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Garmin Montana: FW 3.63 Beta


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http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=5680

 

Changes made from version 3.60 to 3.63:

 

  • Added new data fields: Alarm Timer (from alarm clock page), Automotive Turn (lane assist), Avg. Lap, Compass Heading, Current Lap, Date, Elevation Above Ground, GPS Elevation, GPS Heading, Grade (must be moving), Lap Distance, Laps, Last Lap, Location of Destination, None (blank field), Stopwatch Timer, Total Lap, Track Distance (reset when current track is cleared), Vertical Dist. to Dest, Vertical Dist. to Next.
  • Added data field categories.
  • Added trip computer setup for additional configurability. This includes adding multiple trip computer pages.
  • Improved elevation data stored in track logs.
  • Fixed 3D View to rotate based on compass heading.

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The list has been updated:

 

Change History

Changes made from version 3.60 to 3.63:

 

Added new data fields: Alarm Timer (from alarm clock page), Automotive Turn (lane assist), Avg. Lap, Compass Heading, Current Lap, Date, Elevation Above Ground, GPS Elevation, GPS Heading, Grade (must be moving), Lap Distance, Laps, Last Lap, Location of Destination, None (blank field), Stopwatch Timer, Total Lap, Track Distance (reset when current track is cleared), Vertical Dist. to Dest, Vertical Dist. to Next.

Added data field categories.

Added trip computer setup for additional configurability. This includes adding multiple trip computer pages.

Improved elevation data stored in track logs.

Improved serial support

Fixed 3D View to rotate based on compass heading.

Fixed issue where some auto-archived tracks would be named in English regardless of user language

Fixed issue with track log recording while using the stopwatch

Fixed issue that could cause some geocaches not to import

Fixed issue with entering the next stage of a geocache while the Routing Activity is set to Prompted

Fixed an issue that could occur while reviewing certain geocache descriptions

Fixed a potential hang on startup when importing large numbers of waypoints, tracks, routes, or geocaches

Fixed potential issue that could occur while reviewing certain photos

Fixed potential issue related to shortcuts and orientation change

Fixed potential issue related to setting custom background images

Fixed potential issue with entering a street number during an address search

Problems with this beta software may be reported to MontanaBeta@garmin.com

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Theres a few things on the list that interest me. Unfortunately I can't install it as there is not Mac version. How long is it usually before the beta goes out of beta.

Please note:

 

You can install it on a Mac. I have installed 3.63 beta on my Montana today. In the past I have installed many Oregon and Montana betas using a Macintosh computer.

 

It is quite easy to do:

 

!. Download the beta 3.63 software to your Mac.

 

2. After you download beta 3.63 you will have "MontanaBeta_363Beta.exe" on your Mac.

 

3. Expand "MontanaBeta_363Beta.exe." I use the free "The Unarchiver."

 

4. After it is expanded it will expand to a folder named "MontanaBeta_363Beta." Open the folder.

 

5. Inside the folder named "MontanaBeta_363Beta" are some unneeded Windows-centric files and another folder named "Montana." Open that folder.

 

6.There is yet another folder called "Garmin" inside "Montana." Open it.

 

7. You will finally see the file you need to upgrade your Montana to the beta firmware. It is called "GUPDATE.GCD."

 

8. Attach the Montana to your Mac via a USB cable. Choose to go into "Mass Storage." Once you see the Montana "GARMIN" drive on your desktop, open it. Then open the "Garmin" folder and copy the file "GUPDATE.GCD" file from the "MontanaBeta_363Beta" folder which is on your desktop, to the "Garmin" folder on the Montana.

 

9. After the file "GUPDATE.GCD" has been copied to your Montana, disconnect the Montana from your Macintosh and restart the Montana.

 

10. That's it, your Montana now is running FW 3.63 Beta.

 

BTW, After the Montana beta firmware upgrade has taken place, please note that the file "GUPDATE.GCD" has been automatically removed from the Garmin folder on your Montana.

Edited by Barrikady
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All I can say is WOW. The data fields selection process has changed and they've added some really useful fields. I know a common gripe was that the "GPS elevation" wasn't a field so you couldn't check the non-barometer elevation. Now it's a field.

 

Track distance is another field many have wanted, including me.

 

Many more to play with and discover the usefullness of. I hope this makes it into the other units (Oregon, 62)

 

I think the reason why this is such a huge update is because these data fields have remained pretty much the same since the early days of Garmin Handhelds. To add so many new options is a big deal.

Edited by yogazoo
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Theres a few things on the list that interest me. Unfortunately I can't install it as there is not Mac version. How long is it usually before the beta goes out of beta.

Please note:

 

You can install it on a Mac. I have installed 3.63 beta on my Mac today. In the past I have installed many Oregon and Montana betas on a Macintosh computer.

 

It is quite easy to do:

 

.........

 

 

Thank's Barrikady, that's much appreciated. Yes it was easy and worked fine. One of the main things I was looking forward to was the extra pages on the trip computer.

Edited by WrongwayUK
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What annoyances are you referring to?

 

The fact that with a cache description, you always return at the start of the page is my biggest gripe. So when walking a long multi, every time you return to the description to read the next assignment, the description opens at the top again, and you have to scroll down to where you were before. I just wish the software would remember where I was and then return to the same spot in the description.

 

I emailed the Montana team, but I think it is just very low on their priority list. They have other priorities (when looking at the nice list of improvements for 3.63).

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Any one else getting an incorrect font size for the new data fields on the nuvi screen as well as an odd title for the field?

 

Here it is set for GPS Elevation

 

141.jpg

 

*note it says select side for..... then the elevation in a large font.

 

Then here when it is set to date it says Avoid U-turns? and the date font is much greater than the field

 

168.jpg

 

Portrait orientation is no better, at least the field is titled correctly for the Odometer.

 

254.jpg

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Yup, mine does the same.

I have reported the issue to garmin.

 

I noticed it too! You took items from the "navigation" submenu! When u change the data fields in automotive mode scroll further down. There is another menu (don't have my Montana right here) I think is called something like on road navigation...anyway, when you use items out of that submenu the font is displayed properly!

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The new data field "Vertical Distance to Destinaion" is HUGE for hikers everywhere. I've requested this data field many times over the years. I can now know at a glance how much elevation is left to gain to reach the summit. I'll imagine that you may need a DEM infused Garmin product (maps with terrain shade) but this data field is a great addition.

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I don't know if it has just been added, but I have noticed GPS Elevation data field. That is very useful. With my 60CSx on an aircraft with a pressurised cabin it would never read the correct altitude as the pressure transducer was fooled by the cabin pressure. I believe you could see the GPS alt in the track log but that wasn't much use for live monitoring. I am hoping GPS election is what it says and doesn't get corrected by the pressure transducer.

Edited by WrongwayUK
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Oh Boy!!! not good. I updated last night looking forward to the changes and this update messes with practically every setting on the unit. All of my fine tuned profiles such as recreation were wiped out after months spent getting settings just where i wanted them. I went in to find recreation profile had been changed to the same as Automobile and all settings had been changed. The unit is now also saying i have over 24,000 geocaches found, (I wish). I have actually only found 86.

 

Until this update the only issue i had with the unit was that sometimes if you let the Montana switch off while in the vehicle navigation cradle (ie when you shut your vehicle off and it automatically shuts the unit down after counting down), it will sometimes not switch back on until you remove the unit from the cradle and remove the battery and re-install the batteries. I wish Garmin would hire a testing team instead of making us the users their lab rats.

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Sorry to hear this, ALWAYS make a backup of the whole GPS excluding the maps before any update.

Sometimes it takes long to get the gps the way we want it.

Are you sure all the profiles are different, because when it happens normally it does on the active profile.

Because of that it's better to have an empty profile, you set the gps to this profile before the update.

 

It strange this happened, because in my Montana nothing changed, not even the maps on or off, what normally happens.

Edited by splashy
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TIP: Always make a generic profile called UPDATE and switch to it before any update is performed. The updates have commonly, in the past and I would presume going forward, corrupted or reset the settings in the active profile that was enabled during the update. In my experience the other non-enabled profiles have been fine.

 

In any case, I know the horror felt when your settings are gone. It sometimes takes hours to get it back to where you had it.

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Grade is interesting but very slow to actually update, to the point it isn't actually very useful.

 

I took my Montana out for a ride today (the first one since I put 3.63 on it) and there were times I was pushing up a hill only to realise the Montana reported the grade as -1%, then changed to 6% just as I crested the hill and started going down again.

 

Obviously you have to be moving for grade to give a meaningful figure, it would be nice if it responded to changes in grade a little faster.

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Grade is interesting but very slow to actually update, to the point it isn't actually very useful.

 

I took my Montana out for a ride today (the first one since I put 3.63 on it) and there were times I was pushing up a hill only to realise the Montana reported the grade as -1%, then changed to 6% just as I crested the hill and started going down again.

 

Obviously you have to be moving for grade to give a meaningful figure, it would be nice if it responded to changes in grade a little faster.

 

I think the "GRADE" field has been imported from the trucker SatNavs in which you have to be moving at highway speeds or at least faster than walking speed for this field to be calculated correctly and be useful. Grade is important data for truckers but can't think how this would be advantageous for hikers. The "Vertical Dist to Dest" is a good one.

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Looks like a nice update so far here. I did still have a few shutdowns while loading waypoints and such during booting with 3.60; hopefully this fixed that issue.

 

There are a few things which I'm still hoping for. I emailed them a while back about these, but got no reply. I'd like to see:

 

- Separate icons for caches which are unavailable (either disabled or archived). As it is, every cache I've found shows up on the map just like every other one, even if it's been archived. I really like seeing them, but I'd like to be able to tell which ones aren't viable.

 

- Display of attributes in the cache listing (including whether they are positive or negative, such as the way SmartGPX displays negative ones with a line through them).

 

- The option to save each 'next stage' as a new waypoint, as can already be done from the main cache listing. I like to save every stage of a multi as a new waypoint, and it's tedious to enter each one twice.

 

- Another dashboard, something like 'tiny data fields' which would allow more than four fields to be added, especially when they keep adding more cool fields. With such a large and high res LCD, it should be able to display a whole lot more data at once.

 

Oh, it also seems that there's an issue with chirp searching. I tried to find my first chirp cache, and received nothing even though I know I was in the right place. A quick search turned up a discussion about it, and it appears that one must enable the options to connect to heartrate and cadence sensors in order for it to find chirps. Yes, they both use ANT+; as a firmware developer myself, I understand exactly how this makes sense, but it's annoying from the standpoint of a user. ;) It would be nice to have chirp searching work as advertised.

 

Maybe others will agree and ask for these as well. That would make an excellent unit even better!

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Oh, it also seems that there's an issue with chirp searching. I tried to find my first chirp cache, and received nothing even though I know I was in the right place. A quick search turned up a discussion about it, and it appears that one must enable the options to connect to heartrate and cadence sensors in order for it to find chirps. Yes, they both use ANT+; as a firmware developer myself, I understand exactly how this makes sense, but it's annoying from the standpoint of a user. ;) It would be nice to have chirp searching work as advertised.

 

Maybe others will agree and ask for these as well. That would make an excellent unit even better!

 

My Montana is just a week old nearly and came with a fairly recent firmware version. I have a heart rate belt and tested it. It worked ok without the other two options, cadence and chirp enabled. So I am wondering if they have fixed this. I happen to have a chirp I can test with so will try it and report back.

 

Edit... I can confirm my Montana will search for a chirp without cadence or heartrate enabled in the fitness settings. In fact when I enabled program chirp in the geocaching setup it also enabled chirp searching. It found my new blank chirp and I programmed the three parameters into it. I turned chirp searching off, checked heartrate and cadence were still off then power cycled the Montana. Enabled chirp searching only, checking heartrate and cadence were off and the chirp was detected almost immediately. I am using the latest 3.63 firmware so it appears it was probably fixed somewhere along the line.

Edited by WrongwayUK
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Grade is interesting but very slow to actually update, to the point it isn't actually very useful.

 

I took my Montana out for a ride today (the first one since I put 3.63 on it) and there were times I was pushing up a hill only to realise the Montana reported the grade as -1%, then changed to 6% just as I crested the hill and started going down again.

 

Obviously you have to be moving for grade to give a meaningful figure, it would be nice if it responded to changes in grade a little faster.

 

I think the "GRADE" field has been imported from the trucker SatNavs in which you have to be moving at highway speeds or at least faster than walking speed for this field to be calculated correctly and be useful. Grade is important data for truckers but can't think how this would be advantageous for hikers. The "Vertical Dist to Dest" is a good one.

 

For hikers it's probably not all that useful, for cyclists it's potentially interesting. I like to be able to see the grade of the road I'm on, not least because there are some roads near home that are steep and I'd like to know just how steep, and there are a few roads that look like they are flat but are slightly inclined. It's nice to know, as it's not so disheartening if I'm struggling to maintain my speed if I can see I'm actually on a long slow incline.

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After some testing the "Vertical Dist to Dest" field bases its calculation from the mapset (Digital Elevation Model) and not off of your GPS or barometric elevation. In other words, if you don't have a Garmin Topo map with terrain shading this field will not be accurate.

 

The calculation takes your destinations elevation and current elevation from the digital elevation model and subtracts the two.

Edited by yogazoo
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After some testing the "Vertical Dist to Dest" field bases its calculation from the mapset (Digital Elevation Model) and not off of your GPS or barometric elevation. In other words, if you don't have a Garmin Topo map with terrain shading this field will not be accurate.

 

The calculation takes your destinations elevation and current elevation from the digital elevation model and subtracts the two.

I don't know if this is the case..

 

I have a map with DEM and I had tried this field...and guess what..even if I'm at 3 meters from the destination(on a plain road,no grade) this"Vertical Distance to Destination" still shows 37-40 meters.

How could this be?

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I don't know if this is the case..

 

I have a map with DEM and I had tried this field...and guess what..even if I'm at 3 meters from the destination(on a plain road,no grade) this"Vertical Distance to Destination" still shows 37-40 meters.

How could this be?

 

Thanks emariu,

 

After reading your post I ran a few more tests. After more testing there appears to be a dichotomy in how this field is calculated. If there is no DEM infused map then the calculation is made based on 1) the elevation recorded in the destination waypoints elevation data field, and 2) your Elevation (barometer based). In the no DEM scenario, if there is no elevation info recorded in the waypoints elevation field then the "Vertical Dist to Dest" field remains blank.

 

When you have a DEM map (with terrain shading) including the basemap, the elevation calculation is based on the underlying DEM for both your current location and the destination. You can test this by performing an arbitrary GOTO and then lifting your unit up and down. The elevation fields (GPS and barometer based) will change but the "Vertical Dist to Dest" field will not change because you aren't moving accross the underlying DEM in order to change the value under your current location. If all you have is the Basemap with DEM then your "Vertical Dist to Dest" field will be grossly in error because that DEM is only for visual appeal. The elevation data within the basemap DEM is not accurate.

 

I like the DEM approach to calculating this field. The only thing I could suggest to Garmin is that they drop using the Basemap DEM for the "Vertical Dist to Dest" calculation. In the absence of detailed DEM infused maps I'd rather they use your current elevation (gps or barometer based) and the waypoints elevation data. Using the basemap DEM is more problematic than it's worth.

 

If your overseas then all bets are off. I don't know what kind of map products are available and whether or not they contain more detailed DEM info than the basemap.

Edited by yogazoo
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Just checkin in on this thread... You guys are doing a great job of sharing info and testing all the features/bugs... I really enjoy reading it and I'm still looking at taking the plunge on this unit.

 

I really think Garmin should form some semi-official type of club or group for you all to get more useful input like this and come up with a few exclusive goodies to say thanks for the effort and for being loyal Garmin Customers!!!

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Just checkin in on this thread... You guys are doing a great job of sharing info and testing all the features/bugs... I really enjoy reading it and I'm still looking at taking the plunge on this unit.

 

I really think Garmin should form some semi-official type of club or group for you all to get more useful input like this and come up with a few exclusive goodies to say thanks for the effort and for being loyal Garmin Customers!!!

 

Feel free to suggest that to Garmin directly!

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I've sent the following bug report to MontanaBeta@garmin.com

Maybe some of you also encouter one or the other bug and report it to Garmin too.

 

Hello Montana-Team,

 

thank you for the new FW 3.63 and it's new features. I like most of them very much.

Unfortunately I still encounter many old an new bugs:

 

1. (new in 3.63) The new TripComputer page and functions are very useful but now the trip computer settings are stored system-wide and no more profile specific. I "hope" this is a bug and not intended because I like the profile specific trip computer settings very much!

 

Method:

- configure the trip computer page

- change the profile

- this (and any other) profile now have the same trip computer settings

 

2. (new in 3.63) Set Mount Profile (under profile settings), trying to change from "No Change" to anything else results in the white screen of death and shuts the unit down.

 

3. The Montana stops talking at the car-navigation in the car-cradle after 3-4 new route calculations, which were triggered automatically by a different route selection.

 

Method:

- Montana in the car cradle set to the nüvi-mode, City Navigator Europe active

- start a routing

- drive another way then suggested by the Montana

- Montana recalculates the route

- do this 3-4 times

-> Montana stops "talking", no vocal route instructions are given any more

- only a power cycle get rid of that problem till the next 3-4 recalculations.

 

4. The Montana looses settings when plugged in and out from the car-cradle. I.e. the voice/volume is muted (new in 3.63).

 

Method:

- Montana is set to automatic changing profiles the plugged in and out the car cradle. In my case it switches between a "car-navigation" profile and a "hiking" profile.

- now sometimes the active maps in the profiles have changed then formerly set in the specific profile. (hiking maps are active in the car-profile and vice versa).

- the volume is set to mute

 

5. When the Montana is powered up by the alarm-clock it fades to a white screen and crashes.

 

Method:

- Set the Alarm-Clock in the Montana and let it power down

- Wait till the alarm gets active and powers up the Montana

- Stop the alarm and start using the Montana

-> see graphic errors on the screen while using the Montana until it fades to a white screen.

-> you have to reboot the Montana to use it again

 

6. The Navi-mode "nüvi" view is very slow (takes a long time to

start recalculation, turns are no longer updated) when the logging

is set to "Automatic" -> "often" or "very often". If the logging

is switched to "normal" nüvi works well again.

 

7. If a waypoint is created in BaseCamp with an approximity-alarm

and this point is then transferred to the Montana the

approximity-alarm is lost.

 

 

Nice to have:

 

I. If you navigate with a track it's never clear in

which direction the track points. Small arrows on the track would

be very helpful!

 

II. Taping on the GPS-reception bar should result in opening the satellite page, like it's handled at the Oregons.

 

III. Taping on the north-arrow in the map-screen should result in northing the map when you're using "track up" or the "car-view" (like it's done at the Oregons).

 

IV. The barometric altimeter should the deactivateable to get the GPS-elevation stored in the tracklog. Very usefull in airplanes with a pressurised cabin. (Like it's done in other Garmin models when you set the device to "fixed elevation").

 

Greetings from Germany!

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"I forgot to ask, with the firmware where it is now, would you buy this unit again knowing what you know now? "

 

This IS the most versatile Gps ever, be aware you have to learn, it's not a Nuvi.

 

"Garmin should form some semi-official type of club or group for you all to get more useful input"

Garmin is really not interacting with customers. They have a longterm strategy and stick with it.

Only GPS changes they really make is in firmware updates.

Edited by splashy
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Garmin is really not interacting with customers.

 

The Montana team is the great exception then. I find them stellar in that they want to receive feedback, and they also inform you personally about the bugfixes you reported. There are hardly any companies who do this, so a Big Up to them :)

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In fact the "Montana" approach is different.

 

But still, poste a complex question to the helpdesk and see if you get a decent answer, if any.

 

With my issue regarding the unit restarting when I'm cycling, the general helpdesk took my comment that the unit was "not as described" and "not fit for purpose" and their response was "thankyou for your comment" and that as far as they were concerned the unit was the unit and that was that.

 

The Montana team's response was "it's not supposed to do that, we'll replace it under warranty".

 

It now appears (as per my thread on the problem) that it's at least partly due to the firmware, so perhaps it's something that can be fixed.

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If all you have is the Basemap with DEM then your "Vertical Dist to Dest" field will be grossly in error because that DEM is only for visual appeal. The elevation data within the basemap DEM is not accurate.

this is a bit misleading. The DEM in the basemap is accurate to it's scale (1M), it would be silly to think it would have the resolution of a 24k model. Accuracy and resolution are two different things. Edited by coggins
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Probably your battery rattling around and losing contact while biking. Put some (thick) tape around it or something in between the battery and cover.

 

In fact the "Montana" approach is different.

 

But still, poste a complex question to the helpdesk and see if you get a decent answer, if any.

 

With my issue regarding the unit restarting when I'm cycling, the general helpdesk took my comment that the unit was "not as described" and "not fit for purpose" and their response was "thankyou for your comment" and that as far as they were concerned the unit was the unit and that was that.

 

The Montana team's response was "it's not supposed to do that, we'll replace it under warranty".

 

It now appears (as per my thread on the problem) that it's at least partly due to the firmware, so perhaps it's something that can be fixed.

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About shutting off on a bike, as I said before, there ARE old AND (we found out last week) models with a different size battery, the space in the battery compartment can be about 1,5 mm, if so your gps will shut off while on a bumpy track.

 

Garmin KNOWS, the helpdesk maybe not, anyway they replace in most cases the battery.

For the time being you can fill the space with foam tape or paper.

 

http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/9308/cimg0326z.jpg

http://img846.imageshack.us/img846/8983/cimg0321u.jpg

Edited by splashy
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About shutting off on a bike, as I said before, there ARE old AND (we found out last week) models with a different size battery, the space in the battery compartment can be about 1,5 mm, if so your gps will shut off while on a bumpy track.

 

Batteries are a problem, but it might also happen that if you have one installed, the lock of the micro-SD card is not secured properly. This happened to me, resulting in a shutdown, and then a couple of minutes of amazement and puzzling, why my topographical map disappeared :blink:

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Late to the party here as I've been out of town for a bit....

 

Does anyone (yogazoo?) know what the new "track distance" field does differently? Earlier, we had a separate thread going about errors in actual distance traveled versus what the trip computer distance was reporting. The conclusion from that was to set the track log to 1-second updates to solve the problem. I wonder if this new field is a better solution. I'll have to try it out and see, unless someone has already done so.

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