Magellan Triton 500 - Legible Display without Backlight

[+Team Hydro]

We recently upgraded our GPS handheld receiver unit to a Magellan Triton 500.

 

The advertising promotes as a good top end hand held unit, and among other things, states "The full-color crystal clear display shows all your maps and navigation information in brilliant, easy-to-view graphics."

 

From the description, we were really looking forward to using this unit, but we found that the display was not at all clear or legible in normal daylight conditions. We had to always switch on the backlight to see the display and this was a surprise to us.

 

Although we started off using relatively cheap AA batteries, the unit only lasted about half an hour!! With the use of more expensive duracell's we got about 3-4 hours, nowhere near the 10 hours that is promoted in the advertising. We have been advised that Lithium batteries are best, although all that is stated in promotional advertising is AA's.

 

It is not so much the battery life, but rather that the lack off ability to view the display in daylight without the need for the backlight that concerns us.

 

We have been advised by the suppliers that this is normal and they have recommended that when using it we switch the unit on for only a few minutes using the backlight and then turning it off.

 

Is this normal practice for this type of GPS handheld unit, has any one else expereinced this lack of diaplay clarity?

 

We havent experienced this at all with other Garmin or different Magellan units and think that it is a faulty unit? Any advice or suggestions?

 

Thanks,

Team Hydro

[+SkellyCA]

I have a Triton 400. Yes, hard to see without the backlight. I just don't leave the backlight on very long

[Braff-n-MandaRue]

Seems to be a problem with some of the newer generation of GPSr's.

 

The Triton suffers from it. The Colorado I use to have suffered from it (to a lesser degree than the Triton series). The Oregon's appear to suffer from it, from what I've read in the posts on here.

 

I'm sure other models do as well.

 

I've just gotten use to using quick glances with back light, instead of constantly staring at the GPS with back light on.

Edited January 17, 2010 by Braff-n-MandaRue

[gps_dr]

Seems to be a problem with some of the newer generation of GPSr's.

 

The Triton suffers from it. The Colorado I use to have suffered from it (to a lesser degree than the Triton series). The Oregon's appear to suffer from it, from what I've read in the posts on here.

 

I'm sure other models do as well.

 

I've just gotten use to using quick glances with back light, instead of constantly staring at the GPS with back light on.

Newer higher resolution units do not allow as much light to reflect back to increase visibility.

I got a Colorado from Garmin, and was never satisfied with handlebar visibility. I do handlebar testing on any units I even think about using now. Using a Garmin 76CSX and DeLorme PN40SE with much better results.

I don't do geocaching, the DeLorme could handle that and has better trail mapping than alternatives.

[vagabond]

with the back light off in sunlight a lot depends on the angle the light hits the unit,

As for batteries whether I use alkaline or rechargeables I can usually get about a days use out of a pair, usually 8 to 10 hours.

Also have you upgraded the firmare for it?

 

edit to add usually when I have the backlight on I'm on the lowest settings

Edited January 26, 2010 by vagabond

[+Team Hydro]

Thanks for all your answers,

 

We received a refund on this unit from the supplier after it was sent back to Magellan support - apparently, the unit was drawing too much power for some reason and so there was a fault.

 

I was advised that the power issue did not affect the quality of the display.

 

The reason given for our refund was "Unit has provd to be faulty as well as unsuitable". The only unsuitability I had raised with the supplier was the lack of screen clarity in daylight without use of the back light. Could this be an issue that Magellan needs to address in the future?

 

PS, we now have a Garmin Etrex and the colour display is clear in normal daylight without the use of the backlight!!!