Oregon screen durability

[+dino_hunters]

How ruged & durable is the screen on the Garmin Oregon? I have some serious concerns about this, based on several years of using touchscreen pda's & phones.

 

If you are in the field, & have dirt & sand on your hands (& everything else) how likely is it to get all scratched up? Would an invisible sheild screen protector give much protection for anything but minor scratches?

 

how shock resistant is the screen? Does it have a glass or plastic substrate? Thats the hard backing. Having a resistive touch screen requires a soft plastic on the front, but I want to know whats underneath.

 

How suitable is the Oregon to real backcountry use?

 

thanks

[snomchfun]

How ruged & durable is the screen on the Garmin Oregon? I have some serious concerns about this, based on several years of using touchscreen pda's & phones.

 

If you are in the field, & have dirt & sand on your hands (& everything else) how likely is it to get all scratched up? Would an invisible sheild screen protector give much protection for anything but minor scratches?

 

how shock resistant is the screen? Does it have a glass or plastic substrate? Thats the hard backing. Having a resistive touch screen requires a soft plastic on the front, but I want to know whats underneath.

 

How suitable is the Oregon to real backcountry use?

 

thanks

 

I use mine with a screen protector and it works great, i replace it once a month and the screen is better than new, of course if you drop it on a sharp rock who knows.

[+bonstetten]

I also use my Oregon with an protector "Invisible Shield" without any problem, but I never had to replace it, even I use the Oregon often.

[+Tequila]

I think it would be foolish not to use some sort of screen protector on the Oregon, or any other device with a screen.

 

As for ruggedness and longevity, the product has not be in the field long enough to accurately determine how well it will stand up. Winter is approaching and that will add another dimension to it.

 

I have had my OR for just over two months and I love it. The screen works very well.

[+g-o-cashers]

Like others I would recommend a screen protector. I've used mine very hard for the last 3 months w/o a protector and I have a few small scratches on the screen. I use mine in the rain, with dirt on my fingers, with gloves on and I've dropped it on a hard surface twice from about 3'. So far nothing to show other than a small scuff on the side. The Oregon has been as durable or maybe even more so than the other units I've used (60cs, 60csx, Colorado)

 

GO$Rs

[+PDOP's]

Once winter sets in I'd be interested in hearing how the touchscreen performs in the cold (below freezing).

[+g-o-cashers]

I've used mine at around 20F and haven't seen any issues. Most operations I find that I can do with gloves on w/o any problem. The only thing I have a hard time doing is alpha/num entry -- but even with the "misses" I can still enter faster than I do on a Colorado.

 

GO$Rs

[+Huntskifamily]

I used mine today in the cold (26F) and the screen worked just fine.

[+PDOP's]

So aside from the glove problem (which can be a problem with buttons too) the screen isn't any less responsive in the cold? Any dimming (more than any other LCD screen) of the display in the cold?

[+g-o-cashers]

I didn't notice any change in responsiveness, but 26F isn't that cold either. I'll let you know in a month or so!

 

GO$Rs

[+DanOCan]

Once winter sets in I'd be interested in hearing how the touchscreen performs in the cold (below freezing).

 

Yep. I want to hear how the Oregon survives an entire Canadian winter before I make the leap away from my trusty 60CSx.

[+Winston Baccus]

Just got my Oregon 300 today...is this normal behavior:

 

The left side of the screen's input seems to be off.. for example in the calculator, I can't press any of the items in the MC,7,4,1 column directly. I have to tap somewhere between that column and the next column (MR, 8, 5 etc.).

 

Same problem when changing the name of a waypoint. I'm assuming that it's not, but didn't know how decent the screen's sensitivity is supposed to be.

[+Tequila]

Just got my Oregon 300 today...is this normal behavior:

 

The left side of the screen's input seems to be off.. for example in the calculator, I can't press any of the items in the MC,7,4,1 column directly. I have to tap somewhere between that column and the next column (MR, 8, 5 etc.).

 

Same problem when changing the name of a waypoint. I'm assuming that it's not, but didn't know how decent the screen's sensitivity is supposed to be.

 

That is NOT normal behaviour. My OR's "sensitivity" is bang on. Take your unit back.

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

Just got my Oregon 300 today...is this normal behavior:

 

The left side of the screen's input seems to be off.. for example in the calculator, I can't press any of the items in the MC,7,4,1 column directly. I have to tap somewhere between that column and the next column (MR, 8, 5 etc.).

 

Same problem when changing the name of a waypoint. I'm assuming that it's not, but didn't know how decent the screen's sensitivity is supposed to be.

 

I had a similar problem with my 400t. I *think* I recalibrated the screen, but maybe I just did a firmware update.

[+Tequila]

I haven't seen a way of recalibrating the screen. If someone knows of a process, please post it.

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

http://garminoregon.wikispaces.com/Hardware#toc9

[dotpotamus]

I have just purchased online a invisibleSHIELD so i will let you know how i get on with it.

[+Tequila]

Thanks for the calibration pointer.

 

I use the Palm Treo screen protectors available in most business stores. You have to make your own template but that is easy. They work great.

[+Winston Baccus]

I haven't seen a way of recalibrating the screen. If someone knows of a process, please post it.

 

Perfect! Works like a charm now.. Thanks!

[+flarbear]

I've been using the Boxwave Cleartouch Cyrstal on my OR 400t. The screen looks great and my finger slides nicely on the screen protector, but it is so thick that I have to press with noticeably more force to click anything on the screen. It is still usable, but I just find that I'm not getting used to the higher pressure required to use the device with that protector in place.

 

My one reservation with removing it, though, is that I did pick up one small nick on the protector in the 2 weeks since I got it. I'd hate to think of having that nick on the non-user-serviceable built-in screen layer.

 

How sensitive is the touch screen with the Invisible Shield product?

[+llovasco]

I installed my InvisibleShield on Friday and used my 400t today for a full day of caching. I can notice no difference in the sensitivity of the screen and actually like the feel of the screen better with the shield on. I am very happy with it's performance.