Jump to content

Garmin Montana ver 2.70


yogazoo

Recommended Posts

Newbie here, as I left my trusty Oregon 450 on bonnet and watched it bounce along M4, I need to get a replacement asap. I was going to go for a Montana due to the increased screen size but I'm hearing lots of negatives about them with so many teething problems. Can anyone say whether they would actually recommend buying a unit yet or are there so many issues that it would be better left for a while?

Cheers, Jayne

 

Nah, the Montana is really the top-of-the-line touchscreen Garmin handheld. The menu system, screen, and processing speed puts the Oregons to shame. The bugs are a pain in the a** depending on whether or not a bug affects an operation you perform often. For me the pluses of the Montana seem to overshadow the firmware bugs for now.

 

That said I'm reverting back to Version 2.6 as I use the "Search Near" "A Map Point" far too often to have it be broken in 2.7.

Link to comment

Hi,

 

Up to now the Montana's been superb, best yet, however now when i add new road routing sections from basecamp, some legs just lock up the screen others turn the montane off. These road routes usually go over water. A pain in the bum, to say the least, as I leave for a 3 week road trip in 2 weeks.

 

"That said I'm reverting back to Version 2.6" How do you do that?

 

Cheers Mark

Link to comment

Have you tried that search method from the Where To? menu? I didn't have any problems with it from there.

 

Nailed it! See, I have an entire menu screen with shortcuts to "Where To" items. BUT shortcuts aren't the only issue. If you have "Waypoint Manager" on one of the main menu pages and "Search Near" "A Map Point" you'll get the same freeze-up.

 

Thanks for the work around Bullygoat! If you need to "Search Near" "A Map Point" go through the main "Where To" screen.

 

Add this one to the growing list of shortcut issues.

Edited by yogazoo
Link to comment

Tried out the montana (v2.7) for the first time today to find 50-ish caches. Impressed with the battery life, it lasted all day. Geocaching went very well. Experienced just two crashes when i clicked "Show hint". Came back to normal after a restart.

 

Has anyone tried using it as a sat nav? I'm not too happy with the way mine is working...

1) If it recalculates a route it doesn't just say "recalculating" and get on with it. It says "recalculating, recalculating, recalculating, recalculating..." over and over whilst doing it.

2) a more major problem: I switch to Automotive profile (or any profile really) and get it to act as a sat nav by recalculating along road (via city nav maps) The dashboard is set to Nuvi. Bottom left you get the ETA or whatever you want, bottom right you get speed, along the top bar it tells you where you're going. E.g. "Continue along Ravens Road" or whatever. In the top left you are meant to have an icon showing the next turn and how many miles until the next turn. This seems to just appear when it fancies. Sometimes it'll pop up as soon as I choose to navigate. Sometimes it will appear half way through driving to the destination, and three times it didn't appear, then crashed, then appeared when I turned it back on. Somethings definitely not right. Without this bit you just get "Continue along ..." instead of "At the roundabout take the 3rd exit"

 

Is it just me? Does everyone else get the little "turn" icon in the top left and the accurate text along the top? It's kinda useless as a sat nav without that bit :(

 

Cass

Link to comment

Might be because;

you started with another map (topo geocaching)

then switched over to a CN map in another profile and dis a search "goto".

 

Try switch off and on AFTER the profile switch, then do a goto.

 

Thanks for the reply. Tried that but it doesn't appear. Switched all other maps off. Would I be right in thinking it's working ok for you? Just to convey the problems I'm having a little better here are some screenshots.

 

What I see:

(The screenshot is of a stationary car at the start point, but it happens if I try and route whilst moving too)

 

47.jpg

 

What I should see/occasionally see/see after a crash:

 

164.jpg

Link to comment
1) If it recalculates a route it doesn't just say "recalculating" and get on with it. It says "recalculating, recalculating, recalculating, recalculating..." over and over whilst doing it.

 

Our old nuvi did that occasionally, under certain circumstances, like when there's no other way to go. Prompted us to swap it for a Tomtom :lol:

Link to comment

My Nuvi 1690's routing is on crack sometimes. Sometimes when on a route I know well it will recommend I drive miles out of my way, then make a U-turn and come right back to where I am so I can proceed to my destination. It has done this a bunch of times, I reported it to Garmin support and their "solution" was to do a factory reset. Naturally, that had zero effect on the problem. They had, as usual, no clue. That was back when it was still under warranty. I gave up on it and just assume that when it makes lame suggestions I should just ignore them and it will recalculate, but the net result is that I really can't trust it in a situation where I don't know the area.

 

Typical Garmin software / firmware quality.

Link to comment

I'll concur that the routing on the Montana, under certain circumstances, is just wierd. I've never owned a nuvi so I couldn't tell you if it's a symptom of Garmin's routing algorithm or the Montana in particular but it's just not right. I'd say 90% of the time the routing's excellent and 10% of the time things get wierd. Now it could be caused by a particular combination of enabled options and settings but still.

 

Recalculating a route at walking speeds (even in "Pedestrian Mode") usually never happens. What I mean is that you could be veering off route for a long time, even forever, and at walking speeds a new route is usually NOT recalculated. You could be a mile from your house, set a route on your routable map, and then circle around and sneek up on your house from the opposite direction but the unit will insist you go to the originally calculated route.

Edited by yogazoo
Link to comment

My Nuvi 1690's routing is on crack sometimes. Sometimes when on a route I know well it will recommend I drive miles out of my way, then make a U-turn and come right back to where I am so I can proceed to my destination. It has done this a bunch of times, I reported it to Garmin support and their "solution" was to do a factory reset. Naturally, that had zero effect on the problem. They had, as usual, no clue. That was back when it was still under warranty. I gave up on it and just assume that when it makes lame suggestions I should just ignore them and it will recalculate, but the net result is that I really can't trust it in a situation where I don't know the area.

 

Typical Garmin software / firmware quality.

My 700 is the same way. The thing I noted is that if your heading in a certain direction and you punch up the next cache that is behind you it will want to continue in the same direction you were heading and do a turn around. The algorithm seems to want to maintain the direction you were driving for calculating the route. I've taken to checking the arrow on my 76CSx first and will do the U-turn right away and let Jill recalculate. Or look at my Streets and Trips map to see I should just U-turn. The other quirk is if a cache is near a fence in a park Jill will take me to the residential area, have me stop at a house and tell me I need to go though that strangers yard to get to the cache.

Link to comment

I noticed today that my Montana also suffers from the routing algorithm problem. I can live with that though.

 

Me and my Montana have come to an agreement: I'll stop swearing at it as long as it obeys my "workaround" so it'll navigate me properly. I route to a location, let it go for a few minutes, turn it off, turn it on again, go back to the map and it will pop up with the turns and correct directions like it's meant to. It will then start talking to me (It doesn't talk whilst it's not showing the correct navigation information)

 

Other than that, used it again today. 2 crashes, but otherwise working pretty smoothly!

 

Can anyone advise how to rollback firmware on it? I have copies of 2.6 and 2.5, just don't know how to do it!

 

Cass

Link to comment

Can anyone advise how to rollback firmware on it? I have copies of 2.6 and 2.5, just don't know how to do it!

 

Cass

I assume you have 2.6 and 2.5 as GCD files, as that is what you need to "downgrade". Make sure that the filename is gupdate.gcd (rename if required) and copy the file to the Montana Garmin folder. Turn on the Montana and follow the instructions..

Link to comment

Can anyone advise how to rollback firmware on it? I have copies of 2.6 and 2.5, just don't know how to do it!

 

Cass

I assume you have 2.6 and 2.5 as GCD files, as that is what you need to "downgrade". Make sure that the filename is gupdate.gcd (rename if required) and copy the file to the Montana Garmin folder. Turn on the Montana and follow the instructions..

 

Yep .GCD files. Many thanks, I'll give it a go!

Link to comment

I have noticed that when loading geocaches (11000 from my current database) from GSAK using the GarminExport Macro, the Montana progress bar often stops at about 50%, and it turns itself off after a few minutes. When turning the Montana on again, I can see that many of the geocaches from the database is missing (probably 50%). By running the macro again, the Montana usually loads the geocaches as expected when I turn it on. Once in a while, I have to run the macro several times before the Montana loads the geocaches properly. I am not sure if this is related to 2.70 or not.

Link to comment

Also, 2.70 broke the internationalization of the interface. Part of the interface is now English, making it a hybrid English-Dutch interface.

 

I suffered the same thing and found the following solution:

 

It looks like the XML interpreter is weak in the knees.

Connect your device, open the dutch.gpp file and find the following string:

 

<tag>TXT_Avoid_to_STR</tag​>

<txt>></txt>

 

Change the second line to

<txt>tot></txt>

 

And save. Make sure you save it as a Unix-file (not DOS).

 

Problem fixed.

Link to comment

I have noticed that when loading geocaches (11000 from my current database) from GSAK using the GarminExport Macro, the Montana progress bar often stops at about 50%, and it turns itself off after a few minutes. When turning the Montana on again, I can see that many of the geocaches from the database is missing (probably 50%). By running the macro again, the Montana usually loads the geocaches as expected when I turn it on. Once in a while, I have to run the macro several times before the Montana loads the geocaches properly. I am not sure if this is related to 2.70 or not.

 

That's more of a Garmin problem. I find when loading larger files with lots of logs it can hang. One workaround is to clear the current geocache files and do a full startup. Then load your caches and it should load ok.

Link to comment

I suffered the same thing and found the following solution:

 

It looks like the XML interpreter is weak in the knees.

Connect your device, open the dutch.gpp file and find the following string:

 

<tag>TXT_Avoid_to_STR</tag​>

<txt>></txt>

 

Change the second line to

<txt>tot></txt>

 

And save. Make sure you save it as a Unix-file (not DOS).

 

Problem fixed.

 

So, dude, why don't you work for Garmin? I know, I know it's because you'd have to move to Kansas right? :lol:

 

Seriously, email the good folks at Montana beta software headquarters and let them know about it if they aren't aware already.

Link to comment

So, dude, why don't you work for Garmin? I know, I know it's because you'd have to move to Kansas right? :lol:

 

:lol:

 

Seriously, email the good folks at Montana beta software headquarters and let them know about it if they aren't aware already.

 

I mailed the beta team about this and other issues (power shutdown). They already mailed me back to request more info :)

Link to comment

Downgrading my unit from 2.7 to 2.6 seemed to nearly fix the problems I was having with automobile routing. Instead of working 1 out of 4 times it now seems to work 3 out of 4 times. Think I can live with that until version 2.8! :laughing:

 

I also noticed, in v2.7 If you search for an address, say enter in the postcode/zip code and hit GO the address doesn't appear in your recent finds list (waypoints and geocaches seem to though) However in v2.6 they do appear in the list.

 

I've fired off an email to Garmin.

Link to comment

Barometer test:

 

The "Save Always" setting in the altimeter setup menu doesn't seem to work. What do I mean? Well if you have "Save Always" selected it doesn't save always when the power is off. The unit is supposed to wake up just enough internals to record a pressure reading every 15 minutes when power is off. You wouldn't know it because nothing turns on except for the sensor and the memory to record that data. It works this way on the Oregon, 62s, Colorado, etc.

 

UPDATE: Garmin has reproduced this problem and are looking into fixing it.

Edited by yogazoo
Link to comment

I have noticed that when loading geocaches (11000 from my current database) from GSAK using the GarminExport Macro, the Montana progress bar often stops at about 50%, and it turns itself off after a few minutes. When turning the Montana on again, I can see that many of the geocaches from the database is missing (probably 50%). By running the macro again, the Montana usually loads the geocaches as expected when I turn it on. Once in a while, I have to run the macro several times before the Montana loads the geocaches properly. I am not sure if this is related to 2.70 or not.

 

Continuous problem since the Oregons. Best "fix".... delete files, reboot, reload.

Link to comment

I have noticed that when loading geocaches (11000 from my current database) from GSAK using the GarminExport Macro, the Montana progress bar often stops at about 50%, and it turns itself off after a few minutes. When turning the Montana on again, I can see that many of the geocaches from the database is missing (probably 50%). By running the macro again, the Montana usually loads the geocaches as expected when I turn it on. Once in a while, I have to run the macro several times before the Montana loads the geocaches properly. I am not sure if this is related to 2.70 or not.

 

Continuous problem since the Oregons. Best "fix".... delete files, reboot, reload.

 

Good to know that hasn't changed. One less incentive to upgrade :anitongue:

Link to comment

I'm not being critical I'm just ignorant. Why on earth would anyone need to have 11,000 geocaches loaded at once? Just curious, I geocache but will never in my life hit 1,000 geocaches much less 11,000.

 

If you're going on a long trip and travelling over a few different countries, areas, counties, states, etc. perhaps over a few weeks/months I can see a big advantage in having that amount of Geocaches. Not something you'll take an advantage of often though! :laughing:

Link to comment

I'm not being critical I'm just ignorant. Why on earth would anyone need to have 11,000 geocaches loaded at once? Just curious, I geocache but will never in my life hit 1,000 geocaches much less 11,000.

 

Because you can!

Link to comment

I'm not being critical I'm just ignorant. Why on earth would anyone need to have 11,000 geocaches loaded at once? Just curious, I geocache but will never in my life hit 1,000 geocaches much less 11,000.

 

Because you can!

Yes, that's it. :P

The GSAK database I use on daily basis includes all the caches that I have not found in the "State" where I live, the neighbour states (max 2 hours drive) and Traditional only caches in Stockholm and Copenhagen, as I may have to go there on short notice (Grab the GPS and run). I always bring my GPS when traveling in case I get some spare time.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...