Merdian Power Switch Problems?

[+user13371]

Extracted from an email I just sent to Magellan/Thales support; maybe someone else has some helpful insights:

 

I have a Magellan Meridian base model, and am generally happy with it. But there seems to be something wrong with the power switch. It may be more than one problem but these symptoms seem related:

 

1) Sometimes the unit will powers itself off, even though the auto-power off time is disabled and nothing has touched the power switch. The timing seems random--sometimes the unit can be on for a long time, sometimes just minutes. I use the GPS for a few hours each day and this seems to happen a few times a week.

 

2) Sometimes pressing the PWR button will not turn the unit on. Removing and replacing the batteries doesn't seem to help. If it won't power on, I just set it aside for several minutes and try again and it usually works. This happens every couple of days.

 

I've been tolerating this problem for several weeks, trying various things to see if I could figure out what was happening. No luck, there doesn't seem to be a pattern to the failures and nothing I have tried has made any difference.

 

Any suggestions?

[+Jamie Z]

I can't help you much, except to mention that I've had some similar experiences.

 

The buttons on my Meridian seem to be very insensitive. To turn it on, I have to make sure I press the power button firmly.. and then what's irritating is that it takes a second for the screen to pop up.. so I never know if I've pressed it hard enough until I stare at the screen for a moment after I've pressed the power button. Half the time, I haven't pressed it hard enough so I stare at a blank screen for a few seconds before I give the power button another push.

 

It seems if I press and hold the power button, sometimes it will turn on, sometimes it won't.

 

All the buttons on the Meridian are like that, which I think is a bad design. They don't "click" or give any indication that you've pressed the button... and then the screen takes a moment to change, so you have to look for a second to make sure that the button press was recognized.

 

Maybe it's your button pressing technique. Other than that, I can't say.

 

Jamie

[+Ranz]

quote:

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Originally posted by Jamie Z:

All the buttons on the Meridian are like that, which I think is a bad design. They don't "click" or give any indication that you've pressed the button... and then the screen takes a moment to change, so you have to look for a second to make sure that the button press was recognized.

---

 

In the menu, under Setup there is an option called Beeper. You can set it for Alarms only, Keys only, or Alarms and Keys. When set each button pushed generates an audible tone.

 

[+infosponge]

I haven't had any problems with my Meridian (green) turning off when I don't want it to, for the most part. The problem I has was that the power-down sequence is exactly opposite my other Magellan GPS (a MAP 410) so it took a little getting used to. I prefer the way the MAP 410 powers down and activates the backlight to the way the Meridian's do. It's a firmware thing...ought to be fixable.

[+infosponge]

I haven't had any problems with my Meridian (green) turning off when I don't want it to, for the most part. The problem I has was that the power-down sequence is exactly opposite my other Magellan GPS (a MAP 410) so it took a little getting used to. I prefer the way the MAP 410 powers down and activates the backlight to the way the Meridian's do. It's a firmware thing...ought to be fixable.

[+Jamie Z]

quote:

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Originally posted by Ranz:

 

In the menu, under Setup there is an option called Beeper. You can set it for Alarms only, Keys only, or Alarms and Keys. When set each button pushed generates an audible tone.

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Ranz, the first thing I did when I turned on my Meridian was to turn off that silly beeper.. but now you've made me see a use for it. Thanks.

 

Funny.. I had the beeps turned off completely, but the thing still beeped when it gave me the ultra-urgent "Lost External Power" alarm.

 

Jamie

[+user13371]

The beeps are good for feedback once the unit is on. But they don't help much if the thing won't power up at all -- the original point of my complaint.

 

Right this instant, the thing won't turn on, have been trying to get it to work for about 10 minutes.

[+Ranz]

quote:

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Originally posted by lee_rimar:

The beeps are good for feedback once the unit is on. But they don't help much if the thing won't power up at all -- the original point of my complaint.

 

Right this instant, the thing won't turn on, have been trying to get it to work for about 10 minutes.

---

 

I had read in one of the old posts that some of the first Meridians had an issue with the battery contacts. I think they did a redesign to correct it. Some people sent them back for a retrofit.

 

I don't know if that is the problem. My MeriGold has never shut off on me, or failed to power on when I push the button. I found right away that the button requires a good solid press to activate but it was easy enough to adjust to.

 

The way the Meridian scans for key presses is a little slow so using any of the controls requires a slow solid approach.

 

I hope the battery contacts turn out to be the problem. At least that would be an easy fix. Worth a check anyway.

 

Good luck;