Etrex Vista Software Upgrade to 2.25

[+Alan2]

I haven't loaded it yet, but its available. Looks like they included some of the features everyone's been asking for are there. Changes made from version 2.24 to 2.25:

 

* Improved submerged icon visibility in land mode.

* Fixed backspace button on the keyboard.

* Added time zones for Auckland, Katmandu, and Helsinki.

* Made the location field a long small number configurable field and

also a big number configurable field.

* Created a latitude/longitude configurable field. This allows for

viewing two position formats simultaneously.

* Added supports for yards as a distance.

* Allowed GPS altitude to be viewed from the satellite page.

* Added calculator accessory.

* Various translation updates.

* Added a calculate area enclosed by route feature.

* Fixed area calculation accessory problem with Hungarian language.

* General improvements to operating system that correct system

lockups and shutdowns.

 

http://www.garmin.com/products/etrexVista/agree.html

 

Alan

[+Hawk-eye]

Thanks Alan ... I've been wondering when this update would show up.

 

[+apersson850]

And now they are just waiting for me to tell them how to spell the new texts in proper Swedish, I guess.

 

Anyone who thinks they'll finally come to allowing the altitude profile show the GPS altitude, instead of just having it in a pop up window on the sat screen?

 

For geocaching, use the navigation screen, set mode to normal and compass on, select large numbers and show distance to waypoint and location (lat/long). There, finally, you have it all on one screen. Perfect for the final closing in on a cache.

 

The calculator is rather good, but there are no inverse to the trigonometric functions!

 

Finally, just what is a submerged icon??

 

 

Anders

[+apersson850]

And now they are just waiting for me to tell them how to spell the new texts in proper Swedish, I guess.

 

Anyone who thinks they'll finally come to allowing the altitude profile show the GPS altitude, instead of just having it in a pop up window on the sat screen?

 

For geocaching, use the navigation screen, set mode to normal and compass on, select large numbers and show distance to waypoint and location (lat/long). There, finally, you have it all on one screen. Perfect for the final closing in on a cache.

 

The calculator is rather good, but there are no inverse to the trigonometric functions!

 

Finally, just what is a submerged icon??

 

 

Anders

[OFF RODE]

Finally, just what is a submerged icon??

 

Would that be Bill Gates skindiving????

 

"You've got to be very careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there." Yogi Berra

JeepNAz@aol.com

[+GOT GPS?]

I just updated my Vista, and find the scientific Calculator interesting.

 

My home page about GPS units and information

[+tmcgowan]

I just updated my Vista from 2.24 to 2.25 and now my gps shuts down after I select a waypoint to go to. I even tried rolling it back to 2.24 and still get the same problem! Any suggestions?

[+Alan2]

I have same problem. It also shutdown intermittently on sight 'n go and other executed functions. definitely a major spftware glitch. Can't believe they released it. I'm ticked at myself; I swore I would never use new software. If you're reading this, do NOT upgrade until Garmin figures out the problems. I upgraded from 2.23 to 2.25 skipping 2.24. Could that be the problem?

 

Alan

[+Hawk-eye]

Did you email Garmin and advise on the glitch? They usually respond pretty fast if you do.

 

[+Alan2]

I did send them an email. In the meanwhile I master restted and reloaded 2.25 and I hope that takes care of the problem. I tried different configuration and I can't yet cause the shutdown again. Here's how to do master reset froma post awhile back made by GammaBoo:

 

GammaBoo

Guest posted November 01, 2001 07:31 PM

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

 

Here is the response from Garmin about my lock-up problem:

 

Thank you for your message to GARMIN. I suspect that the issue you are having is an environmental incident or perhaps an error on the non-volatile memory. I recommend master resetting the Vista as a remedy. It will erase all user data, so I recommend keeping a record of your waypoints, route and track data. Please turn the unit off and press and hold, in sequence, the PAGE + ENTER + FIND + ON. Hold it on for about 5 seconds and the unit will reset, which clears the memory and requires the unit to be reinitialized.

 

End quote.

 

Alan

[+Alan2]

One happy note is that clearing memory does not erase maps, only waypoints, tracks and routes so it's pretty fast to restore these.

 

Alan

[+tmcgowan]

I found that performing the master reset does in fact work! I was really relieved, since I didn't want to hear that I would have to send it in for repairs if it didn't. Now I can get back to Geocaching this afternoon.

 

I'm surprised that this revision made it out of the test labs!

[+tmcgowan]

I found that performing the master reset does in fact work! I was really relieved, since I didn't want to hear that I would have to send it in for repairs if it didn't. Now I can get back to Geocaching this afternoon.

 

I'm surprised that this revision made it out of the test labs!

[+DougsBrat]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Anders:

Finally, _just what_ is a submerged icon??

 

http://img.Groundspeak.com/user/avatar/24148_200.jpg

 

Anders

---

 

That would be me!

 

looks to me like its a waypoint in water while GPS is in land mode. It did look like black on black now its black in gray.

 

No matter where you go... There you are!

[+DougsBrat]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Anders:

Finally, _just what_ is a submerged icon??

 

http://img.Groundspeak.com/user/avatar/24148_200.jpg

 

Anders

---

 

That would be me!

 

looks to me like its a waypoint in water while GPS is in land mode. It did look like black on black now its black in gray.

 

No matter where you go... There you are!

[+st_richardson]

I made the mistake of unzipping the file in the same directory that I had the 2.4 version. This caused a few problems including a time without any software loaded and a fear that I had really screwed things up.

 

Calculator is nice.

[Buckaroo Banzai]

No Problem,

 

You can always go back, Perry has all the old versions at:

 

http://www.gpsinformation.org/perry/

 

... and in our reminiscence, one ghost of mine -- trying to forget the failures, being forgotten after being victorious, and the many sacrifices and trials of plying my trade thousands of miles from home -- was laid to rest. - Bob Roll Great American Cyclist

[+Alan2]

Anyone know how to activate these or how they work. I cannot find them.

 

* Fixed backspace button on the keyboard.

 

* Made the location field a long small number configurable field and

also a big number configurable field.

 

* Created a latitude/longitude configurable field. This allows for

viewing two position formats simultaneously.

 

* Added supports for yards as a distance.(I've clicked on trjos one but haven't seen anything different?)

 

Alan

[+apersson850]

I assume there was some error when you used the backspace button. I remember sometime that I was a little puzzled about it, but never cared too much about that. That's probably what's done to it. Or is it the arrow that has become non-destructive? Haven't tried yet!

 

If you open the trip computer page, then you can select your location to show up in one of the windows, but it must be one of the four long windows. Otherwise it will not fit.

 

If you select big numbers for the trip computer, or in the navigation page, it will also work.

 

The configurable field shows the position format you've selected in the Setup/Units. The other location field always shows lat/long, with decimal minutes. Happens to be the geocaching format.

 

From the Setup/Units menu, simply select yards as the unit for distance.

 

 

 

Anders

[+Hawk-eye]

I wish that they had included the ability to show the present location coordinates and the destination coordinates on the same page ... say for example the navigation page (small compass). I very often use the position coordinates to narrow in on a cache ... so having both visible on the same screen would be fantastic IMHO.

 

[+Alan2]

Exactly what I thought. Who needs to look at two different formats (ie. UTM and decimal for example)? I hunted today and while having the data on the navigation page s a lot better than having to switch to the satellite page, have both current and destination coordinates woiuld have been great. Maybe next time.

 

Thanks Anders for the info. I knew you'd be the guy to answer. What does Garmin do; send you a engineering release before anyone else knows about it?

 

By the way, I cannot figure out what the "erase" change is all about either. First are we talking about the upper right button? Didn't notice any difference; anyone else have input?

 

Alan

[+Alan2]

Exactly what I thought. Who needs to look at two different formats (ie. UTM and decimal for example)? I hunted today and while having the data on the navigation page s a lot better than having to switch to the satellite page, have both current and destination coordinates woiuld have been great. Maybe next time.

 

Thanks Anders for the info. I knew you'd be the guy to answer. What does Garmin do; send you a engineering release before anyone else knows about it?

 

By the way, I cannot figure out what the "erase" change is all about either. First are we talking about the upper right button? Didn't notice any difference; anyone else have input?

 

Alan

[LazyLeopard]

quote:

---

* Added supports for yards as a distance.

---

This change seems to trigger a shutdown problem when you try to look at the navigation display. Switching back to "Statute" seems to avoid the shutdown.

 

Reported to Garmin Tec. Support. Roll on 2.26...

 

Purrs... LazyLeopard http://www.lazyleopard.org.uk

[LazyLeopard]

quote:

---

Who needs to look at two different formats

---

Could be very useful if you're struggling with (say) an Ordnance Survey map in the UK and also trying to find a cache, at least until Garmin come up with some UK Topo basemaps at a reasonable price...

 

Purrs... LazyLeopard http://www.lazyleopard.org.uk

[LazyLeopard]

quote:

---

Who needs to look at two different formats

---

Could be very useful if you're struggling with (say) an Ordnance Survey map in the UK and also trying to find a cache, at least until Garmin come up with some UK Topo basemaps at a reasonable price...

 

Purrs... LazyLeopard http://www.lazyleopard.org.uk

[+GOT GPS?]

Yards works good on my Vista, no problems. My vista is great, but my GPS V is waiting for the next firmware upgrade, because it is not doing well.

 

My home page about GPS units and information

[LazyLeopard]

quote:

---

_Yards_ works good on my Vista, no problems.

---

Garmin Tech. Support got back to me asking which particular parameters I have displayed on the Navigation window (which is the one that I'm trying to get to when the beast shuts down). I've sent them back the information ("Speed" and "Heading") and also a list of other occasions the beast switches itself off. Mostly they're whenever I try to display the "Navigation" window, but the strangest is when I try to turn the magnetic compass on by holding the "menu" button down. Turning the compass off doesn't tickle the problem.

 

Purrs... LazyLeopard http://www.lazyleopard.org.uk

[+apersson850]

No Alan, I don't get any copies of the firmware before they release it. If I did, the Swedish language wouldn't be wrong.

 

But I happen to work with electric systems design for machinery, and there is a lot of software in such machines today. So I have a lot of practice in figuring out how it works, and sometimes don't work.

 

By the way, did anyone else notice, that if you set the language to Norwegian, then check the headlines on the Setup/System menu, there is a display with WAAS/EGNOS (European WAAS system). In every other language it says WAAS only. (Yes, I tried all languages)

 

 

Anders

[+apersson850]

No Alan, I don't get any copies of the firmware before they release it. If I did, the Swedish language wouldn't be wrong.

 

But I happen to work with electric systems design for machinery, and there is a lot of software in such machines today. So I have a lot of practice in figuring out how it works, and sometimes don't work.

 

By the way, did anyone else notice, that if you set the language to Norwegian, then check the headlines on the Setup/System menu, there is a display with WAAS/EGNOS (European WAAS system). In every other language it says WAAS only. (Yes, I tried all languages)

 

 

Anders

[m2fun]

SO is the conclusion:

 

Delay on 2.25 upgrade until its revised. Wait for revisions.

 

Upgrade to 2.25 it is OK. 2.25 is production ready (installed and in use with no issues)?

 

 

Thanks

 

slight Monday confusion......

[+apersson850]

As far as my experience goes:

Nothing got worse.

Some new things don't work as they should, yet.

 

Conclusion: Update, because it's better, although not perfect.

 

 

Anders

[LazyLeopard]

quote:

---

Update, because it's better, although not perfect

---

...and keep an eye out for the next version.

 

Purrs... LazyLeopard http://www.lazyleopard.org.uk

[LazyLeopard]

quote:

---

Update, because it's better, although not perfect

---

...and keep an eye out for the next version.

 

Purrs... LazyLeopard http://www.lazyleopard.org.uk

[+st_richardson]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lazy Leopard:

quote:

---

Update, because it's better, although not perfect

---

...and keep an eye out for the next version.

 

Purrs... LazyLeopard http://www.lazyleopard.org.uk

---

 

Someone once said that the only bug free software is obsolete.

[+st_richardson]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lazy Leopard:

quote:

---

Update, because it's better, although not perfect

---

...and keep an eye out for the next version.

 

Purrs... LazyLeopard http://www.lazyleopard.org.uk

---

 

Someone once said that the only bug free software is obsolete.

[Atilla the Pun]

quote:

---

Originally posted by st_richardson:

Someone once said that the only bug free software is obsolete.

---

 

I guess Windoze will never be obsolete then.

 

AtP

[Atilla the Pun]

quote:

---

Originally posted by st_richardson:

Someone once said that the only bug free software is obsolete.

---

 

I guess Windoze will never be obsolete then.

 

AtP

[+Alan2]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lazy Leopard:

quote:

---

* Added supports for yards as a distance.

---

This change seems to trigger a shutdown problem when you try to look at the navigation display. Switching back to "Statute" seems to avoid the shutdown.

 

Reported to Garmin Tec. Support. Roll on 2.26...

 

Purrs... LazyLeopard http://www.lazyleopard.org.uk

---

 

I had shutdown problems with many functions activated. I master resetted the Vista and reloaded 2.25 and its now OK.

 

Resetting will erase all user data, so I recommend keeping a record of your waypoints, route and track data. Turn the unit off and press and hold, in sequence, the PAGE + ENTER + FIND + ON. Hold it on for about 5 seconds and the unit will reset, which clears the memory and requires the unit to be reinitialized. Your maps will not be erase however. Reload 2.25.

 

Good luck.

 

Alan

[LazyLeopard]

Garmin Tech. support also suggested a master reset. This seems to have fixed at least some of the shutdown problems, but I think it may have introduced others...

 

Purrs... LazyLeopard http://www.lazyleopard.org.uk

[GeoGrunt]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lazy Leopard:

quote:

---

_Yards_ works good on my Vista, no problems.

---

Garmin Tech. Support got back to me asking which particular parameters I have displayed on the Navigation window (which is the one that I'm trying to get to when the beast shuts down). I've sent them back the information ("Speed" and "Heading") and also a list of other occasions the beast switches itself off. Mostly they're whenever I try to display the "Navigation" window, but the strangest is when I try to turn the magnetic compass on by holding the "menu" button down. Turning the compass off doesn't tickle the problem.

 

Purrs... LazyLeopard http://www.lazyleopard.org.uk

---

 

Spooky! I've been panicking that I'd have to sent my Vista back as I have exactly the same probs. Was using Yards and had "speed" and "heading" as the fields on the navigation page and it's been shutting down. Have switched back to Statute measurements and all is cured!

This is the first time a software update has ever affected my unit - all other have worked 1st time.

Look forward to 2.26 though....(using yards for GeoCaching is well handy...)

[m2fun]

When I upgraded last time I had the same problem with the extracting the .exe file from the zipped file. This time I was not successful again.

 

Here is what I did.

 

downloaded the gamin zip file to a folder Vista_2_25

Unzipped

Results when I go to the Vista_2_25 folder the zip file is still zipped

 

Simple technology mystifies the best of us.

 

Thanks in advance for the 'how to'.

[m2fun]

Never mind. Just mastered the required commands..........

 

You have to love click and go technology at its finest.

[LazyLeopard]

quote:

---

Have switched back to Statute measurements and all is cured!

---

Doing a "master reset" on my unit seems to have cured that particular shut-down problem, but I'm not convinced yet that it's cured them all, or just shifted things. It is however worth a try, if you have some way of saving your waypoints etc. beforehand and replacing them afterwards...

 

Purrs... LazyLeopard http://www.lazyleopard.org.uk

[+Hawk-eye]

I received an answer to why they added the dual coordinates to the Vista ... since if I used the long/lat format anyway ... I'd have to switch the system to another format to use the feature and then switch back to function normally ... here's their reply:

quote:

---

Sir,

The reason the second format was added was for the military. they need the unit to show MGRS and the lat lon at the same time. You would not need this if using in hddd mm.mmm. I will pass on your suggestions to the engineers as many suggestion will be added to units from requests.

---

 

Vista is really nice ... but not what I would call a military issue GPS! Anyway I asked about making available current position and your waypoint coordinate on the same page along with heading and bearing ... for geocaching. I'll keep my fingers crossed! They've been really good at adding features people have asked for ... that's how the ability to turn off tracking (and it not coming back on during the next power up) came about.