Garmin 60CSx or Cx

[+4 Paws And Then Some]

Hi All,

 

I hope I'm not repeating a topic, I did do a search and nothing came up...

 

I'm looking to buy either the CSx or the Cx (not Cs). I know the CSx has an electronic compass, altimeter, etc. but I'm wondering why the Cx is still being sold if the CSx seems to be a better model. Is there some disadvantage I'm not aware of? For approx. $70 difference, I can buy a CSx that comes with a 2GB card.

 

Your input is greatly appreciated.

[+hogrod]

As you already know the 60CSx has the altimeter and compass, but the 60Cx doesn't. Some people like the electronic compass, others don't. I have the 60Cx because after having a few units with the Compass I realized I rarely used the thing & I would be better off putting the extra money toward maps.

 

Both of these models use the SirfIII chipset, which is very good at getting/holding signal in poor signal areas(deep woods, around large buildings). They also have a Micro SD card slot for map storage.

 

These X models replace the older Discontinued 60CS & 60C, which weren't as good in the woods and only had 64mb of internal map storage.

[Fungal infection]

my first hobby / passtime is fell walking. i dont need the compass or barrometric alti for that, as i have

a real compass in my bag. i bought the cx. the perfect tool for the job.

[+searchjaunt]

I think it comes to a budget thing. Do you wanna spend the money or need the compass or not?

[+briansnat]

Its a matter of budget and personal preference. Some people would never buy a GPS with the electronic compass and some would never buy one without. Others would rather save the extra money and use a $10 hand held compass when they need a magnetic compass.

 

Disadvantages of the electronic compass? It needs to be calibrated every time you change the batteries and sometimes in between. They usually eat batteries faster than units without them.

 

With the Garmin units they need to be held perfectly level to work properly and for the 60 units, level is the a poor position for reception (not so much an issue with the 60CSX but it was with the 60CS).

Edited February 18, 2009 by briansnat

[Point Blank]

In terms of performance, they should be identical as they have the same hardware.

 

I bought the CSx, mostly because I like to have all the bells and whistles when I buy a gadget.

 

Is the compass worth it?

No. It constantly needs to be recalibrated and isn't very "consistant" even when it is calibrated. It also reduces battery life somewhat. I never turn it on when geocaching as I find the GPS does a better job of getting me to the cache. (Especially when you factor in the "hold level" frustrations that ensue when you have it turned on.) As mentioned earlier, you are better off spending the $70 on a decent compass if you need one.

 

However, I really like the altimeter feature, especially when hiking in the mountains. I find it to be reasonably accurate, and it is neat to see your ascent and/or decent on the screen in real time or later when reviewing your tracks on the PC at home. Because the altimeter uses barometric pressure to determine altitude, you can also use it to see changes in atmostpheric pressure that may indicate bad weather is on the way. To me, that is worth the extra $$$.

 

And from the "It's-cool-to-have-but-I'll-never-use-it-department," the CSx comes with Garmin's Jumpmaster software which, in theory at least, can be used for skydiving.

 

It really does come down to budget and personal preference. Either way you'll be buying a great unit.

 

Good luck.

[+geojibby]

As you already know the 60CSx has the altimeter and compass, but the 60Cx doesn't. Some people like the electronic compass, others don't. I have the 60Cx because after having a few units with the Compass I realized I rarely used the thing & I would be better off putting the extra money toward maps.

 

This is exactly why I also went with the Cx unit. The extra gadgets seem to be more hassle then they are worth, especially when you really research the altimeter function. For me, the cash savings was worth it to not get the CSx. In terms of caching ability/accuracy, they are exactly the same hardware. So, its a matter of personal preference. They are totally awesome units! Love mine.

[+4 Paws And Then Some]

Thanks!! Those last few posts were VERY helpful. I think I will choose the Cx, even though at first I wanted the one with more gadgets.

[segler999]

Of course, to each his/her own. My reasons for a 60Cx without the compass and barometer.

 

Compass. All you have to do with a Cx is walk a few feet in one direction. Voila, compass heading. Works every time. Yes, some people don't want that. They want to stand in one place and point the gpsr and get a heading. OK. I don't happen to need that.

 

Barometer. Guess what happens when the weather changes. Yup, the air pressure in one place shifts, so the barometer in the CXs shifts to give a false reading. Thus, the requirement for recalibration. Ask any pilot.

 

But you never need to recalibrate the satellites. Granted, the altitude reading depends on a vertical triangulation, which is not as accurate as a horizontal triangulation. But it's plenty good enough. I don't consider an error of, say +/-30 feet vertical to be much of a problem. Just make sure you are seeing more than a minimum of about 4 or 5 satellites to get good overdetermined data for altitude.

 

Of course, if you are permitted to use your gpsr in an airplane on a flight, you sit next to the window to see the satellites, and the Cx will give you a vertical triangulation altitude--say, 37,000'. The CSx will tell you the air-pressure altitude inside the airplane--about 8000' at cruise.

[+Prime Suspect]

Of course there are a few advantages to having an on-board electronic compass. For example, point and shoot waypoint projection. I see that I really should have driven to that street on the other side of the creek. I can just aim the GPS (using the sighting marks on the face of the unit) where I want to be, and create a waypoint to navigate to.

 

If you've geocached enough, you've been in heavy foliage, bushwhacking to your next point, where it's practically impossible to walk 6 feet in a straight line.

 

Also, having an electronic compass lets the unit orient the map display to the real world, without having to walk around. You may be in your car, in a parking lot, and you want to get an idea of where you're going. Well, I guess you can get out of the car, and walk in a straight line for a while until the map orients. Or if you have an EC, you can just turn it on, and know that you need to take the exit on the left, then turn right onto the street.

 

And it's not just maps that the EC orients. It also works on the satellite display. Only have a few satellites, and need to take a good reading? Turn the compass on and consult the satellite display. It will show you where the sky they are, so you can figure out what location gives you the most advantageous view of the sky.

Edited February 19, 2009 by Prime Suspect

[+julianh]

Of course, to each his/her own. My reasons for a 60Cx without Summit HC with the compass and barometer.

 

Compass. All you have to do with a Cx Summit HC is walk a few feet in one direction stand still and hold the unit level. Voila, compass heading. Works every time. Yes, some people don't want that. They want to stand in one place and point the gpsr and are happy that you have to move around to get a heading. OK. I don't happen to need that.

 

Barometer. Guess what happens when the weather changes. Yup, the air pressure in one place shifts, so the barometer in the CXs shifts to give a false reading. Thus, the requirement for recalibration Garmin's auto-calibration algorithm automatically corrects for changing barometric pressure. Ask any pilot Garmin owner with a barometric altimeter.

 

But you never need to recalibrate the satellites. Granted, the altitude reading depends on a vertical triangulation, which is not as accurate as a horizontal triangulation. But it's plenty not really good enough. I don't consider an error of, say +/-30 feet metres vertical to be much of a problem good enough for my purposes. Just make sure you are seeing more than a minimum of about 4 or 5 satellites to get good overdetermined data for altitude remember to manually calibrate at the start of each day if possible, for best results.

 

Of course, if you are permitted to use your gpsr in an airplane on a flight, you sit next to the window to see the satellites, and the Cx will give you a vertical triangulation altitude--say, 37,000'. The CSx will tell you the air-pressure altitude inside the airplane--about 8000' at cruise. You need to go to the satellite screen to get the GPS elevation, and this won't be recorded in the track-log.

Edited February 19, 2009 by julianh

[+julianh]

Of course there are a few advantages to having an on-board electronic compass. For example, point and shoot waypoint projection. I see that I really should have driven to that street on the other side of the creek. I can just aim the GPS (using the sighting marks on the face of the unit) where I want to be, and create a waypoint to navigate to.

 

If you've geocached enough, you've been in heavy foliage, bushwhacking to your next point, where it's practically impossible to walk 6 feet in a straight line.

Roger all of that!

 

I agree that many geocachers don't NEED the compass and the altimeter. I suspect that many of them therefore never learn the proper use of them (e.g. always calibrate the compass with every battery change, and calibrate the altimeter at the start of each day's trekking), and therefore don't believe that they work properly.

 

However, don't forget that geocaching is not the ONLY use for a GPSr!

 

With proper calibration and use, the on-board compass and altimeter can provide genuinely reliable information. I personally belong to the school of thought that you can never have too much information - and if you do, just ignore the information you don't need!

 

My real reasons for preferring to have both is that I use my GPSr for field investigations of remote sites more than for geocaching (as a quick review of my Geocaching profile will reveal!)

 

Reasonably accurate elevation readings in heavily forested country etc are important in my work, and GPS elevation is simply not reliable in anything other than "near ideal" reception conditions. My Summit HC altimeter has proven itself time and again to be accurate to about 5 metres almost all of the time (say, 10 metres worst case), even when I am working deep in the Indonesian rainforest.

 

Likewise the compass - I use my GPSr to navigate and map some pretty rough terrain, where existing maps are of decidedly poor quality and limited detail. With the compass, I can use Sight'n'Go to mark a course to a visible landmark, as well as project a waypoint at the distance I estimate it to be.

 

The beauty of the projected course in particular is that I can climb a hill or a tree to get a visual sighting, lock in a course, then descend to the forest floor and navigate with confidence along the projected route (knowing how far left or right the straight-line course the terrain has taken me), even though I have lost all sight of the feature I am trekking to. I am not sure how you would accomplish that if you don't have the integrated compass, and the visible feature you are navigating to doesn't even appear on any maps. (This may not be a big issue for users in North America, for example, but believe me, it is a REAL issue in Borneo!)

 

To each his own - but this is why I for one would never buy a GPSr without the integrated compass and altimeter.

Edited February 19, 2009 by julianh

[Point Blank]

Nice corrections julianh.

 

I'll add one more.

 

The CSx will track GPS altitude in the track log. Change the barometer mode from "Variable Elevation" to "Fixed Elevation" in the altimeter setup page.

 

Turn the tracks on, and enjoy your airplane ride.

 

Download the track to your PC and presto! The GPS elevation will be recorded in your tracklog.

 

The last track I recorded had me cruising at 11900 meters (39,000 ft) at 830 km/h (520 mph)

[+julianh]

The CSx will track GPS altitude in the track log. Change the barometer mode from "Variable Elevation" to "Fixed Elevation" in the altimeter setup page.

Turn the tracks on, and enjoy your airplane ride.

Thanks for the reminder - I had seen this before, but forgot about it, and it's never been a big deal for me. (My greatest fear would be forgetting to turn it back to "Variable Elevation" when I land, and losing the benefit of the barometric altimeter on the ground! )

[GeoBobC]

I have one of each.

 

Note: the Cx also logs altitude in the track log.

 

Personally, I don't find the compass in the CSx all that useful. The sight and go is nice but really not that accurate compared to a hand bearing compass. I find Sight and Go to be around +/- 5 degrees which is useful but not precise. I typically carry hand held compasses, so the added compass in the GPS is of limited value to me. You can get by without it for the most part, if you have another compass.

 

However, in my opinion the only real advantage of the Cx over the CSx is cost. For $50 less you get the same GPS functionality but no altimeter and compass. If you carry separate compasses and altimeters, my recommendation would be to get the Cx. If you don't, go ahead and get the CSx.

[Fungal infection]

I know i live in the uk, which has the very best maps ever produced (lets hear it for OS)

but i am still not convinced about having an electronic compass.

And to be honest, who would ever go walking in an area (national park / wilderness / desert ) etc

without a good old fashion magnetic compass + paper map.

And the abillity to use them.

Or do you trust your electronic gadgets that much you feel you dont need them ?

[+geojibby]

And to be honest, who would ever go walking in an area (national park / wilderness / desert ) etc

without a good old fashion magnetic compass + paper map.

And the abillity to use them.

Or do you trust your electronic gadgets that much you feel you dont need them ?

 

I'm this crazy! My friend and I went after a crazy remote geocache in the middle of a forest in the middle of no where with bottom of the bucket non mapping eTrex H units!! Foliage was dense, we had to cross an unknown beaver dam and had to use the GPS to find our way out again!! No compass. No maps. No digital compass. No digital maps. Can we do it?! Yes we can!!!

 

Now that I've got the Cx, at least I've got maps. The bearing the unit gives whilst moving is enough for me. Plus, if you are concerned, totally get yourself an "el cheapo" magnetic compass for $10.00 and leave it in your geocaching swag bag.

[+4 Paws And Then Some]

Wow, lots of responses while I've been gone. I haven't finished reading them all but I will.

 

In the meantime, I have another question. As I mentioned, I went with the Cx model. On its first day of use I geocached with a friend who owns a CSx. We placed the units side by side, motionless, and to my dismay, his CSx read +/- 5m accuracy while my Cx read +/- 17m.

 

We tried this more than once in different spots. How can this be?? The units are supposed to be the same calibre. Is it possible I may have bought a defective unit? What should I do? I will try to exchange it...

[+4 Paws And Then Some]

Wow, lots of responses while I've been gone. I haven't finished reading them all but I will.

 

In the meantime, I have another question. As I mentioned, I went with the Cx model. On its first day of use I geocached with a friend who owns a CSx. We placed the units side by side, motionless, and to my dismay, his CSx read +/- 5m accuracy while my Cx read +/- 17m.

 

We tried this more than once in different spots. How can this be?? The units are supposed to be the same calibre. Is it possible I may have bought a defective unit? What should I do? I will try to exchange it...

[+geojibby]

Wow, lots of responses while I've been gone. I haven't finished reading them all but I will.

 

In the meantime, I have another question. As I mentioned, I went with the Cx model. On its first day of use I geocached with a friend who owns a CSx. We placed the units side by side, motionless, and to my dismay, his CSx read +/- 5m accuracy while my Cx read +/- 17m.

 

We tried this more than once in different spots. How can this be?? The units are supposed to be the same calibre. Is it possible I may have bought a defective unit? What should I do? I will try to exchange it...

I have a hunch that thew WAAS setting isn't enabled on your Cx. I typically am getting +/- 4m accuracy all the time, even inside! To see if it is indeed your WAAS setting, goto Main Menu>Setup>System Setup. The menu there is GPS>Normal followed by WAAS>enable/disable. Out of the box it's disabled. Enable it and always leave it on. It gives the added accuracy goodness. Your cache pal with the CSx probably had his turned on.

[GeoBobC]

Don't assume that different "identical" units will be. I've owned several 60Cx and 60CSx units, and each one performs a bit differently. There are just so many variables that it's really hard to determine if one unit is better than the other. I take two units out often on trail results; some days one unit performs better, while another day the other unit does. Give it some time before you draw too many conclusions.

[+Prime Suspect]

Wow, lots of responses while I've been gone. I haven't finished reading them all but I will.

 

In the meantime, I have another question. As I mentioned, I went with the Cx model. On its first day of use I geocached with a friend who owns a CSx. We placed the units side by side, motionless, and to my dismay, his CSx read +/- 5m accuracy while my Cx read +/- 17m.

 

We tried this more than once in different spots. How can this be?? The units are supposed to be the same calibre. Is it possible I may have bought a defective unit? What should I do? I will try to exchange it...

If WAAS is off, or Battery Saver is on (which automatically turn WAAS off), could account for the difference.

[+4 Paws And Then Some]

Thank you! WAAS was off. I don't think I had the option to do so on my Magellan, so it never even crossed my mind to be the problem. I'll go try this out now!

[+geojibby]

Thank you! WAAS was off. I don't think I had the option to do so on my Magellan, so it never even crossed my mind to be the problem. I'll go try this out now!

WAAS rocks the set! Turn it on and go melt some faces!

[+4 Paws And Then Some]

I went and found some geocaches today, and the accuracy is definitely bang on now. Thank you Everyone!

Edited February 24, 2009 by 4 Paws And Then Some

[+geojibby]

I went and found some geocaches today, and the accuracy is definitely bang on now. Thank you Everyone!

 

Right on! Glad you are back in caching action! Enjoy the accuracy of one of the finest GPSr units ever made!