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Garmin Oregon


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is it me, or is this the final version of the Colorado beta models...

Its you. Look at the company history and the constant multiple models. Etrex, 60 series, 76series and on the automotive side, Streetpilot (a gazillion models), Nuvi (a gazillion models).

 

Actually, the Oregons are just Colorados with a different interface really and I for one am not a fan of touch screen in this application. Think of where they are being used, outdoors, with rain, snow, mud, dirt etc. all hitting the screen. The elements are going to be all over your fingers. Not a good situation when trying to view touch screen or to press accurately. Touch does not work well under those conditions. This isn't the conditions your iphone gets, this stuff will get real weather and real dirt on them.

 

JD

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I would think that those who own the Nuvi line would have an idea of what the new Oregons will be like to use.

 

I actually wished that they would release a rugged Nuvi model that has the compass the barometer and all the function of the Colorado. That way I can just buy one and use it for everything. I guess I'm the only person who likes the touch sceen because it's the best interface. One less think to break (physical buttons) and much more user friendly. I wish they would have skipped the Colorado to begin with. When that was announced, I told everybody here that tocuh screens are the future and no one here believed me.

Edited by jcc123
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I'd like to know whether the touch screen will be "lockable", so when you stick it in your pocket and pull it out you're not accidentally touching your way into other screens or functions. I don't even see a button on this unit... although I assume there's a power button somewhere. I like the "mark" button on my 60CSx -- I can quickly hit it as I'm driving down the road to mark a waypoint if I pass something interesting. I'm not sure the new models will allow that functionality in a really fast, easy to get to way. Also, no mention of Wherigo that I saw. I wonder if the Oregon has that software pre-loaded?

 

Lots of questions, I guess they'll be answered in time.

 

Edit: Wherigo is included, just read that in the press release. One question down.... :anitongue:

Edited by DocDiTTo
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I guess I like the idea of this GPS, but with a hard shell over it, with the ability to flip open the hard front lense of the case, to use the touch screen, seems more compact than the Colorados.

 

This post has been edited by GOT GPS?: Today, 02:33 PM

 

One thing I liked about the Colorados, is the 3D screen, showing the route your taking going way off in the distance to give you a feel of what is ahead in your trip.

Edited by GOT GPS?
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Hopefully this thing will have at least 3 AA batteries, to better power the backlight, for this bigger screen than the 60's, 76's and Etrexes. This GPS should have at least 3.7vdc for powering the backlight. (Because these screens are more of a battery hog, than the smaller screens.)

Edited by GOT GPS?
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Certain features could become very awkward, such as panning around the map, selecting map features, and other tasks involving the pointer on the map page. With my big man-finger over the screen, it may be a fair challenge to pinpoint anything. I guess it's all about implementation, but I just don't see how they are going to get around that.

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Certain features could become very awkward, such as panning around the map, selecting map features, and other tasks involving the pointer on the map page. With my big man-finger over the screen, it may be a fair challenge to pinpoint anything. I guess it's all about implementation, but I just don't see how they are going to get around that.

 

To me panning looks like it will be much easier than with the Colorado. And typing should be a breeze. IMO this is what the Colorado should have been. And now everyone will be happy. People saying that touch screens are junk can opt for the Colorado, people who like touch screens can opt for the Oregon. I also don't see this as an upgrade, but rather an equal to the Colorado series, especially considering they appear to have the same firmware. I would probably get one if I had an extra $600 lying around, and I did not have other priorities.

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Certain features could become very awkward, such as panning around the map, selecting map features, and other tasks involving the pointer on the map page. With my big man-finger over the screen, it may be a fair challenge to pinpoint anything. I guess it's all about implementation, but I just don't see how they are going to get around that.

 

To me panning looks like it will be much easier than with the Colorado. And typing should be a breeze. IMO this is what the Colorado should have been. And now everyone will be happy. People saying that touch screens are junk can opt for the Colorado, people who like touch screens can opt for the Oregon. I also don't see this as an upgrade, but rather an equal to the Colorado series, especially considering they appear to have the same firmware. I would probably get one if I had an extra $600 lying around, and I did not have other priorities.

 

Please elaborate how panning to a specific point will be easier for someone with big-arse fingers? The pointer will be covered up by my finger pad. Maybe your right, maybe I'm not thinking of how else they would implement it.

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Links to new units.

 

Oregon 200

 

Oregon 300

 

Oregon 400c

 

Oregon 400i

 

Oregon 400t

 

This is the reason on why no new firmware for Colorado.

Garmin is ging to discontiue Colorado and focus on Oregon

 

I seriously doubt that. If a company discontinues a product less than 8 months old, they will face some flack from the public and maybe even a class action suit. In my opinion the colorado and the oregon will be identical firmware except for the difference of the touch screen on the oregon. I think they are just giving people an option on if they want to use to the r&r controller or a touch screen. I bet the Oregon will have the same beta software as the colorado.

 

This would be a weird set of events if the colorado actually had a touch screen but it was not activated due to firmware. I haven't taken apart my colorado to look for the touch sensor component but that would be pretty strange if it was already in the colorado. I know, that is a really out there assumption.

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I really think the Oregon will have different firmware since all of the buttons are now software driven. Very different than the Colorado. The menus are different too. So it will likely NOT be shared with the Colorado.

 

Also, those who have no idea what a touch screen would be like just go to your local BestBuy and play with one of the demo Nuvi. Problem solved. Fat fingers, gloved fingers and any other welcomed there.

 

I think those who have doubts will soon sell their Colorados and switch to the touch. It's the future.

Edited by jcc123
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Certain features could become very awkward, such as panning around the map, selecting map features, and other tasks involving the pointer on the map page. With my big man-finger over the screen, it may be a fair challenge to pinpoint anything. I guess it's all about implementation, but I just don't see how they are going to get around that.

 

To me panning looks like it will be much easier than with the Colorado. And typing should be a breeze. IMO this is what the Colorado should have been. And now everyone will be happy. People saying that touch screens are junk can opt for the Colorado, people who like touch screens can opt for the Oregon. I also don't see this as an upgrade, but rather an equal to the Colorado series, especially considering they appear to have the same firmware. I would probably get one if I had an extra $600 lying around, and I did not have other priorities.

 

Please elaborate how panning to a specific point will be easier for someone with big-arse fingers? The pointer will be covered up by my finger pad. Maybe your right, maybe I'm not thinking of how else they would implement it.

 

OK, maybe the Oregon is not for the "big-fingered" :lol: . That was kind of my point though, if you like a touch xcreen, get the Or, if you don't, get the Co. Like I said, it seems to me they will be offered alongside each other. Like the 60 Cx and 76 Cx, same internals, but one fits your hand better, and the other one floats.

 

My wife has a TomTom and I love the touch screen. Panning and typing are so simple.

Edited by CenTexDodger
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It sounds like what the TOMTOM uses, with its GPSFIX file that is updated every 7 days. It helps get your signal faster by telling the gps where the sats are.

Isn't that what almanac data is for? Or does GPSFIX have the same level of granularity as ephemeris data?

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I think those who have doubts will soon sell their Colorados and switch to the touch. It's the future.

 

I would think that after reading what folks here went through with the Colorado people might be a little "gun shy" about jumping on this model. It looks real good, but I think I'll stick to my 60 CSx till a lot of reviews are in.

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I think those who have doubts will soon sell their Colorados and switch to the touch. It's the future.

 

I would think that after reading what folks here went through with the Colorado people might be a little "gun shy" about jumping on this model. It looks real good, but I think I'll stick to my 60 CSx till a lot of reviews are in.

If the Oregon uses the same chipset as the HCX series and Colorado, it will probably have the same accuracy issues. There would be no point in swapping to an Oregon from a Colorado. And when (if?) the accuracy issue is sorted out, I'd expect (well, hope anyway) that it would be sorted for the HCX and Colorado at the same time.

Edited by Crid
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I really think the Oregon will have different firmware since all of the buttons are now software driven. Very different than the Colorado. The menus are different too. So it will likely NOT be shared with the Colorado.

 

Modern software development is modular. I would be surprised if Garmin did not take this approach as it reduces development time of new models.

 

For example in the Colorado automotive mode the rendering of the maps, turns, etc. is almost the same as other Garmin models (like my Streetpilot). In the Oregon screenshots the 3D model has that pixelated look and lack of detail, the same as the Colorado.

 

So I would guess that both units are based on the same software platform but with different user interface modules. The addition of a touchscreen and changing of the user interface could still mean that a large percentage of the firmware is the same.

 

Andy

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I don't know how well the touch screen would handle being outside, but as long as the Oregon works like the Nuvis, there is nothing to fear about the interface. Put your finger on the screen and slide it, instant pan. No arrows to hit, just slide your finger. It really is very intuitive.

 

I agree, this is just additional models to the Colorado line. Though Garmin is a business and can do as they choose, if I had known these were coming I would not have bought my Colorado a month ago. :lol:

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Not that it will help reduce the confusion much, but Garmin has posted the first software update for the Oregon.

 

http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=4051

 

"Added support for customizing track colors."

 

Woohoo! Now if they would add better track management tools to the Colorado.

 

Wow even before the product is released to the public an update already. Now lets see a beta firmware release.

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Given the overlap between this release and some of the stuff we received in 2.54b on the Colorado I would say that they are based on similar (but not exactly the same software code base). I'm guess a good percentage of the software is the same, just the user interface presentation layer is different.

 

I'll predict that we see similar (if not exact) feature parity between the two units minus the touch screen specific stuff in the Oregon.

 

GO$Rs

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I'm guess a good percentage of the software is the same, just the user interface presentation layer is different.

 

I'll predict that we see similar (if not exact) feature parity between the two units minus the touch screen specific stuff in the Oregon.

 

I think that makes sense and is probably reality. But if true, then it is strange that Garmin has not made available some of the Oregon features on the Colorado: for example, the track manager, and the ability to customize track colors. Maybe those are coming in a future software update.

 

Also, the description of the Garmin "hotfix" feature sounds like a software, rather than hardware, function:

 

Faster satellite acquisition via a new Garmin HotFix feature that calculates and stores critical satellite information

 

But if it is a software function, then I again wonder why it doesn't already exist on the Colorado? Perhaps the Oregon has a different receiver chipset that makes the "Hotfix" feature possible? Perhaps blah blah.. (i.e. it will be delivered in a future Colorado software update, or blah blah some other reason).

 

If Garmin messes up the Oregon release like they did the Colorado release, then I think DeLorme is very favorably positioned with their upcoming PN-40 release.

 

J

 

EDIT: On second thought, the description of the "hotfix" feature is ambiguous - maybe it is a software function, or a hardware function, or a combination of the two. :lol:

Edited by jmedlock
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Seeing how pathetic Garmin has been with service toward the Colorado, I'm really wondering if this is not a ploy to "abandon" the Colorado. If you look at some of the firmware updates that have been released for the Oregon, they are some serious upgrades that need to be done to the Colorado. Why would these updates not be released in the last release of the Colorado? You don't release a superior unit to the Colorado just months after releasing the Colorado line, unless you plan to spend your resources on the superior line.

 

Look at some of the older models (IE: 60 CSx, etc.). How many updates do you see now for that unit since they have released the Colorado? I really hope that is not the case, but after dealing with Garmin recently, it would not surprise me one bit :rolleyes:

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I would think that those who own the Nuvi line would have an idea of what the new Oregons will be like to use.
Totally agree, just got a Nuvi 205W yesterday, so far . . . so good.

 

I actually wished that they would release a rugged Nuvi model that has the compass the barometer and all the function of the Colorado. That way I can just buy one and use it for everything.
My wish too. A Nuvi has twice the display size at half the cost of the Ore/Colo. That altimeter chip can't be that big or costly.
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Please elaborate how panning to a specific point will be easier for someone with big-arse fingers? The pointer will be covered up by my finger pad. Maybe your right, maybe I'm not thinking of how else they would implement it.
I was wondering about that too. I just got a Nuvi 205W yesterday and it's pretty slick.

 

To pan you simply touch and drag, the map moves with your finger, so cool. To place the cursor over an object, just tap, and the cursor moves to the tap point. However, fine adjustment or bumping I've not figured out. Perhaps a stylus. Stay tuned, still learning.

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Also, the description of the Garmin "hotfix" feature sounds like a software, rather than hardware, function:

 

Faster satellite acquisition via a new Garmin HotFix feature that calculates and stores critical satellite information

 

EDIT: On second thought, the description of the "hotfix" feature is ambiguous - maybe it is a software function, or a hardware function, or a combination of the two.

I think it's a bit of both.

 

The science is trivial, it's mathematically possible to predict the position of every satellite if you know your position and the time of day. However, the math is non-trivial. So one needs a fast processor to do the math before the satellites move to another position. Hence software and hardware.

 

All this leads me to believe that the Oregon has the new STM Cartiseo chip, the same as the Nuvi 2x5 family and the PN-40, all of which have Hotfix.

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Please elaborate how panning to a specific point will be easier for someone with big-arse fingers? The pointer will be covered up by my finger pad. Maybe your right, maybe I'm not thinking of how else they would implement it.
I was wondering about that too. I just got a Nuvi 205W yesterday and it's pretty slick.

 

To pan you simply touch and drag, the map moves with your finger, so cool. To place the cursor over an object, just tap, and the cursor moves to the tap point. However, fine adjustment or bumping I've not figured out. Perhaps a stylus. Stay tuned, still learning.

I tried a toothpick as a stylus, worked great!!! Just a very light tap will provide precise positioning.

 

So a fat finger will do for most lines, which Garmin's OS seems to prefer, but for fine positioning, a stylus works well. Yes it's a tool, but for general panning and positioning the touchscreen is so much faster, not a bad trade-off. YMMV of course.

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It would be really nice of Garmin to tell us the actual specs of the Oregon such as what chipset, what type of compass (3 axis would be a huge plus), How much on board memory, etc. I have been looking at the release specs for the PN40 and they have all of that information available, so why can't Garmin? I am curious about the spec of only 1000 waypoints? The Co was already changed to 2000. So this is another step backwards for a new release? That is getting to be a habit unfortunately. I am still pretty disgusted with Garmin over the Co release and lack of actual support. I really hope that they get it right this time. It would also be nice to see that Garmin is standing behind it's products and making some kind of offer to those of us that spent so much time trying to get the Co's to work right. I was going on my third Colorado when I switched over the a 60csx and my wife is still on her second Colorado. All I can say is I am very thankful of REI's return policy so I did not get caught up in having to return the bad ones back to Garmin. So come on Garmin!! step up and tell us what is really going on. Come clean with what the actual problems with the Colorado are and tell us what you are going to do for your customers to make it right. The release of the Oregon is your chance to gain back some respect and I for one hope you make the most of it. As far as I am concerned you owe it to us. End rant :huh: and still waiting for ...answers

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REI is selling the new Oregons now...

 

I just got off the phone with the "mother ship" The Oregons are now in customs and that is when REI puts items on pre-order status. It could take days to weeks to clear customs and for REI to get them in and get them out to their 94 stores. This still begs the question of why Garmin has not released the actual specs when they have already been shipped from China.

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I'm trusting that all Garmin is doing is introducing a GPS touchscreen model with the Oregon line in parallel with the Colorado line.

 

One of the City Navigator (I assume) screens of the Oregon I haven't used with my Colorado 400t (which I've loaded City Navigator into is the scene showing your route/map at a 45 degree viewing angle. Is this the 3D View when you are tracking a route in a city?

 

My 400t is going back to Garmin for replacement to the latest s/n range in hopes of solving the erratic compass and location marker wandering. It will be _very_ interesting to see if the Oregon inherits similar problems the Colorado has. If the Oregon doesn't suffer these same problems then there must be a lot more software differences between the lines then meets the eye.

 

The screens are the same size and type I wonder if the Colorado could be touch sensitive too but just not have that screen feature turned on with associated hardware and software needed that the Oregon has?

 

Here are some questions:

 

When you have your Oregon 400t tracking road route through the mountains somewhere and you happen across a feature you'd like more info on or to set up a way point how easily and precise can you move the cursor around on the Oregon screen with a finger to capture that feature? Does the Oregon come with any device to assist touch sensitive pointing?

 

With a touch screen and pointing device it seems like one could draw an off road/off trail path/route you would like to take much more easily then moving the cursor precisely around with the RnR on a Colorado? Could you do this equally as well with just a finger?

 

Can you even do this on either line or do you have to convert a track you have already made into a custom trail? Hmmm...can you even do that? Can you with the aid of either GPSr correct map errors and/or add trails or roads?

 

How does the Oregon screen backlighting compare to the Colorado screen backlighting? The Colorado backlighting has issues. The Colorado backlighting is far better when you use a 5 V USB accessory then the 2.4 V battery supply. Does the Oregon inherit the same backlighting problems?

 

The beeping that goes on when you reach a route turn is extremely inadequate on the Colorado imo. I was on a bus trip last week where there was some talking, road noise, and airconditioning going on and I had to hold the Colorado close to my ear before I was able to hear the turn warning sound. Does the Oregon inherit this inadequate volume?

 

On this same bus trip with my Colorado 400t with WAAS, compass, (all features) turned on, I got a good 7 hours on a set of fully charged 2700 NiMH battereries. I used a second identical set and got about the same length of time off of them too. The Colorado battery life is suppose to be around 15 hours with no reference made in the specs to turn any features off yet we know we have to and in addition use minimal backlighting. Does the Oregon really do any better?

 

Thank you. We should start getting some of these answers any day now.

Edited by Ratsneve
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Not that it will help reduce the confusion much, but Garmin has posted the first software update for the Oregon.

 

http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=4051

 

"Added support for customizing track colors."

 

Woohoo! Now if they would add better track management tools to the Colorado.

 

I just took US 250 from Ohio into Virginia. I would have liked to see it in Google earth, but my tracks got erased on the trip home. I wish I could have saved the tracks on to the memory card.

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I just took US 250 from Ohio into Virginia. I would have liked to see it in Google earth, but my tracks got erased on the trip home. I wish I could have saved the tracks on to the memory card.

 

Why did they get erased? If it it is Colorado, they should be automatically archived to a GPX file under the archive directory.

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I'm anxious to find a release date...as I'd like to get a new GPS soon and it is either this or the Colorado, depending on Oregon's release.

 

I'm waiting to hear from a vendor. I hope to have a post up later today or tomorrow showing the 400t available.

Buying new hardware/software technology is not a good idea. I bought a new Colorado 400t and it has plenty of problems with it still. My first exchange with Garmin is in progress right now. The Oregon reads like an identical GPSr to the Colorado except that it uses a Touchscreen while the Colorado uses a Rock-n-Roll type mechanism, which interestingly is one feature that seems be work fine for me.

 

Has Garmin fixed the stationary but erratic compass and the wandering behavior of the location pointer?

 

Will the inadequate backlighting behavior be any different with the Oregon? You should test drive the Colorado (while you wait for the Oregon) in different lighting you might be using and also see the difference between 2.4 V battery and 5 V accessory/USB backlight brightness makes?

 

What about battery life? You might discover, like many of us have that the way you use your Oregon gives you only around 8 hours instead of 15 hours even with 2700 NiMH batteries. That is one thing you can easily live with thourgh--just take more AA cells.

 

What about the temperature function? A totally inaccurate undocumented and useless feature on the Colorado--why doesn't Garmin remove it or fix it? Maybe they have in the Oregon?

 

Have you considered maps you want to use and even more important are mapping features/functions with the Oregon? Take a look at the Colorado Wiki site at http://garmincolorado.wikispaces.com/ and read the 60csx Comparison. As much as I like the look and feel of the Colorado or even now the Oregon I wish I had put a lot more hands-on research into things I wanted to do with TOPO 24K U.S. and City Navigator. I'm very disappointed in City Navigator's errors in my local area. I hadn't expected that. Can I fix map errors with editing tricks on the GPSr or in MapSource--I haven't gotten there yet?

 

It would be an electronic miracle for the Oregon not to have any problems right off the bat.

Edited by Ratsneve
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I'm anxious to find a release date...as I'd like to get a new GPS soon and it is either this or the Colorado, depending on Oregon's release.

 

I'm waiting to hear from a vendor. I hope to have a post up later today or tomorrow showing the 400t available.

 

If it's anything like the Colorados, have fun putting up with major bugs and potential hardware failures! How can anyone be possibly anticipating these Oregon with all the problems? I would be a bit skeptical.

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What about the temperature function? A totally inaccurate undocumented and useless feature on the Colorado--why doesn't Garmin remove it or fix it? Maybe they have in the Oregon?

The temperature function is undocumented because it's not useful to the user. It's main* purpose is to partially correct for the internal oscillator's temperature-dependent drift. It only cares about the temperature inside the unit.

 

*I suppose it could also be used for to detect over-heating. There wouldn't really be any point in trying to use it for better troposphere modeling.

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What about the temperature function? A totally inaccurate undocumented and useless feature on the Colorado--why doesn't Garmin remove it or fix it? Maybe they have in the Oregon?

The temperature function is undocumented because it's not useful to the user. It's main* purpose is to partially correct for the internal oscillator's temperature-dependent drift. It only cares about the temperature inside the unit.

 

*I suppose it could also be used for to detect over-heating. There wouldn't really be any point in trying to use it for better troposphere modeling.

That is the first practical explanation for its existence. Too bad I couldn't get an explanation like this from the several Garmin techical support people. One said it was related a GPSs prediction, another said it was used in conjunction with marine equipment the GPSr interfaced with, and everyone else says to just ignore it and they don't know why it is there. If it really serves a valid internal temperature purpose that needs an option to display then document it. Otherwise GARMIN, please remove it from common view and display it as one of the parameters monitored, like voltages on the diagnostics screen.

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Otherwise GARMIN, please remove it from common view and display it as one of the parameters monitored, like voltages on the diagnostics screen.

 

Agreed, when I first got the CO I was happy to see the temperature would be available as a data field (some of the early advertising around the CO did indicate that it had a temperature sensor). I've never been able to understand why they would add it as a user visible field if it is for internal use only.

 

GO$Rs

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