dave and jaime Posted August 31, 2002 Share Posted August 31, 2002 how often do gps manufacturers update their software, more specifically how long will it be before i have to update the firmware on my mag315 again? Quote Link to comment
+culpc Posted August 31, 2002 Share Posted August 31, 2002 Garmin seems to update when needed, not on a particular schedule. I would guess that Magellan does the same. Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parents, gobble their food, and tyrannize their teachers. - Socrates Quote Link to comment
cheese Posted August 31, 2002 Share Posted August 31, 2002 Go to the Magellan website, signup for e-mail updates, and it should tell you when the new firmware is available. (I have a Meridian Gold.) Quote Link to comment
Mr. Eukalia Posted September 2, 2002 Share Posted September 2, 2002 Firmware updates of any kind bios/gps are expensive to re write and test. Typically only only done to fix a found problem that cound outweigh these costs. They should be accompanied by a test file that tells you what was fixed or added. Read this then decide if you need to do it.Firmware updates can often fix one thing and break another. 01001011-01111001-01101100-01100101 Kyley@rocketmail.com Quote Link to comment
+apersson850 Posted September 2, 2002 Share Posted September 2, 2002 Maybe to reduce the testing cost, Garmin has released the latest updates to the eTrex Legend and Vista as beta versions first. Let the users do the job of finding all the errors, then let the programmers just fix the problems. For the Legend, that's now ended in a "final" version, while the Vista's latest version is still in beta-state. I've now had my Vista for one year. It was 2.18 when I bought it. Latest beta release is 2.29, although not all versions, from a numerical point of view, have been issued to the public. Anders Quote Link to comment
dave and jaime Posted September 2, 2002 Author Share Posted September 2, 2002 are the older versions of firmaware still available? for instance could i go back to say 3.04 for the mag 315 if 3.15 produces undesired results? Quote Link to comment
+apersson850 Posted September 2, 2002 Share Posted September 2, 2002 Don't know about the maggies, but for example for a Garmin Vista, all older updates are available at the Yahoo etrexvista group's file section. Anders Quote Link to comment
+Bear and Ting Posted September 3, 2002 Share Posted September 3, 2002 ...I was told that they will provide ver.xx upgrades at no charge. However, they will be charging for VER.) upgrades and their next release of both MapSend AND their firmware will be a full version release (due out 1st quarter of 2003). The gentleman I spoke to reported that their engineers were not prepared for the popularity of games such as geocaching and they were addressing issues that have come up. When I asked about Beta testing, he said they would not be releasing any beta code. I suggested that they look at Garmin, as they are not charging for upgrades AND are now offering beta. He said he would take that up the line. All in all, they seem to be responding, but also seem a little behind the game. Bear & Ting I thought I was a little off, then I looked at my GPS and discovered I accurate to 12 ft. Geocachers don't NEED to ask for directions! Quote Link to comment
+apersson850 Posted September 3, 2002 Share Posted September 3, 2002 The same old story again. IBM let everybody know the internals of their PC architecture. Apple want to keep it to themselves. Which company sells most units? Anders Quote Link to comment
dave and jaime Posted September 3, 2002 Author Share Posted September 3, 2002 had a good day today. found three caches and spent less than 15 mins looking for them not including the hiking time. when my mag 315 reads 0m i have been reaching distance of the 5 caches i have found since friday. is this normal or have i had it pretty easy? Quote Link to comment
BassoonPilot Posted September 3, 2002 Share Posted September 3, 2002 quote:Originally posted by Anders:Maybe to reduce the testing cost, Garmin has released the latest updates to the eTrex Legend and Vista as beta versions first. Let the users do the job of finding all the errors, then let the programmers just fix the problems. For the Legend, that's now ended in a "final" version, while the Vista's latest version is still in beta-state. I found it interesting that after loading version 2.29b (the current beta-state version for the Vista), all the "known" locations I had saved as "favorites" (home, daughter's school, the bus stop, etc.) now indicate 10 yards off. I re-checked over a period of stays, with the same results. I presume the software has been tweaked to be more accurate ... Quote Link to comment
+apersson850 Posted September 3, 2002 Share Posted September 3, 2002 You never noticed that rumbling sound, when the earth rotation gearbox cogged over one tooth?? I haven't noticed anything like that, but according to my experience, all stored postions do rant around a little on their own all the time, due to measurement inaccuracies. Anders Quote Link to comment
BassoonPilot Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 quote:Originally posted by Anders:I haven't noticed anything like that, but according to my experience, all stored postions do rant around a little on their own all the time, due to measurement inaccuracies. Yes, I have watched the coordinates from my "favorites" vary anywhere from 0 - 30 feet during the ten months since I purchased the Vista. Perhaps it is coincidental, but with the new 2.29b software, I'm noticing those distances now vary from 20 - 85 feet ... and instead of the "accuracy" indicating the 18 - 24 feet I've usually noticed, it now indicates 8 - 10 feet. That's why I think it's a software issue, and I hope it's an issue of increased accuracy. Time, and the next revision to the software, will tell. Quote Link to comment
BassoonPilot Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 quote:Originally posted by Anders:I haven't noticed anything like that, but according to my experience, all stored postions do rant around a little on their own all the time, due to measurement inaccuracies. Yes, I have watched the coordinates from my "favorites" vary anywhere from 0 - 30 feet during the ten months since I purchased the Vista. Perhaps it is coincidental, but with the new 2.29b software, I'm noticing those distances now vary from 20 - 85 feet ... and instead of the "accuracy" indicating the 18 - 24 feet I've usually noticed, it now indicates 8 - 10 feet. That's why I think it's a software issue, and I hope it's an issue of increased accuracy. Time, and the next revision to the software, will tell. Quote Link to comment
+apersson850 Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 Are you using WAAS? They do state that the EPE (accuracy) calculation is changed when using it with WAAS. However, I also have the impression that the unit is more optimistic about the EPE than before, in spite of the fact that I'm to far away to use WAAS, and EGNOS isn't operative yet. Anders Quote Link to comment
BassoonPilot Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 quote:Originally posted by Anders:Are you using WAAS? They do state that the EPE (accuracy) calculation is changed when using it with WAAS. I noticed that statement in Garmin's documentation, as well. Yes, WAAS has been enabled for the readings. Sorry for not making that clear. Quote Link to comment
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