect the GPS function, since time is one of the things being solved for (besides your position on 3 axes). The only negative effect from an incorrect internal time would be if it was off enough that it could slow down your initial acquisition of satellites, since it could make your GPSr try to track ones that weren't even visible.

 

BTW, and it's a good thing the GPSr doesn't rely on the internal clock, because every nanosecond would equate to roughly one foot of range measurement error.

 

George

[+g-o-cashers]

I actually discovered this problem with 2.4 and think it was there earlier than that from what I recall at least with the time being incorrect at start up. The problem with the stopwatch was when I checked on a hunch that this may demonstrate some related problem. What I do find very disturbing is that even with a satellite fix the stopwatch still runs fast (24s per hour) (internal clock problem) Surely this must have a deleterious effect on a GPS that is after all time dependent.

I do very much suspect that this is down to faulty hardware rather than anything else.

Anybody else confirm please?

 

There is a big difference between time of day and a timer. Timer based functions like the stopwatch and "total time" data field run fast on the CO and don't have much to do with GPS time of day. Software timers like these run off hardware timers that are based on clock pulse that come from an internal oscillator. My original suspicion was that my oscillator was bad, but the timers are so far off and so uniformly for everyone that the only explanation I can come up with is that Garmin has tweaked the frequency of the clock in software (similar to overclocking your PC CPU) to fix some other frequency dependent problem.

 

The only place where time of day might depend on these timers is when the unit does not have lock and time of day must "freewheel" off of an internal source instead of satellite time which should always be accurate.

 

The fast timer problem could have been around as far back as 2.3 when Garmin introduced some workarounds to fix the time of day problem. I think you would probably need to go back to 2.1 or 2.2 to see if it wasn't around then.

 

GO$Rs

[+The Hungry Caterpillars]

So do all Colorados have this problem?Or just some?

I would have thought that with a satelllite fix the stopwatch function would work correctly?

And if you lose satellites for some period of time will that cause false readings for your actual position? Even a 5min loss is about 2 secs gain for the internal clock.

I notice that this has been listed as a hardware problem on the Garmin Colorado FAQ issues list.

If so what action if any would you propose I take?

[+g-o-cashers]

So do all Colorados have this problem?Or just some?

I would have thought that with a satelllite fix the stopwatch function would work correctly?

And if you lose satellites for some period of time will that cause false readings for your actual position? Even a 5min loss is about 2 secs gain for the internal clock.

I notice that this has been listed as a hardware problem on the Garmin Colorado FAQ issues list.

If so what action if any would you propose I take?

 

I haven't heard of anyone running 2.4 or 2.51 who isn't seeing the fast timer problem.

 

Again, no relationship between time of day and a timer function like the stopwatch. Time of day comes from a satellite (when you have lock), timers are based on hardware components that get their timebase from a oscillator, there is no correlation to time of day.

 

I'm not sure about your next question, if you lose lock then you don't have a position.

 

This should not be listed as a hardware issue on the Issues List. I'll move it. When I originally discovered it a few weeks ago I thought it was my unit only but since then a lot of people have taken measurements on their CO and are seeing the same issue.

 

GO$Rs

[+The Hungry Caterpillars]

Thanks for the help all.

So I take it that all Colorado units have an internal clock which does not keep any kind of time when the unit is off unlike the CSX60.

And the stopwatch function is useless as it stands at the moment.

This last as a total athletics buff is pretty important for me personally.

I seem to have spent the last three months fighting the 300 and still have other problems with it occasionally a totally wrong position by some hundred feet, it seems to turn itself off after a certain sequence of button/scroll wheel usage that I have not bottomed and seems to update a lot more slowly than the CSX.

I am no technical expert but have had and still have an old yellow etrex, an old vista, a 60cs a 60csx and a 305.

This 300 model really needs some major work.

Perhaps another Firmware update that does not carry a health warning with it may offer some of that major work?

[+apersson850]

I haven't used the stopwatch much recently, so I didn't know that it can't keep proper time.

 

The other issue, time of day, is of course a fault in some units, as it's suppsed to keep track of time even when off. Provided there are batteries in the unit, of course.

If the clock doesn't run properly then, you suffer from longer time to first fix, the alarm clock will not run and the pressure trend recording will never happen.

[+The Hungry Caterpillars]

Mine has batteries in and the internal clock stops when switched off.

I have been intouch with Garmin support in my part of the world and been told that they were not aware of a gain in time by the internal clock and have been given to understand that it is normal in the Colorado for the internal clock to stop when the instrument is turned off!

As you say these problems negate a number of the facilities offered by this model related to this -long time to first fix, useless stopwatch mode, an alarm clock that will not run properly and apparently no pressure trend recording?

Anything else whilst we are at it?

I am more than alittle disturbed about all this with reason.

I personally paid the equivelant of nearly $600 dollars for this.

[+verdugan]

Mine has batteries in and the internal clock stops when switched off.

 

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you have a defective unit. Do a search on the forum. This is a well known problem, mostly with early build units. Read the threads, call Garmin back, and ask for an exchange. Good luck.