Colorado 300....too different!

[+salz69]

It may be easy for some who've used it for a while now, but where are the things I'm use to with the 60Csx? The tutorials are very vague. When going to a cache, the 60Csx asked "Follow Road" or "Off Road", I still haven't figured out the turn-by-turn feature, but from what I understand, you have to switch it to "Automotive" mode- how is this better? City Navigator NT2008 is installed and working, but still no navigation. Even when I pull up a geocache desription, and go to options, and hit Go to Location, you get nothing- I then go to active route and it says I haven't entered one. Other things Like moving to pointer to a different area. and the accuracy sucks. I don't know, maybe I have a bad one, but my daughter went caching with me, she had the 60Csx I had the Colorado, she GZ'ed with perfect accuracy on a cache everyone comments on how the coords were right on, but I was showing 110' away, then 58', then 44', then 95', then 107', then 16', and back to 58'....it NEVER got to GZ. I mainly bought this because my PDA died- I used an old PalmIIIxe with CacheMate in it- worked great, until I dropped it in the water. I bought this one for the cache desciption storage, and also expected it to work as well as or better than the 60Csx, btu so far I'm REALLY not impressed.

[+g-o-cashers]

What version software are you running? A couple of these issues sound like they might be fixed in 2.51. I would start by upgrading to 2.51, turn your compass off and see what issues that leaves.

 

GO$Rs

[+RRLover]

But because of the gremlins; what ever you do, DON'T drop it in the water! . . . ;^)

 

Norm

[+RonFisk]

But because of the gremlins; what ever you do, DON'T drop it in the water! . . . ;^)

 

Norm

I second that... I carry mine in a ziplok bag even in heavy fog. I got fluid in the battery compartment just spraying the display to put the screen protector on. I'd hate to see what happened if I ever dropped it in the water...

[+storm180]

I have noticed that I can get my battery cover almost flush on my colorado. Normally I would slide the cover on and it would leave a space all around the top of the battery cover. I take the metal snap clip when its open and I push up on it before I lock it in and the cover actually slide up more to where the top is flush with the unit. There are some issues on the corners, there is still a tiny gap but not as big as it was before.

[+Prime Suspect]

But because of the gremlins; what ever you do, DON'T drop it in the water! . . . ;^)

 

Norm

I second that... I carry mine in a ziplok bag even in heavy fog. I got fluid in the battery compartment just spraying the display to put the screen protector on. I'd hate to see what happened if I ever dropped it in the water...

Probably not much. The battery compartment isn't designed to be waterproof, but the rest of the unit is.

[+Red90]

I've tested mine and it is completely waterproof. I think people are over-reacting to ONE person that had a problem. Make sure the cover is pushed on all the way in order to seat the SD card seal.

[A.B.E.L.]

sounds like PEBKAC...

[freeday]

I've tested mine and it is completely waterproof. I think people are over-reacting to ONE person that had a problem. Make sure the cover is pushed on all the way in order to seat the SD card seal.

Yes you are right - there is always only ONE unit having problems with water

http://www.willyhoops.com/garmin_colorado_...mage_review.htm

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...669&hl=IXP7

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=187736

 

don't drop a colorado 300 into the water !!! - It is not IPX7

[+storm180]

I've tested mine and it is completely waterproof. I think people are over-reacting to ONE person that had a problem. Make sure the cover is pushed on all the way in order to seat the SD card seal.

Yes you are right - there is always only ONE unit having problems with water

http://www.willyhoops.com/garmin_colorado_...mage_review.htm

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...669&hl=IXP7

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=187736

 

don't drop a colorado 300 into the water !!! - It is not IPX7

 

Garmin just can't stamp a IPX7 tag on something it actually has to be independantly tested by a third party in order to use the rating. Just make sure that case is tight on the back and its as far up as possible before you lock it down.

[+apersson850]

No, it does not require any third party testing. You can do that yourself.

In many countries it's required that you have the test data and documentation ready, so that if some authority asks for it, you should be able to present your data to them within a few days.

 

But the IP rating does not require third party testing.

[+storm180]

No, it does not require any third party testing. You can do that yourself.

In many countries it's required that you have the test data and documentation ready, so that if some authority asks for it, you should be able to present your data to them within a few days.

 

But the IP rating does not require third party testing.

 

So your saying a multi-billion dollar company like Garmin is not going to perform independent 3rd Party Quality Assurance testing on their products? So they would rather risk a class action law suit? I think not, I know for a fact that garmin does use third party testing on every single one of their products along with documentation to back up their findings before that product is put out for the public. Obviously if they did say it was IPX7 certified then this was tested completely by QA. In my opinion they have not issued any recall yet, and from your posts it does not seem that a great deal of people have complained to garmin about the issue or they would do something about it. I mean they sponsor a lot of events where their units do get wet, it would be very bad advertising to tag a device waterproof when it is not.

[freeday]

...it would be very bad advertising to tag a device waterproof when it is not.

Yes it is very bad advertising

[+Crid]

...it would be very bad advertising to tag a device waterproof when it is not.

Yes it is very bad advertising

 

Depends how you interpret "waterproof". My Gore-Tex jacket is waterproof, but I'd still get wet if I fell in a river.

[+salz69]

Is this intentionally getting off topic? This was for tutorial help with the Colorado 300 for avid 60Csx users. It's turned into "waterproof talk"

[+HaLiJuSaPa]

It seems to me based on what I see in forums and stuff that the Colorado is really the "Edsel" of GPS's and if it weren't for Wherigo it would be a real bomb. I hope they improve it.

[+Gob-ler]

When I first got my Colorado I felt quite intimidated by the new unit. There definitely is a learning curve, but that is true of any new device. The very best thing to do is use it. If your not sure carry them both until your comfortable.

 

The way I really got to know mine was to use it, use it, use it. Even with a few bugs it is much more capable than your old unit.

 

Cache on!

[+Crid]

Is this intentionally getting off topic? This was for tutorial help with the Colorado 300 for avid 60Csx users. It's turned into "waterproof talk"

 

g-o-cashers did ask what software version you're on. If you're not already on beta 2.51 (that's the firmware, not the GPS software - which is probably 2.60) it's well worth installing. While there are still some issues (accuracy after 30+ mins in difficult conditions such as woodland) some of the more glaring problems appear to have been fixed. I had problems with the Colorado not navigating to the target when I tried to select a geocache and that seems (largely) to be fixed with 2.51b.

 

To find your software version, go to the main menu, then Setup, then System, then press the Options button and pick Software Version.

 

2.51 beta can be downloaded from here.

Edited June 28, 2008 by Crid

[+Crid]

It seems to me based on what I see in forums and stuff that the Colorado is really the "Edsel" of GPS's and if it weren't for Wherigo it would be a real bomb. I hope they improve it.

 

I love having all the geocaching information in one place. Sure, the UI is a bit longwinded compared to the 76CSx I'm used to (mainly because there are less buttons), but I can live with it. I just wish they'd hurry up and sort out the accuracy "drift" bug.

[+salz69]

I have installed 2.51, Idid not see a 2.51b to be downloaded.

[+Cacheoholic]

Oh, for that did you look at the Colorado FAQ in the "Pinned: Collection Of Existing FAQ's" "Please review before starting new thread" located at the top of this forum?

 

If folks could find and take the time to read those FAQ’s this forum would be cut in half.

[+g-o-cashers]

I have installed 2.51, Idid not see a 2.51b to be downloaded.

 

They are the same, you now have the latest.

 

GO$Rs

[+Crid]

I have installed 2.51, Idid not see a 2.51b to be downloaded.

 

They are the same, you now have the latest.

 

GO$Rs

Yes, sorry that's me confusing the issue. I put "b" meaning "beta".

[+apersson850]

One of the single largest issues with the Colorado is that it's not just a beefed up 60 CSx. Many expected that, and got burnt when it turned out that this and that, that was available in the very intricate 60 CSx, was intentionally skipped in the Colorado.

 

The Colorado is still an outdoor unit, but it's a different kind of outdoor unit. It puts emphazise on other things than just what you have in the 60 CSx.

 

Another big issue is, or now a bit more "was", that there were quite a lot of bugs and shortcomings in the first Colorado release, in spite of everything we early testers had indeed found and got corrected. There are still things to do. You can't dial in international characters, for example, so I can't call a waypoint "Åkrök", even if it is.

 

Garmin may very well use some third party tester to verify IP classification. I'm just saying they aren't required to. The main part of the world, i.e. outside the US, are a bit less trigger-happy as far as it goes to taking everything to court. We use common sense to a greater degree.

But that doesn't help Garmin much, of course, as the US is their home market.

Edited June 28, 2008 by apersson850