Garmin GPSMAP 78s

[+FamilyIso]

Our GPSMap 76csx has met an untimely demise. As much as I liked the 76csx it had a few limitations that bugged me. I used it both for geocaching and for motorcycle road trips. So I am looking at replacing it with the GPSMAP 78s.

 

Any feedback or reviews on this model?

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

I reviewed it recently...

 

http://gpstracklog.com/2010/06/garmin-gpsmap-78s-review.html

[+Thrak]

Our GPSMap 76csx has met an untimely demise. As much as I liked the 76csx it had a few limitations that bugged me. I used it both for geocaching and for motorcycle road trips. So I am looking at replacing it with the GPSMAP 78s.

 

Any feedback or reviews on this model?

 

I bought one the day it came out. I both love it and hate it. Either mine is defective or the model has MAJOR issues that need to be addressed.

 

1. When running on battery and then I plug it into the truck power it reboots about 90% of the time.

 

2. Mark a cache found and then press Done. It moves me back to a page full of menu choices but NONE of them function. I have to move back a page farther and start over again.

 

3. List of geocaches doesn't update as you drive. You have to exit out to another page and then go back to the geocache listing to see what the nearest cache is. Stupid.

 

4. If I'm driving "on road" and I miss a turn, the unit freezes solid rather than recalculating. I have to turn it off and back on before it will do anything at all.

 

5. If I'm working in "on road" mode and then select "recalculate off road" the unit totally freezes. Same thing if I'm working "off road" and then select "recalculate on road". I have to turn the unit off and on again because it just freezes tight.

 

6. I put on Rest Area alerts and the unit went totally ape whenever I got near a rest area. I had to shut it off until we were past the rest area because it was in a total freak out of alerts.

 

7. Geocaches marked as "found" on the unit after approximately 5:00 in the afternoon show up on the calendar as found the NEXT DAY. I have the time zone properly set and even changed to 24 hour time to see if there was something wrong with the clock. The clock shows up fine and the calendar shows the proper day but the caches found in late afternoon and later show up as being found the following day.

 

There are likely other issues but these are the major ones that are making me crazy at the moment. I bought this unit and took it to GW VIII. We could have found quite a few more caches than we did on that trip but I was so totally frustrated at the problems with the unit that I wasn't really enjoying the caching that much.

 

If the unit worked like it's supposed to work I'd love it. The problems with the thing have made me crazy. I'm going to contact Garmin and either get it replaced or just return it for a refund or something. As it is, the thing is a total pain in the a** to try to use and it causes me major frustrations.

 

I used a 76CSx for the past 5 years and it never gave me problems like this.

[+fegan]

 

3. List of geocaches doesn't update as you drive. You have to exit out to another page and then go back to the geocache listing to see what the nearest cache is. Stupid.

 

 

The Colorado (and AFAIK the Oregon and Dakota) is the same way. Having previously used a Nuvi I found this annoying.

 

Now that I've gotten used to it (since I primarily use my Colorado and gave the Nuvi to my girlfriend) I find it annoying that the Nuvi re-orders as I drive. Go figure!

 

I guess it depends if you're driving, or if you're a passenger. When I was a passenger with the Nuvi and I was scrolling through the list trying to find something, it was very annoying that it re-orders the list while I'm trying to find something. Perhaps that's why they changed it on the Colorado? It would be nice if there was an option to choose which way you wanted it to function...eh?

[+g-o-cashers]

Other than 3.) (which is just how all the new units work) it sounds like you might have a bad unit. It might be worth a master reset but I've been using mine for almost 2 months and it has been very stable.

[Exit106]

Our GPSMap 76csx has met an untimely demise. As much as I liked the 76csx it had a few limitations that bugged me. I used it both for geocaching and for motorcycle road trips. So I am looking at replacing it with the GPSMAP 78s.

 

Any feedback or reviews on this model?

 

I bought one the day it came out. I both love it and hate it. Either mine is defective or the model has MAJOR issues that need to be addressed.

 

1. When running on battery and then I plug it into the truck power it reboots about 90% of the time.

 

2. Mark a cache found and then press Done. It moves me back to a page full of menu choices but NONE of them function. I have to move back a page farther and start over again.

 

3. List of geocaches doesn't update as you drive. You have to exit out to another page and then go back to the geocache listing to see what the nearest cache is. Stupid.

 

4. If I'm driving "on road" and I miss a turn, the unit freezes solid rather than recalculating. I have to turn it off and back on before it will do anything at all.

 

5. If I'm working in "on road" mode and then select "recalculate off road" the unit totally freezes. Same thing if I'm working "off road" and then select "recalculate on road". I have to turn the unit off and on again because it just freezes tight.

 

6. I put on Rest Area alerts and the unit went totally ape whenever I got near a rest area. I had to shut it off until we were past the rest area because it was in a total freak out of alerts.

 

7. Geocaches marked as "found" on the unit after approximately 5:00 in the afternoon show up on the calendar as found the NEXT DAY. I have the time zone properly set and even changed to 24 hour time to see if there was something wrong with the clock. The clock shows up fine and the calendar shows the proper day but the caches found in late afternoon and later show up as being found the following day.

 

There are likely other issues but these are the major ones that are making me crazy at the moment. I bought this unit and took it to GW VIII. We could have found quite a few more caches than we did on that trip but I was so totally frustrated at the problems with the unit that I wasn't really enjoying the caching that much.

 

If the unit worked like it's supposed to work I'd love it. The problems with the thing have made me crazy. I'm going to contact Garmin and either get it replaced or just return it for a refund or something. As it is, the thing is a total pain in the a** to try to use and it causes me major frustrations.

 

I used a 76CSx for the past 5 years and it never gave me problems like this.

 

4 and 5. I have the same problem this with City Nav 2011. I would think this is a bug that Garmin will address

this issue quickly.

[+Thrak]

Other than 3.) (which is just how all the new units work) it sounds like you might have a bad unit. It might be worth a master reset but I've been using mine for almost 2 months and it has been very stable.

 

 

3. List of geocaches doesn't update as you drive. You have to exit out to another page and then go back to the geocache listing to see what the nearest cache is. Stupid.

This makes no sense. I know the unit can update the nearest caches. On the Trip Computer page there's a data panel at the top of the page that always shows the nearest cache and the direction to it. That window auto updates as I travel so I know the unit can do that. I don't see any reason I shouldn't have a choice to have it update on the geocache window as well. It makes me crazy.

Edited July 14, 2010 by Thrak

[+Thrak]

I contacted Garmin and sent them a long list of problems with my 78s. They had me return the unit and sent me a new replacement unit. CRAP!!!!!

 

I purchased new maps on DVD. I installed the maps without a problem. I downloaded a pocket query of the nearest 1,000 geocaches. I updated GSAK to the latest version - it knows about the 78s and lists it as an option when doing the GPS setup. I sent a pocket query of the nearest 1,000 unfound geocaches to the 78s. So far, so good.

 

I went to look for a geocache and started out navigating "on road". When I got close to the geocache I told the unit to recalculate "off road". If freaking froze solid just like the original unit. I am sooooooooooooooooo NOT HAPPY.

 

Ok, that's ONE of the problems I had with the original unit. I found the cache and marked it as found. I hit the back button which took me to another menu full of choices. NONE OF THEM WORKED - just like the original unit.

 

I checked the calendar. It didn't show the cache as found on the day I found it. Since I had found the cache in the late afternoon/early evening it showed up as found THE NEXT DAY. Just like the original unit Garmin replaced.

 

It seems to me that EVERY PROBLEM I had with the original unit is being repeated on this replacement. Pretty freaking odd since Garmin had specifically told me I needed to return the original unit as defective.

 

I paid $400 for this thing and it seems to be crap.

 

What the heck is wrong with Garmin that they release units that don't work properly?

[jholly]

The more I read about the 78's and the 62's the better my 76CSx and palm M500 look. Somehow I don't think the three axis compass is worth the pain since the 2 axis one I have found over 2,000 caches with seems to work just fine. And the palm is not that hard to carry and with the aluminum case it is pretty rugged.

[Forkeye]

The more I read about the 78's and the 62's the better my 76CSx and palm M500 look. Somehow I don't think the three axis compass is worth the pain since the 2 axis one I have found over 2,000 caches with seems to work just fine. And the palm is not that hard to carry and with the aluminum case it is pretty rugged.

Agreed,obviously they are not ready for market yet,lets face it if you bought a new TV or vehicle and it work like a new Garmin gps does,you'd be taking it back next day,its only because people keep buying them that they keep releasing them in a less than adequate state.It's almost like a game ,release then replace,if we make it ,they will buy it.Its becoming like the cell phone market........well at least the cell phones work when you get them.

Edited August 11, 2010 by Forkeye

[+Thrak]

I contacted Garmin with my list of problems and they said to send them the unit. They sent me a replacement unit and it has the same problems.

 

Caches found in the afternoon or evening show up on the calendar as found the next day (annoying and stupid - also happens on the 62s)

 

Recalculating from Off Road to On Road (or the other way around) causes the unit to totally lock. This is the really big problem. I often route to a geocache on the road and, when I get close, change to off road. Having the unit totally lock is a huge pain.

 

Marking a cache as found and then pressing Done moves me back to a screen full of menu items but NONE of them work at that point. I have to back up another page before anything at all works which makes that entire page of menu items worthless.

 

If I'm out of the car finding a cache and then get into the car and plug in the power cord the stupid thing usually reboots. What a crock.

 

I'm extremely unhappy with Garmin. When the unit works it rocks but it just has way too many problems.

[Forkeye]

So ,it sounds like you will be getting a third unit.Is this correct.If so I doubt it will be any better.Maybe you should of demanded a refund.It is really becoming quite sad when a consumer buys a product and then must wait a few months before it works as advertised.I have noticed the owners mannuals for the 62/78 seem kind of poor,almost like Garmin didnt know how it would work so how could they make a write up about it.

[K&K Racing]

I am on my second 78S same issue with both they will not calibrate the compas. worked at first then change the batteries and will not work anymore. after the year is up I will be on my own. I have 7 months left. they are lasting about 2.... Looks like I am out $400

[+W7WT]

Sorry you are having so many problems with the 78S. About a year ago I bought a 78S for myself and a 60CSx for the wife. from REI. I just didn't feel comfortable with the 78S. My 76csx had lost it connection to the 12V power. I have used the 76 line for years. What really bothered me was the 60CSx did a much better job finding GZ than the new 78S. So I sent the 78S back to REI and got my self a new 60CSx which workes as well as my old 76CSx. Got both of the 60CSx for about $220 each. We also have a Nuvi 550 which we use for routing and paperless caching. The combination works well for us. Dick and Arlene

Edited February 8, 2012 by W7WT

[Bill93]

I've gotten good service from my 76s, but thought I should upgrade. I picked the 78s because I hoped for the great features I was used to plus improved performance. Unfortunately, the 78s isn't a new and improved 76s, but rather a different animal, and I have mixed feelings so far.

 

I get the feeling that the 76s software was written and revised by somebody who really used it, but the 78s was written to a software spec by people who never used it in the field and did not optimize for user convenience.

 

I love the 78s receiver sensitivity (12 satellites received in the house with aluminum siding vs hoping for 4 on the old unit). I love the fast updating of the map when you scroll or zoom. The large memory is great.

 

78s missing capabilities

------------------------

The list of things the 76s did but I cannot find a way to do on the 78s is a real disappointment. The web site said I have the latest software revision. I hope the bugs reported in the older posts have been fixed - I'll watch for them.

 

-I haven't found a way to display time to seconds. I depended on that for accurate setting of my watch and for astronomical measurements. It could go on any of several pages, perhaps the most obvious on the satellite page where the 76s had it. The rocker button could toggle location and time.

 

-The Route page used to offer lots of information about times, distances, etc but in the 78s it is now nothing but a list of waypoints.

 

-The alphanumeric entry method of the old 76s was in general more efficient than the new method, and I'm sorry to see it gone.

 

-In the 76s, if you selected a waypoint and hit GO, that waypoint was in a temporary Route. You could then add or insert waypoints to that route if you wanted, and save it. The 78s should also do that.

 

-When you get done creating a Route, you should have a Navigate Route button without going through a bunch of menus to get back to it.

 

-Putting the cursor on a street in the map should bring up its name, like the old 76s did. I find lots of times the name of the street I'm on is not shown at any reasonable zoom level and I can't bring it up.

 

-Waypoint symbols hide too much on the map. The 76s had a good clean display with small waypoint symbols and letters that had no solid background to hide map features. I want that back in color.

 

-If you look at or save a waypoint, and then go do something else, when you come back to Waypoints you should be at the same place in the list, NOT reset to waypoint 001. If you delete a waypoint it should display the previous or next one in the list, not 001. The 76s did it better.

 

-Going up from waypoint 001 should take you to the bottom of the list and down from the bottom take you to the top of the list.

 

-In the Satellites screen, the satellite symbols are too large and "cute" and hide each other. They should be simple numbers on a transparent background for best visibility, and go reverse to highlight. The 76s did it well in monochrome. Why can't the newer unit do as well?

 

Other improvements needed

-------------------------

 

-The current position triangle on the map is too large, so as to hide the feature or waypoint you are near, and not a distinct enough color.

 

-The Lambert 2-parallel user grid (and maybe others) have a scale factor but its value doesn't seem to change the resulting coordinates. I want to set mine to Iowa State Plane Coordinates in feet, for which I set a scale factor of 3.28083333 feet per meter, but the results are no different than with 1.0 scale.

 

-On entering the Waypoint Manager, the cursor should be on Done, so that you can move into the list with one click if that is what you want to do.

 

-On entering a numerical entry screen, the highlight should be on the first digit, not the +/-, N/S, or E/W character. If it is necessary to change those initial positions, you can use the back arrow, but most users will never need to change them.

 

-In some data entry screens, there are up and down buttons. Why don't they increment and decrement the current highlighted character?

 

-They still put the lanyard on the wrong end (as did the old unit). If you carry it by the lanyard (e.g., hanging on a loop around your neck), it hangs with the antenna pointed down.

 

BaseCamp

--------

I just downloaded BaseCamp, and the first thing I notice is that it doesn't have FileOpen and FileSave in the menus. I liked the way the files used to work in MapSource, for backup and for going back to old data. Now do I have to let the program own and hide my data?

[xyzee]

Try selecting Time of Day in a Wide Data Field to get the seconds.That works in a 60, and I think that it worked in a 62s, that I had for a short while two years ago.

When I saw the new layout on the User Grid Page on the 62s, I thought that now I can do Lambert in state Plane, but not so. The Lat was still tied to the Equator, like in a 60, and no way to select feet.

Thankful that my SporTrak and Meridian work so well for State Plane use.

[Bill93]

You're right, a large-number field will show time to seconds. Also, setting the "Dashboard" to Large Data Fields or Small Data Fields puts the time to second at the top along with battery and signal strength, and lets you pick some other fields to go along with that.

 

Another thought:

The 78s doesn't seem to have a setting for Altimeter OFF like the 76s did. I took the old one on airline flights (sometimes it was permitted under computer usage rules and another flight it was not). I had to turn the altimeter off for the unit to acquire position due to the cabin pressure giving it a screwy "elevation" to work from. Is the 78s not usable in a pressurized cabin?

 

I've played a little more with User Grid options. The User UTM and 1-parallel Lambert seem to respond to the input values, although I haven't tested them thoroughly. The programmers of the 2-parallel Lambert just plain forgot to apply the scale factor that they let you enter.

Edited May 1, 2013 by Bill93

[+Davall]

I have just purchased a GPSmap 78S and am so far impressed with it, but find that the battery doesn't last very long unless you leave the backlight off. I find that using the backlight the display is much easier to see, so...

...I intend to connect an external battery - one of my old R/C batteries, 4000mAh - 11.1volts.

 

Does anyone know what voltage can safely be applied to the GPSmap 78S, (round plug at back)?

 

I have found anecdotal evidence that 12v would be OK (10v-32v), but I can't find anything official on the Garmin site. I have an old lead that I made up for my ancient Garmin 12 that seems to fit - are the power pins in the same place? I don't really want to pay £20 for the official Garmin power lead if I can make my own.

 

Any advice would be gratefully received.

[+Thrak]

Having finally "gotten used to" the problems and deciding I had to just live with them I now have a new problem. I can't calibrate the compass. The 3-axis compass should work when standing still but it now acts like a 2-axis compass instead. There is a 3-step process to calibrating the compass on the 78S. First you hold the unit flat and turn it in a circle until it beeps. Second, you roll the unit until it beeps. Lastly you turn the unit end over end until it beeps.

 

Step one works fine. I don't know about step three because step two fails every time. I've updated to the latest firmware, tried different batteries, etc. No dice. I simply can't calibrate the compass anymore. This happened in between uses. One time it worked fine and the next time I went to use the unit it wouldn't calibrate.

 

No help from Garmin at all.

[+n4grt]

Thrak, I wonder if your problem with the 78S could be coming from a setting that you have it on. I was out caching a few days ago with the 62S and decided I wanted to change the auto zoom from auto to off. After I did the gps became very unstable and sluggish. It wouldn't update the caches and several other problems. I first turned the gps off and back on several times but at first it would work fine than back to the unstable problems. I switched the zoom setting back to auto and it started working ok again. I know your gps should work with any setting, but this was a problem I was having.

[Grasscatcher]

Thrak, I wonder if your problem with the 78S could be coming from a setting that you have it on. I was out caching a few days ago with the 62S and decided I wanted to change the auto zoom from auto to off. After I did the gps became very unstable and sluggish. It wouldn't update the caches and several other problems. I first turned the gps off and back on several times but at first it would work fine than back to the unstable problems. I switched the zoom setting back to auto and it started working ok again. I know your gps should work with any setting, but this was a problem I was having.

 

@thrak,

I also have a 78S so, after reading your post, I did the compass calibration. Completed successfully the first time. I'm on v 5.00. So ??????

 

I agree with n4grt on possible cause. Might try switching active profile to another one that you (have) never use(d). If that is applicable in your case, then that profile should still have essentially "default" settings. Then try calibrating the compass.

 

If it calibrates when on the different profile (even try yet another) , then that would confirm that the problem is caused by "another setting". Which one....???? At that point, it would probably be backup and master reset time. Then, back to the original profile to test. Hopefully you won't have to go on a longer witch hunt to find a "problem causing" setting.

 

Good Luck