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This is from Navi gadget.com

"Garmin just announced three new marine GPS handheld devices. Garmin GPSMAP 78, GPSMAP 78s, and GPSMAP 78sc. Before we go into their differences and unique features let’s go over this newly remodeled series. They all have the same form factor which now has contemporary industrial design with rubber side grips. They can last up to 20 hours on a pair of AA batteries, and all use the HotFix GPS receiver from SiRF. 2.6″ color TFT screen, IPX 7 waterproof, 1.7GB internal memory and microSD card slot are also standard."

 

Note that they say the new models will have SIRF chipsets........

 

Do they know someting that the rest of us can't find out?

I hope they are correct!

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This is from Navi gadget.com

"Garmin just announced three new marine GPS handheld devices. Garmin GPSMAP 78, GPSMAP 78s, and GPSMAP 78sc. Before we go into their differences and unique features let’s go over this newly remodeled series. They all have the same form factor which now has contemporary industrial design with rubber side grips. They can last up to 20 hours on a pair of AA batteries, and all use the HotFix GPS receiver from SiRF. 2.6″ color TFT screen, IPX 7 waterproof, 1.7GB internal memory and microSD card slot are also standard."

 

Note that they say the new models will have SIRF chipsets........

 

Do they know someting that the rest of us can't find out?

I hope they are correct!

 

As I said in the other thread, there was nothing in all the speculation that was going on that convinced me the new 78 series was a repackaged 450. The HotFix technology has been marketed by Garmin on both the SiRF and Carteso chipset so that is not an indicator of the implementation. The 76/60 series was originally a SiRF based technology but due to patent problems Garmin had to switch to the MediaTek chip. Now that the SiRF chipset is no longer encumbered with legal problems it looks like they decided to go back to that chipset. Different engineering teams take different engineering approaches in solving problems and designing products. I look forward to learning more about the new series. I may have to retire my 76CSx.

Edited by jholly
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I compared the data available on the FCC site for the GPSMAP 78 to the guts of my Oregon 550 (where you can see the STM Cartesio) and while it is difficult to tell because the names of the devices are blacked out the GPSMAP 78 has devices that are about the same size and shape as the 550. In particular there are two large devices which on the 550 which are the Cartesio and the SanDisk NAND flash which also appear on the GPSMAP 78. They could be different versions/variations, but they look identical in size/shape the 550 components.

 

GO$Rs

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...I look forward to learning more about the new series. I may have to retire my 76CSx.

 

The 78-series does look interesting, but I am not sure if I would "upgrade" just yet. Having just loaded the newest mapping software in 2010, I expect my 76CSx to be good for a while, although new toys are always fun, and very tempting. :D

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...I look forward to learning more about the new series. I may have to retire my 76CSx.

 

The 78-series does look interesting, but I am not sure if I would "upgrade" just yet. Having just loaded the newest mapping software in 2010, I expect my 76CSx to be good for a while, although new toys are always fun, and very tempting. :D

 

And now, six years later, my old, faithful 76CSx appears to have exceeded its useful life. The MicroSD card will not stay locked in place and the display is acting strangely. Is the 78cs still the latest and greatest direct replacement?

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Update: I just received an e-mail back from Garmin, and my 76CSx is (as expected) definitely not repairable, but I had to at least ask them. They are offering a 20% discount on the purchase of a current Garmin model, with the details to be worked out on the phone. Once they receive the old/failed unit, they credit the 20%. This may work out to be a decent deal as, while I do not use the handheld GPSr a lot, I am finding I am using it more lately (until it quit, that is ;) ).

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I would suggest finding a store that carries them and look at the different handhelds before making a decision. They all do the same things and you may prefer a different style.

 

Very good advise. Also, only the Oregon 7x0 series has full wireless capability to access GCLive data in the field, without ever needing to connect to a computer!

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Very good advise. Also, only the Oregon 7x0 series has full wireless capability to access GCLive data in the field, without ever needing to connect to a computer!

 

It does not look like he caches, so probably not important.

 

The geocaching functions are quite far down on my list of priorities, as is a built-in camera. Most of my use is for hiking, motorcycling/bicycling, and occasional outdoor use in potentially wet weather (why the 78sc looks interesting to me). I looked online to find a nearby dealer, and there is one very close to where I will be tomorrow (Ithaca, NY area); I will stop in and take a look.

 

My only concern (which may be unfounded) is that the 78-series appears to have been around a number of years. The good news is that I would not be a "guinea pig" if I buy one. The down side may be the possibility of something new coming along to replace the 78-series in the near future, although that would probably be more expensive.

 

Many thanks for the assistance and ideas so far... will keep checking here and will post up my results.

Edited by Overland1
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The geocaching functions are quite far down on my list of priorities, as is a built-in camera. Most of my use is for hiking, motorcycling/bicycling, and occasional outdoor use in potentially wet weather (why the 78sc looks interesting to me). I looked online to find a nearby dealer, and there is one very close to where I will be tomorrow (Ithaca, NY area); I will stop in and take a look.

 

My only concern (which may be unfounded) is that the 78-series appears to have been around a number of years. The good news is that I would not be a "guinea pig" if I buy one. The down side may be the possibility of something new coming along to replace the 78-series in the near future, although that would probably be more expensive.

 

Many thanks for the assistance and ideas so far... will keep checking here and will post up my results.

 

All of Garmin's handheld GPS units are IPX7 waterproof. So if you're just hiking in the rain, the 78sc has no advantage to you over the 64s or an Oregon 700, all of which are a bit newer. The 7x series are designed for boaters - their advantage over the other handhelds is that they float. That's it. But really, you can fix that "problem" with the other series by attaching it to a floating object, or simply attaching it to your boat. Otherwise, they'll all sustain a short bath in a lake or river, and certainly a shower on the trail.

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All of Garmin's handheld GPS units are IPX7 waterproof. So if you're just hiking in the rain, the 78sc has no advantage to you over the 64s or an Oregon 700, all of which are a bit newer. The 7x series are designed for boaters - their advantage over the other handhelds is that they float. That's it. But really, you can fix that "problem" with the other series by attaching it to a floating object, or simply attaching it to your boat. Otherwise, they'll all sustain a short bath in a lake or river, and certainly a shower on the trail.

 

The IPX7 standard is probably good enough for my needs, as I have never dropped any electronic device into any sort of water (I have now officially jinxed myself ;) ). The Oregon 7's are looking like a very appealing; I could easily "grow into" the added features, At least it would not become obsolete in the near future (there I go... jinxing myself again). The online comments I have seen, here and elsewhere, show a positive consensus... it looks to be a winner, and most likely what I will go with.

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All of Garmin's handheld GPS units are IPX7 waterproof. So if you're just hiking in the rain, the 78sc has no advantage to you over the 64s or an Oregon 700, all of which are a bit newer. The 7x series are designed for boaters - their advantage over the other handhelds is that they float. That's it. But really, you can fix that "problem" with the other series by attaching it to a floating object, or simply attaching it to your boat. Otherwise, they'll all sustain a short bath in a lake or river, and certainly a shower on the trail.

 

The IPX7 standard is probably good enough for my needs, as I have never dropped any electronic device into any sort of water (I have now officially jinxed myself ;) ). The Oregon 7's are looking like a very appealing; I could easily "grow into" the added features, At least it would not become obsolete in the near future (there I go... jinxing myself again). The online comments I have seen, here and elsewhere, show a positive consensus... it looks to be a winner, and most likely what I will go with.

 

There is some more info on the Oregon 7x0 series here, and evolutionary improvement of the Oregon 6x0 series.

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The Oregons by far have the nicest screens. They are, after all, the highest resolution GPS of all the handhelds so maps and text look good and are very readable. I feel that they offer the best all-in-one solution when using them as a bike computer and navigator. They are compatible with the same cadence and speed sensor that the Garmin Edge bike computers use while giving you more flexibility in the data that you can display on any given page.

 

One word of caution - and don't let this discourage you from buying an Oregon 700 - the capacitive touch screen will sense false touches when wet. Therefore if it starts raining or you're doing any sort of water activity, be sure to lock the screen. It's a fairly easy toggle.

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I would suggest finding a store that carries them and look at the different handhelds before making a decision. They all do the same things and you may prefer a different style.

 

Checked with several places in the area and nobody had the 750t; Bass Pro had a 700, but not much else. Dick's Sporting Goods had no GPSr's at all... the guy there referred me to Best Buy, which had no handheld units.

 

Looks like it is time for a 750t. :)

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You said that a built in camera is down the list of priorities. So if you don't need the camera, or don't want it, save yourself $150 and get a 700. The topo map that comes with the "t" models is ok - better than the base map included with the non-"t" models - but you can get better, more detailed topo maps for free. I learned this the hard way when I bought an Oregon 450t and eventually found myself not using the map that came with it. So when I got a new GPS, I just got an Oregon 600 instead of the 600t and I haven't regretted it.

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I initially figured the camera features would not be all that useful, but after watching some of the videos and reading up on the various features, I figured the 750t (with the discount) would be something I can enjoy for more features and functions. Granted, the learning curve will be somewhat steeper, but the Oregon looked like the best choice for me, with the 750t being the most versatile. I plan to start out "simple" (if that is possible) and then do more as I learn more. This will be a huge step ahead in technology for me.... made me realize how "old" the 76CSx really is. It is being shipped out this evening and will probably arrive here by next week. I may pick up some accessories later on.

 

As always, thanks to all for the ideas and assistance. I will post up some results once I get started with the new Oregon. :)

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Thank you, Overland1, Red90, Atlas Cached, and others in this thread for quality, helpful info. The posts here are spot-on.

 

At Garmin MSRP, 20% off trade-in may still be more than other vendors for all but the latest models.

 

I second the advice to spend less than the cost of the "t" on large-ish memory cards and using free, legal maps like http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/OSM_Map_On_Garmin/Download and https://www.gpsfiledepot.com/

 

If you're carrying a better camera anyway (pretty easy to do, though the IPX7 rating is a step up from your DSLR or even point-n-shoot) the "50" upgrade is hard to justify, too. the $120-ish price bump will buy nice memory cards.

 

It's an older model, but the Oregon 600s are being closed out for $195. It doesn't have the built-in cell radio for "live updates" like the Oregon 700, but that's not worth $200 to me personally. That, or the other features new to the 700, may be worth it to you and, if you're buying it for years of service, it'll fall off the "we don't fix those any more" list later.

 

I'll admit I've gotten off the wagon of chasing the newest Garmins. As you can see in the "known issues" section of the FAQs cited above, it's not like the newest models are actually bug-free - ever. The older models have longer lists because they've seen more use and some of the red issues just haven't been confirmed in later builds. My 600 has some of the same issues that my 450 did which had some of the same issues as my Colorado. I've just learned to live with the relatively low quality firmware and pull batteries and live with the spontaneous resets I've had in all of them since my 60CSx.

 

As for how old the 76Csx is, remember that was a 2006 remake of a 2004 product. (They were upgrades of the original 76C/76Cx to add the SirfStar III - and later MediaTek - receiver and SD cards, plus firmware changes to support the memory cards, though they were always pretty clearly a sidecard.) Twelve years is a long time in tech. The multi-touch, high-res screen and smooth scrolling maps will be night and day from your current one, even though those older X models remain the workhorses for search and rescue and a few other niches.

Edited by robertlipe
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The 750t arrived a few hours ago and is still charging. The battery "pack" is two AA NiMH cells fastened together with plastic clips... not sure why, but not a problem. The Unit switched on as soon as I plugged in the charger (as the manual said it should) and showed numerous "birds" almost immediately, along with displayed accuracy of 9-10 feet from indoors. I figure I will just let it charge fully (not sure how long it will take with the included AC-USB charger), and then head out to see what it will do. The display is fantastic... clear and easy to read. There are a ton of features, so I will be spending a lot of time learning all of them.

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The 750t arrived a few hours ago and is still charging. The battery "pack" is two AA NiMH cells fastened together with plastic clips... not sure why, but not a problem. The Unit switched on as soon as I plugged in the charger (as the manual said it should) and showed numerous "birds" almost immediately, along with displayed accuracy of 9-10 feet from indoors. I figure I will just let it charge fully (not sure how long it will take with the included AC-USB charger), and then head out to see what it will do. The display is fantastic... clear and easy to read. There are a ton of features, so I will be spending a lot of time learning all of them.

 

Yay!

 

Just try not to get too discouraged with the unit, as there are so many new features and functions for you to learn. Naturally, that will take some time, and some trial and error. I am still learning how to use my Oregon 7x0 to its full potential and I have had it almost a year now!

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The battery "pack" is two AA NiMH cells fastened together with plastic clips... not sure why, but not a problem.

 

Liability. Lots of camera vendors do the same thing. It's common when a designer wants to allow charging batteries in the device, but still offer compatibility with common AA's

 

The plastic clips push a button that tells the device it's safe to charge the battery while it's in the unit because it "knows" that there are NiMH cells in the socket. Without this safety interlock, the device could charge any AA. If those AA's were Eneloop or your other favorite NiMH, that would actually be just fine. If it happens to be an alkaline or Carbon-zinc or Zinc Chloride ("Heavy Duty") there's an increased chance of the battery leaking in the device or even swelling or igniting. Customers that know their $30 battery is $6 worth of Eneloops in a nickel clip whose job is to push the button tend to be annoyed. Customers with devices damaged by leaking battery acid or fires - even small ones - tend to be beyond annoyed and sometimes litigious.

 

So it's the best of both worlds for the consumer - they didn't go totally crazy with a proprietary battery pack and you can still use a battery you picked up at a gas station along the way. There's no Garmin secret-sauce in the battery; you can get or make a similar performing battery pack in a number of ways.

Edited by robertlipe
typo fixes
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